I had always thought that sailing holidays were for older people, or extortionately priced, so it wasn't until I came across Med Sailors did I realise it could be a reality!
Med Sailors is aimed at 20-35 year-old's and specialises in 6 day sailing holidays across Greece, Turkey and Croatia. Having spent some of my year abroad travelling, I knew I would enjoy a week exploring some of the Mediterranean islands, and how better to do it than on your own sailing boat.
Here's a few tips and information if you are considering a sailing holiday next year:
1. Research your destination
With Med Sailors it was pretty tricky to decide, as I had already visited Turkey, so I knew it would be between Greece and Croatia. For me, I'd always liked the idea of Croatia, and seeing it become a host of so many of the international festivals really drew me to the country. I also felt as though some of the islands would be less touristy and the activities such as cycling and paddle boarding were something I really wanted to try abroad.
I chose the Croatia Voyager trip from Dubrovnik to Split, I think the opportunity to see two historic Croatian citites is what really sold it for me. The other route in Croatia - Discovery includes mainly Split, Central and Dalmatia.
2. Book accommodation either side of your trip
As we were due to sail at 3pm on the Saturday of our week away, we booked an airbnb the night before. If you haven't used this website, you must, it's excellent. It is run on the concept of user reviews, so you know exactly what you are going to get before you stay. Staying in the town was a great way to explore Dubrovnik before we sailed and get a good night sleep the night before. I would seriously recommend this as not only for comfort, it adds extra destinations to your bucket list! Book in advance for the best accommodation and always choose the historic old town (Stari Grad) to stay in, in both Split and Dubrovnik this was a great choice for convenience to sights, restaurants and bars.
3. Budget plenty for excursions and activities (and extras)
Ensure you budget for any activities you want to do, the Med Sailors website gives you a breakdown of all these costs prior to your sailing date. Another thing is to ensure you have allowed for any port tax, sailing in the Med is expensive, but you get to use decent showers and toilets at a few of the ports.
Also allow for the conversion rate, recently the pound has been low so prices may be changeable.
4. Pack light
It's a sailing boat so there isn't loads of space, but you don't need to take much. You are mainly in swimwear all day so that's your main priority. Also try and pack a soft bag which allows for more space when you are on board. Remember to take some inflatables and your goggles as there isn't loads of snorkelling equipment on board.
5. Create a playlist
You will be listening to music pretty much all day and night so make sure you load up your favourite playlists on your phone. The best choice we had was a reggae playlist, it was super relaxing and made a great atmosphere as we were sailing into the sunset.
Most importantly, try something new, make new friends and lose your inhibitions. That's what travelling is all about, even if it's for one week. I made some great friends and excellent memories.
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