Sailing in winter can sometimes feel like a necessity when you are stuck in the midst of daily routine, hustle, cold and dark weather. If you are wondering where you could sail in December, January or February while having sun at the same time, we got you.
Here is a list of top notch sailing destinations that are not only sailing paradise, but also sunny, dry and with great sailing conditions when the northern hemisphere is an unpredictable mess.
Sailing in winter: not always the most comfortable in the Northern hemisphere
When the winter hits hard in the Northern hemisphere, which is usually between December and February for most places, sailing can become quite challenging.
Not only the temperatures are harsh, but the elements can be a bit crazy too with wind, rain, waves and other hazards that make sailing not very pleasurable and quite often (very) dangerous.
Obviously, this is not exactly the kind of weather where you want to lay in a bathing suit on the deck of your catamaran with your friends or family.
For these reasons, many otherwise popular sailing destinations are almost off limits between December and February, which includes a good part of the Mediterranean destinations, especially the ones more on the European side.
But should you stop your winter sailing dreams and wait for next summer to rend the yacht of your dreams and indulge in some sun? Oh no.
In fact, there are many sailing destinations around the world that could be a great escape in December, January or February.
Some of these destinations might actually be much closer to where you live than you think!
Where are the sailing destinations where you can have sun during the winter months?
The basic rule is that when it’s winter in the Northern hemisphere, it is summer in the Southern hemisphere. So one obvious answer when you need some summer in the middle of winter would be… go south.
But since there aren’t many Southern destinations that could compare to the Mediterranean playground in terms of sailing, you’d have to look somewhere else on your map for this winter, around the equator to be precise. Then, all you need to know is when the rainy season of these tropical locations is… and avoid it.
In consequence, ask 10 sailors where to go to sail in winter and the answer will be 9 out 10 times: “go to the Caribbean”.
It’s true, all Caribbean islands are at their best during these winter months: dry season, nice sailing conditions and far enough from the dreaded hurricane season.
But there are a lot more sailing destinations with perfect weather and sailing conditions in winter and that are NOT necessarily in the Caribbean. If you know you know.
Great sailing destinations in Winter that are NOT in the Caribbean
Let’s start the hall of fame of great sailing destinations in December, January and February with the ones that are not in the Caribbean.
If you are in the USA, these destinations can sometimes be a bit further than the usual Caribbean, but if you are in Europe, Asia, Africa or the Middle East, they are probably closer.
French Polynesia: a remote archipelago that you can sail all year round
French Polynesia is a destination on the rise, and it’s not hard to see why: perfect weather all year round, countless of atolls in 5 major archipelagos and a preserved nature that hasn’t been touched by mass tourism.
If you are looking for an unusual destination to spend your next Christmas, New Year or Winter vacations, French Polynesia might be it. If it’s far from everything for most people, it is relatively easy to access if you are from the US, especially if you live on the West Coast.
Pro Tip: there is more demand than boats available in French Polynesia. Better book your trip in advance.
- Location: Pacific Ocean
- Spoken Languages : French
- Recommended yachts: sailing catamarans and sailboats
Thailand: a South East Asian paradise dry during the winter in Northern hemisphere
Thailand is a very popular tropical destination that is dry in the winter months of the Northern hemisphere.
Despite its popularity, many yachties tend to forget that Thailand is also a great sailing playground, with calm waters and plenty of islands to explore that are not necessarily spoilt by mass tourism.
A great escape in Asia that can accommodate everyone, whether you are looking for dramatic landscapes, parties, great food or everything in between.
Thailand has also another big advantage: it is very easy to access it regardless of where you are in the globe, which is why it is visited by many during their Asian trip.
- Location: South East Asia
- Spoken Language: Thai
- Recommended Yachts: All kind of yachts: motoryachts, catamarans, sailboats
The Whitsundays and the rest of Australia: a huge playground that works all year round
If you’ve always dreamt of exploring Australia, here is some great news for you: you can do so in winter. Australia has some of its gigantic territories that are indeed in “summer” during the winter in the Northern hemisphere, while other areas are more following a tropical climate.
In terms of sailing, the Whitsundays is probably the star of the region, and by definition the number one yachting destination of our aussie mates. Although December, January and February are technically during the rainy season (and the low season) in the Whitsundays, it isn’t a heavy monsoon either but rather quick showers that should go as fast as they arrive.
Otherwise, the region around Sydney along the NSW coast tends to be drier in December, January and February, and is also very popular for winter yacht charters (summer in Australia!).
- Location: Oceania
- Spoken Language: English
- Recommended Yachts: All kinds of yachts
The Seychelles: an exotic destination for some tropical sun from December to February
The Seychelles is one of the best sailing destinations during these months between December and February. Although you might experience some rain, these months remain mostly dry, and the trade winds are blowing, which is a great news if you are chartering a sailboat or a sailing catamaran.
It’s not a big secret, the Seychelles is a true yachting paradise with many islands to explore. And many of these yachties go to the Seychelles for Christmas, New Year Eve and these winter months.
- Location: Indian Ocean
- Spoken Languages: Seychellois Creole, English, French
- Recommended yachts: Everything: catamarans, motoryachts and sailboats
The Maldives: a perfect and sunny playground for a winter yacht trip
The Maldives are more famous for their honeymoon style resorts than for their yacht rentals. But don’t be fooled, the Maldives are a terrific playground for a yacht charter, especially during these winter months during December and February, which is their dry season.
