Summers may be all about grandiose European flings, but when the winter chill arrives there is no better escape than the blue and white bliss of the beautiful Caribbean. Warm waters, abundant sunshine, rum soaked shores, and a string of hidden gem islands – a superyacht can grant you passage into some of the best spots. Whether you want an action-packed adventure filled with pirate coves, fishing, trekking and more – or if you are looking to kick back on floury white sands, dine on lobster, and spend your days sailing like a fleck of white against the blue – these are the must-visit spots in the Caribbean…
The Baths, Virgin Gorda
The white shore littered with smooth granite boulders makes for an incredibly dramatic sight for those anchoring down in Virgin Gorda. The Baths National Park is a geological wonder and makes for a fabulous day. Take the tender ashore and follow the handrails and ropes that lead you over the series of strewn rocks, some an incredible 40 feet in diameter. Plunge into the warm pools that collect in the chasms, and follow the trail to Devils Bay where you can snorkel to your heart's content in the clear crystalline waters.
Stingray City, Grand Cayman
Those traveling with children or with dreams to get up close and personal with stingrays will adore a stop off at Stingray City. The Grand Cayman is a wonderful spot enriched with sandy shores and tapestries of blue. At Stingray City, you can enter a special beach brimming with wild stingrays who come close to shore to be handfed and held. Spend an incredible afternoon feeding these gentle creatures, taking underwater photographs with starfish and snorkeling the reefs that bloom beneath the surface.
Eleuthera, Exumas
Even if it didn’t have the wonder of swimming pigs, Eleuthera would still be worth a visit just to see its pearly pink sands and palm-fringed backdrop. As it is, the pigs truly make it a worthwhile journey. Imagine diving from your boat and swimming alongside a snuffling tribe of piglets who like to take their morning dip to cool down from the sun. The best swimming pigs experience you can have is by heading to Big Major Cay, a remote island only accessible by yacht or speedboat two hours away along the Exuma archipelago.
Waitukubuili Train, Dominica
Dominica is known as natures island and is every bit as wild and wonderful as you imagine. A veritable blaze of green framed by white sands and blue seas and without the tourist crowds. Those yacht guests who love a challenge will adore hiking the Waitukubuli Trail, through trails of blazing wildflowers to reach that awe-inspiring sight of the Morne Trois Pitons- a UNESCO wonder. Afterward, reward yourself with a champagne cocktail back on deck and soothe tired muscles with a personal massage or sinking down in the jacuzzi.
Soggy Dollar Bar, Jost Van Dyke
Making a journey across the seas to sip a cocktail may seem like an over the top adventure, but for those in the superyacht world – the Soggy Dollar Bar is a rite of passage. The bar is named so because its patrons are encouraged to dive into the blue from their yacht and swim to shore. Once upon the sands you can order their signature Painkiller drink - a concoction of dark rum swirled with cream of coconut, a flash of orange juice, and a glug of pineapple – they are dangerously good. The Soggy Dollar Bar is world famous for its legendary parties – so when you have done all your snorkeling, swimming, and hiking – a visit here is how you go out with a bang.