Where to charter a yacht, month by month

Most crewed yachts follow the sun. Many spend the summer in the Mediterranean and the winter in the Caribbean, and a smaller number work the Indian Ocean, South-East Asia, the Pacific or the far north and south. The month you can travel decides more than anything where your week should be.

The year at a glance

The Mediterranean: May to October

The Mediterranean is the summer charter sea.

• May.

  The season opens. Greece and Turkey are mild and empty, the Saronic near Athens is good for a first week, and Mallorca is quieter than in summer. The sea is still cool for swimming in most places.

• June.

  Our pick, with September, for most people almost everywhere: in Croatia, Greece, Italy, France, Spain and Turkey. The days are long, the sea is warming, and the harbours are not yet full.

• July and August.

  High summer: the warmest sea, the most people, the highest rates. The Aegean has the meltemi, the dry northerly summer wind that Greece's meteorological service calls the Etesians, often strong for days at a time. If calm water matters most, choose the Ionian, Croatia's short island hops, or Turkey's Göcek bays. For a lively week with friends, this is when the French Riviera, Ibiza and Mykonos are at their busiest.

• September.

  The sea is at its warmest and the crowds have gone. For couples, the Cyclades, the Amalfi Coast and the Aeolian islands are at their best.

• October.

  Warm and quiet in Greece, Turkey and the Balearics, with some places beginning to close. A good month for a calm, inexpensive week.

The Caribbean and the Bahamas: December to May

The Caribbean is the winter half of the charter year.

• December.

  The season starts. Christmas and New Year are the busiest weeks of the Caribbean year: they usually need at least 7 nights on board, sometimes 10, and cost more than the rest of the winter. Plan them early.

• January to March.

  Settled, dry and warm. The Bahamas and the Virgin Islands suit families best, with short, sheltered hops and shallow water. The Leeward Islands, from St Barths to Antigua, suit couples and celebrations; March and April are often the best balance there.

• April and May.

  The end of the season. The Windward Islands and the Grenadines run to May, and so do the Bahamas.

• June to November

  is the Atlantic hurricane season, officially from 1 June to 30 November, with most activity from mid-August to mid-October. Most yachts leave the Caribbean for those months.

Central America: December to May

• Belize, the Sea of Cortez in Mexico and Costa Rica are winter and spring destinations. Costa Rica's dry season runs from mid-December to late April. The eastern Pacific's hurricane season runs from 15 May to 30 November.

• The Galápagos are a year-round destination with two seasons: about December to May warm, with calmer water and easier snorkelling; about June to November cool, with richer marine life and the best diving.

The Indian Ocean and the Gulf: November to April

• The Maldives

  are calmest in the dry north-east monsoon, January to March, with December and April as transition months; the wet south-west monsoon runs from mid-May to November.

• The Seychelles

  have two wind seasons: the north-west monsoon from about December to March and the south-east winds from about May to September. April and October to November fall between them.

• The UAE

  is a winter charter: Dubai and Abu Dhabi are warm and sunny from November to April, and hot and humid from May to October. December to February is the most popular time, often for a few days rather than a week.

South-East Asia: November to April

• Thailand

  's Andaman coast is at its best from November to April. The rainy season is generally May to October, with rough seas in the monsoon.

• Indonesia

  Komodo is cruised mostly in the dry months; Raja Ampat mostly outside its wet season, which runs from about April to August.

The Pacific and Australasia

• French Polynesia

  and Fiji are best from about May to October. French Polynesia's dry season is May to October; November to April is the South Pacific's tropical cyclone season.

• Australia

  the Whitsundays are most comfortable from about April to October; Australia's tropical cyclone season runs officially from 1 November to 30 April. The Kimberley is cruised in its dry season, roughly April to September.

• New Zealand

  is a southern-summer charter; January and February are the warmest months.

The far north and the far south

• Norway

  is a June-to-August charter: fjords, waterfalls and long light rather than beaches.

• Alaska

  's Inside Passage is warmest, with the longest days, from June to August. In Glacier Bay, summer highs are usually 10–15°C.

• New England

  runs from late June to mid-September; July and August are the warmest. Many Caribbean yachts spend the summer here.

• Antarctica

  is an expedition in the austral summer: tourist voyages run from about October to April, and a permit is arranged months ahead.

Which month for which party

• Families with school-age children

  usually travel in July and August. Choose short hops and calm water: Croatia, the Ionian, the Saronic, Göcek, Sardinia or Mallorca. At Christmas or Easter, the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands.

• Couples and honeymoons

  do best in June or September in the Mediterranean, when the islands are quieter: the Cyclades, Amalfi, the Aeolian islands, Corsica. In winter, the Maldives, the Seychelles, French Polynesia or the Leeward Islands.

• Friends and celebrations

  often want July and August for the life ashore: the Riviera, Ibiza, Mykonos, Hvar, Bodrum. In winter, St Barths and the Leeward Islands, or a few days in the UAE.

Planning ahead

For July and August in the Mediterranean, and for Christmas and New Year in the Caribbean, many people start planning in the autumn or winter before. For the shoulder months, a few months ahead usually leaves a good choice. If you are not sure where, tell us the month and who is coming: we suggest the places that fit, and the yachts there.

For what a week costs wherever you go, read what a crewed yacht charter costs. For how a charter comes together, read how a crewed yacht charter works. Choosing between the two busiest Mediterranean coasts? See Croatia or Greece. More answers are on our questions page.