So not only you can get sunshine and warm temperatures, but you’ll also benefit from gentle winds that are very pleasant.
Maldives have another strong plus: they are very close from countries such as India, UAE and even to the rest of Asia. For Europeans, it isn’t much longer to reach the Maldives than to reach some islands of the Caribbean.
- Location: Indian Ocean
- Spoken Languages: Dhivehi, English, Arabic
- Recommended Yachts: catamarans to access the shallow atolls
The Bahamas: a great playground only a short sail away from the US
The Bahamas has always been a great escape for Americans. The country is so close to the US that you can even sail directly from Florida to one its popular destinations such as Exuma.
Sure, technically the Bahamas is “almost” in the Caribbean, but it is still largely unexplored by non-Americans that tend to forget this archipelago during their escapes in that part of the world.
And of course, like the rest of the Caribbean islands, the Bahamas are at their driest during December, January and February, while being far from hurricane season, which is naturally the best time of the year to visit them.
- Location: North of the Caribbean
- Spoken Languages: English, Bahamian Creole
- Recommended Yachts: All Yachts can be great
The United Arab Emirates: December to February is a pleasant season to charter a yacht in Dubai
The UAE in general, and Dubai in particular, are great winter escapes where you can sail under the sun in December, January and February while the rest of the northern hemisphere is mostly cold and gloomy.
If Dubai and its marinas are the star of the show, there are a lot more to explore around this area and you should definitely consider this a yacht charter seriously if you want to discover that part of the Middle East in an unusual manner.
- Location: Middle East
- Spoken Languages: Arabic, English
- Recommended Yachts: All Yachts can be great
Mauritius: a great option in the Indian Ocean for a warm sailing winter trip
When it’s dark, cold and windy in Europe, many sailors know that it’s time to head to Mauritius island and its tropical weather.
Mauritius is a popular winter destination for Christmas, New Year and French public holidays. But if you manage to rent a yacht before or after these peak weeks, you might enjoy the island with the same pleasant weather and heat, minus the crowd.
Maurice is a very exotic destination that is a bit far from everything, except from Africa. If you are looking for a change, this could very well be a great alternative to the Caribbean or the Seychelles.
- Location: Indian Ocean close to Madagascar
- Spoken Language: Mauritian Creole, French and English
- Recommended Yachts: All types of yachts are suitable
The best Caribbean sailing destinations for December to February
As previously mentioned, everybody will tell you to sail in the Caribbean when the winter months come. And, although this is not your only option, they are surely right to an extent.
All destinations in the Caribbean are a safe bet in December, January or February. But here are the ones that claim the heart of many sailors.
The British & US Virgin Islands: a classic winter escape for yacht enthusiasts
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) and the US Virgin Islands (USVI) are probably the most popular destinations for yacht enthusiasts in the Caribbean.
The two archipelagos are side by side and you can sail from one to the other very easily. Both are very popular sailing destinations for Christmas, New Year Eve and other winter holidays that are happening throughout the northern hemisphere.
If you’ve never been to the Caribbean, you can’t really go wrong by starting off with the USVI or the BVI for your first winter sailing trip.
- Location: Northern Caribbean
- Spoken Language: English
- Recommended Yachts: All types of yachts are suitable
St Martin & Sint Maarten: an exclusive destination for a calm winter escape
Saint Martin and Sint Maarten are two different destinations on the same island. One side is french speaking and the other is Dutch.
Both sides are great for a yacht charter, as they are close to many small isolated islands like Anguilla or Saint Barthelemy, which is great for day trips or longer itineraries.
St Martin is renowned for its secludedness and authenticity. If you are looking for a quiet place in the Caribbean, this could be for you.
- Location: Northern Caribbean
- Spoken Language: French in Saint Martin, Dutch in Sint Maarten
- Recommended Yachts: All types of yachts are suitable
Guadeloupe & Martinique: the two trusted Caribbean destinations for french speaking sailors
Guadeloupe and Martinique are two french oversea departments. So technically and administratively speaking, you are in France when you enter any of these two.
French from mainland have been going on yacht charters during the winter for years during these two destinations. Spending Christmas, NYE or the winter holidays in Guadeloupe and Martinique is quite popular in France, and so are the honeymoon in any of these destinations.
If you want a piece of French culture mixed with the Caribbean culture and climate, you can’t go wrong by chartering a yacht in either Guadeloupe or Martinique.
- Location: Caribbean
- Spoken Language: French
- Recommended Yachts: All types of yachts are suitable
St Lucia: a rising favourite in the Caribbean region
St Lucia isn’t the most known island in the Caribbean when it comes to “normal” tourism, but surely is rising as one of the favourite destinations in all sailors’ hearts.
This stunning island has a lot to offer and is a beauty from land as well as from the sea. Its location is very strategic for sailing itineraries in the Caribbean: in between Martinique and St Vincent and the Grenadines, and a relatively short sail away from Barbados.
If you don’t know where to sail for Christmas or if you want to celebrate new year like a pirate, it surely isn’t a bad idea to seriously consider a yacht rental in that destination.
- Location: Caribbean
- Spoken Language: English and creole
- Recommended Yachts: All types of yachts are suitable
Still unsure about your next winter sailing vacations? Get in touch with our team to get your questions answered or receive a free quote.
