Unknown
Charter
Azimut 118 Grande
·2025◆Nassau
35.9
118
meters
feet
11guests
5cabins
5crew
19knots
Week From
$150,000/week
View
Birmingham • United Kingdom
Yacht Charter Abacos Bahamas
Hope Town’s candy-striped lighthouse, the sheltered Sea of Abaco and quiet cays from Elbow Cay to Green Turtle Cay: a crewed yacht charter in the Abacos is the Bahamas at its most relaxed.
01 — Yacht Charter in the Abacos
A yacht charter in the Abacos takes you to the northern Bahamas: two main islands, Great Abaco and Little Abaco, and a chain of small cays strung along the edge of the Atlantic. Between them lies the Sea of Abaco, about 100 kilometres of sheltered, shallow and remarkably clear water that links pastel harbour villages, quiet beaches and some of the most relaxed cruising in the Bahamas.
In the middle of the chain, Hope Town on Elbow Cay is the classic first stop, with its candy-striped lighthouse and narrow village lanes. Man-O-War Cay keeps the boatbuilding traditions of its founding families, and Great Guana Cay has a long, empty beach on the ocean side.
To the north, Green Turtle Cay is home to the Loyalist village of New Plymouth; to the south, Little Harbour has a bronze foundry and a beach bar at the edge of the ocean, and the reefs of the Pelican Cays are protected as a land and sea park. With Marsh Harbour about an hour’s flight from South Florida, the Abacos are also one of the easiest parts of the Bahamas to reach.
- KM Sea of Abaco
- 100
- Peak Summer Sea Temp
- 29°C
Tell us your dates and group size, and we'll suggest yachts and a route to suit you.
Video Reviews
Book Your Abacos, Bahamas Yacht Charter with Confidence
Before you plan your yacht charter in the Abacos, Bahamas, hear about SuperSailYachts from the people we work with.
02 — Iconic Places Across The Abacos
The Abacos combine a sheltered inland sea, historic Loyalist villages and long ocean beaches, all within a short cruise of one another.
Marsh Harbour is the natural starting point, with the airport, marinas and supplies. Across the water, Hope Town and Elbow Cay bring the lighthouse, the harbour village and the beaches of the Atlantic shore.
Further north, Man-O-War Cay, Great Guana Cay and Green Turtle Cay each have their own character, from boatbuilding yards and beach bars to colonial history.
South of Marsh Harbour, Tilloo Cay, the Pelican Cays and Little Harbour are quieter, with protected reefs and long stretches of empty water.
Together, they make it easy to change the pace from day to day: a village and a good restaurant one evening, a deserted anchorage the next.
Destination
MARSH HARBOUR
The hub of the Abacos, with the islands’ airport, marinas for large yachts and shops for provisioning, set on the sheltered water of the Sea of Abaco.
Destination
HOPE TOWN
Pastel cottages, narrow lanes and a harbour watched over by the candy-striped Elbow Reef Lighthouse, one of the last hand-wound, kerosene-burning lighthouses in the world.
Destination
ELBOW CAY
On the Atlantic side of the cay, beaches and rock arches face the reef, and at its southern tip a long sandbar appears off Tahiti Beach as the tide falls.
Destination
GREAT GUANA CAY
A long, quiet beach on the ocean side, a reef close to shore for snorkelling, and beach bars that draw boats from across the Sea of Abaco.
Destination
GREEN TURTLE CAY & MANJACK CAY
New Plymouth, a village founded by Loyalists after the American Revolution and the birthplace of the Goombay Smash, with the empty beaches of Manjack Cay next door.
Sample Itinerary
- Day 1
Marsh Harbour
Step aboard in Marsh Harbour and cruise across the Sea of Abaco to a quiet anchorage for your first sunset. - Day 2
Hope Town, Elbow Cay
Wander the village lanes and climb the candy-striped lighthouse for a view across the cays, then dine ashore beside the harbour. - Day 3
Elbow Cay’s Atlantic Shore
Spend the morning on the ocean beaches and among the rock arches, then walk the sandbar off Tahiti Beach as the tide falls. - Day 4
Man-O-War & Great Guana Cay
Watch the boatbuilders at work on Man-O-War Cay, snorkel the reefs of the Fowl Cays and spend the afternoon on Great Guana Cay’s long beach. - Day 5
Green Turtle Cay & Manjack Cay
Round Whale Cay in calm weather and anchor off Green Turtle Cay. Explore New Plymouth, then take the tender to the beaches of Manjack Cay. 
Day 6The Sea of Abaco
Cruise south down the Sea of Abaco to Tilloo Cay and the Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park for an afternoon of snorkelling and swimming.- Day 7
Little Harbour & Marsh Harbour
See the bronzes cast at the foundry in Little Harbour, then return to Marsh Harbour to disembark.
03 — Experiences Worth Sailing For
The Abacos are made for life on and in the water. The Sea of Abaco is calm and clear enough to see the sand beneath the yacht at anchor, and the reefs along the outer cays bring snorkelling and diving within a short tender ride.
