Small group sailing holiday with G Adventures

Effortless from the moment you arrive

One of the biggest joys of this style of holiday is how little you have to think about the logistics. All the planning is taken care of for you, so your only “job” on day one is to turn up at the meeting point and meet your fellow crewmates.

I still remember wheeling my bag along the marina in Dubrovnik, trying to spot “my” yacht among a forest of masts. As soon as I met our skipper and the rest of the group, that pre‑trip nervous energy disappeared. Within an hour of boarding we were barefoot, beers in hand getting to know one another.

Do you need to know how to sail?

In short: no. You really can get as involved as you wish.

There is an experienced skipper at the helm who is responsible for the boat, the navigation and your safety. If you are keen to learn, you are very welcome to help and pick up some sailing skills along the way. If you would rather stretch out on deck with a book while the world glides past, that is absolutely fine too.

Knowing there is a professional in charge makes it easy to relax into the rhythm of life on the water, mornings under sail, lazy swim stops in quiet coves, and golden-hour arrivals into pretty harbours.

What is the yacht actually like?

This is not a luxury superyacht, and that is part of its charm. The boat is comfortable, well equipped and designed for sociable small-group travel rather than formality or fuss.

To accommodate up to 10 guests, the layout on my trip was:

• 2 double en-suite cabins 
• 1 triple en-suite cabin 
• 1 twin bunk with en-suite 
• 1 twin bunk with a shared bathroom

The cabins themselves are compact and functional, with minimal storage. You will have space for your luggage and your essentials, but this is very much “ship shape” living rather than a hotel suite.

What to pack on a sailing trip

Small, soft sided luggage is recommended as there is really nowhere to stow large suitcases on board. Because storage is limited, packing light makes a huge difference. Packing cubes are an absolute game changer as they let you organise your clothes into small, squashable bundles that tuck neatly into lockers and small cupboards.

You really do not need very much:

• Swimwear for daytime, as you will spend a lot of time in and out of the water 
• Lightweight shorts, t-shirts and beach dresses 
• A couple of smarter but still relaxed outfits for dinners ashore 
• A warm layer for the evenings, which can feel cooler on the water 
• A light waterproof or windproof jacket in case of a passing shower or breezier days under sail

Out at sea, especially if the wind picks up, it can feel surprisingly fresh even in summer, so having those extra layers makes time on deck much more comfortable.

Life on board: galley, lounge and deck

The heart of the yacht is the galley and saloon area. The galley is well equipped with cooking utensils and everything you need for simple, communal meals on board. There is a comfortable seating area inside where you can relax, play cards and chat, but in reality, most of your time will be spent on deck. That is where you will sip your morning coffee, watch the coastline slip by, take endless photos and jump into the sea for a swim.

Because life revolves around the outdoors, you never feel “cooped up” even though cabins are small and space is shared. The rhythm of anchoring, swimming, drying off and then wandering ashore keeps each day feeling varied and full.

Food, shared kitty and eating like a local

Meals on board are very relaxed and everyone is encouraged to contribute. Typically, there is a shared kitty that you all pay into, which is then used to buy the essentials for breakfast and lunches on the yacht.

On our trip, breakfast was often fresh bread and pastries from the nearest bakery, with fruit, yoghurt and coffee on deck. Lunch might be a simple salad, pasta or a mezze of bits and pieces we had picked up in the local market. It is very informal and sociable, and taking turns in the galley is a lovely way to get to know your fellow travellers.

Most evenings are spent eating out as a group at local restaurants in the ports or villages where you moor for the night. This is where the trip really comes alive: following your skipper’s recommendations, trying local seafood, regional wines and traditional dishes, and experiencing the atmosphere of waterside tavernas as the sun sets over the bay.

There is a real sense of shared adventure and camaraderie that builds with each evening spent lingering over dinner and laughing at the day’s adventures.

Is a small group sailing holiday right for you?

Small group sailing is all about the people, sharing a yacht with like-minded travellers, swapping stories on deck, diving in for swim stops together and heading ashore each evening for long, lazy dinners at local restaurants.

For the solo traveller, you are not really on your own. From day one you are part of a ready-made crew of like-minded people, so there is no awkward “who will I talk to at dinner?” moment. 

By the end of the week, it feels less like a holiday and more like a little floating family.

If you love the idea of relaxed, sociable holiday on the water, I’d love to help you plan your own sailing adventure.