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One
of the world’s best-kept secrets is poised to catch the spotlight. While
yachting enthusiasts in their tens of thousands head each year for the
traditional charter destinations of the Caribbean and Mediterranean, a few
of the more adventurous go east – to
Thailand.
 Thailand is a major player in the traditional sun, sea and sand holiday
market, but relatively few know that the ‘Land of Smiles’ also lays claim to
the best all-season sailing waters in the world.
Hitherto focusing successfully on building international recognition in
traditional mass tourism markets, Thailand’s tourism marketing machine is
now turning its attention towards the development of marine tourism. Given
its world-beating assets in this sector, it is only a matter of time before
both yacht charter holidays and yacht ownership reach levels similar to
those in better known cruising and yacht charter destinations.
Yet with over 1,609 km (1,000 miles) of mainland coastline and thousands of
islands, it is hard to imagine Thailand’s waters ever reaching the high
degree of saturation seen in today’s better known yachting havens. To be the
only yacht in sight from horizon to horizon, anchored off a pristine,
deserted, tropical island beach, may seem like a distant dream to most
sailors – but in Thailand it is everyday reality.
Unique, too, among yacht charter holiday destinations is Thailand’s climate.
There is no winter; there are no hurricanes and no typhoons. Temperatures
range between 25° and 32°C throughout the year, and the sea rarely varies
from 28°C. The seasonal monsoon is gentle, while the geography ensures that
somewhere in Thailand sailing conditions are always ideal.
PHUKET
 Phuket in the Andaman Sea (off Thailand’s southwest coast) is best known
amongst regional sailors and has the most advanced marine tourism
infrastructure in Thailand. As a cruising base, Phuket is unbeatable. The
mystical waters, islands and limestone karsts of Phang-nga Bay are just a
few hours’ sail east from the major anchorages; the stunning Similan Islands
are a day’s motor-sail to the west, while
Myanmar’s practically unexplored
Mergui Archipelago is easily accessible to the north.
To the south is the almost uninhabited Butang Group – part of the 51-island
Hat Chao Mai National Park – teeming with an abundance of fascinating and
unusual wildlife. A short sail east brings you to the mysterious unspoiled
island of Tarutao, just 6 km (4 miles) from the
Malaysian island of
Langkawi, and just one day out of Phuket. A former penal colony, Tarutao
abounds with interesting caves and hidden creeks leading into the
mountainous interior; a primaeval world where time stands still.
PHANG-NGA BAY
Phang-nga Bay itself, bounded by Phuket, Phang-nga and
Krabi provinces –
boasting over 100 islands and sheer-sided mountains rising vertically out of
the sea – has produced some of Thailand’s most spectacular tourist images.
As a result, it is a popular destination with day tours and kayakers
exploring the bay’s islands and sea caves. Yet, despite its international
renown, the bay is practically deserted by mid-afternoon.
GULF OF THAILAND
Across Thailand’s southern peninsula, are the islands in the western Gulf of
Thailand (Thailand’s east coast), stretching from Ko Rap in the south, via
Ko Samui and Ko Pha-ngan, to Ko Tao in the north, and 40 km (25 miles) east
from Samui to the Ang Thong Marine National Park. They offer superb sailing
with more than 80 islands over an area of 80 km (50 miles).
Ko Samui enjoys some of its finest weather during the months of July to
September, Phuket’s wettest time of year, while the diving and snorkelling
at Ko Tao are the best in the Gulf of Thailand. The nearby Ang Thong
Islands, with geological formations similar to those of Phang Nga Bay, have
been declared a marine national park, offering spectacular cruising through
the narrow passages between these towering islands.
Further north, still in the Gulf of Thailand, the coastline from
Pattaya to
the border with
Cambodia has only just begun to attract yachting enthusiasts
and charter operators. As such, deserted, unspoiled anchorages are the norm.
Most yachts cruising the islands and coastline in this area use Ocean Marina
adjacent to the resort town of Pattaya as their base. Immediately to the
east of Ocean Marina are the islands of Ko Sak, Ko Larn (9 km or 6 miles)
and Ko Phai (32 km or 20 miles), both offering a number of smaller islands
with good anchorages.
However, the real treasure in this area is the remote Ko Chang National
Park, comprising 50 islands near the Cambodian border, and including the Ko
Kut Archipelago – the last group of islands in Thai waters.
Mostly prehistoric granite rock,
Ko Chang itself was formed around 200
million years ago and is the second largest island in Thailand. Still
covered with mountainous rain forest for more than 60 percent of its area,
Ko Chang is renowned for its dense jungle, beautiful coral and plentiful
waterfalls. Long sandy beaches, with small bungalow developments and
restaurants, are the main feature of the island’s west coast.
For enthusiasts who prefer as much luxury and convenience as possible
combined with their sailing, Phuket is already home to three
international-standard marinas, with more under development. The
recently-opened Royal Phuket Marina was voted “The Best of the Best Marinas”
by British Airways, First Class in-flight magazine, ‘First Life’, while
Pattaya’s Ocean Marina is a superb residential marina and an ideal base for
an eastern Gulf exploration towards Ko Chang.
Yet, for those who prefer to sail away from civilisation until the end of
their yachting vacation, just a couple of hours sail from Phuket – and
almost anywhere in the Gulf of Thailand – will seem like a world away.
Growth in yachting has come slowly to Thailand, in spite of its natural
advantages. High import taxes on yachts until 2004, and a population not
traditionally at home on the water, kept numbers of locally-based yachts
small. Yet growth there has been. Boasting only one regatta until a few
years ago, there is now a multitude of choice, in terms of time, style and
location, for those who prefer to mix a touch of action with their sailing
holiday in Thailand.
The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, now in its nineteenth year, attracts around
100 yachts and is held in early December. Phang-nga Bay Regatta, bringing
together up to 40 competitors for a more relaxed week, takes place at
Chinese New Year, against what must be the most dramatic scenic background
of any regatta in the world.
More recent entrants on the scene are the Ko Samui Regatta in May, Top of
the Gulf Regatta (also in May) and Phuket Raceweek in July – a challenge for
yachtsmen, as it is raced in lively southwest monsoon winds.
Whilst the competitive fun of racing in tropical waters is why people take
part in Thailand’s regattas, they all leave with fond memories of the
beachside regatta parties. These relaxed, informal parties have become a
keynote feature of yachting events in the kingdom.
Whether racing in a tropical regatta or simply cruising among Thailand’s
thousands of pristine islands, the warm Thai welcome,
superb cuisine and the
cultural charm – that together make Thailand one of the world’s favourite
holiday destinations – combine with the best sailing waters in the world to
make a yachting holiday in Thailand an unforgettable experience.
REGATTA DATES
PHUKET KING'S CUP REGATTA
Phuket, December 3-10, 2005
www.kingscup.com
PHANG-NGA BAY REGATTA
Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi, January 27-31, 2006
www.bayregatta.com
TOP OF THE GULF REGATTA
Pattaya, May 3-7, 2006
www.topofthegulfregatta.com
PHUKET RACEWEEK
Phuket, July 27-30, 2006
www.phuketraceweek.com
KOH SAMUI REGATTA
Koh Samui, May 21-27, 2006
www.samuiregatta.com
REGIONAL CRUISING GUIDE
Andaman Sea Pilot
www.andamanseapilot.com |
