Is there a better feeling than clipping through the waves with the sun on your face? Or watching stars come out over the Aegean Sea with a glass of champagne?

Sailing holidays don’t have to be an intimidating tangle of ropes, nautical jargon, and sea monsters – not with Intrepid. Whether you’re a fresh-faced novice or an old salt with callouses on both hands, we’ve got a sailing trip to suit you. Be as involved as you like. Help navigate, tack, and steer; or simply kick back on deck with a copy of Moby Dick and let the world float by. These are small groups on small boats, but with big adventures.  

Our Sailing tours and trips

10 Days From 3416

See the best of the Cyclades on this 10-day Greece sailing adventure. From Athens to...

8 Days From 3243

Sail into the sublime waters of Montenegro, departing from Dubrovnik and exploring...

15 Days From 5970

Experience Croatia and Montenegro’s coastline with this Split to Dubrovnik sail. Find...

7 Days From 2278

Discover Thailand with this small group sailing trip, from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi. Enjoy...

8 Days From 2519

Embark on a sailing holiday to Greece. Explore the waters, islands, history and cuisine...

Tailor-Made trips

Take four or more on an exclusive trip and tailor your itinerary

8 Days From 1955

Set sail across the Mediterranean exploring Greece's heaven-sent islands. The spoils of...

8 Days From 2295

Take a sailing trip on the Ionian Sea through the waters of Greece. Sail from Corfu to...

8 Days From 3263

A lively restaurant scene, drop-dead gorgeous beaches, lush forests, intricate old...

8 Days From 2512

Set sail across the clear blue waters of Sardinia and Corsica, exploring the Maddalena...

5 Days From 2226

Explore the Amalfi Coast on board a real yacht on this idyllic small group adventure in...

4 Days From 1173

Set sail on Thailand’s waters between Koh Phi Phi and Phuket. Swim in clear blue waters...

4 Days From 1279

Sail Italy’s Amalfi Coast from the colourful village of Procida, through ancient worlds...

4 Days From 1242

Take a Thai sailing tour between Phuket and Ko Phi Phi. Snorkel over a vibrant...

8 Days From 2379

Explore Croatia's beautiful Adriatic coast on this aquatic adventure from Dubrovnik to...

8 Days From 2379

Take a sailing trip on the Ionian Sea through the waters of Greece. Sail from Kefalonia...

Browse by region

Why choose Intrepid

Experienced skippers 

Our skippers have years of experience sailing the high seas. There’s no one better to show you the ropes (literally).

See the best of your destination by land and by water.

Best of both worlds

These sailing vacations aren’t confined to the ocean blue. There’s plenty of time scheduled on land to see the sights and check out the local culture.

We make safety a priority on each of our sailing trips.

Safety first, always

 Our yachts are well looked after and regularly maintained and on day one, the captain will also conduct a safety demonstration.

You don't need sailing experience to enjoy an Intrepid sailing tour.

No experience needed

If you'd like to pick up some sailing skills, your skipper can show you how. If not, just relax, kick back on deck and soak up some ocean breezes.

Sustainable travel

We strive to use travel as a force for good. That’s why we choose to give back to the communities we visit, carbon offset all our trips and take our social and environmental responsibilities seriously. We’ve been officially certified as the world’s largest travel B Corp, which means when you choose Intrepid Travel, you can rest assured you’re travelling to improve the planet.

Sailing highlights by country 

A beach with white sand and turquoise water on the Phi Phi Islands, Thailand

Explore the unforgettable islands of Thailand

From the famous landscapes of Phang Nga Bay to the pristine beaches of Koh Phi Phi (and all of the remarkable islands in between), a sailing adventure through southern Thailand promises to produce some of your favourite travel memories ever. Relax on golden sand, take a dip in sparkling turquoise waters, and cast your eyes upon natural wonders you’ve only ever seen photos of. 

