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Destination comparison

St Martin / St Maarten vs Turkey

Two distinct sailing grounds — here's how they compare on conditions, cost, season, and who they suit.

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Quick Comparison

Dimension St Martin / St Maarten Turkey
Region Caribbean Mediterranean
Peak season Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr Jun, Jul, Aug
Shoulder Nov, May May, Sep, Oct
Sailing difficulty easy easy to moderate
Recommended level beginner friendly beginner friendly
Avg wind (winter / summer) 18 / 14 kn 11 / 13 kn
Hurricane risk Aug, Sep, Oct None
Currency EUR (French side) / NAf (Dutch side) TRY (Turkish Lira)
Mid-tier price (7 days) $9,800 $6,500
Luxury tier price $36,000 $26,000
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At a Glance

Caribbean
St Martin / St Maarten

Hurricane season June-November. Strong Atlantic swells in winter. Excellent provisioning; French side for cheese/bread, Dutch for variety. Short hops to Anguilla and St Barts.

  • • 3 base marinas
  • • 5 must-visit anchorages
  • • 31 boats in our fleet database for this region
Mediterranean
Turkey

Meltemi-style winds in July-August in Aegean. Turquoise Coast (Gocek-Fethiye-Kekova) is protected; very popular with British/American sailors. Often best value in Mediterranean.

  • • 4 base marinas
  • • 6 must-visit anchorages
  • • 27 boats in our fleet database for this region

Sailing Conditions

St Martin / St Maarten averages 18 knots in winter and 14 knots in summer. Hurricane risk runs Aug, Sep, Oct — outside these months the sailing is generally dependable.

Turkey averages 11 knots in winter and 13 knots in summer. No hurricane season.

In terms of sailing difficulty, St Martin / St Maarten is generally rated easy and Turkey is easy to moderate. The difference matters: Turkey asks more of the skipper — confidence at the helm and some experience with coastal navigation helps.

Cost Comparison

For a 7-day charter of a typical 45-ft catamaran (4 cabins, sleeps 8):

St Martin / St Maarten
  • Low season: $3,800
  • Mid season: $9,800
  • High season: $18,500
  • Luxury / crewed peak: $36,000+
Turkey
  • Low season: $2,500
  • Mid season: $6,500
  • High season: $13,000
  • Luxury / crewed peak: $26,000+

Bareboat base rates. Crewed typically adds ~$1,500/day (captain + hostess). Prices exclude fuel, provisioning, mooring fees, gratuity.

Anchorages & Must-Do

St Martin / St Maarten
  • Maho Beach — Planes land overhead - iconic photo
  • Lottery Farm — Hidden nude beach; wild
  • Anse Marcel — Sheltered; great snorkeling
  • Tintamarre — Day trip; wild donkeys; white sand
  • Pinel Island — Short ferry from French side; restaurants
Turkey
  • Blue Lagoon, Ölüdeniz — Turquoise water; paragliding
  • Butterfly Valley — Dramatic canyon; waterfalls
  • Cleopatra's Island (Sedir) — Ancient city; unique sand
  • Gemiler Island — Byzantine ruins; sunset views
  • Kekova (Sunken City) — Lycian ruins below water

Which Should You Choose?

If you've never chartered before

Both work for first-timers. The default choice for the industry is BVI; choose that unless you have specific reasons to prefer St Martin / St Maarten or Turkey.

If you want warmer / tropical water

Choose St Martin / St Maarten. Warmer water year-round (often 75–85°F), palm-fringed anchorages.

If you want history / culture / food

Choose Turkey. Mediterranean culture, history, cuisine, wines.

Captain's Take

"Gocek is the Turkish sailing capital most non-Turkish sailors have never heard of. Twelve islands in the bay, most with quiet bays and protected anchorages. Bedri Rahmi Bay (named after the Turkish artist who painted a rock here in 1974) is iconic. Gocek town has multiple well-stocked supermarkets (Migros, BIM) and excellent restaurants (Kebabçi Halil, Bager). The Turquoise Coast from Gocek to Kekova is the most protected sailing waters in the Mediterranean — sheltered from Meltemi by the Taurus mountains. Provisioning is cheaper than Croatia, and the experience is more authentic."

— Captain H. (Gocek-based), local captain · all note · verified 2026-09-01

Timing and Budget: St Martin / St Maarten vs Turkey

Frequently Asked Questions

Is St Martin / St Maarten or Turkey better for a first-time charter? ▾
Both work well for first-timers. St Martin / St Maarten has easy sailing; Turkey is easy to moderate. Most first-timers pick St Martin / St Maarten (BVI is the canonical first-charter destination) but Turkey is also well-supported by checkout sails at the marina.
Which is cheaper to charter — St Martin / St Maarten or Turkey? ▾
Turkey is the cheaper of the two at the mid-tier: ~$6,500/week vs ~$9,800/week for St Martin / St Maarten. Bareboat low-season starts around $2,500 in Turkey vs $3,800 in St Martin / St Maarten.
When is the best time to visit St Martin / St Maarten vs Turkey? ▾
St Martin / St Maarten: peak Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr; shoulder Nov, May; off Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct. Turkey: peak Jun, Jul, Aug; shoulder May, Sep, Oct; off Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr. Both are Caribbean-style (peak = Dec–Apr).
How do sailing conditions compare — St Martin / St Maarten vs Turkey? ▾
St Martin / St Maarten: typical winter winds 18 knots, summer 14 knots. Sailing difficulty: easy. Hurricane risk: Aug, Sep, Oct. Turkey: typical winter winds 11 knots, summer 13 knots. Sailing difficulty: easy to moderate. No hurricane season.
Which has better flight access — St Martin / St Maarten or Turkey? ▾
St Martin / St Maarten: Princess Juliana (SXM), also Grand Case (SFG). Turkey: Dalaman (DLM), Bodrum (BJV), Izmir (ADB), also Istanbul (IST).
Which is more beginner-friendly, St Martin / St Maarten or Turkey? ▾
Both are accessible to first-time charterers (beginner friendly and beginner friendly respectively). Many charterers combine both on one trip.
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