educate you on your options and the TOTAL cost of your charter
select the right destination and type, age, and availability of your yacht to match your sailing experience, # of guests, budget, and desired vacation experience
inform you about your destination, how to get there, and set expectations for your experiences on and off your dream yacht
your charter reservation with a signed charter agreement and a deposit
your flight plans, transfer to base, accommodations, provisioning and menu preferences, (sailing resume if applicable) and request for options discussed in the planning phase and make sure that all the associated paperwork is submitted to the Dream Yacht Charter Base
your expectations and meet and exceed them through clear and concise follow-up and communication
More thanjust a tropical paradise, visitors love Madagascar for its unique culture,abundant wildlife and fauna, and its pristine reefs and diverse marine life. Assoon as you step off the plane you will understand why Nosy Bé island (the home of our Dream Yacht Madagascarbase) is nicknamed "The Fragrant Island," or the Perfume Island. Theheavy scents of ylang-ylang, coffee, sugar cane, and pepper crops fill the air.
Although you can voyage in Madagascar any time of year, the bestseason for cruising is generally April through November.It tends to be a bit warmer, and rainier,with a bit less wind from December through March. That said, because of Madagascar’sproximity to the Equator, the water remains warm and good sailing is guaranteedthe whole year round.
The biggestand most populated of the Malagasy islands is the volcanic island of Nosy Bé.Located to the North-West of Madagascar, theisland is sheltered from the South-East monsoon and makes for easy sailing andthe perfect launching point to explore several other smaller islands includingNosy Komba (the lemur island), Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Sakatia, Nosy Mitsio andNosy Iranja (the turtle island).
The localsare truly warm and welcoming. Originally of Indonesian and African descent, thepopulation is now a mixture of many cultures.Nearly all of the islanders speak Malagasy, but some are familiar oreven fluent with foreign languages such as English, French, and German.Music is a big part of their everyday livesas well as their unique customs or, rather, taboos, which are known as“Fady.”These Fady range from region toregion and you’ll find it fascinating to learn about them from the localislanders you meet and befriend as you sail about.
On land,lemurs, chameleons, frogs, geckoes and boa constrictors are the most popularindigenous animals you will encounter.In the water, the reefs around Nosy Be brim with life, making it almostimpossible not to see something interesting. Soft and hard coral groupers, turtles, whalesharks, barracuda, Gigantic gorgonian fans, crocodile fish, octopus, leopardsharks, the mysterious dragon fish, black and white mantas, plus all thespecies that have not been listed yet are plentiful in Madagascar’s protectedwaters. From October to January, the biggest fish in the world - the whaleshark - can sometimes be seen in large schools as they feed unmolested in thecalm waters of the archipelago. During July and August, humpback whales migratethrough the Nosy Be area, and sperm whales have also been encountered.
If you enjoy the adventure of meeting exoticpeople, in a far-away place that remains as yet unspoiled, in a place where thesailing, the wildlife, the marine life is teeming and diverse, a sailing vacation in
Madagascarmay well be the finest vacation of your life. While the islands have remained alittle secret with South Africans and a few Europeans for years, it is fastbecoming known as one of the finest eco-adventure locations in the world. Whileit takes a bit of air-time to arrive you’ll be forever grateful that you did.
International Airport of Nosy Be 1 Paris - Nosy Be & 1 Milan - Nosy Be direct flight. All the others have 1 stop (Antananarivo, Réunion, Mayotte)
Transfer Taxi or mini bus (45 mn between airport & base.)ServicesShopsA small supermarket and a fruit & vegetable market 25 mn from the base (Hell Ville).(Provisioning list is available upon request).There are some cyber-cafés but rare DSL connections. Mobile phone works well however it worth tobuy a local Sim card, about 15 000 Ariary (1 euro is roughly 2400 Ariary), it’s cheaper (you can call and be called without paying rooming).Accepted Credit Cards / Cash Dispensers / Local currency / Accepted currenciesCredit cards are not accepted in the shops / Cash dispensers works with Visa or Mastercard – you can get local currency.Local currency is « Ariary » ; euros accepted.Spoken languages / Habits / religions
Spoken language is Sakalave (North Madagascar Dialect) & French
Religion: Christians - Muslims.
Weather forecast - At the base
Things to avoid- Do not enter when written « Fady » it’s forbidden in Malagasy.
Inaddition to smaller bases and a higher level of personal care, we offeronly the highest quality yachts at Dream Yacht Charter. That is why wepartner with the best ship yards in the world and take great care tochoose yachts that offer you sailing performance as well as greatcomfort and space. In addition, all of our yachts in the Caribbean arebrand-new or less than 4 years old.
We own and operate the one and only fleet of Catana catamarans in theworld. The Catana 50 was named "Best Cruising Multihull" in Cruising World’s2008 Boat of the Year contest. Known for high performance and design,Catana is also one of two large scale luxury yacht manufacturers in theworld that produces catamarans with dagger boards. It is well known toserious catamaran sailors that Catana catamarans cost at least 30% moreto purchase than other catamarans of a similar size. What they alsoknow is that Catanas represent the gold standard for quality andperformance in sailing catamarans.
Each of our yachts is specially outfitted and equipped by Dream YachtCharter to answer the most demanding needs of our guests. More than 200details have been changed in our Dream Yacht Charter yachtspecifications to guarantee you a safe and carefree vacation. OurCatana fleet is additionally outfitted with higher-end equipment.
We have selected for you only yachts of the best ship yards, perfectlyadapted to the needs of a charter holiday, combining good sailingqualities with comfort and space. Each of these yachts gets specialfittings and equipment ordered by Dream Yacht Charter.
The whole caribbean fleet consists in brand-new yachts (less than 3 years).
Ifyou want to sail on a really luxuriously equipped yacht, try out one ofour Catana catamarans, the last word in multihull design. Spacious,airy and beautifully designed, they offer you a new dimension for yourholiday. Over-the-top equipment: autopilot Raymarine ST 7001,chart plotter, maxiview repeater, watermaker, microwave, freezer, 220 V& 12 V plugs, solar panels and a lot more.
Forthe monohulls, you can select one of the latest models of the Harmonyshipyard (Groupe Poncin) – the Harmony 38, Harmony 42, Harmony 47 andHarmony 52 with excellent sailing qualities and a very attractivedesign.
Equipment
All yachts are equipped with:
Bimini top
Electrical anchor windlass
Roller furling genoa
Full batten mainsail (easy furling mainsail)
Self tailing winches
Autopilot
GPS
Hot water
Hot deck shower
Additional ventilation
Oversized water tanks and fridges
CD-player with cockpit speakers
Dinghy plus outboard engine
Barbecue grill
For your personal comfort, you will find the following equipment for each guest onboard:
Snorkelling gear for each guest (tuba, mask, fins)
2 sets of linen and towels per week (including bathing towels)
Beach towels
Options, should you wish you can book the following options for each yacht:
