Thailand Yacht Charter
About Thailand
Phang Nga Bay is the place most people have in mind when they think of yachting in Thailand: 42 limestone karst islands rising straight out of 400 square kilometres of shallow water, half an hour by tender from Phuket. One of those islands, Khao Phing Kan, was used in the 1974 Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun and has been called James Bond Island ever since. The slim limestone pinnacle next to it, Ko Ta Pu, is the cone you have seen in every photograph; tour boats are now restricted from approaching it because the soft limestone is eroding under the wash.
Thailand has two cruising coasts that work in opposite seasons. The Andaman side, which includes Phuket, Phang Nga Bay, the Phi Phi islands and Krabi, is best from November to April when the south-westerly monsoon ends. The Gulf of Thailand side, with Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, runs from May to October. Most western yacht charters concentrate on the Andaman side, where the dramatic limestone scenery and the established luxury infrastructure (Yacht Haven Marina, Ao Po Grand Marina) make for an easier first Asian charter.
The Andaman charter season is November to April, with December to February the busiest stretch and March a particular favourite for the warm sea and reduced humidity. Most charters pick up in Phuket. A week is the minimum for the Phang Nga Bay loop, and ten days adds the Similan and Surin Islands further north for the diving.
Highlights
Destination Info
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Where to sail
Phang Nga Bay
The heart of a Thailand charter and about half an hour by tender from Phuket: dozens of limestone karst islands rising straight out of shallow, sheltered water. Khao Phing Kan, known as James Bond Island since the 1974 film, sits beside the slim Ko Ta Pu pinnacle, now protected from close approach. The bay is riddled with hidden hongs, tidal lagoons reached by kayak through sea caves.
The Phi Phi islands and Krabi
South and east of Phuket, the Phi Phi islands rise in sheer cliffs above clear water, with Maya Bay the set-piece anchorage. The mainland coast around Krabi and Railay adds long beaches under limestone walls. It is busier than Phang Nga, so the timing of an anchorage matters, and a yacht lets you be there early or late when the day boats have gone.
The Similan and Surin islands
North of Phuket, in the open Andaman Sea, these two marine parks hold the best diving and snorkelling in the country: granite boulders, clear water and reef life on the Similans, richer coral on the Surins. Both parks close from mid-May to mid-October each year, so this is a November-to-April cruising ground, and worth the extra days it takes to reach them.
The southern islands
Off the bottom of Phuket lie the quieter islands, Racha Yai and Racha Noi, Coral Island and the reefs beyond. They are close enough for a short first or last leg, with calm anchorages and good snorkelling, and far less busy than Phi Phi. A useful counterweight to the set-piece stops.
The two coasts
Thailand has a second cruising coast on the Gulf side, with Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, which runs the opposite season, May to October. Western charters concentrate on the Andaman side, where the scenery and the marina infrastructure make for an easier first Asian charter, but the Gulf is there for a green-season alternative.
What it costs
- From
- From about EUR 25,000 / week for a crewed yacht
- Included
- The weekly fee covers the yacht and all its equipment, including the tenders, kayaks and snorkelling gear, the full crew, and the yacht's insurance.
- Extras
- Your running costs are paid separately, through an advance provisioning allowance (APA): in Thailand this runs around 30 to 35 percent of the fee, and here it also covers the national-park entrance fees for Phang Nga, the Similans and the Surins. The captain uses it to pay for fuel, berthing, provisioning, the food and drink for your party, and the park fees and clearances, then gives you a full account at the end and refunds whatever is left. Thai VAT of 7 percent applies to the fee, and a customary crew gratuity is on top.
Prices rise with the size of the yacht and the time of year.
We explain the money side properly: What is included under MYBA, How the APA works, VAT and charter tax, and What to tip the crew.
Before you go
When to go
Thailand has two cruising coasts in opposite seasons. The Andaman side, where western charters run, is best November to April, when the northeast monsoon brings dry skies and calm seas. December to February is the busiest stretch, and March a favourite for warm water and lower humidity. The Gulf side, with Koh Samui and its neighbours, runs the opposite way, May to October. We match the itinerary to the coast and the season.
Getting there
Charters pick up in Phuket, which has an international airport with direct and one-stop flights from Europe, the Gulf and across Asia, and established marinas at Yacht Haven and Ao Po. From there it is a short run into Phang Nga Bay. A week covers the bay and the Phi Phi islands; ten days lets you add the Similan and Surin islands to the north for the diving. We set the route and the logistics before you book.
Diving and snorkelling
The Similan and Surin marine parks, north of Phuket in the open Andaman Sea, hold the best diving and snorkelling in the country: granite boulders and clear water on the Similans, richer coral on the Surins. Both parks close from mid-May to mid-October each year for the monsoon and conservation, so this is a November-to-April window. A yacht carries the gear and reaches the sites on its own schedule, well beyond the range of a day boat from Phuket.
Choosing the yacht
Thailand suits catamarans and motor yachts with the shade, the deck space and the tenders and kayaks for a week in warm, sheltered water. The crewed fleet in Phuket is smaller than the Mediterranean and books up early for the peak weeks around Christmas and Chinese New Year, so plan well ahead. If you are weighing crewed against bareboat, our guide on bareboat versus crewed sets out the difference. Browse the current fleet on our yachts page.
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