Sailing holidays (974)
Family sailing holidays aren’t just an opportunity for budding skippers to wear silly hats and control the tiller all holiday long – the plus points are rather more numerous than that. Just think about it: you can set sail whenever you like, sailing from one beautiful location to another at the turn of a wheel. Best of all, you don’t have to put up with heaving beaches. Just find your own deserted stretch of sand or an isolated cove, moor up and enjoy the sunshine and quiet. Sailing doesn’t have to be an activity holiday, you know.
The more competent sailors among you might like to take the wheel yourself on one of our yachts in Spain or Greece. Or, for a little added luxury, you can hire your own private skipper.
For families in which there’s an even split between sea legs and landlubbers, there’s the sailing holiday compromise of renting a holiday home that has the use of its own boat and private mooring. Check out these sailing adventures in the Caribbean and along the coast of England.
But if sailing sounds just a little too involving for what’s supposed to be a relaxing holiday, there is the more tranquil option of a houseboat. Either stay put or pootle merrily around the waterways of England and the Netherlands. Whichever appeals more, you should definitely step aboard soon.
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974 Holiday homes
houseboat golden hind - Srinagar houseboat sleeps 6
Kashmir / Srinagar
3 6 1 night min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 1 night min
- Child friendly
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from £9 / night
Halong Paloma Cruise - Halong Bay houseboat sleeps 46
Quang Ninh Province / Halong Bay
20 46 1 night min
- 20 bedrooms
- Sleeps 46
- 1 night min
- Child friendly
- Air conditioning
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from £189 / night
The Sandgroper - Tonnerre houseboat sleeps 2
Yonne / Tonnerre
1 2 1 night min
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 2
- 1 night min
- Ask about pets
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from £192 / night
Narrowboat Puzzle - Ely houseboat sleeps 2
Cambridgeshire / Ely
1 2 2 nights min
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 2
- 2 nights min
- Child friendly
- Car not necessary
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from £99 / night
KV houseboats Alleppey to Kumarakom - Alappuzha houseboat sleeps 2
Kerala / Alappuzha
3 2 1 night min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 2
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 3 km
- Ask owner if suitable for children
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from £77 / night
Houseboat Finland: Houseboat Comfort 32 m2/ 6 pers - Jyväskylä houseboat sleeps 6
Central Finland / Jyväskylä
2 6 2 nights min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 2 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Child friendly
- Car not necessary
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from £196 / night
Boat Geanna - Henley-on-Thames houseboat sleeps 11
Oxfordshire / Henley-on-Thames
3 11 3 nights min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 11
- 3 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Child friendly
- Car not necessary
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from £250 / night
“An incredibly relaxing holiday in perfect comfort on a beautiful part of the Thames.”
From start to finish this turned out to beat many 5 star hotel holidays we had all taken. Firstly the hosts are attentive, lovely and fun. They gave us 2 informed fabulous river trips. Would thoroughl… More
Thank you for your lovely comments - really delighted you had a good stay and look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Pournami Houseboats - Alappuzha houseboat sleeps 12
Kerala / Alappuzha
4 12 1 night min
- 4 bedrooms
- Sleeps 12
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 4 km
- Child friendly
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from £235 / night
“Absolute value for money..!!!”
