Yacht Charter Seychelles

Yacht Charter Seychelles

Yacht Charter Seychelles

Located 1000 miles east of Kenya, the Indian Ocean Seychelles archipelago are unique in culture and ecology. From pristine beaches to astounding marine and land animals, a Seychelles yacht charter will be a holiday to remember.

There are just 90,000 Seychellois citizens who mostly speak the lingua franca Creole, a reflection of the French, English, African and other cultures that have come together to make these paradise islands what they are today.

The white sand beaches are among the best on the planet, but that is just at the boundary between the unique ecosystems of the sea and the land. Ashore on the largest island Mahe you should put on your walking boots to climb the Morne Seychellois mountain in the national park. Nine hundred metres up at the summit you will see for miles around and on the way up encounter a range of birdlife that is unique to the island.

On a bareboat Seychelles yacht charter you will get to see the Inner Island archipelago, which are granite formations jutting out from the ocean floor. The next major island to Mahe is Praslin (pronounced 'Pra-lin'), Cousin Island and its smaller neighbour Curieuse. Praslin is home to the mysterious 25-40kg coco de mer coconut that that is often found floating as far afield as the Maldives. The bird reserve Curieuse meanwhile may be your best opportunity to meet with a 100 year old giant tortoise.

For many years the Outer Islands were closed to tourists but it is now possible to take a luxury yacht charter out to Aldabra, which British TV naturalist David Attenborough described as 'one of the Wonders of the World' thanks to its pristine marine and shore ecology. This is an opportunity to explore an atoll that is at least as important as the Galapagos - only nowhere near as overrun with tourists.

From diving on a coral reef to sailing with flying fish and dolphins in pursuit, there are few places quite like the Seychelles. Book a yacht charter with Borrow a Boat today to see what we mean!

Hiring A Yacht In the Seychelles

Whether on a crewed luxury yacht charter or on a bareboat sailing holiday it is easy to take a Seychelles yacht charter with Borrow a Boat. If on a crewed yacht charter you will fly into Victoria airport on Mahe island and head to Eden Island Marina where you will set sail.

With a bareboat charter you may be using Praslin Marina as a base or Eden Island Marina. On turning up at the marina you will present your sailing qualifications (an RYA Day Skipper is fine) and be introduced to your charter yacht. On completion of the formalities then off you go!

Charter companies don't allow bareboat charters out to the Outer Islands but there is plenty to explore on the Inner Island group and few restrictions other than those in place to protect the wildlife and ecology.

Getting to the Seychelles

Flights from Europe and the US to the Seychelles will involve a change of planes in Africa or the Middle East (Doha and Dubai are common).

If your yacht charter base is Mahe Island then it is a short bus ride. For those sailing from Praslin, you can either take a puddle jumper connecting flight to the island or a ferry.

Best Areas To Charter in the Seychelles

Bareboat charters will generally only be to the Inner Island group while a skippered yacht charter can get you to Aldabra on the Outer Islands.

Inner Islands

The largest Seychelles island Mahe is often enough for people to take in in a week thanks to its dozens of white sand beaches! It is easy enough to sail on to Cousin Island with its amazing rock formations, Praslin Island with its coco de mer coconuts and Curieuse with its unique birdlife.

You will be able to swim on a coral reef, see all sorts of tropical birds and marine life like a whale shark, dolphins, rays and flying fish.

Outer Islands

Only recently opened up to tourism, the farthest of the Outer Islands is the Aldabra Atoll, a subsea mountain with a coral reef and 40 islands on the surface. Home to 100,000 giant tortoises and birdlife endemic to the atoll such as the Aldabra drongo and flightless white-throated rail. The coconut crab species calls the island home - the largest land crab in the world. Have we mentioned the sea turtles too? For a nature enthusiast there is nothing quite like it.

Best Towns To Charter A Yacht In the Seychelles

There are two yacht charter bases - the main Eden Island Marina in Victoria, Mahe and the smaller Praslin Marina on the next largest Inner Island. From these two locations you can explore the Seychelles on your bareboat or crewed luxury yacht charter.

Types Of Yachts To Hire

Where it comes to chartering you can hire a motor yacht charters, a monohull sailing yacht charter or a catamaran charter. Each have their benefits.

Sailing Yacht (Sailboat)

From US $100 or so a day up to whatever you can afford, monohull sailing yachts are fun to sailat all points of the wind, whether nose into a building sea breeze or blasting under all canvas downwind. A luxury yacht charter at an affordable price!

Catamaran

Far more luxurious than a sailboat these often have en suite toilets and showers in the staterooms as well as ample entertaining space in the saloon and on deck. They have twin engines to compensate for their lack of windward ability but are great sailing with wind abaft the beam.

Luxury Yachts and Superyachts

Want your own personal cruise ship for you and your group to leave the world behind? A luxury yacht charter in the Caribbean with crew to look after you from breakfast to bedtime could be just the ticket. Often carrying scuba diving equipment and in some cases even a diving guide, you can get the very best from a sailing vacation in the in the Seychelles.

Motor Yacht

Whether a motor yacht with cabins or a day boat for a fishing trip / blasting up the bay, these are comfortable seagoing boats with a kick of speed should you want to cover a bigger distance on the day or just for the fun of having a 10 metre wide wake and 10 tons of steel flying along at 30 knots!

