Why Your Next Great Adventure Is on the Water

Why spend your entire vacation experience on solid ground? Four Seasons resorts around the world are extending their unparalleled hospitality with luxury dive boat charters. Whether it’s snorkelling or sunbathing you’re after, or both, we’ve compiled the ways you can change your perspective on paradise.

On Samui Island, guests at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui can extend their range with its two yachts. The Minor Affair, a 19.5-metre (64-foot) Sunseeker yacht, accommodates up to 12, with two cabins and a master suite. Its hydraulic swimming platform has a built-in shower, and a Bose sound system is ready to supply your sailing soundtrack.

The Resort’s 12.8-metre (42-foot) charter, the Siam Seas Explorer, has an outdoor deck where you can lie still in the sun. It also happens to be an island-hopping speedboat that can reach up to 44 knots (about 50 mph). The crew – a personal assistant and a deckhand – can provide picnics, full meals and, of course, champagne.

Trips aboard each yacht are fully customizable, but the Resort suggests several itineraries, such as a jaunt to Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park – 42 uninhabited islands great for snorkelling, with a chance to dive through a cave to the saltwater Emerald Lake. The yachts also offer sunset cruises and tours around Koh Samui or to Thailand’s southernmost island, Koh Phangan, where every month up to 30,000 people flock to dance at its Full Moon Party.

“Our guests really enjoy the yacht trips to the Ang Thong marine park – it is a beautiful destination with a nice trek and secluded beach,” says Sean Mosher, General Manager of the Resort. “What’s equally impressive is the experienced and knowledgeable crew, especially our captain.”

When guests at Four Seasons Resort Lanai board Lanai II, a 65-foot (20-metre) sloop-rigged sailing catamaran, they’ll experience the pristine waters surrounding Hawaii’s smallest inhabited island in complete luxury. Set off for a three-hour snorkel sail to Kaunolu on the southern shore. This heritage site was King Kamehameha’s summer retreat, and the waters were a favourite fishing spot of his royal entourage. Swim along coastal reefs teeming with brilliantly coloured fish and wildlife – and perhaps catch a glimpse of humpback whales that frequent the waters seasonally, from December to mid-April. Snorkel gear, wetsuits and stand-up paddleboards are all provided, as is a picnic lunch on board before heading back to shore.

For an unforgettable evening, take Lanai II out for a two-hour sunset cruise to sip cocktails as the sun falls below the horizon, enjoy delicious pupus (appetizers) and watch schools of spinner dolphins frolic in the surf. Guests can also book a private charter on Lanai I, the Resort’s 50-foot (15-metre) sailing catamaran, to snorkel, scuba-dive, fish, whale-watch, or just relax and take in views of the beautiful Lanai coastline.

“An ocean adventure is one of the best ways to explore the southern coastline of Lanai,” says Captain Kamalani Ranis of Lanai Ocean Sports. “Just minutes from the harbour are some of the best dive sites in the world, resident spinner dolphins and some of the highest sea cliffs in the world. All experiences with our Lanai-based crew are unique.”

At Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, up to 20 people can embark on two-hour excursions aboard a custom-built, 11.8-metre (39-foot) Andreyale Bateaux Taxi. The taxi boats – Heinoanoa, Leana, Poeiti and Vaihani – were inspired by New York City commuter boats that, in the 1920s, transported Wall Street executives from Long Island to New York’s Financial District. But the 21st-century models are made with mahogany, teak and stainless steel, and they stick to the South Pacific.

The Andreyales serve as transfers between the Resort and Bora Bora Airport, and are also available for private charters to take guests snorkelling with rays and sharks, deep-sea fishing, or touring the area with a local guide. Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora has its own fleet for one-hour to full-day excursions. The latter choice is easily the most popular.

“A private Sunset Sushi and Champagne Cruise is an incredibly romantic experience,” says Romain Chanet, General Manager of the Resort. “Not only do you get to see the beautiful colours of Bora Bora’s lagoon and sky change with the sunset, but you get to do so with your loved one while enjoying the perfect pairing of fresh sushi and champagne. It’s truly one of Bora Bora’s most memorable experiences.”