Where should I pick up my yacht charter in the Caribbean..?? Which of the many charter yachts should I choose..?? Unless you are a seasoned pro, to answer these simple questions will require some considerable thought and knowledge of the different sailing and yachting areas and of the yachts themselves. Luckily, you've come to the right place and we're here to help. Charter locations in the Caribbean can generally be 6 specific areas as follows:

1. The US and British Virgin Islands, a classic destination, very protected areas, usually dependable tradewinds, generally from the East. If there's some threatening weather, you can always find a protected bay or cove to shield you from the wind and waves and allow you to have a good time doing your thing - regardless. The Spanish Virgin Islands of Vieques and Culebra, which are a part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are also fun for those sailors who like the Latin influence, excellent food and protected harbours. For more information on the US Virgin Islands click here. For in-depth coverage of the BVI on our sister-site click here.

2. The Bahamas, although not, strictly speaking, in the Caribbean, it's a great sailing vacation area that is literally a stones-throw from Florida. At least the island of Bimini is... the other more interesting island groups like the Abacos, the Exumas and the Out Islands are considerably further and it's usually better to fly in and start your charter right in the Bahamas rather than attempt to do so from Florida. For in-depth coverage of the Bahamas Islands click here.

3. The Leeward Islands, generally speaking for yachting purposes, these islands comprise St. Maarten (St. Martin), St Bart, Anguilla and Antigua. The islands of St Kitts and Nevis, and Barbuda are still on the fringes as charter destinations but becoming more popular as their infrastructure improves. Monserrat and Guadeloupe and very volcanic and not yacht charter friendly. For more information about the Leeward Islands click here.

4. The Windward Islands, again for yacht charter purposes, are more varied and offer the yachtsman much more interesting and exotic locations- although I hate the word "Exotic". Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines are all fantastic locations and, each of them offers a completely different Caribbean experience. In the Windwards we especially love Mustique in the Grenadines, Martinique, because, of course, "C'est la France" and the food is to die for; We love Carriacou which is in the Grenadines but technically part of the country of Grenada. AND last but not least we love St. Lucia, the destination wedding capital of the Caribbean. Click here for more information on the Windwards.

5. The Western Caribbean or Central American side of the sea has great cruising grounds in Belize (especially if you are a SCUBA diver) and more recently Costa Rica, Honduras and Colombia's San Blas Islands. Click here.

6. The Northern coast of Venezuela, including Isla Margarita, Curacao, Aruba all of which are quite windy and at times dangerous to sail. Not very highly recommended unless you're into Casinos and you have a 140' megayacht.

Please note that we have not included the larger islands like Cuba, the Dominican Republic nor Puerto Rico in this summary. For more information on these locations please call us directly at 305.600.2555 or email us. Please note that American citizens are enjoined from visiting Cuba without special permission.

In summary, you shouldn't try and DO THE CARIBBEAN on a yacht in a one or two week trip. You need to choose your cruising locations carefully and, of course, we're always here to offer advice and the best yacht possible for your sailing vacation.