Frequently Asked Sailing Questions about Sailing in Thailand
Find here the most burning sailing questions most people ask when they want to hire a sailing yacht in Thailand.
Please let us know if you have any additional questions.
Yacht Charter Inquiry Basics
Easily check for the availability of the yacht using the contact form on this website. You may also already have some general ideas about your sailing vacation and the itinerary you would like to follow. If this is the case, please give as many details as possible. Please, also keep in mind that our sailing charters are often booked up to six months in advance. We will always try to reply to inquiries within 24 hours.
We will also be happy to advise you on any questions you may have regarding your sailing vacation and we will work closely together with you, to create your personal dream itinerary, including any special wishes you may have. All members of the crew are experienced sailors, know the region very well and have been working on charter yachts and in scuba diving for many years.
Booking Your Charter Yacht
Once you have confirmed your booking, we put the yacht on a temporary reservation for 7 days, until we receive your deposit. You will receive an invoice that we ask you to pay in two parts:
- Deposit (50%) upon booking
- Final Payment (50%) 60 days before the start date of your charter
For more details on booking, payment, changing dates, please have a look at our Terms and Conditions.
You may also want to make flight arrangements, and hotel reservations before you arrive here, especially if you intend to arrive some days prior to your sailing cruise. We will be happy to help you with suggestions and tips for suitable places to stay. On special request, we can also make reservations for your desired accommodation in your name. A few weeks before the start of your sailing charter, we will send you a preference sheet where you can tell us your wishes for the catering during the trip.
The Preference Sheet contains:
- Pick up from the airport or hotel
- Special dietary requirements
- Preferred breakfast and cuisine
- Vegetarian / vegan meals (if required)
- Your preferred wines and other drinks
- Your favourite sundowner drink
- Ages of children
- Sizes for scuba diving equipment
We recommend that you purchase Travel and Cancellation Insurance covering the activities that you are about to book. If you asked us to arrange transport from the airport or from your hotel, our minibus driver will pick you up and bring you right to the sailing yacht. At your arrival you will meet our representative or the skipper of the yacht, to settle any final questions. If necessary. Last-minute arrangements can also be made before you embark on your charter holiday.
Upon Return, we will usually try to meet you at the pier to make all travel arrangements for you, so you won’t have to worry about anything. The skipper will contact us prior to your arrival to inform us of your needs.
Crewed Charters
The crewed yacht charters with Sailing Phuket include the services of a dedicated captain and chef/hostess as well as all catering. According to your own wishes, you can either choose to go for a relaxed sailing vacation onboard one of our yachts and never leaving the netting with a good book in your hand, or you can be as active as you like. You can, for example, sail the boat all by yourself, or take your family out kayaking and snorkelling or scuba diving. Our charter yachts are also equipped with all fishing equipment, so you can catch your own dinner.
Our experienced skippers are aware of all the great spots to visit and they know when it is the best time to arrive there. On a crewed yacht charter you will never need to worry about cooking, cleaning, or even the safety of the yacht itself.
Bareboat Charters
On a bareboat charter with an Engineer/Guide, you will be the skipper of the sailing yacht! Nevertheless, you will have an engineer on board to make sure everything runs smoothly. His job is to help you with mechanical tasks like checking the oil, the water and all other running systems of the yacht. The engineer will also be able to fix problems on the spot.
Additionally, our engineer is also a renowned sailor who will be happy to act as your guide at sea and land. He will give tips about the best sailing grounds and the best anchorages. He knows where to go out to eat and where you see the most colourful corals while snorkelling.
Having an engineer aboard your bareboat charter is not only practical, it is mandatory. We do not hire our yachts out as full bareboat charter without crew. The main difference between crewed charter and bareboat charter is the price. The rates for bareboat charter are lower but you will have to take care of all the additional expenses. The expenses include the provisions including the ones for the engineer, the fuel for the yacht and dingy, water supply, marina fees and so on. Another thing you have to consider is that you have to prepare your own meals and look after the cabins and the cleaning of the yacht by yourself. A bareboat charter might be the better choice for you if you prefer to eat ashore frequently and you don’t need or want the excellent personal service and the comfort of a fully crewed charter.
