Author: Julien Hubert

Nias, North Sumatra

A yacht such as the 39-metre LADY AZUL is perfect for accessing the region’s most remote islands such as Nias island on the west coast of North Sumatra. A true tropical paradise, dropping anchor here will guarantee a day of peace and quiet amongst never-ending nature. As the area is known for its swells and surf, any spot around this island will be within reach of a world-class surfing spot and a beautiful beach.

On land, several native tribes inhabit the island, as well as endangered animals such as orangutans and tigers. If a visit to Nias is on the cards, you must report to the local harbour master and police to register your vessel’s presence in the area.

Komodo Island

Easily reachable from Bali and North Sumatra either by plane or superyacht, Komodo National Park is one of the most exciting natural world adventure destinations on the planet. Known as the “real-life Jurassic Park”, this World Heritage Site contains Komodo Island, where one of the picturesque bays makes for an ideal anchorage.

With a varied landscape of rocky peaks and lush greenery for a backdrop, a day spent here will involve seeing one of the most diverse ranges of wildlife in the world. Snakes, wild pigs, deer, goats, and of course the Komodo Dragon, are all residents here. There’s also incredible wonderful marine life to be found at one of the 100 dive sites in the area.

The Banda Islands

Moving further north, a superyacht can weave around the nine small islands that make up the Banda Islands archipelago. With the Gunung Api volcano always in sight, anchoring off the coast of Banda Neira is a great option for those interested in taking a step back in time. Lined with historic cannons, Fort Belgica and the surrounding areas form the remaining heritage sites from periods of Dutch and English colonisation. Other places of interest include a Dutch palace and the nutmeg and almond plantations on the nearby Lonthor Island. Known as the ‘original spice islands’, this area is also home to some pristine reefs and the growing table corals that cover the 1988 lava flow from Gunung Api. If you’re lucky, migrating whales and pods of dolphins are also a sight to see.  

See manta rays in Raja Ampat

A safeguarded wonderland in Indonesia, Raja Ampat is where over half of the world’s coral species can be found. The wide range of marine life – mini seahorses, sharks, schooling fish, giant clams and much more – make for every type of dive imaginable, particularly when incorporating a wreck, wall or muck area. But it is the graceful manta ray that takes centre stage as Indonesia is the largest sanctuary for these creatures in the world. The Manta Sandy dive site in Dampier Strait is 18 metres down and is home to many manta rays, as is the Magic Mountain and Boo Windows in Misool. 

Yachts such as the 72m SERENITY and the 54.2m MARAYA are ideal for cruising in and around Raja Ampat, thanks to their knowledgeable crew and compliance with Indonesian charter laws.

Visit the underwater sculpture park in Grenada

While anywhere in the Caribbean is wonderful for diving, Grenada is an island that boasts some of the world’s best dive sites – one being the underwater sculpture park. The man-made park is an easy dive, and the sculptures are home to the likes of fireworms, parrotfish and flounders. There are plenty of beautiful dive locations nearby, including Happy Valley and Purple Rain where it is recommended to find a local guide to accompany you – particularly if the protected areas around the Molinière-Beauséjour are of interest. Here you’ll find lobsters, coral reefs and brilliant examples of how safeguarded waters and a huge reduction in fishing have allowed wildlife to flourish. Just make sure you don’t leave until you’ve seen one of the area’s historic shipwrecks.  

Port Louis Marina is one of the places where you could meet the 43m ‘H, the 49m TE MANU, the 50m EMERALD, the 52m NITA K II or the 62m APOGEE for your Caribbean charter.

Dive down to a WWII plane wreck in Corsica

Resting 27 metres underwater off the coast of Corsica, the fascinating remains of a World War II B17 Bomber plane can be found. The American aircraft was deployed in February 1944 to destroy the railway system in Verona under German seizure – but it never succeeded in its mission. The plane wreck is in excellent condition and its full 32-metre wingspan, pilot seats, instruments in the cockpit and machine guns can be admired.

In terms of marine life, divers can see seahorses, stingrays and dolphins, as well as an amazing selection of live coral. This wreck is perfect for exploring if you leave a superyacht such as the 61-metre ARIENCE or the 30.5-metre EDEN in the nearby port of Calvi.

Take a submarine to a coral-covered volcano in Malaysia

Malaysia’s Sipadan is an exclusive spot for submarines and divers. The lucky few who are issued a diving permit each day get to set their eyes upon the live coral that has formed over thousands of years over an extinct underwater volcano. This ecosystem includes more than 3,000 species of fish, including barracuda fish, parrotfish, turtles, reef sharks and hammerheads. The places you need to see are Barracuda Point or the Siwadee wrecks, where a former navy vessel and two wooden fishing boats can be found on the ocean floor. To get there by superyacht, try the 39-metre LADY AZUL, or the 45-metre BIG FISH.

Swim with hammerheads in the Galapagos

A visit to the Galápagos Islands is a chance to get up close to some of the world’s most unusual and rarely seen creatures. To find those underwater, head to Gordon Rocks, North Seymour Island and Kicker Rock near the mainland. Here is where groups of up to 100 hammerhead sharks are known to frequent and in the summer, there are also humpback whales and whale sharks. For a more remote location, try getting to the northern islands of Wolf and Darwin by organising a guide with permits to accompany you for a once-in-a-lifetime private dive. A reliable and comfortable yacht such as the 52-metre Q is required to travel here.

Make dreams come true

While the adults will enjoy sipping champagne, dining on gourmet food, trying new watersports and lingering in the Jacuzzi – there’s plenty for a child to do. With the water toys, incredible days out, abundant nature explorations and a maze of rooms to explore aboard, a superyacht charter is like a dream come true for most kids.

Find your match

By speaking with your charter broker, you can request a child-friendly superyacht and itinerary to keep the family occupied. Knowing your crew is important, and the broker will be able to vouch for those who are most familiar with family charters. You can request that the crew steer your kids away from technology for the week, as they can tell them that their devices might interfere with the boat’s navigation! On the other hand, there are plenty of yachts for charter with TWW Yachts that have arcades of over 300 video games, libraries, games rooms and movie theatres.

Role of the crew

The crew will happily keep your children and guests entertained and can help with everything from fancy dress parties and real-life treasure hunts, to movie screenings and craft evenings. There’s also the yacht’s toy chest, which will likely include inflatable banana boats, rafts and snorkel gear. While the thought of children playing in the ocean might be scary, there’s no need to worry – your crew will be fully prepared to manage any safety concerns. The crew are on watch at all times, and many yachts carry specialist safety equipment and life jackets to create safe play areas for younger guests.

Young chefs & meal times

The galley can also be a place for fun activities for you and your family. With the help of your expert chef, children can learn new baking and cooking methods and be involved in the daily meals. For family time at its best, the children can join for evening drinks on the deck with virgin cocktails to watch the sunset. As the provisioning and menus will be pre-prepared for you, there’s no doubt that everything available on board will be exactly to you and your family’s taste. 

Professional care

While many yacht crews are great with children and are happy to plan fun activities for them, they can’t be full-time childminders. Having your own nanny or asking your broker to find you a qualified professional is a great asset to have during a charter. Parents can enjoy their alone time even more knowing that the children are safe and happy with their nanny.