With 2,000 miles of coastline where nature blends with local culture and heritage, a Thailand yacht charter ticks a lot of boxes – it has dreamy tropical beaches, beautiful temples, friendly people, fragrant cuisine, world-beating snorkelling and diving, and no shortage of high-quality resorts and spas to while away the days in. And when it comes to a restorative charter, few places can claim to offer the level of wellness that Thailand does, where it’s not so much a fad as an ancient tradition.
With such a huge idyllic cruising ground to discover, our brokers can guide you to some of the best yachts to charter in Thailand, whether you’re looking to charter a yacht in Phuket or would rather a Pattaya yacht charter.
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Bond fans will recognise the distinctive landscape of Ao Phang Nga – tree-topped limestone towers sprouting dramatically from the pale green water – as the lair of villain Scaramanga in 1974’s The Man with the Golden Gun. The iconic islet, Khao Tapu, resembles a needle or nail being driven into the sea and is one of the most photographed sights of Phang Nga Bay. The imposing scenery, with its lagoons, sea caves and karsts (as the rock towers are topographically known), has earned Ao Phang Nga National Marine Park status. Huge vertical cliffs frame 42 islands, some with caves accessible only at low tide. The island's limestone environment is home to reptiles like Bengal monitor lizards and Malayan pit vipers, and mammals such as crab-eating macaques and white-handed gibbons.
Explore Ao Phang Nga National Marine Park
Ko Chang, nicknamed 'Elephant Island’ due to its elephant shaped headland, is Thailand’s third largest island after Phuket and Samui. Situated close to Cambodia, the idyllic turquoise clear waters offshore are the perfect spot for diving and snorkelling. Koh Rang, a small uninhabited island, can be reached in under an hour and is inhabited by sea turtles, moray eels and the odd whale shark. Surrounded by lush mountain peaks, this resort in a rugged setting, south of Pattaya, offers both a lively party scene and access to some beautiful wilderness. For a sense of what the region was like before tourists arrived in their droves, plot a waypoint to the mangrove forests and wooden villages of Ban Salak Kok and Ban Salak Phet on your Ko Chang yacht charter.
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Just 18 miles south of Krabi, limestone cliffs soar from the clear waters, often enclosing lagoons or flanked by white sand beaches. Phi Phi Don is effectively two islands joined by a narrow isthmus, and at Ton Sai Bay, you’ll find lots of restaurants, bars and secure anchorages. Head east from Ton Sai towards the secluded Viking Bay, Hat Yao and beyond, for quieter beaches. Ko Phi Phi Don is the largest of the islands in the Ko Phi Phi archipelago, and a hedonistic paradise where visitors frolic by day in azure seas and party all night on the soft sand. Maya Bay, made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio’s film 'The Beach', is a stunning coin-shaped cove on the island of Phi Phi Leh.
Explore Ko Phi-Phi Don
The big screen scene-spotting continues on Phi Phi Leh, just five kilometres south of Phi Phi Don. It is here that 1999’s The Beach, based on the best-selling novel by Alex Garland, was filmed with Leonardo di Caprio. With its fringe of coral, towering limestone cliffs and idyllic lagoons, Phi Phi Leh’s attractions are obvious. With its waters abundant with moray eels, octopus and seahorses, it’s a great snorkelling location.
Explore Ko Phi-Phi LehThe island of Ko Phra Thong, with its long undeveloped golden beaches, deep green woods, thick mangrove and open stretches of savannah, makes for a peaceful and rewarding stop. With less than 5% of the island developed, it’s a great place to spot wildlife, including monkeys, dugongs, turtles, dolphins and 137 species of birds including the last significant population of Lesser Adjutant Stork in Thailand. In Thai, 'phra thong' means golden Buddha, and a legend tells of how a valuable solid gold Buddha was buried somewhere on the island centuries ago. Ko Phra Thong is unlike anywhere else in Asia, with its landscape that looks more like the savannas of Africa. Try to spot Sambar deer, leopards and fishing cats roaming its wide open plains and beaches.
