The 115 islands of the Seychelles are scattered through a sunlit sea, giant tortoises lumbering along beaches edged by giant granite boulders and waving coconut palms. Adventurous guests can head into the rainforested hills or indulge themselves at a luxury spa overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Back on the water, every day brings another picture-perfect anchorage, while under the surface whale sharks and manta rays float through the blue.

Security

For the Red Sea transit, taking on a professional security team is a must. It is advisable to use a company with previous experience in this area and who has provided security for private yachts as opposed to just ships. I used Felix Maritime for my Suez Canal transit and Ironside Associates as the security provider.

Checking in with the naval authorities is also very wise. When transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the vessel should carry sufficient weapons and security equipment, and this equipment must be declared in each country. A copy of Maritime Anti-Piracy: The Captains Guidebook by Peter King is required reading.

Cruising destinations

The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden are not safe cruising grounds due to political conflict and war zones – with the exception of Egypt, which offers great diving, good marinas and an escape from the European winter. Once in the western Indian Ocean, there are spectacular cruising destinations in the Seychelles and the Maldives that offer a superb and uncrowded tropical paradise.

At the time of printing, other areas are currently not advisable, as there are recurrent plague outbreaks in Madagascar, and the Comoros and Mayotte archipelagos are not very secure at present. Zanzibar and the coastlines of Kenya and Tanzania are also potentially dangerous and would require onboard security.

Unfortunately, other wonderful diving destinations such as the Suakin Islands off the coast of Sudan are also very difficult due to ongoing conflict. Situations do change, and it is always advisable to speak with a local agent, your insurer and the yacht management team.

The Seychelles

The best time for cruising is between December and May, although the inner island groups of the Seychelles offer viable cruising year round as they lie outside the cyclone belt. The Seychelles is the standout destination of the region, offering beautiful unspoilt cruising areas that are safe and secure, with great fishing, world-class diving, and UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Aldabra Atoll and the Vallée de Mai.

Logistics

The Seychelles have very good marina facilities, superb provisioning and good airline connections while the locals are very friendly and speak English, French and Seychellois. The islands are free of tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue, zika and chikungunya.

The shore-based support in the Seychelles is far superior to the Maldives, where a lot of produce has to be flown in and then taken by boat to the yacht at anchor as there are no yacht marinas in the Maldives. The Seychelles are very good for provisioning, refuelling, engineering repairs etc. Moreover, the yacht can complete all of these services on the dock.

Although the Maldives and Seychelles are both magnificent destinations for owners or guests, the Seychelles are better for crew when without guests as you can be in a marina rather than at anchor. The Seychelles has a great deal to offer ashore on the main islands, and it is also possible to fly to one of the outer islands such as Bird Island and stay in a lodge for a couple of days.

Due to the exceptional marine life of these destinations, you’ll want good diving and fishing equipment on board.