TAIPAN

Taipan — Lagoon 560 S2 Launched in 2019 and refitted in 2024, Taipan is a Lagoon 560 S2 built for the kind of week where the itinerary stays deliberately loose: the Riviera one day, a Corsican anchorage the next, Sardinia's clear water after that. She accommodates up to eight guests, and your BellaYacht advisor will confirm the exact cabin configuration. The design language on board is restrained rather than showy — large windows, natural materials, a neutral palette, and very little clutter. It works to the yacht's advantage, because the eye keeps going outside. Choosing where to settle is the real question of the day. The aft cockpit centres on a large dining table with a daybed lounging area wrapped around it, ideal for the hours under sail. Directly astern, a wide electro-hydraulic bathing platform carries the 50hp tender; lowered, it becomes the water-sports base and, just as easily, a swim deck for sunbathing and sundowners. A spiral staircase leads up to the flybridge, shaded by a sun awning and fitted with a table and a small fridge — the natural spot for an Italian-style aperitivo with a full 360-degree view. All sailing lines are led back to the base of the mast, so guests who want to take part in the sailing rather than watch it can do exactly that. Forward, the dinette and the two trampolines make the best sun-lounging position on board, with the sea moving directly beneath you under way. In the main saloon, the fully equipped galley is open to the living space, so the hostess/cook works in company rather than out of sight. Opposite, an L-shaped sofa and coffee table face a 43" satellite TV. Below, the guest cabins are finished to a high standard, each with en-suite facilities, generous wardrobe space and its own TV. Beds are dressed in quality hotel linen, with a view of the water through the hull windows from the pillow. For water time, the platform launches Seabobs, SUP, kayaks, a kneeboard and a wakeboard. An experienced crew handles the sailing, the cooking and the daily rhythm on board, adjusting the programme to the weather and to what you actually feel like doing.