Where to Charter a Catamaran
Pick a region for the big picture, then narrow by country / island for seasonal detail, marinas and itineraries. Every entry below is curated with 30+ years of captain experience — 11 regions, 37 charter destinations.
Destination vs Destination
Still Choosing? Compare Two Side by Side
The captain's take on which destination wins for which traveller — drawn from 30+ years of charter bookings.
721 pre-built destination comparisons in total — every region and every country vs every other.
Browse all destination comparisons →Browse by Region
Every region has its own wind pattern, peak season, and cruising style. Start with the macro view, then narrow down to a country.
Caribbean Caribbean
Hurricane season June-November. Trade winds reliable December-April. Peak season Christmas-March.
Mediterranean Mediterranean
Strongest winds July-August (Meltemi, Mistral, Bora). Peak season warm and crowded. Shoulder months (May, September) ideal. Most regions close in winter.
Indian Ocean Indian Ocean
Best sailing: November-April (trade winds steady). Cyclone risk December-April (south of equator). Indian Ocean cruisers often combine 2-3 regions.
South Pacific South Pacific
Best sailing June-October (austral winter, 14-16kt SE trades). Cyclone season December-April; most French Polynesia operators pause. Reef-protected anchorages; Society Islands and the Whitsundays are the two main charter hubs.
South East Asia South East Asia
Dry season runs December-April with calm seas and reliable trade winds. Wet season May-October brings monsoon squalls; most charter operators close or reposition to the Andaman Sea. Reef-friendly anchoring is strictly enforced.
Mexico & Central America Mexico & Central America
Sea of Cortez (La Paz, Cabo) has reliable northerly winds November-May. Caribbean Mexico / Belize runs November-April; closed May-October due to hurricane risk and sargassum.
Atlantic & Offshore Atlantic & Offshore
Trade-wind season runs April-October with steady NE breeze. Atlantic crossing (ARC) in November from Canaries to St Lucia is the classic transatlantic route — typically 18-21 days.
Red Sea & Middle East Red Sea & Middle East
A near-year-round cruising ground: October-April is the sweet spot with 22-28°C air, lighter northerlies and superb reef visibility. May-September is hotter with stronger N winds - fast but bumpier passages. Water stays warm enough for snorkelling all year, which keeps Egypt busy even in summer.
Northern Europe & Baltic Northern Europe & Baltic
A strictly seasonal, high-latitude summer cruising world. June-August brings 18-20 hours of daylight, gentle 8-12kt thermal breezes and midsummer festivities. May and September are cooler but quiet. Navigation is among the most scenic in the world - island-dotted archipelagos with thousands of protected anchorages and near-tidal-less water.
South America & Galápagos South America & Galápagos
Galápagos is a year-round wildlife destination that peaks December-April (warm, calm, wetter) with the best underwater visibility; June-November brings the cooler, plankton-rich 'garúa' season and bigger marine life. Brazil's coast is best December-March. Galápagos charters are expedition-style: fully crewed, permit-controlled routes and National Park rules on every anchorage.
US East Coast & Florida US East Coast & Florida
Two seasons in one region: Florida and the Keys shine November-May (warm Gulf Stream water, steady easterlies) while summer brings heat and hurricane season; New England's window is Memorial Day through mid-October, with Newport, Nantucket and Maine's Penobscot Bay at their best in July-September. Bareboat and crewed options are both strong out of Fort Lauderdale and Newport.
Browse by Season
Not sure when to go? Pick a sailing window; we'll show you the destinations that peak then.
Browse by Experience Level
New to sailing? Picking the right destination is half the battle.
