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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
A Different Way to Stay! - San Sebastián de la Gomera yacht sleeps 6
La Gomera / San Sebastián de la Gomera
3 6 Min stay varies
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- Min stay varies
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 0.1 km
- Suitable for children age 5+
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from £45 / night
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
Oasis Houseboat - Central Amsterdam houseboat sleeps 4
Amsterdam / Central Amsterdam
1 4 Min stay varies
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 4
- Min stay varies
- Suitable for children age 5+
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from £174 / night
“Quaint and Well Situated Houseboat”
We had a lovely stay on the Oasis Houseboat as a family of three adults. It was far enough away from the main hub but still easily accessible to a grocery store. The sunset over the canal and other … More
“A perfect stay in the heart of Amsterdam”
We (4 people all around 30 years old) stayed in this lovely houseboat for 2 nights to celebrate a special new year’s eve. And we enjoyed our stay from the first second. The Owner of the boat is gen… More
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
Klaziena Houseboat - Central Amsterdam houseboat sleeps 6
Amsterdam / Central Amsterdam
3 6 4 nights min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 4 nights min
- Child friendly
- Car not necessary
- Ask about pets
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from £279 / night
“The stay exceeded all expectations.Ideally situated near Rembrandplein”
The accommodation was very tidy and especially the roomy livingroom was a plus.Wi-fi also a welcome addition and we realy enjoyed staying in the centre of Amsterdam with all the canal boats passing by… More
“Not recommended”
The location is good, but the rent is too expensive for what is offered. It took 24 hours to get the toilets repaired. There was a burnt smell coming from the microwave (that we did not use). The prop… More
Sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the houseboat and your stay. I have checked the heater and it is now working normally, just a little air in the pipes. And I acted straight away when i heard the toilet was blocked and it was fixed as soon as the workman could get there. The microwave just needed a little use to blow out what ever the last guest had burnt inside. as it was clean i had no idea. I am aware of the marks on the wall and have tried to clean it but as i won't come off i plan to repaint, when i have time, Im still shocked at what some guests get up to. And although the boat is not new and yes there are areas that need attention I'm surprised it was as bad as you mention. i hear a lot, accommodation in Amsterdam is more expensive than other cities but you where also 5 guests. In the centre of the city (prime location). On a houseboat. With stunning canal views. It would costs the same in a hotel but without the view. i cant not mention to the reason you weren't compensated, this was up to the manager. I will try harder next time.
“Avoid - way over priced for what you get”
Stayed here with family & spouse while visiting Amsterdam for 5 days this May. I'll start with the positives: (1) The staff is friendly and helpful. (2) The location; the Klaziena houseboat is close t… More
Pantheos Romantic Houseboat - Jordaan houseboat sleeps 4
Amsterdam / Jordaan
1 4 Min stay varies
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 4
- Min stay varies
- Swimming pool
- Child friendly
- Pet friendly
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from £157 / 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
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
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
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
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.
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
beautiful 3 bedroom gullet berthed in kas marina - Kas yacht sleeps 5
Antalya Province / Kas
3 5 1 night min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 5
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Swimming pool
- Child friendly
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from £60 / night
Boat Gina -beautiful narrowboat on River Thames - Henley-on-Thames narrowboat sleeps 6
Oxfordshire / Henley-on-Thames
2 6 3 nights min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 3 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Child friendly
- Car not necessary
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from £245 / night
“An amazing family holiday”
All information/ communication in the run up to the holiday was very good, we were greeted in a very friendly manner and had a very informative tutorial about the narrowboat and locks which put us at … More
We're delighted you had a great holiday and enjoyed cruising boat GINA on the Thames. Thank you for your lovely feedback, we will pass it on to the team. Hope to see you again.
Woontjalk Zuidenwind Houseboat - Amsterdam houseboat sleeps 5
North Holland Province / Amsterdam
3 5 2 nights min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 5
- 2 nights min
- Nearest beach 25 km
- Child friendly
- Pet friendly
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from £131 / night
Komodo Island Cruise Tour - Labuan Bajo narrowboat sleeps 2
Flores / Labuan Bajo
1 2 1 night min
- 1 bedroom
- Sleeps 2
- 1 night min
- Child friendly
- Ask about pets
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from £338 / 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
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
Private Yacht in St Vincent and the Grenadines - Mayreau yacht sleeps 6
St. Vincent and the Grenadines / Mayreau
3 6 1 night min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 6
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Suitable for children age 5+
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from £500 / night
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
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
Yacht 'Lady H' - Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhone yacht sleeps 4
Bouches-du-Rhone / Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhone
3 4 3 nights min
- 3 bedrooms
- Sleeps 4
- 3 nights min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 3 km
- Child friendly
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from £35 / night
Barge ASLAUG, port 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
Travenz Two bedroom Houseboat with Balcony - Alappuzha houseboat sleeps 7
Kerala / Alappuzha
2 7 1 night min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 7
- 1 night min
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 6 km
- Child friendly
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from £104 / night
Star Narrowboat Holidays - Unique Narrowboat Hire - Worsley narrowboat sleeps 4
Salford / Worsley
2 4 2 nights min
- 2 bedrooms
- Sleeps 4
- 2 nights min
- Child friendly
- Car not necessary
- Pet friendly
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from £170 / night
“fantastic trip”
We had an amazing long weekend as usual. The boat (Queenie) was absolutely fab, cosy clean and warm and a real head turner. people stopped and looked and had their photos taken beside it. I would reco… More
And thank you Audrey and James for your great review...welcome back anytime. Hester
“Very clean and comfortable boat - plus can take dogs.”
The boat was very clean unlike the previous 3 narrow boats that I have hired. In particular, the toilet/bathroom, cooker, kitchen untensils were clean. The mattress was very comfortable and was like a… More
Thanks for your very kind review Caroline. You are all welcome back anytime along with yor University of Manchester discount. Hester
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