Thailand’s Andaman coast is South-East Asia’s great yacht-charter playground, and Phuket is its harbour. From the island’s marinas a private yacht reaches limestone worlds within hours: the karst towers and hidden lagoons of Phang Nga Bay, the cliffs and clear water of Phi Phi and Maya Bay, the granite-and-sand reefs of the Similan and Surin Islands, and — for those with time — the all-but-empty Mergui Archipelago over the Burmese border. A charter takes the whole boat, crewed and provisioned, from a sleek day cruiser to a five-cabin overnight motor yacht. This is the complete guide to a Thailand yacht charter — where to sail from Phuket, which islands, which vessel, and the season that turns the Andaman glassy and clear.
Thailand by private yacht
Phuket is the base for almost every Thailand charter — Thailand’s largest island, with an international airport and four full-service marinas (Ao Po Grand Marina and Yacht Haven in the calm north-east, Royal Phuket Marina and Boat Lagoon mid-island). A charter takes the whole vessel: a crewed motor yacht with a captain, chef and tenders, gear for snorkelling and water sports, and the run of the Andaman. Most of the headline sights — Phang Nga Bay, the Phi Phi group, Racha and Coral islands — sit within a day’s cruise, so Phuket runs both ways: an eight-hour day charter back to the same berth by evening, or an overnight trip of three to seven nights that reaches the further reefs and sleeps at anchor under the karst.
Limestone worlds within hours of the marina — and the whole boat is yours.
Phang Nga Bay, the hongs & James Bond Island
Phang Nga Bay, the sheltered water north-east of Phuket, is the Andaman’s signature — hundreds of sheer limestone towers rising straight from jade-green sea. Its secret is the hongs: tidal lagoons hidden inside the islands, reached by sea kayak through low caves that only open at the right tide, surfacing into silent, cliff-walled rooms hung with jungle. Koh Hong and Koh Panak hold the best of them. The bay’s most famous rock is Ko Tapu — the leaning needle beside Ko Khao Phing Kan that has been “James Bond Island” since The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed here in 1974. Because the bay is shielded from the open swell, it stays calm and charterable even in the green season.
Phi Phi, Maya Bay & the southern islands
South-east of Phuket lies the Phi Phi group — Ko Phi Phi Don, the inhabited island with its hourglass twin bays and viewpoints, and Ko Phi Phi Leh, uninhabited and ringed by cliffs. On Leh sits Maya Bay, the cove made famous by The Beach (2000); it was closed for years to let the reef recover and reopened with daily visitor limits, best reached early by your own boat. Bamboo Island just north has powder sand and an easy snorkel reef. Closer to Phuket, Racha Yai and Racha Noi offer clear water and quiet overnight anchorages, and Coral Island (Ko Hae) is the classic short day-sail for swimming and lunch at anchor.
Maya Bay, reopened with visitor limits — best reached early, by your own boat.
The Similan & Surin Islands
For divers, the Andaman’s prize lies north-west of Phuket: the Similan Islands, a national-park chain of smooth granite boulders, white sand and reefs that rank among the world’s best, and the Surin Islands beyond, in the waters of the Moken sea-gypsies near the Burmese border. The Surins guard Richelieu Rock, the region’s premier dive — a horseshoe pinnacle that draws mantas and, in season, whale sharks. These islands are roughly 60–100 km offshore and are reached on overnight or liveaboard-style charters; the national parks open only in the dry months (roughly mid-October to mid-May) and close in the monsoon, so the Similans are a high-season destination.
Which yacht, and how long
Thailand is chartered overwhelmingly on motor yachts, from quick day cruisers to five-cabin overnight vessels and large event yachts that carry fifty guests for a celebration on the water — all crewed, priced per day in US dollars. A day charter (around eight hours) comfortably reaches Phang Nga Bay, Coral Island or Racha. An overnight charter of three to seven nights opens Phi Phi, the Similan and Surin reefs, and — with a week and the right vessel — the remote Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar, hundreds of near-empty islands reached from Phuket with permits arranged in advance. Rates vary widely by vessel and season, so rather than a single figure, compare each yacht’s price on its page or send an inquiry for a tailored quote.
When to go, and how to get there
The Andaman high season runs November to April — the dry north-east monsoon, when the sea is calm and clear and the islands are at their best; this is also when the Similan and Surin national parks are open. The green season, May to October, is wetter and the open west coast rougher, but Phang Nga Bay stays sheltered and prices and crowds both fall. Getting there is easy: fly into Phuket International Airport (HKT), direct from most Asian hubs, and board your yacht at the marina. National-park fees apply in the islands and are arranged by the crew. To charter, choose a vessel and send an inquiry — our desk confirms availability, the route and the price before anything is paid.