Beginner-Friendly
12 spotsLine-of-sight, sheltered, calm water
Intermediate
21 spotsSome open-water passages, more wind
All 37 Destinations Compared
Quick side-by-side view of every destination we cover. Click any name for the full guide.
| Destination | Region | Peak Months | Shoulder | Difficulty | Level | From /wk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Virgin Islands | Caribbean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | easy | beginner friendly | $3,500 |
| US Virgin Islands | Caribbean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | easy | beginner friendly | $3,500 |
| Greece | Mediterranean | Jun, Jul, Aug | May, Sep, Oct | moderate | intermediate | $3,000 |
| Croatia | Mediterranean | Jun, Jul, Aug | May, Sep, Oct | moderate | intermediate | $2,800 |
| Italy | Mediterranean | Jun, Jul, Aug | May, Sep, Oct | moderate to difficult | intermediate to advanced | $3,500 |
| Bahamas | Caribbean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | moderate | intermediate | $4,000 |
| St Martin / St Maarten | Caribbean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | easy | beginner friendly | $3,800 |
| France | Mediterranean | Jun, Jul, Aug | May, Sep | moderate to difficult | intermediate to advanced | $4,000 |
| Turkey | Mediterranean | Jun, Jul, Aug | May, Sep, Oct | easy to moderate | beginner friendly | $2,500 |
| Whitsundays (Australia) | South Pacific | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct | May, Nov | moderate | intermediate | $3,500 |
| Antigua | Caribbean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | moderate | intermediate | $4,200 |
| Saint Lucia | Caribbean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | moderate to difficult | intermediate | $3,800 |
| Grenada & the Grenadines | Caribbean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | moderate | intermediate | $4,000 |
| Saint Barthélemy | Caribbean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | moderate | intermediate | $8,000 |
| Anguilla | Caribbean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | easy to moderate | beginner friendly | $4,500 |
| Martinique | Caribbean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | moderate | intermediate | $3,800 |
| Spain / Balearic Islands | Mediterranean | Jun, Jul, Aug | May, Sep, Oct | easy to moderate | beginner friendly | $3,500 |
| Montenegro | Mediterranean | Jun, Jul, Aug | May, Sep, Oct | easy | beginner friendly | $4,000 |
| Corsica (France) | Mediterranean | Jun, Jul, Aug | May, Sep | moderate | intermediate | $4,200 |
| Seychelles | Indian Ocean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | May, Oct, Nov | moderate to difficult | intermediate to advanced | $5,500 |
| French Polynesia (Tahiti) | South Pacific | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct | May, Nov | moderate | intermediate | $6,500 |
| Thailand / Phuket | Indian Ocean | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | May, Oct | easy | beginner friendly | $3,500 |
| Maldives | Indian Ocean | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | Nov, May | moderate | intermediate | $5,500 |
| Indonesia | South East Asia | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | Apr, Oct | moderate | intermediate | $4,500 |
| Malaysia | South East Asia | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | Nov, Apr | easy to moderate | beginner friendly | $3,800 |
| Vietnam | South East Asia | Feb, Mar, Apr, May | Jan, Jun | moderate | intermediate | $4,200 |
| Mexico | Mexico & Central America | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | May, Oct | easy to moderate | beginner friendly | $3,200 |
| Belize | Mexico & Central America | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | May, Nov | easy | beginner friendly | $3,000 |
| Canary Islands | Atlantic & Offshore | Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep | Mar, Oct | moderate | intermediate | $3,800 |
| Egypt | Red Sea & Middle East | Oct, Nov, Mar, Apr | Feb, May, Dec | easy to moderate | intermediate | $4,200 |
| Oman | Red Sea & Middle East | Oct, Nov, Feb, Mar, Apr | Jan, May, Sep | moderate | intermediate | $5,200 |
| Sweden | Northern Europe & Baltic | Jun, Jul, Aug | May, Sep | moderate | intermediate | $5,200 |
| Finland | Northern Europe & Baltic | Jun, Jul, Aug | May, Sep | moderate | intermediate | $4,900 |
| Galápagos | South America & Galápagos | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | May, Nov | moderate | advanced | $8,500 |
| Brazil | South America & Galápagos | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | Apr, Nov | moderate | intermediate | $6,000 |
| Florida | US East Coast & Florida | Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr | May, Nov | beginner friendly | beginner | $4,800 |
| New England | US East Coast & Florida | Jul, Aug, Sep | Jun, Oct | easy to moderate | intermediate | $5,200 |
Not Sure Where to Charter?
Tell us about your dream trip — we'll recommend the best destination based on your dates, experience, and budget.