Yacht Charter Asia

It all depends on what you are looking for. If you crave the night-life of St. Tropez, or sipping cocktails on the fantail in Monaco while the tourists ogle you, then frankly, Asia is probably not your best choice. On the other hand, if you want magnificent nature, kilometers of pristine beaches for you and your family with no one else for miles around – exotic wildlife, forests and volcanoes – with the Southern night skies aglow with stars, then Indonesia is certainly the place. No crowded harbors, no loud music and bright lights, those who have not yet sailed Asia can look forward to an unforgettable experience of nature and the sea. Schools of dolphins, the occasional whale, giant mantas dancing at night in the light of the spreaders, bountiful seafood served fresh every day. Quite a change from the harbor at St. Tropez! As an additional bonus, unlike the Atlantic or even the Mediterranean where unseasonable bad weather can interfere with even the best-laid plans, the weather in Indonesia tends to be highly predictable – we can almost guarantee calm seas and sunshine. Please have a look at the videos on our destinations page

El Aleph is a luxury owner’s yacht, meticulously maintained and crewed for friends and family – not a commercial charter operation. Each year, a limited number of charters are available to a few discerning guests passionate about the beauty of the Asian seas. As a result, el Aleph is frequently available for last-minute charters. Please check with us by e-mail for availability. Please note that El Aleph does not charter by the cabin – however, we will be happy to put those wishing to book a berth on a group charter with our friends who operate the best group charter boat in the Indonesian archipelago.

While everyone has a great time aboard el Aleph, our youngest charter guests (aged from 18 months to 16 years) have had the best time of all – an unforgettable adventure cruising aboard a great pirate ship! Most of our charterers are families – far from the constant distractions of the city and Facebook/Whatsapp, enjoying quality time together and shared adventures. Our Indonesian crew loves kids, and the most intrepid are quickly adopted by our staff. There is no end of activities, from learning how a ship operates, to kayaking, snorkelling, swimming, picnics on the beach, exploring desert islands, or viewing the Komodo Dragons – an unparalleled introduction to nature and the seas. We have water-skis, donut-rings, and banana floats to tow. Depending upon ages, we can organize water activities in quiet bays, gently sloping beaches, and very easy snorkelling spots. Of course, all children, especially toddlers much be supervised on-board. If desired, we can provide Balinese nannies.

Your trip aboard El Aleph will most likely be the healthiest period of your year! We can offer endless snorkelling, kayaking, swimming, diving and hiking. Depending upon your preferences, our cook will serve meals based on fish, seafood and light meats, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and without refined carbohydrates and sugars (other diets – from vegetarian to Mediterranean to European can, of course, be catered to,) (note from the owner: each time I come aboard, after a couple of weeks eating fresh fish, tropical fruit and vegetables, low-carbs, and no alcohol – with half the day spent in the water – swimming and snorkelling and kayaking, I always come back feeling ten years younger…and a few kilos lighter!) There is no malaria on Bali, nor in any of our cruising destinations – malarial prophylaxis is totally unnecessary. While the deeper areas of Papua are malarial, the danger is inland, far from the coast; since mosquitoes are home-bodies, travelling only a short distance in their short lifespan they pose absolutely no danger to sea travellers. Finally, for even the most delicate stomachs, the standard of food preparation aboard El Aleph is what you would expect from a top luxury resort hotel (indeed, our chef previously ran the kitchen for one of the top-rated Bali resorts)

We initially built El Aleph for our own exploration of the magnificent islands of East Indonesia, a largely unspoiled tropical ecosystems accessible only by sea. During our first two years of operation, curiosity and a love for maps led us to venture far and wide – including Thailand, Burma and the Andaman Islands– only to find confirmation that in truth – “There’s no place like home!” Therefore, at least for the 2017 – 2018 season, we will be concentrating on our home base of Indonesia – offering quiet anchorages, pristine nature and beaches, superb snorkelling/diving on some of the world’s greatest coral reefs, as well as islands, forests, volcanoes. But especially – our cruising grounds are totally uncrowded, without the tourist day boats which render the islands of the Gulf of Thailand somewhat less appealing. While the coral reefs of Thailand and Burma have suffered extensive damage due to coral bleaching, the reefs of Indonesia have been almost entirely preserved thanks to the cooler oceanic upwellings. The Indonesian authorities are making a major effort to preserve their marine resources, and In Raja Ampat, just looking down over the side of the dinghy, you will see an explosion of marine life which is now rarely witnessed anywhere – at least, outside of the old Cousteau movies.

While El Aleph is fully air-conditioned, it is never uncomfortably hot in our cruising destinations – indeed, in Komodo during the European Summer, a light sweater can be useful in the evenings. Komodo National Marine Park – a 50- minute flight from Bali – is the driest place in Indonesia, and is truly an all-year destination. Sunshine is almost guaranteed. Raja Ampat is more seasonal, as is the Banda Sea – they are best visited in the November- April period. El Aleph moves with the seasons to enjoy the best weather and calmest seas.