We require proof of adequate sailing experience and appropriate qualifications to charter our yachts as bareboat with engineer. We always recommend a fully crewed charter as this is the best option to fully enjoy your holiday!
Additional Options
We also specialize in the design of special occasion sailing trips that need to meet special requirements or requests. We have listed some examples below:
- Wedding Trips and Honeymoons
- Wedding- or any other Anniversaries
- Reunion of friends or family
- Corporate Events or Incentive Sailing Trips
- Team Building Events
- Scuba Diving Courses
- Special Diets
- Onboard massage
- And Whatever Comes to Mind
After you book the sailing yacht, get in touch with us as soon as possible and let us know your requirements and wishes early. If we have enough time to organize, almost anything is possible.
A word about catering: We will do our best to accommodate your personal dietary requirements. For example, we love vegetarian meals and they always delight everyone aboard, not only the vegetarians!
Simply sailing question… because our service beats the rest!
Imagine waking up on your private yacht every morning on a different secluded beach. Imagine deciding whether your day’s activity should include swimming, diving or kayaking, or maybe just a walk on the beach or to go and explore a new island. During the day, you can plan to sail to the next beautiful island and ask our skipper or engineer for advice. You can also just relax and enjoy another beautiful day at sea. Our charter yachts are perfectly fitted for sailing around tropical islands. The boats are in excellent condition and very reliable!
On a crewed yacht charter with Sailing Phuket, you won’t have to worry about anything other than making the most of your days! Your experienced crew is looking after the boat, your meals and the cleaning. They are also your personal tour guides during your whole sailing vacation.
Onboard our sailing catamarans, you are the VIP guest on a floating resort with the advantage of an ever-changing scenery. Your meals are prepared just the way you like them, and you will never get bored. While you are sailing to the next beautiful spot, you are most welcome to participate as little or as much in the sailing activities. If you have an interest in sailing, and you want to learn more about this fascinating sport, the crew will be happy to teach you the art of sailing and navigating a yacht.
Four good reasons to choose Phuket Sailing Tours
- What you see is what you get: with Sailing Phuket all information is transparent, with no hidden costs or issues
- Booking is as easy as 1-2-3
- Choose your preferred catamaran for an excellent cruising holiday
- And most of all; You can Rely On Us!
Total freedom and diversion in a perfect setting
A private sailing yacht charter offers you the variety and the flexibility you will hardly find on land-based holidays. You get to see beaches and views that other people can only dream of, let alone getting to. Each of our yacht charters are individually customized to our client’s requirements.
- No set departure dates
- Total freedom and control over your sailing vacation
- No fixed schedules which you have to adhere to
- No strangers sharing your holiday
- Anchorages and beaches all to yourself when you choose to
- Visit villages, bars and restaurants whenever you like
A sailing yacht can be many things at once; our charter catamarans will be your hotel, your restaurant, bar and swimming pool. It will be your favourite chill-out place and your marine sport centre. The yacht will quickly become your home away from home and you will never have to pack to get to the next destination!
For Example – Water Sports
Our charter catamarans are well equipped for all kinds of water sport activities, including fishing, snorkelling, kayaking, scuba diving and of course, and best of all, sailing!
Then there are Land Activities like:
- Visit a fishing village in Phang Nga Bay
- Visit temples in Krabi and Phuket
- Explore islands and beaches
- Filming and photo shooting
- Go rock climbing in Phi Phi Island or the famous Railey Beach
- Visit ancient worshiping caves in Krabi and Koh Lanta
Delicious and always plenty!
One of our most frequent sailing questions… The meals on board our yachts are excellent. Our cooks know their job and your best bet is to let them do what they do best, cooking! Just sit back and enjoy the magic of what you will get served. With prior notification, we will be happy to meet your personal food requirements. We will send you a preference sheet before your arrival, where you can indicate all your wishes and preferences for food and drinks aboard your charter yacht. You can check out pictures and options of our boat food here.
We are also well aware of what kids on the boat like to eat and drink and they are always very pleased with our range of foods.
