THAILAND YACHT CHARTERS

An amazing combination of pristine nature, modern pace of life and best traditions of Buddhism is the cornerstone that attracts sailors to this country from all around the world. If you dream about unforgettable yacht charter, it should be in top of your list.

Located right in the heart of Southeast Asia, this country is surrounded by the Andaman Sea on the west side of the Malay Peninsula, and the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea on the east side. Until  1939 it was called Siam, which means "freedom.” Bordered by Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has kept its independence through the years. As a result, the  traditional lifestyle that has been intact for centuries has been left  almost unchanged. Well known for peace and calmness, the Thai people will make your sailing vacation even more pleasant.

Geographically, Thailand can be divided into 5 distinct regions, but  the southern peninsula of Malay and the eastern part of the country are of the most interest to sailors.

Thailand is washed with two oceans – Pacific on the eastern part and Indian in the western part, Thus while sailing, you may expect moderate breeze, clean tropical waters, number of safe moorings  and anchorages. You definitely will not find here number of equipped  marinas or harbors, but on every mooring or anchorage you will easily find some cozy local restaurant, water supply or grocery store. While Thai cuisine and the hospitality of locals will definitely bring only positive vibes.

Eastern part of country covers several provinces including Trat, Chantburi and Rayong. On the southwest, it reaches the Gulf of Thailand, and it borders Cambodia to the east. The rugged coastline is bordered  with rocky islands and covered with lush green forest. While sailing, you will see many rivers flowing south to create large mangrove forests, followed by pristine white sand beaches. The east coast is very popular for its resort areas, but few sailors know about  the more secluded yacht charter opportunities in Koh Chang.

The Koh Chang yacht charter base is located only 194 miles (312  km) from Bangkok and offers excellent access to the mostly untouched cruising grounds. Being the second largest island in the country (after Phuket), a Koh Chang sailing vacation is a perfect combination of emerald waters, white sand beaches and pristine jungle, waterfalls and stunning lush landscapes. Koh Chang means “elephant” in the Thai language. A fitting name for an island that is shaped like a giant sleeping elephant.

Phuket is the largest island in Thailand, and is located near the west coast in the Andaman Sea. The east coast of Phuket offers the finest cruising grounds, with easy access to 39 different islands. Discover towering pinnacles of limestone when sailing in the sheltered waters of Phang-nga Bay, set sails to see the famous Phi Phi located to the south of Andaman Sea, or the many beautiful locations in the province of Krabi. Make an offshore trip to one of the National Parks located in the Siliman, or Suring Islands, one of the most famous diving sites in the world.  

The kind and hospitable people will make your sailing vacation and boat rentals in Phuket even more pleasant and memorable.

Best time for yachting in Thailand is from November to April. During this period, the weather is not too hot and there is quite a  small amount of precipitation. However, tropical climate and no typhoons make sailing in this region comfortable and safe all year round.

But even though, we recommend to choose the right time for travel. Favorable  conditions for navigation along the eastern and western coasts are from November to April. If you are looking for some extreme sailing conditions, you may go to the west coast from May to October, during the monsoon season. From November to April the weather is ideal for sailing both on the west and east coast of Thailand. From May to October – is the season of the southwestern monsoon. At this time, it is better to avoid the western waters but there are dozens of different sailing itineraries from the main yacht charter base located on the island of Phuket.

Phuket is gaining growing popularity among sailors of different levels. It offers great coastline, quite simple navigation and a large choice of sailing itineraries of different duration. So, all this makes Phuket the best starting point for bareboat yacht charter.

This place is so popular that on top of three comfortable yacht marinas, two more were opened in the recent years. One of  the main advantages of Phuket sailing area is that gives you miles of emptiness and relaxing solitude free from big cruising ships.

There are two main directions of routes for yachts charter vacation – eastern and western. To the east of Phuket is the Phang-Nga Bay, where the famous Panuk and Hong islands are located. Also, you should pay attention to the James Bond Island, Krabi and Riley Beach, famous among rock climbers. The western shore of the island of Phuket is washed by the waters of the Andaman Sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean. The Similan and Surin are located 100 km northwest of Phuket and included in the top ten places on the planet for scuba  diving. Even further to the northwest are the Andaman Islands, known for their pristine natural beauty, incredible fishing and diving.

During your travel along the bay, you should definitely admire the network of amazing grottoes, caves and tunnels of Koh Panak. Landing from a yacht and having moved to a kayak, you can admire the hidden lagoons and mangrove forests that are in the center of the island.

In this direction is also the island of Krabi, famous for its snow-white beaches and emerald jungles.

During your sailing vacation, it’s worth visiting Phi Phi, a part of the marine national park. Here you will find closed lagoons, calcareous cliffs of striking height and much more.

A smaller Phi Phi Leh, was formed by limestone rocks. In this regard, the water around the island has acquired a unique turquoise hue. Although it is considered to be uninhabited, you can still find lots of interesting things to explore. Famous Viking cave with a picture of an ancient man, numerous swallow nests collected by locals as they considered to be kind of a delicacy.

Koh Hong considered to be one of the most fabulous islands in Krabi area. Here you may take your time and relax contemplating white sand beaches, hidden lagoons with shallow waters beaming with exotic fish. While on the anchorage take a kayak, and explore nearby caves. Up in the sky you will see sea eagles gliding in circles searching for prey while looking down you will find emerald bottom decorated with numerous starfish.

Bareboat charter will give you a chance to visit Koh Pannyi – a sheer rock, with a small fishing village near it built on wooden and concrete piles. Here, among mazes of huts you will find small colorful craft market as well as some bars and restaurants offering variety of fresh sea food dishes from the catch of the day.

