Located in Charlotte Amalie Harbor in St. Thomas, Yacht Haven Grande's 48 slips can accommodate even the biggest yachts stretching beyond 450-feet-long. Yacht size and length of stay determine the price of a slip, which can run from $720 to $1,150 per day for a 200-foot yacht. But Yacht Haven Grande isn't just a marina—it's a massive complex made up of shops, restaurants, ocean view residences, an art gallery and a designer pet store.
The Yacht Club at Isle de Sol is currently the only marina developed exclusively for megayachts. Each of its 45 slips can berth a 360-foot yacht. Marina guests enjoy free satellite TV and wireless internet, as well as access to the yacht club's pool and tennis courts. St. Maarten's international airport receives direct flights from the U.S. and easily accommodates private jets. That—plus the fact that the island is duty-free—makes it a desirable starting point for yacht charters.
Antibes' prime French Riviera location, between Cannes and Nice, makes it a coveted summertime destination. Popular for its picturesque Old Town and numerous beaches, Antibes also boasts the largest marina in Europe, Port Vauban. The International Yacht Club of Antibes offers 20 slips for yachts larger than 300-feet, more than any other marina in the Mediterranean. Guests can easily hop off their yacht and stretch out on Old Antibes Beach, just next to the port.
Head south of the equator and there's one marina down under that's open for business. Built to host megayachts for the 2000 Olympic Games, the marina at Rozelle Bay is the first of its kind in Australia, with 20 slips designed for yachts up to 230 feet in length. It does have a couple quirks, however. The marina is located beyond the Sydney Harbour Bridge which puts it off limits for any sailing yacht with a mast taller than 157 feet, and the tidal waters of the Bay add an extra challenge for megayacht captains.
When completed in 2011, Porto Hussong Resort & Marina in Ensenada, Mexico, will be the largest megayacht marina on the western coast of the Americas, featuring 76 berths designed for yachts up to 400 feet in length. The resort itself is fully loaded with seven swimming pools, a marina village with shops and restaurants, and a multitude of residential options, including a private resident club and seaside condos that start at $700,000.
Today there are just a handful of large marinas for megayachts in the U.S. The latest, the Island Gardens development on Watson Island in Miami's Biscayne Bay, will have 50 slips specifically designed for megayachts, each angled to capture unobstructed views of downtown Miami. Also part of the $480 million development are two luxury hotels, fractional residences and of course, spas, restaurants and shops.
Welcome to the future. Off the coast of Dubai, the largest artificial islands in the world are being built, with the hope of transforming the Persian Gulf into the next Mediterranean. These islands will form the shapes of three palm trees and a grouping called "The World" shaped like the land masses of Planet Earth. The smallest of the palms, Jumeirah, will be home to Mega Yacht Marina, a marina with 26 slips designed specifically for the largest of yachts. Scheduled to open in 2009, this marina required intense dredging around the palm's "trunk" to create the depth needed for megayacht arrivals.
Fueled by the success of Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas, IGY will open a similar marina in Anguilla in late 2009. Yacht Haven Grande Anguilla will feature 25 slips for yachts up to 500 feet long, as well as a marina village brimming with luxury boutiques, restaurants and condos. Nestled between two exclusive resorts, Cap Juluca and Altamer, this is the first marina to be built on Anguilla.