 About Thailand
The ancient kingdom of Thailand, a land full of mystery and spectacle, is Asia’s top tourist destination. Over 12 million visitors each year arrive to marvel in the natural scenic beauty, spicy cuisine, historic culture, awe inspiring temples and the incomparable hospitality of the Thai people – there is very good reason why Thailand is called the Land of Smiles!
This stunningly beautiful country is located in the centre of South East Asia, between Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. It offers a fantastic range of activities than can be enjoyed during your yacht charter holiday – sailing, snorkeling, diving, kayaking – as well as the opportunity to see amazing natural scenery, and explore tropical islands and pristine beaches.
Chartering in Thailand
Thailand is one of the fastest growing charter destinations in the world because it combines all of the elements that make for a perfect charter area: stunning marine life, warm, predictable climate, interesting areas to visit, culture, history, great food, deserted beaches. As Thailand is new to many charterers, you will want an expert to help you plan your charter. We at Boatbookings.com pride ourselves on our knowledge of the region and will help you take care of all the details of your charter planning as well as finding your the perfect boat. One of our happy customers said it best:
"I would like to thank you for your assistance and support. This was our first charter and therefore an unknown experience. Your industry knowledge, open, candid and professional style helped make this process relatively easy for me. You helped make a special occasion very enjoyable and very memorable. Keep up the good work!"
The main yacht chartering regions of Thailand are Phuket and the Andaman Sea, and the Gulf of Thailand. Within each of these regions, many stunning sailing locations can be visited and explored.
Phuket, Phang Nga Bay and the Andaman Sea
 On the east coast of Phuket, places like Krabi, Phang Nga Bay with the world famous James Bond Island, Koh Lanta, Koh Racha and Phi Phi Islands offer close to year round sailing opportunities.
Locations off the west coast of Phuket have restricted sailing during the southwest monsoon, but Phang Nga Bay and Krabi off the east coast of Phuket are more sheltered and offer fantastic sailing almost all year round.
Phuket
The island of Phuket, off Thailand’s west coast, is the country’s main tourist location, offering a wide variety of water sports plus fantastic beaches and world-class nightlife. It is also the hub of sailing in the Andaman Sea, acting as the starting point for journeys to a variety of locations in Phang Nga Bay and southeast down to Langkawi, Malaysia, as well as destinations to the northwest such the Similan Islands, Surin Islands and up to the Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar.
Click here for our Charter Yachts in Phuket. Interested in Phuket Raceweek? We'll get you on the right yacht.
Phang Nga Bay
To the east of Phuket lie the 100 plus islands of Phang Nga Bay, with its incredible topography of rock formations, and sheer-sided limestone cliffs climbing vertically out of calm turquoise waters. This area is a marine national park, so the scenery is unspoilt, the water is clear and the beaches idyllic.
 With the shelter provided by the island of Phuket, the sailing is safe all year round here. Most of the islands are uninhabited, and offer innumerable caves, creeks, hidden lagoons and mangrove swamps to explore in kayaks and dinghies.
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James Bond Island
Ko Tapu, better known as James Bond Island, shot to fame as part of the 1974 James Bond film, “The Man with the Golden Gun”. Hundreds of tourists every day come to stand in the same spot as Roger Moore and Christopher Lee, and also to marvel in the surrounding sheer limestone cliffs that have made the topography of Phang Nga Bay world famous.
Yachts can be anchored at nearby Koh Yang, and a long tail boat can be taken to Sea Gypsy Island for lunch. This village is built over water entirely on rafts and stilts, with a huge rock monolith standing guard behind it.
Krabi
Sailing southeast down the coast of the Thai mainland from Phang Nga Bay, you arrive at the town (and province) of Krabi. More relaxed than the tourist centre of Phuket, but still with the amazing sea mountain scenery, and now adding beaches and coral fringed islands offering superb snorkeling and diving options.
Restaurants and shops are available at the two stunning beaches of Ao Nang and Hat Rai Le, if a break from sailing is required.
Click here for our Charter Yachts in Krabi.
Koh Lanta
Further south from Krabi lies the island of Koh Lanta, which is in fact an archipelago of about 70 islands. Koh Lanta Yai is the main tourist spot, with many white sandy beaches to be found. This is closer to the “real” Thailand, with a more laid-back lifestyle compared to the nightlife of Phuket.
Nearby are several world-class snorkeling and diving sites. The coral reef at Koh Rok has its famous square kilometer of coloured coral, while less than 20 km away, the twin underwater pinnacles of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang rate very highly among the world’s top dive sites.