Woman kneeling next to a sea lion on a beach on Isla Isabela, Galapagos

Island hop your way through the Galapagos

There are some destinations in this world that were made for sailing and the Galapagos Islands is one of them. Whether you want to spend your time spotting the islands’ diverse array of wildlife (think spiky marine iguanas and giant turtles) or simply relax on the boat with a drink in hand as the Pacific Ocean goes by, a boat tour around the Galapagos is sure to be one for the highlight reel. 

A collection of pastel coloured buildings on the coast of Naples in Italy

Get lost in the magic of Italy’s coast

Sailing your way down the Italian coast is guaranteed to be a unique adventure you’ll never forget thanks to a variety of stops featuring pastel villages clinging onto rugged cliffsides, scattered ancient ruins from a lost empire, and tantalisingly blue waters you want to get lost in. From wandering through olive groves to laying out on pebbled beaches, cruise the sparkling Mediterranean at your leisure. 

A boat cruising the turquoise Adriatic Sea in Croatia

Sail the Adriatic Sea around Croatia

On a trip to Europe, Croatia is a must-see but when figuring out how best to explore this Mediterranean country, sailing is the way to go. Whether you want to wander through medieval towns, lose yourself in sparkling blue waters, explore unvisited treasures or indulge in this epic country’s traditional cuisine, you’ll be in utter paradise from the minute to step foot onto your own private yacht – all aboard! 

Our boats

Europe

In Europe, we like to go classic. A single-hulled, 50-foot yacht gives you a taste of traditional Mediterranean sailing, not to mention it looks pretty spiffy in pictures too. A typical Intrepid vessel may come with three twin/double cabins, as well as a couple of single berths. You’ll have a recreation lounge, kitchen, three shared bathrooms and plenty of deck space for lazing around and looking fabulous.

Asia 

When it comes to sailing in Asia, catamarans are the way to go. They’re smooth, comfortable, and nimble enough to reach those out-of-the-way cays and little island inlets. The twin hull means there’s plenty of space to stretch out –perfect for those balmy evenings and lazy afternoons. Most of the catamarans in our fleet have four twin/double cabins, three shared bathrooms, a galley (that’s nautical talk for kitchen) and a small living area. There’s even kayaks and paddleboards for those that want to get a little active (and bean bags on deck for those that don’t!)

 

FAQs

You don’t have to lift a finger if you don’t want to (unless you need to turn the page of your novel or eat a grape). But if you’d like to learn the ropes, that’s fine too. Your expert skipper can teach you everything you’d like to know – from tying knots to unfurling the sails.

There’s about a 30/70 split between land-based and water-based activities on our Asia sailing trips. In Europe this is closer to 50/50 however some evenings will be spent in port or a marina. Much of this depends on the weather conditions. There are usually at least a few hours each day spent exploring ports, trekking the surrounding areas or relaxing on beaches. Of course, depending on location, there will always be the chance to wine and dine at the local hot spots. 

We have travellers of all ages and nationalities travelling with us. Approximately 60% of our travellers are single travellers, followed by a mix of friends travelling and couples. The minimum age of travellers on our trips is 18, or 15 if accompanied by an adult. We don’t have a maximum age as we believe those choosing a sailing adventure are like-minded regardless of age.

Your skipper will allocate rooms on arrival to the boat. Single travellers will be paired up with another passenger of the same sex, and this may mean sharing a double mattress or twin mattresses side by side.

This is our most common question. People are often hesitant about the idea of sharing a double mattress with another traveller of the same sex. Sailing boats tend to be very compact (and we use realy sailing boats), and the close-quarters nature of this travel is part of the adventure.

Sleeping quarters are designed to utilise the minimum amount of space in order to keep the communal areas as big as possible. In practice, lots of travellers end up sleeping out on deck under the stars, as it’s warm and there’s no air conditioning on a sailing boat.

Our boats have a mix of double, twin (two separate beds or two separate mattresses side by side) and bunks. 

Yes. Single supplements are available on all trips subject to availability. A single supplement is normally twice the regular price, however where trips have inclusions such as meals there is a slight reduction in the supplement price. If you are interested in having a single supplement please contact us to check availability and price.

On many boats bathroom facilities are shared, however some boats have ensuites in each cabin that allow two people to share one bathroom. Our monohull yachts in Europe will have no more than two cabins sharing a bathroom. Most of our catamarans have four cabins and four bathrooms, however these bathrooms are shared between travellers and crew. Check the Essential Trip Information of your trip for more specific details about your boat. Fresh and hot water is available for showers, and toilets are either electronic or hand pump.

Seasickness comes in a variety of forms. Common symptoms include fatigue, uneasiness, dizziness, and headaches. The majority of these symptoms usually subside after taking some time to adjust (usually a few hours to a day). Paracetamol tablets can help ease the transition. Heavy seasickness, characterised by vomiting, is uncommon, and it can be treated using medication. There are also a number of other self-management techniques you can try – such as sitting out in the fresh air, drinking ginger tea or watching the horizon. 

For more information about beating seasickness, click here. 

All Asia and Galapagos Island trips feature an onboard chef, who will prepare three delicious meals each day, plus snacks. In Europe, we operate with a trip kitty* that everyone contributes to. This is because there’s so much great local produce to taste in each place that it makes a lot of sense to buy food at each stop! This kitty will cover some of your food and beverage costs. On all our trips there will be an opportunity to enjoy a meal at a local port – we’ll be able to show you where all the good tavernas are. Please check your Essential Trip Information for more specific details.

*See below for information about what is kitty. 

You are welcome to drink on board - in fact, nothing enhances a sunset more than a gin and tonic – however alcohol is BYO (bring your own). So make sure you buy what you need before departure. Some of our boats have alcoholic drinks on board that are available for purchase at local bar prices. Drinking water is free of charge.

Due to the compact size of the boats and the sometimes rocky nature of a sailing trip, it is advisable that you bring fabric/canvas luggage. It’s a good idea to pack light as there will usually be a gap between the boat and pier. While the skipper or a fellow traveller can give you a helping hand, you’ll need to be able to lift your bag onto the boat.

Sailing trips are a little different to regular group tours. There’s a finite amount of space on the boat, so it’s best to leave the grand piano, pet llama and foldout four-person mattress at home. Same goes for bulky suitcases, ten pairs of shoes and the surfboard.

This isn’t designed to be a comprehensive packing list, but it’ll get you thinking like a real sailor.   

  • A medium-sized fabric bag that can be flattened or stored easily
  • A small day pack for shore excursions
  • Some flip flops or deck shoes that can get wet
  • Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
  • Seasickness tablets (just in case)
  • Swimmers (don’t worry about the snorkel and fins – we provide those)
  • Waterproof camera (for those sweet underwater shots)
  • A light weatherproof jacket (just in case of high seas or seasonal showers)

For a more detailed packing list please refer to the Essential Trip Information of your trip. 

These will vary from trip to trip – be sure to check your Essential Trip Information for more specific details. Some sailing trips will head out to sea on the afternoon of the first day. Others will remain in port overnight, however we still ask that you join the trip at the requested time as the skipper will need to deliver a welcome and safety briefing before organising a visit to the supermarket to buy provisions for the trip. All travellers will have an input into the provisions and this will be purchased from the kitty*.

Please note that due to sailing being a heavily weather-dependent activity, sometimes itineraries may need to change. We recommend allowing an additional night at the beginning and end of the trip to ensure nobody misses any onward flights.

*see ‘What is a kitty’ for more information on.

A kitty is a fund or pool of money that all travellers can choose to contribute to at the beginning of a trip. It’s not compulsory however we’ve found pooling the group's money in one place makes it easier to arrange non-included group meals and tips where necessary. You'll usually eat most breakfasts and some lunches and dinners onboard the boat, so it's best to buy supplies from a nearby supermarket or grocery store at the beginning of each trip. For meals off the boat, our skippers will suggest locally-run restaurants that specialise in local produce and delicacies.  

The maximum passenger capacity on our boats changes depending on which country you are sailing. Here’s a quick breakdown, but you can always find more specific details in the essential trip information of each tour.

Phuket: 14

Greece: 11 

Croatia: 8 

Montenegro: 8 

Italy: 8 

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Stories from the sea

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