In one of my last posts, I wrote about visiting us on board and a few important rules. However, it actually starts at home with you whether your visit with us will be a great experience. So today I’ll give you a brief rundown of what you should definitely bring with you and what you can definitely leave at home. Of course, these are just recommendations and we certainly don’t want to tell you what to bring or restrict you!
Must
Without a doubt: swimwear!
Whether it’s a bikini, swimming costume or swimming trunks, these things would probably have ended up in your suitcase even if I hadn’t mentioned them. In addition, I would always recommend that you pack a swimming shirt and bathing shoes (not just flip-flops!) to protect you from sunburn and the risk of stepping into coral or sea urchins when walking in the water.
Sun protection
Needless to say, you think! You would probably always have sun cream, sunglasses and a sun hat in your luggage. However, I would ask you not to bring just any sun cream with you, but to make sure that it is as harmless as possible to reefs and marine life. Many sun creams contain harmful substances that can permanently destroy reefs. Some of these creams are even banned in some countries and are confiscated on entry. However, there are special sun creams that do not cause any damage and are labelled accordingly.
Shower gel & shampoo
Of course, shower gel and co. always belong in your luggage. However, as our waste water usually goes untreated into the sea, we would like to ask you to make sure that you bring the most environmentally friendly shower gel possible. This means without microplastics, sulphates, silicones, palm oil and preservatives and 100% biodegradable. There are also products that are suitable for use in salt water. So you can save fresh water and protect the environment at the same time.
Towels & bed linen
As washing a large number of towels after your visit is a major problem for us, it would be good if you could bring towels with you. So that the towels don’t take up too much space in your luggage, it’s best to pack microfibre towels. Both for personal hygiene and for bathing on the beach and on board.
The same applies to the bed linen. We have duvets and pillows on board for two guests, which we are happy to provide as they would otherwise take up too much space in your luggage. However, duvets are rarely used in warmer climates. It would be great if you could bring the appropriate duvet covers from home to solve the washing problem mentioned above.
However, we also have towels and duvet covers on board for you in an emergency.
Camera
Whether photo, video, action cam or smartphone. Make sure you bring something with you so that you can capture your experiences on board for eternity and make everyone at home jealous with the beautiful pictures. If possible, take equipment that can withstand a little water. Not because it always rains here, which unfortunately can happen from time to time. But if your camera is suitable for water depths of up to 5 metres, for example, you can also take beautiful pictures while snorkelling. And it can happen that you don’t stay completely dry when you land with the dinghy. Even in this case, it’s good if the camera doesn’t break straight away. If in doubt, bring an appropriate waterproof bag with you.
Medication
Take any medication with you that you take regularly or that you think you might need. Pharmacies are rare in many sailing areas and the standard of medicines is not necessarily what you are used to. Also think about plasters, hygiene products and possibly seasickness medication.
Shoes
Yes, of course none of you would have arrived barefoot without this advice 😉 But for your stay on board you should take a pair of shoes for going ashore, a pair of shoes – preferably boat shoes – for your stay on board and the bathing shoes mentioned above. For the ladies, you can of course also take a pair of dress shoes. But please remember that high heels are difficult on board or in the dinghy and that we sometimes land on the beach.
Magazines and books
Even though there is a lot to see on board, many of our guests also spend a lot of time reading. What’s more, we don’t mind at all if you leave newspapers and books on board after your holiday. That way we have a German book or the latest magazine in our hands and you have more space for souvenirs in your luggage on the way back 🙂
Flexibility and understanding
If you are planning a holiday with us on board, we will of course always try to be where you arrive and bring you back to where you plan to leave. Unfortunately, experience has shown that this does not always go smoothly. A lot can happen on a sailing boat: Bad weather, unplanned repairs, difficult entry conditions or even illness. We would therefore recommend that you start your holiday with us with a few days ashore in advance and spend a little time in a hotel after your stay on board. This gives you a little more flexibility and you can acclimatise a little on land and explore things that you may not have time for on board. It may also happen that you have to make the last part of your journey to us quite unplanned by ferry or island hopper to the next island. Please allow enough time and budget for such situations.
For the reasons mentioned above, it can also happen that not everything goes according to plan while travelling. The much-anticipated travel highlights may not be visited or you may not even manage to set sail at all. We hope that even in such cases you will still enjoy your stay on board and that the alternative programme may even have one or two positive surprises in store.
Spare parts & food
If you don’t think of oil filters, fan belts, salami or liquorice when packing your suitcase, please ask us in advance whether we need anything from home. We would be delighted if you could reserve a few corners in your suitcase for us and bring us one or two favourite or urgently needed items from home!
Can stay at home
Bad mood
Of course, it’s hard to shake off frustration and bad moods just like that. But you can join us on board and visit us in a beautiful part of the world. So be happy and leave your everyday life at home!
Suit and tie
On board, things tend to be more relaxed and in most marina restaurants you are more likely to stand out in a suit and tie. Apart from that, many „fine“ clothes don’t like it when they come into contact with salt water. T-shirts, shorts etc. are a much better choice for a holiday on board.
Watches and jewellery
Who needs a clock in paradise? Time flows by and it usually gets light and dark at the same time. What’s more, watches and jewellery are at risk of being lost on board. It’s easy to get caught somewhere and the chain breaks and ends up in the water. There are also countries where an expensive watch on your wrist or a gemstone necklace will attract unwanted attention and, in case of doubt, you could become the victim of a robbery. If you still want to take watches or jewellery with you, then perhaps not necessarily the most expensive models. Or you can simply try out the jewellery that Brit has just „made“ 🙂
Hairdryer
The wind on board usually manages to blow away a stylish hairdryer very quickly. In this respect, you could actually leave your hairdryer at home anyway. However, in the event that you still don’t want to do without it, we also have a hairdryer on board, which we are of course happy to provide.