Top 3 Countries to Practice Your Sailing Skills

Whether you are a first time sailor or an advanced sailor with years of experience, there is no doubt that the sport is an incredibly fulfilling and challenging activity. Like all challenging sports or activities, however, sailing takes a lot of practice and dedication. While there are many on-land training opportunities available to you if you are interested in building sailing knowledge and physical strength, it should be obvious that the most important place for you to put your Sailing skills into practice is out on the water.

For this reason, finding the best waters to test your abilities and develop sailing expertise can be a challenge depending on where you currently reside and live. This is why sailing can be a really great activity to integrate into bigger trips to the top sailing destinations in the world. Well, we are here to break down the top 3 countries for sailing to give you a fool-proof destination guide that definitively answers your impending question: Where is the best place in the world to sail?

Number 1 Sailing Destination: Croatia

Croatia, a European country with over 2,000 individual islands and located just a short 2 hour plane ride away from London, comes out as the number one sailing destination in the world. This country is located right on the coastline of the Adriatic Sea, and it boasts extremely clear, calm and clean waters. Beyond the water quality and availability, Croatia has an expansive and diverse array of unique sailing destinations that can meet the needs of all sailing levels. There are multiple, top-rated sailings schools in Croatia that offer hands-on sailing courses targeting every single level of expertise from novice to experienced professional. Sailing in Croatia is definitely something you want to experience by yourself.

Here are the top locations within Croatia for you to explore to put your sailing abilities to the test: Split, Dubrovnik, Kornati, and Zadar.

Number 2 Sailing Destination: Thailand

Thailand is another country that has a well-deserved position on the list of top-three sailing destinations in the world. Thailand has nearly 15o individual islands for you to explore, and, depending on your confidence and experience level, a wide range of more advanced sailing destinations and routes to try. The great news is that, as long as you are not too sensitive to high levels of humidity, you can practice your sailing across Thailand’s diverse waters year-round. Having said that, the best time of year for novice sailors to practice their techniques and build skills in Thailand is between December and April. This is the dry season in Thailand, and winds average between 5 and 16 knots – a very reasonable and ideal sailing range for less experienced sailers.

Here are a few locations in Thailand to consider for sailing: Phi Phi Islands, Ko Lanta District, Ko Muk, and Ko Rok Noi.

Number 3 Sailing Destination: Australia

Australia is a country that is known for having more than just beautiful beaches and incredible wildlife. The country is a top three global sailing destination. Given that Australia is the world’s single largest island, there are boundless opportunities to practice your sailing skills in the surrounding Indian and Pacific oceans. The great advantages of sailing in Australia include a very warm and appealing climate, a wide variety of water and wind conditions depending on the coast you sail on, and access to additional water activities during your sailing trips, such as snorkeling along the Great Barrier Reef or stopping at a beach to take a surf lesson.

Here is the best area of the Australian coastline for practicing sailing skills: The east coast of Australia – between Sydney in the South to the area of Cairns in the north – is the most ideal stretch of Australian waters for sailing.