Click here for our Charter Yachts in the Koh Lanta.
Phi Phi Islands
 One of the ‘must-visit’ destinations in the region, with its spectacular cliffs diving into the clear blue sea below, is the islands of Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Le. This is the ‘superstar’ of all the islands – Maya Beach on Phi Phi Le, after all, was in the movie “The Beach”.
The snorkeling, swimming and diving here can only be described as amazing, and you can even climb to one of many limestone lookouts for an unforgettable view of the stunning beaches, palm trees and blue sparkling waters below.
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Similan Islands
About 50 miles northwest of Phuket lie the Similan Islands, offering a totally different landscape to Phang Nga Bay. The islands consist of huge granite boulders, which continue down to the seafloor to create a wonderful underwater world where the water clarity is breathtaking.
The coral and marine life here makes the diving the best in Thailand, and compares favourable with the best in the world – a true snorkeling and diving paradise!
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Surin Islands
 Another 50 miles north from the Similan Islands are the Surin Islands, a group of 5 islands that make up the Mu Koh Surin National Park. These islands are uninhabited apart from a tribe of sea gypsies and the park rangers.
If you are looking for excellent swimming, diving, snorkeling and game fishing, and to leave the tourist traps behind, this is the place for you. Nearby, Richelieu Rock, a coral-covered pinnacle, has a reputation for attracting whale sharks.
Click here for our Charter Yachts in the Surin Islands.
Mergui Archipelago (Myanmar)
Venturing yet further north, you can find one of the few remaining untouched paradises on Earth. This group of 800 islands is characterised by dense mountain rainforests rushing down to meet white sandy beaches. Literally hundreds of anchorages can be found in numerous natural bays, with superb diving and snorkeling to be enjoyed in total peace and tranquility.
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The Gulf of Thailand and Koh Samui
Koh Samui
 Koh Samui was ‘discovered’ by backpackers 30 years ago, and is the largest island in a group of over 80, most of which are uninhabited. Palm trees, unspoilt white beaches, coral reefs, clear waters and abundant marine life of course, but now with modern transport, communications, accommodation and entertainment facilities, it is a great base from which to explore the region.
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Koh Phangan
Heading north from Samui, you can see the island of Koh Phangan on the horizon. This island is more laid back than Samui, with less resorts and hotels to be found. Or if you want to party, the world famous full moon party attracts thousands of people for an all night escapade every month.
Like Samui, coconut trees fringe onto white sandy beaches, with limestone hills, waterfalls and interesting rock formations plentiful. There are great sailing conditions off the east coast, with constant offshore winds in southwest monsoon season, and plenty of remote bays, coves and beaches to explore all around the island.
Koh Tao
45 km north of Koh Phangan you will find Koh Tao, or Turtle Island. This is the diver’s mecca, providing the best snorkeling and diving in the Gulf of Thailand. The island has more top-ranking dive sites than it has beaches!
There is still only 1 road on the island, so many of the best beaches and coves are best explored from the yacht. But for such a remote island, it has restaurants offering cuisine from over a dozen countries, and a range of accommodation and nightlife options.
Ang Thong Marine National Park
This is a group of 40 islands and hundreds of spectacular limestone monoliths springing out of the ocean, less than a day’s sailing from Koh Samui. Fantastic sailing is to be had exploring hidden bays, exotic beaches and uninhabited islands.
Established as a marine park in 1980, this area is totally untouched by any development, surrounding you with pure nature. A popular sight is the enclosed lagoon on Koh Mae Ko called Thale Nai (Inner Sea), which is surrounded by thick vegetation and overhanging cliffs.
The Gulf of Thailand and Koh Chang
 Pattaya
Sailing or partying – you can do both around Pattaya! There are several islands within few hours sailing of Pattaya. Around the more developed Koh Larn (or Coral Island), you can find good snorkeling and many fine seafood restaurants to eat at. Slightly further from the coast, there is a group of 5 islands around Koh Phai, where snorkeling and deep-sea fishing can be organized.
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Koh Samet
Leaving the wild nightlife of Pattaya behind, and sailing southeast past Ocean Marina, a days sailing will take you to the Koh Samet National Park, which covers the mainland as well as Koh Samet and its surrounding smaller islands.
There are many coves and beaches to explore with good snorkeling possibilities, with several bars and restaurants also to be found. The sunsets on Aow Phrao beach are spectacular, and there are several sheltered anchorages for overnight stays.
Click here for our Charter Yachts in Koh Samet.
