David and Stacy (May 2007)

Stacy and David

Our vacation was by far the best one we have ever taken. It is hard to describe the level of relaxation you can experience on a sail boat. The view looking in at the islands as opposed to looking out at the ocean is amazingly different, and in our opinion, much better. We have been to numerous luxury resorts all over the caribbean and mexico, and have never enjoyed ourselves as much as we did on Sayang.

The boat is incredible. Immaculately well maintained. Spacious cabins, salon, and cockpit. Plenty of room for everyone. We spent most of our days lounging in the cockpit, chatting, reading, enjoying the sun and one of Ratna´s special recipe pina colada´s (make sure to try one!). The sailing was fantastic. As someone interested in learning, Paul let me help out in any way I wanted to - I got to help raise the sails, trim them, lower them - he even let me pick up moorings by the end of the week. He taught me knots, and I was actually allowed to "take the helm" on our sail from Virgin Gorda back to Cooper Island - that was amazing. Stacy, on the other hand, enjoyed sitting back and relaxing - a perfect fit for both of us!

Paul and Ratna were amazing. They were there for your every wish, but had the ability to feel when some alone time for us would be best. We enjoyed many long chats as the waves lapped against the boat, but also had plenty of time to spend together as if we were the only two on the boat. They were extremely easy-going, and in a matter of minutes, you feel as if you have known them for years. They´re number one priority is making sure you enjoy your vacation, and they succeeded with us!!! They have a local knowledge of the best places to put in for the night, were to go ashore (if you can ever tear yourself away from the boat) and we felt incredibly safe and lucky to be with them in waters which can be tricky to navigate without their special expertise (for example, the little reef near the Last Resort - we actually saw a boat ground on it while we were moored for the night - Paul knew it so well he could easliy navigate the reef at night in the dinghy on our way to and from dinner!).

The food was amazing - everything exactly as we had requested - from the food preferences to the beverages. Ratna has breakfast ready every morning - ice cold Coke for me (I know, but I just never got into coffee) and coffee for Stacy - drinks all day - ice cold beer, wine, mixed drinks, sodas, juice - couldn´t have been better!!! The food was amazing - I think we each gained 10 pounds in the 5 days we were on the boat!!! Perfectly prepared, exactly what we like, and the view was to die for!!! Ratna can do in the galley of a sail boat what many people could not do in a huge gourmet kitchen - simply amazing!!! They were always making sure we didn´t need a drink or a snack - you will feel like they can sometimes read your mind (especially after a long sail when Ratna brings up a nice cold beverage).

Our days were easy going and since we had only one real request (the baths) we pretty much planned our days each morning. We looked at the weather, talked about what we felt like doing, and then planned our journey for the day!!! I usually got up pretty early - Stacy slept in. We would have breakfast, and then often go for a snorkel or swim. Sometimes Stacy would just read. We then set off for our first sail, and usually sailed most of the morning. We would find a place for lunch and anchor/moor. Another swim/snorkel/book, then lunch. After lunch, often another shorter sail and then we would moor for the night around 4 or 5 pm. We would sometimes go for a ride in the dinghy with Paul to find that "out of the way reef" or to see the sites (Bitter End, Saba Rock, ect). Sometimes, just some more reading or maybe a quick swim around Sayang. Dinner, dessert (don´t skip it, belive me!), drinks, and relaxation - we spent one night ashore at the Last Resort for dinner and music - highly recommended - ask them to play the Sunsail song - you´ll die laughing!!! Retire for the evening - I was usually asleep before my head even hit the pillow - then get up and do it all over again!!!

We can´t thank Paul and Ratna enough - we will definintely be back!!! We have been raving about our experience to everyone who will listen, so if you get even busier, you better keep a week open for us!!!

David and Stacy
Raleigh, NC