10 BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO CATCH THE WIND

Sailing is my favorite summer sport. Today, we are sharing a collection of gorgeous places to sail. And we found a totally cool wakeboard for a more direct thrill.

1. ZANZIBAR, Tanzania 

Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean, is rich with mysterious beauty. Traveling here will transport you back in time to ancient Persia, to the slow rhythms and heavy scents of India, and to the courts of Swahili princes.

Try sailing a traditional dhow, an ancient Arabic sailing boat that locals still use for fishing. There’s plenty of spectacular diving and snorkelling sites to visit while you’re cruising around the archipelago.  

2. BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

The British Virgin Islands are the perfect sailing destination, for sailors of all levels. These islands are one of the world’s easiest places to sail, thanks to the steady winds, and clear water.

Head to the beautiful island of Tortola, where the capital, Road Town, is located, to sail the famed Sir Frances Drake Channel.

3. BAY OF ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND

Head to the subtropical Bay of Islands, in New Zealand, for beautiful undeveloped coastal scenery and crystal clear blue waters. These 144 islands sit within New Zealand’s “winterless north” region, for beautiful weather all year round.

Sail around Tapeka Point to see tons of beautiful wildlife, such as penguins, dolphins, marlin, whales, gannets, and more. Visit Paihia, a hub island, to visit the Haruru Falls, take a ferry ride to the romantic town of Russell, and learn about Maori culture.

4. CROATIA

Croatia is an up-and-coming vacation destination that’s perfect for sailing. The brilliant waters of the Adriatic sea and a whopping 1,185 islands give you countless beautiful places to set sail.

Check out Hvar, a posh island where yacht owners congregate, or head to more remote locations, such as island groups Kornati and Elafiti. There’s also plenty of hidden coves and traditional fishing villages to explore.

5. NILE RIVER, EGYPT

For a sail through the history of Egypt, rent a felucca, a small traditional boat with canvas sails, and take on the Nile, from Aswan to Edfu. Or, get yourself a dahabiyya, a 19th century double-masted sailboat, and sail in vintage luxury.

Either way, these local-style boats are small enough that you can comfortably stop at all the tiny islands and ancient sites on your river jaunt. Spend your nights on deck, gazing at the stars and relaxing to the sounds of the rushing river.

6. WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS, AUSTRALIA

Sail around the Whitsunday Islands, 74 little landmasses strewn across a swath of Coral Sea, off the Queensland Coast in Australia. Most of the islands are uninhabited, with dense rainforest, fabulous hiking trails, and wide soft sandy beaches.

The long stretch of coral reef below make this an ideal place for diving. It is home to the Great Barrier Marine Park, one of the seven wonders of the natural world.

One popular sport here is bareboat sailing -- that means it’s just you, on a boat with no crew or provisions.

7. GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS, ECUADOR

The Galápagos Islands in Ecuador are a fantastic sailing destination, with a wild bonus. This volcanic archipelago is, of course, home to incredibly beautiful species animals, found nowhere else in the world, from the world's only seagoing lizards to flightless cormorants and penguins, flamingos, inflatable frigate birds, waved albatrosses, clownish boobies, patriarchal giant tortoises, and 13 species of Darwin finches, to name just a few.

Dive off your sailboat to swim with sea lions, fur seals, dolphins, sea turtles, whales. Snorkel with manta, eagle, and golden rays, as well as thousands of the 300 species of colorful fish.

8. TAHITI AND FRENCH POLYNESIA

Sail away to French Polynesia, where you can hop among 118 islands spread out over more than 2,000 square km. of turquoise seas.  

Here, in this area of the South Pacific, roughly the size of Europe, the Austral, Gambier, Marquesas, Tuamotu, and Society island archipelagos, are encircled by barrier reefs, home to sea turtles, sharks, dolphins, porpoises, colorful hard and soft coral, and more than 500 species of fish.

9. FRENCH RIVIERA

The French Riviera is full of glamour, massive yachts, and sheer extravagance. But it’s also a spectacular place to go for a simple sail.

10. GREEK ISLANDS

Another classic place to set sail is among the Greek Islands, with an average of over 300 days of sunshine a year, it is a total joy to explore some of the 1,400 islands that dot the bright blue Aegean and Ionian Seas.

Popular sailing destinations include the Cyclades island group, home to Santorini and Mykonos, and the Ionians, where you’ll find Corfu, Lefkada, and the Skorpios.

11. ELECTRIC WAKEBOARD

Swedish wakeboarder Philip Werner has just created the Wakejet Cruise, the world’s first electric wakeboard.  

This new board delivers an incredible experience. Speed along the water as if you’re riding a traditional wakeboard, but you can navigate freely, as if you’re surfing.

The Wakejet is made of lightweight carbon fiber. It has a powerful, but silent, jet propulsion system. And it comes with a handheld remote. It’s sleek and it’s fly. Get ready to release your inner watersport mojo!

Read more about Windy Beauty all this week on BeautifulNow. And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Wellness, Impact, Nature/Science, Food, Arts/Design, and Travel, Daily Fix posts.

Want more stories like this? Sign up for our weekly BN Newsletter, Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest. Join our BeautifulNow Community and connect with the most beautiful things happening in the world right now!

Do you have amazing photos? Enter them in this week’s BN Photo Competition.

IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Roman Boed. Zanzibar: Dhows. Zanzibar.
2. Image: by brentdaily. Local Transportation - Zanzibar, Africa. Zanzibar.
3. Image: by Meghan Hess. British Virgin Islands.
4. Image: by Abaconda Management Group. Mountain Sunset Sailors. Bay of Islands, New Zealand.
5. Image: by Ljubo Gamulin. Sail Dubrovnik BRACERA. Croatia.
6. Image: by Federico Lukkini. Feluccas on the Nile. Egypt.
7. Image: by sydneydawg2006. A Week in the Whitsundays. Whitsunday Islands, Australia.
8. Image: by Doriana del Sarto. alta1 gen08. Galáoagos Islands, Ecuador.
9. Image: by Gloria Manna. Sailing to Tahiti. Tahiti, French Polynesia.
10. Image: by Ajay Suresh. Honeymoon-504. French Riviera.  
11. Image: by Michalis Fotinakis. Private Beach. Greek Islands.
12. Image: by Radinn. The Wakejet Cruise.
13. Image: by Radinn. The Wakejet Cruise.
14. Image: by Radinn. The Wakejet Cruise.
15. Image: by Shawn Clover. Upper Egypt. Nile River, Egypt.
16. Image: by Radinn. The Wakejet Cruise.