Sailboat vacation in DR

I know someone who sails out of Luperon and is familiar with the tedium of why many people avoid the DR when sailing.

Sailing charters throughout the Caribbean islands are available through a number of companies but in general not cheap. Don't limit yourself to the "Virgins"!

A particularly lovely yachting center is English Harbour in Antigua with a bunch of history too. And Antigua is easily reached from DR if you want to combine destinations with twice weekly direct flights from SDQ (with stop in SXM) to ANU using PAWA.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-37286174 Recent English Harbour article from BBC

Example of such a company in Antigua offering two to three days cruises...http://www.adventurecaribbean.com/

Well who would have thought it! AirBnB offer 20 yachts/boats around the DR. It looks like you can arrange either to sleep on board and not go anywhere, or move around.

https://www.airbnb.com/s/Dominican-Republic?type=boat&s_tag=t_gQcpdS

Some look great!

Matilda

And Dominican google is your fren. Here are some charter companies for yachts for the weekend or longer, crewed or not.
http://www.sailingdr.com/sailing-1/sailing-charter

http://caribya.com/dominican.republic/sailing.and.boating/

http://sailing-caribbean.48options.com/en/dominican-republic-puerto-rico/

Matilda

With all due respect mofongoloco. I don't know why anyone would want to cruise the NC here. Generally it's lumpy as hell, unless you're satisfied puttering around Samana bay
It's been a while since I've been in and around the Rio Dulce in Guatemala or Belize. I'm sure there's still people around that'll sail you around the cays and reefs.
I loved it when I was a kid. Spear fishing and snorkeling on some of the most incredible reefs around.
Just a thought.

mofongoloco said:

I'm trying to plan my big winter trip. Perhaps someone here can help.

I'm looking for a Caribbean cruise of at least three nights up to a week. the kind of boat that has 6-8 passengers and usually a husband/wife captain/crew. The Virgin Islands seems to be the number one spot, but i'm not really interested in a vacation there. But that's the type of cruise.

there is a cruise to get people over the Darien pass from panama to cartagena. But it seems like lots of backpackers and they use the lounge areas as a berth. Thirty years ago I would have loved doing that.

All I can find in DR are day sails of mostly catamarans. DR doesn't seem to be a very boaty destination. Sure, Luperon.

I'll have a month, which is too long to stay in DR. I think I'll get bored or into trouble. But a week in haiti and a week on a boat could make it an adventure.

Any ideas?

DR is 1st choice. Colombia is second choice. I'll be going to cartagena again this year, so i could that for my long month and then a week in DR. Since I am determined to get on a sailboat BVI is my fall back.

I want to make firm itinerary in the next two weeks.

If it is allowed, can this thread include ideas people know of outside DR?

Thanks folks.

Thanks.

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If you want an elegant crewed charter, the DR is not your choice. You have to clear customs every time you leave and re enter port,.
there are reefs.. there are no really sweet little coves to drop anchor..

the BEST cruising in the Virgins,, but if you do not want that
the charters in Antigua or Grenada will give you the elegance you are looking for,

but the idea that a month is too long in the DR is perhaps not right

if you go from the Haitian border on the south
see Bahia de las Aguiles..., that coast is worth a week

then Jarabacoa/ Constanza and the mountains certainly worth another week

Go on up to Dajabon and Monte Christi to eat the seasoned goat.. sea the salt flats.. the crashing waves at El Moro.. then to the areas
around Santiago which my Italian friends consider to be Tuscany.. another week

then at least VISIT Puerto Plata and Sosua for a couple of days

on to LAs Terrenas for a week.. at least .. because the beaches are amazing.. and the food is the best on the island

and if you come between Jan and MArch you can see the humpback whales who come to mate.. they leap and breech and it is breath taking

adventure down the eastern coast before it is all developed.

Check into an all inclusive so you can at least see what the tourists see in Punta Cana..

Sail for a day trip out of La Romana

then come to Santo Domingo where the Colonial Zone is a Unesco Heritage Site.

A month is really the bare minimum.

really.

(Don't rent a car for the whole thing.,. the buses are great.. and cheap and far more interesting)

As for luxury in Haiti.. [video=youtube;iziqbCu4n6A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iziqbCu4n6A[/video]

just to give you an idea of the prices
here is one of the charter companies out of Grenada

http://horizonyachtcharters.com/grenada/crewed-fleet-and-rates/

mofongoloco said:

Thanks Annie. They rent the whole boat. I'm looking for a berth or a cabin. The prices seem competitive if the website and youtubes are accurate. That's the high end of my budget.

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never heard of a regular crewed charter that took people by the head.. but there is this ..http://islandwindjammers.com/cruise-calendar.aspx