Travel & Leisure

Secret Charter Destinations

The Bahamas

The Bahamas are a staple on the charter yacht scene, but -wait? We’re talking about summer charters and the Bahamas are only good for winter charters, right?

Wrong. Not only are the Bahamas absolutely delightful in the summer, they’re also close enough to use for a long weekend getaway. Even better, the tourists are going elsewhere so you’ll find the streets quiet, restaurants with empty tables, and quiet anchorages.

While there are a multitude of cruising destinations from Nassau, you might want to think outside the box and meet your charter yacht at one of the outer islands. You can make the hop in a small aircraft and spend all the saved hours snorkeling.

Smaller yachts have the shallow draft needed to explore areas like the Abacos and you can find an ever-growing charter fleet of 70 to 90 footers that are now based in the Bahamas year-round rather than making the usual trek north to New England in the summer. Tips: If you’re in the Abacos, take a business card to stick on the wall of Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar on Green Turtle Cay. For great diving, don’t miss Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park off Staniel Cay.