RIB

Very much day boats for fishing and day cruising, RIBs are a lot of fun for a day afloat. They can be very quick and are great should you be in a town on holiday and fancy seeing the coast or finding secluded white sand beaches from another perspective.

Skippered Yacht Charter or Bareboat?

Where it comes to a yacht charter in the Seychelles you have two choices - bareboat hire or skippered yacht charter. Both have their own advantages.

Skippered charter in the Seychelles

Fancy going on a sailing trip yet have no sailing qualifications or lack the confidence to go it alone? A skippered yacht charter gives you the advantage of being able to get afloat without having had to invest in getting sailing qualifications beforehand. You will pay over $100 a day extra for the skipper, as well as their food and a tip at the end but they will show you the best that the area has to offer with their local knowledge.

You will also be able to explore further afield than the traditional cruising grounds of bareboat sailing vacations. If you want to go to the Outer Islands this is a necessity.

Bareboat charter in the Seychelles

For those who seek a bit of adventure off their own back without the expense of a paid skipper aboard, a bareboatcharter could be just the ticket. Sailing is line of sight and you won't need much beyond an RYA Day Skipper or equivalent for a bareboat charter in the Inner Islands.

Do you need a licence to charter in the Seychelles?

If you want to bareboat charter you will need an approved boating qualification. Below is a list of relevant qualifications:

ASA 104 Bareboat certificate: The American Sailing Association skipper minimum qualification for hiring bareboatyachts in the Seychelles. BoatUS and US Sailing also offer bareboat charter qualifications, as does CANsail.

RYA: The Royal Yachting Association's qualifications (minimum Day Skipper level) is necessary for bareboat charter hire, it's also worthwhile seeing do you need to have done a VHF radio course as well as some boatowners will require this.

There are also many other European national boating qualifications that are accepted here too, it's worthwhile checking these details before hiring.

If you want a skippered boat rental as a charter yacht then you don't need any sailing certification at all, you just turn up and off you go.

Best Times To Hire

Unlike Europe, the sailing season in the Seychelles archipelago runs from November to April - perfect for a dose of winter sun. The summer monsoon is settled and you will encounter weather between 25-35 degrees C.

Within this period, between December and February you will find the winds are from the NE and rarely get over 14 knots.

If you can get to the Seychelles outside of school holidays you will find the sailing weather at its best and the resorts less crowded.

The Climate

North East Monsoon: Thanks to being on the Equator the winds in the Seychelles never get too strong in the sailing season.

How much does it cost for a Seychelles Yacht Charter

There's almost a yacht for every budget when it comes to chartering. For US $120 a day - $840 a week - you can take a sailboat monohull out with five other adults. That is going to be cheaper than a week in a hotel for everyone.

Catamarans cost a lot more - expect to pay anything from $500 to $2,000 a day depending on the season.

Motor boats taken on a bareboat basis can cost as little as $500 a day if they have sleeping acommodation - much less if they are day boats.

RIBs can cost as little as $50 for an afternoon.

In each of the examples above you can take on a skipper starting at $150 a day depending on what the vessel is and their required qualifications to sail it.

For Superyachts and Luxury yachts expect to pay $15,000 a day and up to $100,000 a day.

Explore the Seychelles By Renting A Yacht

Sailing across the turquoise water of the Indian Ocean between paradise islands is a sailor's dream holiday. Having a sandy beach to yourself and swimming over a coral reef in a marine park or exploring an inland nature reserve with tortoises that might remember Queen Victoria's reign is something you just won't get on mainland Europe! A Seychelles yacht charter has got to be top of the yacht charter bucket list as there is no place like it on the planet.

FAQs

Is Yacht hire in the Seychelles Legal?

Yacht hire in the Seychelles is legal. Yacht charter is an important part of the Seychellois economy. You do need a sailing license to bareboat charter but the sailing is generally easy. For the crewed luxury yacht charter there is no need for qualifications - just turn up and relax.

What kind of Yachts can I hire in the Seychelles

You can hire a motorboat, RIB, catamaran or sailboat on bareboat terms in the Seychelles, or you can hire a skipper to help you. For a luxury yacht or super yacht you will hire the crew and skipper as part of the package.

What should I consider when hiring a Yacht?

Consider your budget, sailing experience, whom you are taking sailing and where exactly you wish to go. Have you the sailing qualifications to do the trip? They can be very tight as to these requirements.

What are the best time to hire a Yacht in the Seychelles?

November to April is the main sailing season in the Seychelles, with the months of December to February said to be the very best thanks to the light but steady winds.

Do you have to pay a deposit when hiring a Yacht in the Seychelles?

You will typically pay 50% upfront on booking the yacht hire and the balance on arrival. You will either pay a security deposit with your credit card on departure or can get insurance covering damage in advance.

What happens if my Yacht breaks down?

If you are at sea and in danger, call MAYDAY on VHF Ch16. If you have a mechanical fault and can make it to/are on a mooring you will be able to phone a number given by the yacht charter company.

What should I think of before I hire a Yacht in the Seychelles Islands?

You should consider do you have the experience to handle the yacht charter you want to book and where do you want to go. Bring something windproof for sailing but it never cools to anything uncomfortable so light clothing and of course, swimwear!

Do I need a visa to visit the Seychelles?

Tourism is an important part of the Seychelles economy. As long as you are only in-country for a yacht charter or holiday then you will not normally require a visa to enter the country.