Two of the best reef areas are protected by the Bahamas National Trust: the Fowl Cays, near Man-O-War Cay, and the Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park south of Marsh Harbour, a no-take marine park with moorings for visiting boats.
Ashore, the pace is gentle. Climb the Hope Town lighthouse, watch the boatbuilders on Man-O-War Cay, see the bronzes cast at Little Harbour or settle in for a long lunch at a beach bar. Anglers can fish the flats for bonefish or head offshore for mahi-mahi and wahoo.
Whether you want a new anchorage every night or a slow week of beaches and village dinners, the Abacos let you set your own rhythm.
Discover what to do and eat in the Abacos by yacht, cay by cay.
Explore The Abacos
04 — Best Time To Visit The Abacos
The Abacos are warm all year, with winter highs of around 24°C and summer highs above 30°C. The main yacht charter season runs from December to May.
December – February: Warm, dry and bright, with the sea at around 23–25°C. Cold fronts from the north can bring a few days of strong wind, so captains keep the route flexible. Christmas and New Year are the busiest weeks of the season.
March – May: Often the most settled time of year, with steady breezes, long sunny days and the sea warming from 24°C to 26°C. Easter is a favourite time for families.
June – November: Hot and humid, with the warmest water of the year, at around 28–29°C, and the quietest anchorages. This is also the Atlantic hurricane season, which peaks from August to October, so a summer charter needs flexible plans and a close eye on the forecast.
Available Yachts
6 crewed yachts for charter in the Bahamas. Tell us your dates and we will confirm which can cruise the Abacos.
Unknown
Charter
COLETTE 64
·2019◆Bahamas / Caribbean
20
66
meters
feet
8guests
4cabins
3crew
12knots
Day From
$4,714/day
View
Westport Yachts
Charter
DONA LOLA
·2003◆Bahamas / Caribbean / Mediterranean
39.62
130
meters
feet
10guests
5cabins
7crew
20knots
Day From
$14,286/day
View
Azimut Yachts
Charter
OUPA’S IMPULSE
·2011◆USA, Florida, Bahamas
26.5
87
meters
feet
8guests
4cabins
5crew
20knots
Day From
$9,000/day
View
Dreamline
Charter
PEDDLER
·2019◆Bahamas, Florida
26.3
86
meters
feet
8guests
4cabins
4crew
17.5knots
Week From
$69,000/week
View
Wave
Charter
Wave 60
·2024◆Caribbean, Bahamas, Exumas
18.4
60
meters
feet
8guests
4cabins
2crew
7knots
Week From
€17,975/week
View
Questions
Abacos, Bahamas Yacht Charter FAQs
How much does a yacht charter in the Abacos cost?
Weekly rates for the crewed yachts we list in the Bahamas start at around €18,000 for a sailing catamaran and reach about US$150,000 for a 36-metre motor yacht. Running costs come on top: an advance provisioning allowance (APA) for fuel, food and dockage, usually 25–35% of the charter fee, Bahamian VAT and government charter fees, and an optional crew tip. Your quote shows each of them.
When is the best time to charter a yacht in the Abacos?
The main season runs from December to May. Winter brings warm days of around 24°C, with the occasional cold front and a few days of strong wind, while spring is usually the most settled time of year. Summer is hot, calm and quiet, but the Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November and peaks from August to October, so most charters avoid those months.
Where does an Abacos yacht charter start?
Most charters start in Marsh Harbour, the main town of the Abacos, which has an international airport with flights from South Florida and Nassau, and marinas that take large yachts. Many of the yachts that cruise the Abacos are based in Nassau or South Florida, so they reposition before your charter; when that adds a delivery fee, we show it in the quote.
What kind of yacht suits the Sea of Abaco?
The Sea of Abaco is sheltered but shallow, with depths of only a few metres in many places, so catamarans and motor yachts with a shallow draft can reach the most anchorages and harbours. Larger yachts anchor in deeper water and use their tenders to go ashore. To travel between the central Abacos and Green Turtle Cay, deeper boats go out into the Atlantic around Whale Cay, and captains wait for calm conditions to do it.
Do we need passports, and who handles customs?
Yes, every guest needs a valid passport to enter the Bahamas. If you fly in, you clear immigration at the airport. If the yacht arrives from Florida, the captain clears the yacht and guests in at a port of entry in the Abacos, such as Marsh Harbour, before you start cruising.
Have the Abacos recovered from Hurricane Dorian?
Hurricane Dorian struck the Abacos in September 2019 and caused severe damage, especially around Marsh Harbour. The islands have been rebuilding since: marinas, resorts and restaurants have reopened, although some businesses have not returned. When we plan your route, we check which marinas and restaurants are open for your dates.
Can we combine the Abacos with the Exumas or Nassau?
Yes, on a longer or one-way charter. The route south from the Abacos crosses the open water of the Northeast Providence Channel towards Eleuthera and Nassau, so the captain picks a day with settled weather for the passage. Ten days or more lets you enjoy both island groups without rushing.