Sailing builds up a healthy appetite and we have developed a reputation for providing exquisite meals we can be proud of. We are creative and pay particular attention to the freshness of the meals we serve aboard and we are working hard to maintain the quality and variety of our food. Fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood are all prepared in Asian or European style, much to your likings.
The morning starts with a hearty breakfast, Asian, European or American, with plenty of fresh fruit, coffee or tea. Lunch is often enjoyed at an anchorage outdoors on deck under the awning. Snacks or a fresh fruit platter are served in the afternoon. Then you can choose to have dinner aboard or enjoy an evening in a romantic beach restaurant somewhere underway. Occasionally a delightful beach barbecue is offered as well.
A sun downer will be served when the sun is at a 10 degree angle to the horizon.
Thai Cooking
If you have any interest in learning more about Thai cooking, our chef will be happy to share her recipes with you and show you in detail how delicious Thai dishes are prepared, allowing you to surprise your friends back home with an exotic meal, where you can show them all the great photos and videos you shot on during your sailing vacation in Thailand!
Yes, for sure you can! Children love sailing with us!
A very important sailing question… Your children will love you even more if they can go sailing with you! The water activities we provide aboard our yachts are suitable for all ages and children who love playing in the water. They can explore the surroundings on kayaks or they can be involved in the sailing of the boat. They can help out with the sails, steer the yacht and learn new things they can later tell their friends about.
All of our skippers are used to having children aboard and many have young families of their own. They all are aware and familiar with the needs and the safety of children aboard. Catamarans are especially suited for holidays with younger children as they have well-protected cockpits and are more stable than single hull boats. The swimming and diving platforms provide easy access into and out of the water. Here is more information about sailing with kids
A few things you need to make your sailing charter perfect
For clothing bring casual wear, mostly shorts and T-shirts, swimsuits, flip-flops or waterproof sandals and good walking footwear for venturing ashore. Although, the climate is tropical, humid and warm, you will sometimes need long sleeves in the evening and lightweight longer trousers to protect you against occasional mosquitoes on shore. If your sailing destination is Myanmar (Burma), and you would like to visit villages ashore, it would be custom to wear clothes that cover knees and shoulders.
Here are some items to bring on your yacht charter
- Sun protection; a hat or any other headgear and non-oily, reef safe sunscreen as oily sunscreens make the decks slippery and also leave permanent stains on cushions.
- Mosquito spray for going ashore. Mosquitoes are usually no issue on the water
- Bring your own medication if you need any. A generic first aid kit is of course already aboard.
Snorkelling and Scuba Diving
Bring your own mask, snorkel and fins if you like. Although we have quite an assortment of equipment sizes aboard all our yachts, we cannot guarantee the perfect fit. Your own equipment will always fit best. If you have small children it is best to bring their own masks. If you are expecting to scuba dive you are welcome to bring your own dive gear, but dive equipment is also available for hire aboard. If you plan to rent our equipment, please, let us know your sizes prior to embarkation. Scuba tanks, weights and weight belts are standard equipment on dive yachts.
Bags and Luggage
Hard luggage can easily damage woodwork and paint on a sailing yacht, therefore please be so kind as to bring only soft-sided luggage such as duffel bags or backpacks aboard the yacht. Storage space is limited on our yacht and storing soft luggage is also a lot easier.
Bedding, sheets and towels are of course provided on the yacht.
We have often heard this sailing question, and we are aware that this is a genuine concern of many unfamiliar with sailing in Thailand. We can say with the utmost confidence – there is NO PIRACY whatsoever in the areas where we take our guests sailing. Neither in northern Malaysia, in Thailand nor Myanmar! Please view the online piracy reports from the International Chamber of Commerce – Commercial Crimes Services (ICC) if you are still concerned.
According to this report, the last act of piracy in the Andaman Sea around Thailand was recorded over 60 years ago!
The only pirates you might encounter in Thailand today look like the one in our picture:
Important Information
Terms & Conditions, along with some pre arrival Information are available to download here
Preference Lists
These questionnaires are to help us ensure that your selected yacht is fully equipped and ready for your charter with us. Please complete this form and have it returned to us at your earliest convenience. If the event we have not covered everything, there is an additional comments section at the foot of each form for you to add anything you think may be necessary. And of course, you can always email us directly, at any time.
