Hubby and I chartered in the BVI about a year and a half ago and loved it, and are considering it again, but wondering about other places maybe. Anyone here chartered in other locations? If so where, and how does it compare to the BVI? (costwise, also)

Sailed in many destinations world wide. Nowhere compares to BVI for beauty of sailing area, ease of sailing (line of sight), gorgeous harbours, ease of provisioning , choice of eateries, etc, etc. You get the picture.

What are you looking for in your charter destination?

My current favorite is the Spanish Virgin Islands (i.e. the small islands east of Puerto Rico, including Culebra and Vieques). There is an excellent charter company based in Fajardo (the east end of Puerto Rico) called Sail Caribe, whom we've used for our 3 trips there. Click under Puerto Rico on my webpage to get 3 trip reports: Islandtime It's like the BVI 30 years ago.

If not the SVI, I suggest either the Abacos (where there are several companies, including Moorings and Sunsail, with a large base in Marsh Harbour) or the Exumas (Navtours, with bases in Nassau -- about a 30 mile sail to the Exumas -- or right outside of Georgetown). I haven't chartered with them, but spent 2.5 months sailing the Exumas last year (blog here: Calypso's Odyssey -- we were in the Exumas from January to March, if you want to read about those islands, and the Abacos before and after).

So many other choices as well, but those are my favorites.

I have to agree with Salica. We've chartered in many of the Leeward and Windward islands, including the famous Grenadines, and each time, we agreed that we liked the BVI more. Those other trips came after we had done the BVI 4 or 5 times. They were interesting trips, but we're now happy to continue returning to the BVI.

Sailing in Belize is an adventure

We get spoiled in the BVI because the islands are so close together. Many of the Leeward/Windwards are spread out and it's a full day of open water sailing.

We did our first couple of charters in the BVI and then decided to try St. Martin. It is our new favorite - we love it. Between St. Martin, Anguilla, and St. Barts, there are plenty of great anchorages, restaurants, and things to do.

Album of SXM Sailing Videos

We have sailed the greek islands, turkey, french coast, etc
The med is something if you can do, I would heavily suggest. There is a learning curve, and nothing is "easy". Most likely you will med - moor. gas/water is often trucked into the wall/dock.

We have done the Bay of Islands in New Zealand. Very beautiful, but I would pick the BVI.
I do understand that Tonga is great sailing.

We would really like to sail the SVI some year. Will get to SXM as well!

We've chartered in Puget Sound, Australia, Baja, Tahiti, Bahamas, SVG, SXM, Greece, Belize ... BVI is still our favorite which is why we've gone back seven times.

So very true.......:)

SVI is great. Some open ocean sailing.
Lots of places to go in the USVI of course. Mostly sheltered.
St. Martin is great, and close to St. Barts and Anguilla. Open ocean sailing.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is also awesome. Also open ocean sailing.

Have charter/sailedGreece, grenadines, Grenada, and 4x BVI.
In that order!

Trying Abacos this June

Surprised no one mentioned our second favorite, Antigua and Barbuda. Flights a little longer/pricier from US compared to STT but boats usually a little cheaper and no ferry costs/issues so almost a wash price wise. Sunsail is in Nelson's Dockyard and Horizon and Dream Yacht are in Jolly Harbor. Provisioning right across the street in Jolly and the bag boys will take your cart to the boat for you.

With that said it's hard to beat the BVIs for it's short sailing distances, bars and restaurants aplunty and many interesting sights to see on shore!
Windwards - longer distances, boatboys, some incredible voyages and adventures.
SVIs - we love anchoring behind reefs and Culebra has two nice spots on the east side. The Bioluminescent Bay on Vieques is the single coolest thing I've ever experienced.
San Juan islands (PNW) - incredibly beautiful, snow capped peaks in the distance, cold, cold water.
Greece - Study up on med mooring! Really not difficult. Mooring to the quay right in the center of town is so different and fun - usually a taverna or two right across the street! Ionians if you like it slow, Cyclades if you like sailing, sometimes, with gusto (lookup Meltemi winds)! A surprising number of Greeks speak English, especially the younger ones (but I cheated and brought my Greek wife just in case).

Places I'd still like to sail?
Saint Martin
Belize
Bahamas
Australia and some of the Pacific islands

Thank you everyone! That is really helpful.

LastMango and I chartered out of SXM last August. We loved it. Secluded anchorages if you want. Busy anchorages if you want. We took in St. Martin, Anguilla, St. Barts and Saba. Quite a bit of open water sailing, but that was a big part of the draw for us. The only downside with our itinerary was check in/check out at each island. Not complicated, just a required nuisance and something to consider. Provisioning was easy.

Chartered Antigua/Barbuda last June.
Spectacular sailing with a little opean ocean in between islands.
We had complete peace and solitude having the anchorage to ourselves every night.
Much less yachter friendly than BVI however. Few moorings so we were on the hook every night although the holding everywhere is very good. Many of the beach resorts if not most do not want boaters hanging around the premises so they only allow you on the beach since they are public.
Barbuda has the most spectacular, if not lonely beach I've seen in the caribbean.
Weighing a return to BVI vs. St.Martin-Anguilla-St.Barts-Saba this year.

There are a number of folks on TTOL who have done Abaco. I drool over the Abaco cruising guide when winter weather gets to me.

Ordered the Dodge Guide the other day, should be on my desk tomorrow!
Just wish there was a board as good as this one. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />

Looking for a good suggested itin. Sunsail w 1st night onboard Sat in June.

I don't know if it is as good as this one, but I found www.abacoforum.com to be an excellent resource for our trip there last summer.

Pretty active and a lot of well informed, well intentioned people.

Edited to add: the Abacos are amazing and you're going to have a blast.

There are 2 excellent Abaco forums out there: Abaco Forum and Abaco Community Message Board.

Also, feel free to ask me your questions -- here or by PM. I've chartered in the Abacos 3 times, and also spent nearly a month there last year on my own boat (which we sailed down from Annapolis).

We are 37 days out from our first charter in the Abacos. We are chartering a Lipari 41 through Cruise Abaco. I'll provide a full report afterwards comparing the two areas, but I'll say that the planning of the charter is much easier with the BVIs. No online provisioning in Marsh Harbour with options to have the heavy stuff delivered at your stern. I also like the Virgin Islands cruising guide much more than the Abaco one, for what that's worth. The Abaco forum is great, but I get the sense it's more power boaters than sailors, so nothing beats TTOL and the BVIs in that way. Excited for the trip and entering with an open mind. But we'll return to the BVI's in Jan 2016. After that trip, I believe we'll have our eyes set on chartering from CYOA out of St. Thomas and heading to the SVI's. All options are way better than the office conference room!

Two places I really want to charter and see:

Sea of Cortez and the Dry Tortugas. May have to wait till I am semi-retired to do the Dry Tortugas on my own boat.

Those are on my list too, Jboothe. Southern Alaska also looks really amazing, though a different kind of adventure, and much more "do-it-yourself" in the way of planning.

There are some people filming their sailing adventures near Seward AK, and they make this series of Youtube videos called "Boat Beaches and Bears" that are really awesome (though kind of graphic - they are hunters as well as sailors).

I would love to sail Alaska too but I'm probably going to have to stay with the warmer climates with my wife. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

I will have to look up the YouTube videos you mentioned. That sounds pretty interesting.

Dodge's Abaco Guide is essential, but it should be noted that Dozier's Waterway Guide to the Bahamas has a section over 70 pages on the Abacos, which is quite good, as are all guides in the Waterway series.

Disclosure... I sell them both, but had to mention it. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cool.gif" alt="" />