We were a gang of 12 and we absolutely enjoyed our cruise in the houseboat. The houseboat was extremely clean and the staff was very courteous and very helpful and friendly. We were taken for a thorou… More
We are happy to hear that you really enjoyed the houseboat trip. Thank you so much. Come back soon :)
“An unforgettable experience”
We stayed with Pournami Houseboats during our honeymoon trip and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. The boat crew was really friendly. Alappuzha being a non-vegetarian's paradise, we expected medi… More
We are happy to hear that you really enjoyed the houseboat trip. Thank you so much. Come back soon :)
“A truly memorable day and night - yummy :P”
Wonderful experience. We had an overnight cruise with pournami house Boat. Me and my wife we really enjoyed the trip. We got a warm welcome to the boat. Delicious food <3 . The boat was neat and clean… More
Barge ASLAUG, starboard cabin on new-built barge - Corbie houseboat sleeps 2
Somme / Corbie
1 2 2 nights min
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 2
- 2 nights min
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from £92 / night
Halong Bay exellent houseboat 2days 1night - Halong Bay houseboat sleeps 35
Quang Ninh Province / Halong Bay
15 35 1 night min
- 15 bedrooms
- Sleeps 35
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Ask owner if suitable for children
- Air conditioning
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from £70 / night
Luxury Motor Yacht in Lymington - Lymington yacht sleeps 4
New Forest / Lymington
2 4 2 nights min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 4
- 2 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Suitable for children age 5+
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from £280 / night
“Luxury living on a yacht”
Myself and 3 friends stayed on this beautiful boat, moored ideally with no boats in front of us, giving us a perfect view across to the Isle of Wight. The yacht was clean, had 2 bathrooms and showers… More
San Blas Experience "Sailing Yacht Rendezvous" - El Porvenir yacht sleeps 6
San Blas Islands / El Porvenir
1 6 1 night min
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 6
- 1 night min
- Ask owner if suitable for children
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from £254 / night
Aqua Jumbo Houseboat - Kumarakom houseboat sleeps 6
Kerala / Kumarakom
2 6 1 night min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 70 km
- Child friendly
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from £154 / night
“Really great houseboat experience, succeeding our expectations”
We are a couple from Germany in our mid-thirties and spent 2 days/1 night at the Jumbo Houseboat early January. We booked from Germany by contacting the owner Akhil directly. Was a bit of a luck game,… More
“Amazing Experience”
Aqua Castle was a wonderful & clean houseboat. Excellent Chef & courteous staff made the stay memorable.… More
“Unforgettable Experience”
I had an excellent time with Aquajumbo Tours. I booked a houseboat for my family and immediate relatives and needless to say how each one enjoyed their time with Aquajumbo Tours. The houseboat operato… More
Halong Paloma Cruise - Halong Bay houseboat sleeps 40
Quang Ninh Province / Halong Bay
20 40 1 night min
- 20 bedrooms
- Sleeps 40
- 1 night min
- Nearest beach 1 km
- Child friendly
- Air conditioning
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from £189 / night
Luxury Classic Motor Yacht "Eucala" at Riverscapes - East Molesey yacht sleeps 6
Surrey / East Molesey
3 6 1 night min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 1 night min
- Child friendly
- Car not necessary
- Air conditioning
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from £95 / night
Axo Houseboat - Central Amsterdam houseboat sleeps 4
Amsterdam / Central Amsterdam
1 4 4 nights min
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 4
- 4 nights min
- Child friendly
- Ask about pets
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from £179 / night
“Great accommodation and location to explore Amsterdam”
I travelled to Amsterdam to visit friends and was very fortunate to stay on this fabulous houseboat. It was very well equipped, homely, warm and comfortable. I was surprised to find how spacious the l… More
Thanks Debbie, so glad you had a nice time. hope to see you again very soon.
“fun and good location”
Situated in central amsterdam, the houseboat is a good place to stay. Close to the subway station (2 stops from central station) and tram. I strongly recomend this rental… More
Thanks Olivier, it was a pleasure to have you stay.
“Great experience”
We arrived a little later than we intended and had to collect the keys from the nearby Amsterdam House Hotel but staff were great and we dealt with the formalities very quickly. The owner of the boat … More
house boat on the Seine near Paris - Draveil narrowboat sleeps 6
Essonne / Draveil
3 6 4 nights min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 4 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Car not necessary
- Air conditioning
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from £174 / night
Wooden Sail Boat with Air Conditioning and WiFi - El Barrio yacht sleeps 2
Province of Alicante / El Barrio
2 2 3 nights min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 2
- 3 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 200 km
- Car not necessary
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from £44 / night
River Breez Houseboats. 5 Star luxury - Mannum houseboat sleeps 8
South Australia / Mannum
3 8 Min stay varies
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 8
- Min stay varies
- Child friendly
- Air conditioning
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from £589 / night
PORTO DOURO CANAL BOAT HIRE - DOUROVOU LTD - Porto narrowboat sleeps 4
Porto District / Porto
2 4 2 nights min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 4
- 2 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 0 km
- Swimming pool
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from £166 / night
“peaceful and relaxing holiday”
Hired a boat for 5 days in May. if solitude and scenery are what you are after then this holiday is perfect. The boat base in Ferradosa is just lovely and 3 hours train trip from Oporto. The boat had … More
“GREAT !!”
I have just returned from a weeks holiday on board one of Jose’s Macgregor 26’ yacht and felt I had to give account of our experience. I think the best way to do this is to give a moment by mome… More
“Far from the madding crowd, perfect for a family holiday.”
We had a lovely relaxing stay in the chalet overlooking the water. The children adored it. It was a perfect family holiday far from the madding crowd It was wonderful to wake up to the peace and… More
Lucy Joe - Worsley narrowboat sleeps 4
Salford / Worsley
2 4 2 nights min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 4
- 2 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Child friendly
- Car not necessary
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from £150 / night
“What a lovely family weekend!”
