The best ways to make friends on holiday

Hands down, sailing trips are one of the best ways to make friends on holiday. Often these friends made on holiday become mates for life. Travel simply brings something different out of us, allows for breaking down societal and cultural barriers, and lets out that childlike spirit in all of us. And it’s that spirit we tap into most, when it wasn’t so nerve-racking to make a new friend — you just did. And that’s a big standout with a sailing holiday, it helps us crack out of our shells and burst comfort bubbles to get to know everyone on that similar wanderlust level.

Yet, sometimes it can still take a little push to break down our boundaries when boarding a boat full of people you don’t know. If that’s the case, think of it the way we do — the other people on board aren’t strangers, just friends you haven’t met yet! See, that makes it much easier right? Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, there’s ample opportunity at sea to make a new bestie. Either way, we’ve put together a little crash course on how to make friends on your sailing holiday to help ease you in.

Get Your Bangers Ready

Did we just become best friends?! When that Abba song comes on and everyone simultaneously shouts, “tuuuuuune!” it’s a stellar feeling. Music brings us together, and there’s no better tool when traveling than a banger that most know and love. Putting together your sailing playlist should definitely reflect the music you love. Plus tossing in a few popular top 100s into the mix will go a long way when you all are belting out “dancing queeeeen” together on the bow. Just, you know, keep Mama Mia to a five-a-day maximum. 😜

Snack sharing is caring

Food is the way to most people’s hearts, and sharing your snacks is one of the best ways to make friends on holiday. Gathering around some tasty nom noms while playing cards or soaking in some vitamin sea works wonders to break barriers. Or pooling together for boat snacks or planning a family meal aboard and tossing in together for it is an excellent way to bring the boat closer together.

Anyone want a drink?

Make the best G&T or spritz this side of the hemisphere? You’ll definitely be loved for whipping up some refreshing drinks for yourself and the crew while you all sit on the bow and soak up the sun. MedSailors is big on BYO and one of the best ways to make friends on holiday is through a clank of cocktails or cheers over beers. Drinks often come full circle, so making or offering drinks throughout the week will go a long way and a favour is bound to be returned.

Booking a boat of like-minded people

This is a big one for planning your sailing trip, but also one of the best ways to make friends on holiday. We love pairing like-minded people together because it just amplifies the awesomeness of the experience. When you book your sailing holiday, you can tell the team what kind of traveler you are and what kind of people you’d like to be paired with. So whether you’re looking for more culture and relaxation, partying and nightlife, or a good mix — we’ve got that covered so you can sail with people you’ll hit it off with right away!

Disconnect to connect

Boat life is all about disconnecting from our ever-present blue-hued screens and embracing life on the beautiful big blue sea. It’s also the best time to truly bond in ways our everyday routines typically don’t allow. As the cell service disappears and the Wi-Fi signals drop, a feeling of freedom takes hold. Put the phones down and get to know your boat mates truly, as disconnecting from our constant inundation of social media will allow everyone to get social IRL.

Explore together

A sailing trip is a group experience, and that doesn’t have to stop off the boat. One of the best ways to make friends on holiday is doing things together. Heading out for a paddle board sesh? Ask someone to join! Snorkeling in a secluded bay? Invite others! Going to explore one of the fascinating and fantastical towns on the route? Get the group to go out for a wander or set a meet-up spot for later! Sailing holidays are definitely prime opportunities for social activities and there are heaps of activities that will bring the whole group together.

Friends that sail together, stick together.

We freakin’ love it when groups that didn’t know each other at all at the start of a week become a tight-knit squad by the end. One of the best ways to keep these friendships solid after the sailing holiday is to make sure you’ve got that group chat going and to plan out your next epic adventure together. And better yet, you can score awesome return guest and group discounts with your new squad on another awesome Medsailors route the following summer!

Make some amazing friends for life and book your MedSailors sailing holiday today! A sailing trip is definitely one of the best ways to make friends on holiday. Join our MedSailors Family Facebook page to find others on your trip and share experiences after!