Tourists do touristy things, with hardly ever a second thought as to how their actions impact the environment or damage the area whose natural beauty they just enjoyed. With ELYT, they won’t have to think about that anymore or pretend to.
ELYT is a sustainable approach to traditional tourism, with a very interesting twist: it’s a luxury villa that can actually sail the turquoise waters of Bora Bora in the French Polynesia, offering guests unprecedented sights without ever having to leave their suite. It’s literally the best of both worlds, luxury accommodations in a beautiful spot and the chance to explore the area without a guilty conscience, as if they were on a yacht.
Granted, ELYT, which stands for Exclusive Lagoon Yachting Tahiti, won’t ever be as fast as a yacht and that’s probably the sole downside to this custom catamaran. Revealed earlier this year, ELYT will be completed in late 2020 and will welcome the first guests next year. It will be available through ELYT Charter Tahiti and is being built by Blue Composites Tahiti.
Photo: ELYT Charter Tahiti
Measuring 51 feet (15.5 meters), ELYT is a custom catamaran inspired by ancient Polynesian voyaging canoes. Its multi-hull makes it incredibly stable both at anchor and when in motion, and top speed of movement will be of just about 5 knots. Of course, guests can opt to have it moored the whole time they have it booked for, but if they do decide to head out exploring, a dedicated captain will help steer the cat.
ELYT offers 1,300 square feet (120.7 square meters) of living space across two decks, with accommodation for up to 8 guests in total. The charter says it’s perfect either for three couples or two families with four children, and offers a combination of open spaces and more private ones in four double bedrooms and two shared bathrooms. The kitchen is well-appointed (it’s more of a kitchenette, if we’re getting technical) and there’s an open-plan dining / lounge areas, open on both sides.
Other amenities available are flatscreen TV and sound system, and also a variety of watertoys, like inflatable kayaks and inflatable SUP boards, and snorkeling gear. It’s not ultra-luxury like you would get on a yacht, but it’s everything you need for a memorable vacation. And then some.
Included is a tiny sundeck / dive platform, but the cherry on the cake is, without a doubt, the rooftop lounge with 360-degree views. To make sure guests never go lacking for anything, there’s also a grill and the option for a personal chef and crew, and concierge service that will arrange your transport from the airport to the villa, or around the island. That is to say, the experience on ELYT can be as luxurious as your budget allows it to.
Photo: ELYT Charter Tahiti
Another very strong selling point is the fact that ELYT is as green as it gets. It has solar panels on the roof and lithium batteries that allow it to sail and run all appliances and hot water with minimal carbon footprint. It might not travel at great speeds but, when it does move, it does so without noise, fumes and emissions. A wastewater treatment system is included in the hull, for even more sustainability points.
That said, this being a one-off (for the time being) and considering that you don’t get to travel with your villa wherever you go, the ELYT experience isn’t cheap. Prices start at 1,500 per night, with a three-night stay minimum, and go up depending on the extras you choose. But that’s the price tag for the entire floating villa, so it’s affordable on a per-person basis.
The first guests will sail away on this custom cat in early 2021.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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