Koh Chang
 A further day’s sailing southeast and you start to reach one of the up and coming areas for sailing in SE Asia, the Koh Chang National Park. This is an area just before the Cambodia border consisting of about 50 islands, the biggest being Koh Chang (Elephant Island) and Koh Kut.
Koh Chang is over 50% covered with mountains and rain forests, with many beautiful waterfalls to see, and is surrounded by sandy beaches and coral. Jungle treks are possible to explore hidden waterfalls, and come face to face with the local wildlife – watch out for the monkeys! The area also has some interesting diving opportunities, with ship and airplane wrecks from the Second World War to be found nearby.
Click here for our Charter Yachts in Koh Chang.
Koh Kut
The final sailing frontier…well, at least the final frontier before you get to the Cambodian border! This is the last group of islands in Thai waters, and is truly pristine, both in the water and on land.
Over 70% is covered in tropical rainforest, and superb dinghy trips up mangrove-lined rivers are possible. The 3-levels of the Klong Chao waterfall, full of sparkling water, is another not to be missed natural attraction.
Getting to Thailand
 Bangkok is Thailand’s major international gateway, with the newly opened US$4bn Suvarnabhumi Airport, 25km east of Bangkok. Suvarnabhumi Airport has the world’s tallest control tower, and the terminal building is the world’s second largest after Hong Kong. Literally dozens of airlines from around the world operate regular flights to Suvarnabhumi.
From there, it is a 2-hour drive to the sailing areas on the eastern seaboard of the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya and Koh Samet, and a further 2-3 hours to Koh Chang and Trat. Several flights a day operate from Bangkok to Koh Samui, and domestic flights also operate between Bangkok and Pattaya (U-Tapao) and Trat airports.
Phuket International Airport is Thailand’s second busiest passenger airport, handling almost 3 million passengers a year. Direct flights from more than a dozen airlines from many destinations in Europe and around Asia give holidaymakers a direct flight to within 30 miles of their yacht marina!
Climate and Weather
Thailand has a predominantly tropical climate, with high humidity and temperatures all year round in the southern tourist and sailing areas. April and May are the hottest months, with temperatures of 35-40 degrees Celsius not being unusual.
The sailing regions in the south of Thailand have two seasons, guided by the southwest and northeast monsoons.
On the west coast around Phuket and the Andaman Sea, the southwest monsoon is the key activity. It usually runs from about May/June through to October, often bringing rain and rough seas in the unsheltered areas west and south of Phuket. Trips to places like the Similan Islands, the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Phi Phi Islands are not really feasible during this period.
However, to the sheltered east of Phuket, the stunning scenery of Phang Nga Bay is accessible virtually all year round. October is typically the month when most rain falls, so sailing is less enjoyable during that period. The east coast of Phuket is also where all the marinas are located, allowing continuous sailing access to Phang Nga Bay.
The northeast monsoon season is usually November through February/March, bringing welcome cooler breezes from the north, and a drop in humidity levels. However, this is all relative – it is only ‘cooler’ and ‘less humid’ compared to other times of the year in Thailand!!
In the Gulf of Thailand, most rain and rough seas will usually occur between October and December, so most sailing companies will not offer services during that period. However, January through August offers wonderful sailing opportunities around Koh Samui in the west of the Gulf, and in the fast growing area around Koh Chang on the southeastern seaboard of Thailand.
Neither Thai coastline is in a dangerous weather zone – the seasonal monsoons are not violent and there are no typhoons. Temperatures usually vary between 25-32 degrees Celsius, with the water temperature rarely varying from around 28 degrees Celsius.
 Thai Cuisine
Thai cuisine is loved worldwide and is famous for its unique combination of spicy, sour, sweet and bitter elements into fantastic currys, noodle dishes, soups and salads. This is enhanced in the charter regions with fresh seafood, such as prawns and fish out of the sea for only a few hours.
Favorite Thai dishes are the beef salad, pad thai (thai noodles done in a wok), spicy chicken soup, green curry chicken, panang beef, all kinds of spicy grilled fish and prawns, and a variety of desserts. Just be careful of the little green peppers - they pack a punch!!
Any trip to Thailand is a culinary extravaganza as well as a charter holiday!
Our Charter Yachts
Thailand truly is one of the world's fastest growing charter destinations, for all the reasons listed above. Boatbookings.com knows the region and boats, and can find you the ideal charter yacht, be it bareboat, crewed, sail, motor or catamaran. Click here to see our Thailand Charter Yachts or simply contact us and we'll recommend the best boat for you.
 
Asia Pacific Destinations: Myanmar/Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Singapore
Photos courtesy of Thai Tourist Board |
