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Travel professional Gregg Hannam recently took to the seas on G Adventures’ Sailing Croatia & Montenegro trip. He tells Abra Dunsby about the experience and offers selling tips
Before joining G Adventures’ Sailing Croatia & Montenegro trip back in September, Gregg Hannam, senior travel designer at tour operator the Trans Siberian Travel Company, had never sailed or even spent a night on a boat. “I had no knowledge of sailing and had only ever been on a boat to take day trips on holidays,” he says.
He adds that clients who join can do “as little or much as they like” to help the skipper onboard and learn to sail themselves.
“I wanted to relax, but I also helped out with bits and pieces like putting the sails up. It’s definitely given me a desire to do more sailing now and get stuck in more. I’m thinking about a Greek islands sailing trip with G next.”
Hannam says the trip is perfect for clients who, like him, “enjoy doing different things and trying something new”.
The 15-day trip was divided into two, with a different group joining Hannam in week one and two. “In the first week, there were five of us – with the other guests from Germany, Belgium, the US and Ireland – and we were all between our mid-to-late 20s and 30s. We were all solo travellers too, which was a good dynamic,” says Hannam.
In the second week, the group was comprised largely of couples, with two solo travellers onboard and a wider spread of ages, from 20s to 50s.
The 15-metre yacht has four standard cabins and one bunk cabin, as well as three bathrooms and two showers.
“I had the bunk cabin to myself on the first week, which was great,” says Hannam, adding that in terms of sleeping arrangements and space, the yacht is probably better suited to couples as they share a double room.
He says agents should prepare their clients for the fact that it isn’t a luxury experience. “I wasn’t going into it looking for luxury or even comfort, really – it’s an adventure.”
Hannam had never visited Croatia or Montenegro before, and says sailing is a great way of seeing both countries.
“I loved the style of holiday, especially in somewhere like Croatia where there are lots of islands you can hop between.”
He adds the itinerary includes a mix of popular islands, such as Hvar and Vis, and lesser-known spots.
“We visited some islands I’d never heard of, such as Korcula, which is a walled city and like a mini Dubrovnik, and Mljet, where half the island is a national park. It has lakes and you can hire bikes and go cycling.
He adds: “We also went to a really small island called Sudurad where we didn’t see a single tourist. The skipper took us there for dinner in a family-run restaurant where the fish is caught fresh each day. It was one of the best meals of the trip. The skippers were great for recommendations, and had such passion for their country.”
He says Montenegro, and the town of Kotor, was the highlight. “Everyone hears about how beautiful Croatia is, but maybe not as many have heard how beautiful Montenegro is. It has breathtaking scenery as so much of the country is mountainous. Kotor is one of the few places outside of Norway where you have fjords. You can climb mountains and see amazing sunsets that felt like they were CGI.”
As well as learning about two new countries, Hannam says he discovered that trying something new on holiday is rewarding. “I learnt how much fun sailing can be, even if it can be hard work. It’s given me a taste for it and I’ve learnt that a different style trip that’s out of your comfort zone can be a lot of fun.”