Explore Ko Phra Thong
Composed of three archipelagos – Tarutao, Klang and Adang – the marine park’s 51 mostly uninhabited islands are one of Thailand’s sailing highlights. Idyllic beaches, pristine rainforest, coral reefs, exotic flora and fauna – along with carefully controlled tourism – combine to make these islands a tropical desert island dream. Among the inhabitants are wild boar, cobras, sea otters, macaque monkeys and a huge number of bird species. Ko Lipe has become a high-profile tourist destination and it's where most travellers stay. It's exempt from national park rules governing development because it is home to a community of around 1900 chow lair (sea gypsies). However, if you’re not interested in nightlife or fancy restaurants and are seeking a tropical island hideaway with empty blonde beaches, look no further than Ko Tarutao.
Explore Ko Tarutao Marine National Park
This tourist hub on the eastern coast of the Gulf is set around the crescent bay of Ao Pattaya and has been a popular resort for travellers yearning for a sun-kissed break since the 1960s, many of whom come to ogle at the city’s huge Big Buddha Temple at the Wat Phra Ya Temple. Playing host to the Top of The Gulf sailing regatta, it’s not the quietest of Thailand’s destinations and those seeking a relaxing Pattaya yacht charter should try family-friendly Jomtien, slightly south of the city, or head for one of the many nearby uninhabited islands with white sandy beaches and translucent waters, which you can anchor off in peace.
Explore PattayaMost Thailand yacht charters begin and end on its largest island of Phuket. Though you’re most likely keen to set sail, leaving the tourist bustle behind, there are good options for trying watersports or learning to cook Thai food here, while a walk through the regenerated old town will reveal Sino-Portuguese architecture that reflects centuries of foreign influence. Phuket is a medley of Chinese, Malaysian, Indian and Thai cultures that have left their mark on the island. Enjoy the turquoise blue water and long stretches of white sand, interspersed with limestone cliffs and groves of mangrove trees. After a long day of relaxing, uncover a world of exquisite fusion menus and freshly caught seafood that takes on its own distinct character.
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Heading south, towards Krabi, the Andaman’s trademark limestone cliff-studded scenery continues, with over 150 beach-fringed islands dotted around the warm, blue-green sea. At the Than Bok Khorani National Park, accessible from Krabi, it is possible to visit a number of caves and enclosed lagoons, including those on the island of Ko Hong. One of the biggest misunderstandings of this world-class Beach destination is that it is an island---which it is not. The area of Railay is actually a large peninsula jutting out into the Andaman, isolated from the rest of the mainland by a row of steep hills. It's very popular among rock climbers and boulderers due to its towering cliffs and gorgeous crags.
Explore Railay Ao NangEasily accessible from Phuket, the eleven Similan islands are an Andaman highlight. Ranked as one of the top ten dive destinations in the world by The National Geographic Society, the clear waters of this national marine park teem with colourful coral, tropical fish and other sea life, including whale sharks, with caves and swimmable passages for experienced divers. This beautiful archipelago's name is derived from 'sembilan', the Malay word for 9. Each of the Similan Islands has a number as well as a name, although in 1998 this chain expanded to incorporate a further two islands, meaning there are now eleven. The largest and the main island, Koh Similan or Island 9, has stunning nature trails, rock formations, and the tallest mountain.
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The Similan crowds continue to thin as you continue northwest towards Surin National Marine Park. The five jungle-topped granite Surin islands sit just 5km Myanmar border. Typically for the Andaman sea, the diverse marine life and extraordinary underwater visibility make for fantastic diving and snorkelling while the thick rainforest, white-sand bays and dramatic granite outcrops makes staying above the surface equally appealing. The islands are one of the very few untouched places in Thailand, meaning if you want to stay overnight you have to camp on the beach. Those hoping to find a quiet refuge from tourist traps and urban centres will be delighted with the island's setting. Richelieu Rock, a coral-covered pinnacle that attracts a number of whale sharks, is a magnet for divers.
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The sleepy Trang islands – south of Koh Lanta – in the southern Andaman have a laid-back, castaway feel and are home to rubber plantations, limestone karsts, white sands and not much else. Among the best beaches are Haad Farang, the more secluded Ao Sabai or the gleaming white sandbar of Hat Sivalai. The protected islands of the Mu Ko Phetra national park, even further south, is like a forgotten world. No less than 46 small islands and islets await you in the so-called Trang Archipelago, making it a perfect region for island hopping in Thailand. The Emerald Cave is a hidden crystal clear lagoon which was once used by pirates as a storage place for their loot. Paradise seekers now swim the pitch black tunnel to discover the secret lagoon with its own beach.
Explore Trang Islands