It is hard to believe, but there is only one policeman in charge of the island, and couple of years ago there was even no electricity. An  interesting landmark is a football field built by schoolchildren directly on the water. There are no hotels, but you can spend the night on your boat or catamaran on a safe anchorage nearby.

Your next sailing destination is Koh Poda, covered with lush palm trees and surrounded by white beaches. A few meters from the beach there is a coral reef: here you can go snorkeling and admire the diversity of the underwater world.

The other island nearby is Koh Kai – a rock that looks like head and neck of a chicken. Part of it consists of steep rocks, and the opposite shore has beautiful sandy beaches. During strong tides this peninsula is partially flooded.

Phang Nga Bay will amaze you with its unusual, almost mystical beauty. A distinctive feature of this place are steep rocks, protruding vertically from emerald green water. The bay has the status of a marine National park.

Thailand offers great opportunity to combine yacht charter with diving. A lot of coral reefs, as well as a variety of underwater terrain provide unlimited opportunities for diving. Here you have a unique opportunity to meet whale sharks. The best period for diving is November-May. Visibility in water can reach up to 50 meters. Similan Islands are the most popular among divers. Phuket Island in the Andaman Sea is famous for deep-sea fishing and trolling. So, do not forget to rent a fishing kit and you’ll  have a great chance to catch tuna, barracuda, sailfish, marlin and other exotic fish.

Thai cuisine is largely determined by the climate and culture of the country. Tropical vegetation and the proximity of the sea caused widespread use of various fruits, spices and seafood.

Also, migration and contacts with other peoples affected the ways of cooking. For example, the homeland of Thai tribes is mountain settlements in the southeast of China (modern provinces of Guangxi and  Guizhou). Between the 6th and 13th centuries these peoples migrated to the southern lands, where today Laos and Burma are located. Naturally, all this affected culinary preferences. Local  cuisine is a mixture of Chinese and Indian cuisine. Culinary traditions of these countries have had the greatest impact on the formation of local gastronomic predilections.

There are no strict cooking rules in Thai cuisine and taste of any dish depends not only on the set of products and spices, but also on the  personal style of the chef. Very important for Thai cuisine is the balance between food, spices and side dishes. For example, fried chicken with chili is combined with a soup of bitter melon with pork.

Rice in Thai cuisine is the most important product, it’s like bread  in Europe. And if the other dishes are served warm or at room temperature, the rice should be hot enough for you to see a steam.

The second main product is noodles: thin rice (kuaytiao sen lek), thick and nourishing (kuaytiao sen yai), yellow egg (bamee).

Thais eat little, but often. When serving the table, they do not use knives (all products are cut into small pieces). Finish eating usually with fruits. A favorite drink of Thai people is cold water (naam yen).

The main principle of local cuisine is to achieve a balance of five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and poignant. Various ingredients are used for this purpose.

The two most characteristic of these are curry-based sauce and coconut milk. All kinds of sauces are considered a delicacy, their use depends on the type of dish or meat type. The most famous are kaeng massaman (includes cinnamon, peanuts and nutmeg); kaeng kheow waan (sweet and very hot sauce with greens); kaeng karee (served  with potatoes).

An important nuance of the culinary traditions is the aesthetics of the dish. Making a filigree decor of vegetables and fruits (carving) has become a kind of art here.

All Thai dishes can be divided into four categories:  quick-and well – fried or steamed dishes, as well as soups; spicy dishes – salads or fried dishes with different amounts of spices, often with  the addition of coconut milk; salads – vegetable mixed with meat, the taste can be sweet, and sour but always spicy; cooked vegetables – usually sour, although you can meet them with a sweetish flavor.

In Thailand, you will find a wealth of nature perfectly combined with  ancient history, culture and traditions. There are hundreds of islands, beaches, coves and capes. While planning your sailing vacations  Thanks to tropical climate, beaches with  pristine white sand, crystal clear waters, excellent coral reefs and wonderful palm trees. Add to this the friendliness of the Thai people, their magnificent culture and wonderful cuisine. No wonder in recent years it became one of the most popular sailing destinations in Asia.

This country has a long history. And during your sailing trip it may open some of its secrets. Over the long years of existence, the inhabitants of this country honor not only the monarch  and the state charter, but also Buddhist norms. That is why in almost  every part of the country you will meet small churches and chapels with centuries of history. There are a few tens of thousands of them all over the country.

Local people call their home a “land of freedom”, because “thai” means freedom, and it’s not just a coincidence. It is the only country in South-East Asia that has preserved its independence from European states, while all neighboring countries were once colonies of Great Britain or France. This helped to keep its intact beauty and uniqueness.

The main sailing area for yachting is the Andaman Sea, but if you want to get more acquainted with the historical monuments of the  country, then the best choice will be the Gulf of Thailand.

Fans of nightlife should go to Bangkok and Pattaya. Discos, go-go bars, nightclubs every evening are filled with people looking for entertainment. Loud music, bright neon lights, noise and talk of passers-by create a specific atmosphere here.

An important part of Thai culture is traditional music. The Thais also attach great importance to the theater. Modern art (cinema, music)  is very popular too.

An integral part of the way of life of the Thai people is the elephant. In the past, these animals were used in battles, transportation of trees, and today elephants mostly entertain tourists. The image of an elephant can be found even on the Thai flag. Worth  visiting is the island of elephants Koh Chang.

While sailing do not forget to visit at least one the 80 national parks and 32 nature reserves. Khao Yai National Park is the most visited park in country. For those who like to watch birds, it’s  worth going to Doi Suthep National Park, Doi Inthanon, or to Khao Sam  Roi Yot Park in the south. There is the last preserved rain forest in the Khao Yai National Park, which is one of the best parks in the world.