Sail in laid-back style through Montenegro and Indonesia
Trips are small on vessel and group sizes, but big on exploration and adventure
I became enamoured with G Adventures (gadventures.com) earlier this year, when I sailed down India’s Ganges River with the Toronto-based company. It was a spectacular, culturally enriching tour undertaken with a small group of like-minded travellers, all at a price that didn’t break the bank. G Adventures has long offered a wide assortment of highvalue tours by land, but you might not be aware of just how many kinds of adventures it offers on the oceans and rivers of the world.
G Adventures offers small-ship, small-group adventure cruises around the world. They’re the kind of trip that appeals, readily, to those who wouldn’t normally identify themselves as “cruisers.” To be sure, these are not big ships by any stretch. The company’s laid-back sailing tours are operated on small catamarans, power boats and sailboats, each of which typically holds between eight and 14 guests.
Now, G Adventures has just introduced a “first-of-its-kind” sailing adventure along the coast of Montenegro, as well as a brand new sailing voyage through Indonesia. These two new itineraries join the company’s portfolio of sailing voyages that travel to the British Virgin Islands, Croatia, Cuba, Greece and Thailand.
In Montenegro, G Adventures’ new Montenegro Sailing trip will depart round-trip from Dubrovnik, Croatia, aboard an eight-guest sailing ship. Over the course of eight days, guests will traverse the Dalmatian coast, visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites, small fishing villages, and the regional nightlife capital of Budva — which just happens to be 2,500 years old. The company tells me its 2017 departures sold out fast, but that 2018 sailings operating between May and September still have availability.
Over in Indonesia, a larger, 12-guest catamaran will depart round-trip from Bali. This weeklong sailing adventure explores the coast of Bali and Lombok and offers the opportunity to explore the Gili Islands, as well as the chance to indulge in a wealth of snorkelling and kayaking tours, visits to beachfront bars, and yoga sessions. Or, pretty much exactly what you think of when you picture an idyllic sailing trip around Southeast Asia.
These Indonesian itineraries operate until November of this year, and resume again in June 2018. There’s still some availability on this run for fall departures, and pricing is particularly good in October and November.
Pricing for the Montenegro sailing starts at $1,599 per person, while the Indonesia sailings are going from $1,999 per person. All prices are, naturally, subject to change and will vary depending on sailing date and availability.
According to G Adventures’ global sailing manager, Vince Donnelly, sailing trips are the ideal vacation choice for travellers as they offer the opportunity to do as much — or as little — as you want.
“Some travellers are keen to learn the ins and outs of sailing from our team of experienced skippers, whereas others are happy to relax and watch the world go by, before arriving to their next port of call or barely inhabited island,” says Donnelly. “While we sell a set itinerary, it’s up to the skipper and the group if they fancy taking a detour to a special island off the beaten track for a picnic on the beach, which is what makes G Adventures’ sailing tours so popular.”
Some things to consider with these runs: airfare is an extra purchase, and sailboat accommodations are small and more basic than your traditional cruise ship. G Adventures does a great job of managing expectations with its dedicated Marine: Expedition Cruising & Sailing Adventures brochure, which has deck plans of its sailing ships, along with plenty of photographs, features, staterooms, and need-to-know itinerary information.
In addition to the company’s small-ship sailing adventures around the world, G Adventures also offers a full program of river cruises on the canals of France, India’s Ganges River, the Mekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia, and along the fabled Amazon River. As well, the company is providing small-ship voyages that traverse the Galápagos Islands, with different price-points and classes of service on each vessel.
On the more expensive end of the scale, you also set out on full-fledged expedition cruises with G Adventures, aboard the 134-guest Expedition. You’ll find the distinctive red-hulled ship cruising the Arctic, Antarctic, and South America, accompanied by a knowledgeable team of expedition staff. Happy cruising. Visit portsandbows.com, sponsored by Expedia CruiseShipCenters, 1-800-707-7327, www.cruiseshipcenters.com, for daily updates on the latest cruise news, best deals and behind-the-scenes stories from the industry. You can also sign up for an email newsletter on the site for even more cruise information. Aaron Saunders may be contacted directly at portsandbowsaaron@gmail.com