There are many factors to consider, when deciding where and when to go. We've listed some of them below and provided some food for thought to help you decide what criteria is important to you

Season Start and End Dates
Whatever time of year your holiday is, rest assured that there is always somewhere in the world you can sail! Obviously the sailing season in a destination will affect the price. However, whilst there are often seasonal fluctuations, many companies have differing opinions as to when one season stops and another starts. Look around - the week you want to start your holiday might be peak season for one company but still be mid season for another.

Climate and Temperature
Decide what is important to you and remember that on a boat you're outside more than you might be on other types of holiday and moving into the shade might not always be practical. Find out the average temperatures of the destination you're planning to book. Often, slightly out of season is still nearly as hot as peak season but it's less crowded.

Boats can get very hot below decks - particularly if ventilation is poor. Sleeping can be unpleasant in these conditions, if you're not prepared. Check with the charter company whether the boat you're chartering has a wind chute, which is designed to direct air down the hatch and through the boat, to make the most of any breeze available.

Some destinations will have more of a breeze than others, and it may fluctuate throughout the season. If swimming in the sea is important, bear in mind that the sea will be warmer at the end of the summer season than at the beginning.

Price
Companies generally price weeks according to demand and typically that follows the best weather, although there are some exceptions when the weather is still good but the prices are lower For example, just before or just after Christmas is often a cheaper option in hotter climates like the Caribbean. If you can be flexible about when you travel, you can often pick up a good deal.

We would not recommend buying purely on price. However, once you have decided what is important to you, you should shop around and compare companies, based on your criteria and how they answer any questions you have.

Your Experience
For some destinations, there can be fairly predictable conditions. They may have stronger winds at the beginning or end of the season and you may choose to avoid these (or not!). Your experience may also dictate what type of charter you go for. Some destinations require you to be more confident at anchoring than others.

Language
Are you comfortable with, (or do you relish) the thought of visiting a destination where your language might not be their first (or even second) language?

Distance / Time and Price to get to the Destination
Chartering a boat is not the most economical holiday you can buy, but it does have many rewards. Many people underestimate the cost of getting to the destination and see the price of the boat as the most major expense of the holiday. Usually this is not the case and whilst it depends very much where you're starting from, the yacht is often less than half the cost. Other costs include flights, transfers, insurance, food on the boat, eating our, hotels at the beginning and end of the charter and spending money.

Think about how many days of your holiday you will spend getting to and from the destination. Too far and the journey home could wipe out most of the benefit of the holiday!

Destination Chooser

This table shows the peak seasons in each location. It has been designed to give you ideas around where in the world you can sail at a given time. Bear in mind that these are peak season times and that a month or so either side of peak season will often have good weather and not be as busy