Imagine endless blue waters dotted with beautiful islands just waiting to be explored; one of the best ways to explore the idyllic Greek islands is by yacht charter!

Visiting mainland Greece is one thing, there’s the Acropolis in Athens, ancient Olympic sites in Olympia, and the mouthwatering Greek cuisine – the idea of wrapping your hands around an authentic, juicy souvlaki.

But Greece is most famous for its islands. There are more than 200 to choose from, plus thousands of islands and uninhabited islets to explore, so island hoppers choose to go sailing!

There are many things to think about when planning for yacht holidays in Greece, but one of the most important considerations is making sure you’ve packed everything you’ll need.

Things To Pack For A Yacht Holiday In Greece

The Essentials

You’ll probably consider things like swimming trunks to be essential for a Greek Island holiday, but when we say ‘essential’ we’re talking about the things which you need to get into the country.

Visas and passports are the first thing you’ll need, and before you leave you’ll need to make sure that you have your Greece visa requirements in order (and assess whether you do in fact need one).

Greece is part of Schengen, which is a zone in Europe where 26 countries have acknowledged the abolishment of their internal borders. Anyone who needs to apply for the Schengen visa to enter Europe will need a visa for Greece, and it’s worth noting that you must also have international health insurance.

Your passport should have 6 months validity on it past the day of your arrival back in your home country. And you should travel with photocopies of your passport in case it’s lost, damaged or stolen.

Related Post: How to Keep Your Passport Safe While Traveling

Printing and packing all necessary pre-departure and itinerary information is also essential. It’s one thing to book your tickets, invest in travel insurance and have your route mapped out, but this is no use if you land in Greece and can’t access the info.

Yacht Clothing

While you may plan on wearing your swim costume 24 hours a day, you’ll have to at least arrive at your yacht wearing clothes … and keep in mind you’ll need clothes for the plane!

There will be also be days when you’ll hop off the boat and explore a quaint island, or sit down to a special dinner on the yacht. So it’s important to put thought into your clothing.

Pack lightweight clothing that has a breathable fabric. Linen and cotton items are favourites for yacht trips as they keep you cool, yet stylish. Ladies should pack a few breezy summer dresses and a sarong. For men, a white linen shirt can do wonders under the Mediterranean sun.

It’s also important to bring a windbreaker along; when you think of a yacht holiday in Greece, you most likely think about long summer days lazing on the deck. While this is a rather accurate assumption, there are times when the wind picks up.

When planning out the number of outfits you’ll need, consider that you may need more than one change of clothes in a day, especially if any of your clothes get wet. This also goes for underwear.

Appropriate Shoes

When selecting shoes to pack for island hopping, you’ll want to make sure that they have a good grip and non-marking soles. The deck can get very slippery at times, and the last thing you want is for someone to slip overboard.

Boat shoes are a popular choice for seasoned sailors, but a simple pair of flip-flops will do the trick. If you do plan on spending days exploring the islands you visit, also pack a good pair of shoes for walking.

Swimming Costume(s)

When it comes to swimming costumes, the more the merrier! Depending on how long your yacht holiday is, you may want to mix it up a little bit and pack a variety of different swimming wear.

From flattering full-body costumes to tan-friendly bikinis, floral swimming trunks and neutral-toned board shorts – you can go wild on your choice of swimming costumes.

If you’ll be spending the majority of your time in  your swimming costume, you may want to pack a few pairs just out of hygiene. Swim suits should be washed after every wear, but you should, at the very least, always rinse it off.

Pro tip: You may also want to consider bringing your own snorkelling gear / equiment. While many yacht charters may provide this for you, it’s far more hygienic to use your own mouthpiece etc.

Swimsuit fabric is constantly exposed to harsh agents like sunscreen, perspiration, salt, and chlorine. And being that it’s so intimately close to your body, if you continue to wear the same swimsuit without washing, it’s just going to stink.

If your yacht charter doesn’t have washing facilities available, wash your swimsuit by hand, or make sure you’ve packed enough costumes to change out so you can wash the lot when you get home.

Sun Protection

A yacht holiday promises many hours in the sun. So it’s important to pack both the accessories (like hats, throw-overs, and coverups), and the skin care to protect yourself.

A wide-brimmed hat and a pair of sunglasses are essential for being out on the deck. Not only will they protect from the glare of the sun on the crystal clear water, but they will also prevent you from getting burned. Overnightglasses can be a good help especially if you need glasses fast.

And then obviously, it’s important to travel with sunblock, and after-sun. Even the most prepared sailor is at risk of the sun’s harmful UV rays, so make sure that you pack enough sunblock to protect your skin from getting burned.

UV radiation is reflected from the surface of the sea, and because water reflects up to 80 percent of the UV light from the sun, it means you’re often being hit by the same rays twice.

So to protect your skin, make sure you pack water-resistant sunscreen (at least SPF30+) and wear sunglasses.The repercussions of turning into a lobster are not only photographic but also very painful.

If you do end up on the red-end of tanned, then you’ll want to have a bottle of aftersun to moisturize and soothe your skin. Alo Vera gel works particularly well in this instance.

Medication

Access to certain medication while on a boat is limited. In addition, the motion of the ocean can induce sea-sickness for certain people. It’s always a good idea to pack a medicine kit with some of the essentials.

Prescription medicine, Imodium, paracetamol, and medication to combat sea-sickness are a few items that you’ll be grateful you packed. Those with a history of motion sickness should pack medicine like Dramamine.

Over-the-counter medication can be a very effective measure of prevention for those who think they may fall ill. Though the problem with most medications are the side effects, mainly drowsiness. And that’s why you should opt for Dramamine.

Technology

Many people decide to go on a social detox while enjoying a yacht holiday, but this doesn’t mean that you won’t need technology, whether you opt for a camera to capture the sights, or a kindle for relaxing in your downtime.

That said, whatever technology you pack, that you plan on having with you above deck, should have a waterproof casing, or even better yet, be a waterproof device already.

It should come as no surprise that a boat will get wet from time to time. So packing a dry bag or waterproof case for your phone or camera will make sure that your valuable items are protected. These items will make swimming to shore a lot easier.

You might want to carry a supply of Ziplock bags with you for smaller items like chargers or cords if you’ll have them in areas exposed to the water. These are small and cheap enough, and very effective in waterproofing.

The above packing guide covers the specific essentials you’ll need for Greek island hopping on a yacht charter – while you’ll still obviously pack the basic toiletries and undergarments etc, we hope we covered everything you may have otherwise missed.