Private yacht charter in Phuket
Phuket is the gateway to the Andaman Sea, and the reason to come by yacht lies just offshore. To the north-east, Phang Nga Bay rises out of the water in limestone towers and hidden lagoons. To the south-east lie the islands of Krabi and Koh Phi Phi. To the north-west, the Similan Islands, a national park known for its diving. A yacht charter in Phuket brings all three within reach of one base, and the crowds that gather by day can be avoided by timing alone.
Much of this water is national park, with its own fees, visitor limits and seasons, and a charter here is planned around them.
The Andaman Sea from the water
Phang Nga Bay. A shallow bay of some 400 square kilometres, much of it protected since 1981 as the Ao Phang Nga National Park. Limestone karsts, sea caves and the enclosed lagoons of Koh Hong, reached by canoe at the right stage of the tide. Khao Phing Kan, the James Bond Island of The Man with the Golden Gun, is its best-known sight. Tour boats crowd the bay at midday and thin out by late afternoon; a night off Koh Yao Noi or Koh Yao Yai, the two long islands between Phuket and Krabi, puts you in the bay at dusk.
Krabi and Railay. Railay is a peninsula cut off by limestone cliffs and reached only by boat, with the beach of Phra Nang and the climbing walls above Ton Sai. Offshore lie Koh Poda and Koh Kai, known as Chicken Island.
Koh Phi Phi. Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le lie about 46 km south-east of Phuket; on Phi Phi Le are the cliff-walled inlet of Pileh and Maya Bay. Closed from 2018 to 2022, Maya Bay is open again under visitor limits, with boats kept outside the bay.
The Similan Islands. Eleven granite islands about 70 km off the Phang Nga coast, a national park open from mid-October to mid-May, with landing restricted where sea turtles nest. The longest run from the east-coast marinas, they add two or three days to a longer charter.
Racha, Lanta and the south. Koh Racha Yai, south of Phuket, suits a first or last night. Beyond Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and its islands, Koh Rok and Koh Haa among them, suit a longer charter.
Day charters. A day charter usually heads into Phang Nga Bay or south to the Racha islands, returning to the marina by sunset.
A week from Phuket
A first week can keep to the east and south: two days in Phang Nga Bay with a night off Koh Yao Noi, then Railay and the Krabi islands, Koh Phi Phi, and Koh Racha Yai on the way back. At a motor yacht's cruising speed, no leg takes much more than three hours.
When to go
The Andaman season runs from November to April, when the north-east monsoon brings dry weather and calm seas. December to March are the driest months; November and April, the shoulder months, bring more showers. From May to October the south-west monsoon sends rain and swell onto the west coast, with September usually the wettest month: the Similan Islands close, the Krabi anchorages lose their shelter, and itineraries move into Phang Nga Bay. Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year are the busiest weeks, and the best yachts are committed well ahead. The Phuket King's Cup Regatta, held every year since 1987, brings racing yachts to the island in late November or early December.
Marinas and arrival
Phuket International Airport sits at the north of the island, 32 km from Phuket Town, a short drive from the marinas on the east coast. Larger yachts often embark at Ao Po Grand Marina, at the mouth of Phang Nga Bay, which takes superyachts and has no tidal restrictions. Royal Phuket Marina, for yachts of up to 35 metres, and Boat Lagoon, up to 32 metres, are both at Koh Kaew, north of Phuket Town; Yacht Haven lies further north. Transfers from the airport or your hotel are arranged in advance.
Yachts and what a week costs
The Andaman fleet is smaller than the Mediterranean's: motor yachts, catamarans and sailing yachts based in Phuket, with a few superyachts. Charters are quoted individually. The weekly base rate is the starting point; on top come the Advance Provisioning Allowance for fuel, food, berths and park fees, the applicable tax for the cruising area, set out before anything is signed, and a gratuity at your discretion. Our guide to what a yacht charter costs shows how these lines add up, and the charter toolkit covers the APA and gratuities.
How a Phuket charter is arranged
We shortlist the yachts that suit your group and your route, confirm the crew, and set the itinerary against the tides, the park seasons and the weather. Phuket also combines well with a stay on land, or with the wider Thailand coast. The same north-east monsoon brings the Maldives its dry season, from December to April.
Tell us your dates, the size of your group and what you have in mind, and we will come back with a shortlist. Start the conversation.
