Summertime is, by general consensus, the best time for a holiday. It’s just a shame that everyone else agrees, because prices go up, places get booked out and crowds form. One unique and luxurious (but not all that expensive) way of enjoying a summer holiday is to hire a boat. On top of being extremely fancy, a boat actually affords you much more flexibility and potential when travelling. Here are some of the reasons why travelling via a boat is the best way to see the mediterranean countries:

Independence

The number one read that boat hire is so popular is the independence it gives you.  Whether you’re driving yourself or you’ve hired a driver, you can literally decide where to go, when to go, when to anchor… It’s very difficult to achieve this level of freedom with other forms of travelling, particularly public transport. The first time being out at sea is a special experience where you truly get lost in the possibilities, and a sense of independence like you’ve never felt before.

Privacy

An important part of travelling via a boat is that you get to have some privacy. The big ocean can become a playground for yourself alone. Diving, sunbathing, partying — this can all be done in peace and isolation. This is usually difficult to achieve compared to other forms of travelling such as staying in a hotel where you are constantly being approached, or a hostel where you actually have to share a room with a stranger. You don’t have to worry about who’s watching you on a boat, or how much noise you’re making.

Luxury

There’s no denying that you can get some level of freedom when say, hitchhiking, or perhaps having a campervan. Whilst these are some great ways to travel, there’s no denying that they’re a little more challenging and less comfortable. Most boats are designed for luxury and comfort, and this is a unique experience. You have more space than initially appears, you can enjoy premium design and proudly steer a huge feat of beautiful engineering.

Avoid crowds

A huge disadvantage of summer holidays is the tourists and busy crowds. Getting stuck in traffic on your way to places and hoards of people at your favourite landmarks can be frustrating. Boats are like a release valve on this — you can visit cities as much as you like, but when you’ve had enough of all the busyness, you have an escape!

Mobility = seeing more places

When you’re on holiday, you want to explore as much as possible. The issue is that getting around to a different town or country each day can be tiring. It will most likely ruin your holiday as you spend more time figuring out the metro or waiting in bus queues than you will soaking up the different atmospheres.

For a start, travelling via a boat means that the journey is just as important as the destination. So, if you are spending a lot of time navigating — at least you’re doing it in style and at your own pace with beautiful views. Secondly, boats don’t adhere to traffic, crowds and such. You’re more mobile to see not just other cities but other neighbouring countries. Island hopping has just become much more accessible, and you could well stumble upon some beautiful hidden beaches!