When the streets are so hot you take three shirts to the office every day, it’s only natural your thoughts turn to cool ways to spend your downtime.
The water, of course, is the obvious option. What could be better than plunging into the cooling waves of the South China Sea?
Doing it from your own yacht, of course.
Naturally, splashing out on even a modest personal sailing palace isn’t practical for everyone – especially when the next big opportunity could take you to in landlocked Paris or the cooler climes of New York. Which leaves chartering as one manageable option.
A company like Riviera Orientale offers charters from Hong Kong on everything up to a 41-metre superyacht. It also serves Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia.
Similarly, M Yachts offers everything from a luxury junk to a 30-metre superyacht, with prices up to HK$58,000 a day ($7,400).
But for those seeking something a little different, why not look to Airbnb? Normally associated with cheap getaways and nights on uncomfortable couches, the social travel website has a smattering of yachts listed.
For HK$57,996 per night, you and up to five others could enjoy a 24-metre superyacht moored off elegant Repulse Bay on the south side of Hong Kong Island. Nearby, MY Infinity 8, a Sunseeker Manhattan yacht is available for HK$47,998 per night. The catch? It only sleeps four.
Down in Singapore, for an altogether more reasonable HK$16,525 per night you can take advantage of a luxury Azimut superyacht, moored at Sentosa Cove. Best of all, it sleeps up to eight.
But for something really spectacular down in the Lion City, you can get hold of the ship that once doubled as Bruce Wayne’s personal vessel in the Batman movie The Dark Knight.
The 47-metre Royal Albatross is available for a range of charter sailings and also works as a party venue. But it’s perfect for an unforgettable voyage with a selection of friends ... as long as you can afford it.