We arrived and it was thundering, lightning and raining like there was no tomorrow but the central heating on the boat kept us all snug, warm and dried us out quickly. With the freedom to stop and sta… More
Linssen 34.9AC - Vermenton houseboat sleeps 6
Yonne / Vermenton
2 6 7 nights min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 7 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Suitable for children age 5+
- Air conditioning
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from £249 / night
Sail San Blas aboard Cinco - El Porvenir yacht sleeps 8
San Blas Islands / El Porvenir
5 8 1 night min
- 5 bedrooms
- Sleeps 8
- 1 night min
- Child friendly
- Ask about pets
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from £385 / night
Lanzarote Yacht Hotel - Marina Rubicon yacht sleeps 6
Playa Blanca / Marina Rubicon
3 6 1 night min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Swimming pool
- Suitable for children age 5+
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from £84 / night
“Beautiful”
We had a fantastic one week holiday,the location was stunning and plenty of restaurants to choose from although we found Lani's the best. Jorge and Raquel are lovely and so friendly.… More
Classic yacht houseboat in beautiful Saint Lucia - Marigot Bay houseboat sleeps 2
Castries Quarter / Marigot Bay
3 2 4 nights min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 2
- 4 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 0.1 km
- Swimming pool
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from £70 / night
Boat&Breakfast de Dageraad - Eastern Docklands houseboat sleeps 4
Amsterdam / Eastern Docklands
2 4 Min stay varies
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 4
- Min stay varies
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 30 km
- Child friendly
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from £200 / night
Peewit 60ft. Modern Narrowboat - Foxton narrowboat sleeps 4
Market Harborough / Foxton
1 4 2 nights min
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 4
- 2 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Child friendly
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from £80 / night
“Fabulous and unique weekend on a fantastic boat”
My wife and I stayed on Rafaelles' narrowboat with our two children (11 and 9) over Easter 2016. Peewit was moored at Foxton, just North of Market Harborough. Despite some mixed bank holiday weather w… More
EXPECTATIONS43 CATAMARAN - French Harbour yacht sleeps 4
Roatan / French Harbour
3 4 1 night min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 4
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Swimming pool
- Air conditioning
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from £1058 / night
Jewel cruise , overnight on the Cat Ba island - Cat Ba yacht sleeps 8
Cat Ba
4 8 1 night min
- 4 bedrooms
- Sleeps 8
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 1 km
- Child friendly
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from £100 / night
Annie's Boat (bed & boat) - Eastern Docklands houseboat sleeps 2
Amsterdam / Eastern Docklands
1 2 1 night min
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 2
- 1 night min
- Child friendly
- Ask about pets
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from £105 / night
Watervilla Humpy Dumpy - Oost-knollendam houseboat sleeps 6
North Holland Province / Oost-knollendam
2 6 3 nights min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 3 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Suitable for children age 5+
- Air conditioning
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from £218 / night
“Amazing experience”
After all the hustle and bustle of an Indian city life, the stay at The Humpy Dumpy was just what I needed. We are constantly surrounded with noise and the stress and pressures of our daily lives that… More
“Houseboat for relaxation and with exellent view.”
We spend 6 days on Humpy Dumpy. It was a great place to arrive home to after exploriating northern Holland during the day. I would have liked to have more time on the boat. using the bikes and renting… More
Angel Queen Houseboats - Alappuzha houseboat sleeps 2
Kerala / Alappuzha
1 2 1 night min
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 2
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 6 km
- Suitable for children age 5+
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from £65 / night
Deramore classic motor yacht master cabin - Punta Ala yacht sleeps 2
Castiglione Della Pescaia / Punta Ala
1 2 3 nights min
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 2
- 3 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 0 km
- Air conditioning
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from £218 / night
Sunseeker Apache 45 - Ta' Xbiex yacht sleeps 4
Island of Malta / Ta' Xbiex
2 4 1 night min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 4
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Child friendly
- Car not necessary
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from £87 / night
Yacht Ngoma - Prickly Bay yacht sleeps 4
St. George's / Prickly Bay
2 4 5 nights min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 4
- 5 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 0 km
- Child friendly
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from £140 / night
“Felt like a millionaire on a private yacht in beautiful places with wonderful people.”
This was our first private yacht charter and it will not be our last! It was easy to book. The owners are very accommodating and follow up promptly with all inquires.We had a very early arrival time … More
Dear Grace and Peter, Thank you for this review which Robin and I really appreciate. I am updating my updates and it is bringing back many happy memories. Wishing you and yours everything of the best, Sandra Yacht Ngoma