Bali 4.8
Dream Yacht's Bali 4.8 — six cabins, six heads, full kit out of Phuket
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Limestone Karsts. Flat Water. Hong Lagoons.
Phang Nga Bay is the headliner; everything around it earns the trip.
Overview
Thailand bareboat charters depart from Phuket and work the Andaman Sea — flat-water cruising under towering limestone karsts, with hong lagoons (collapsed-cave atolls accessible at the right tide), the Phi Phi Islands south, and Phang Nga Bay north. The cruising is short-hop and protected — most overnights are in calm anchorages with limestone walls on three sides. Provisioning happens in Phuket before departure; the islands offer fresh seafood and almost nothing else.
What's hard: the wet season (May–October) is unreliable for charter — monsoon storms, reduced visibility. The dry season (November–April) is short and the most popular anchorages (Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh) are subject to daily visitor caps; book around them. Long-tail tourist boats from Phuket converge on the same anchorages by 10am.
Best for charterers who want a Southeast Asian sailing experience, photographers (the karsts at sunrise and sunset), and groups willing to start days early to beat the day-tripper traffic.
Quick Facts
- Best months
- November – April. Peak season is December–February. May–October is monsoon.
- Sailing conditions
- Light to moderate NE 5–15 knots November–February. Flat water inside the karst islands.
- Water temperature
- 82–86°F year-round.
- Typical trip length
- 7-day most-booked.
- Cruising character
- Protected karst-island cruising. Short hops, flat water, dramatic anchorages, daily long-tail traffic.
- Customs
- Visa-free for most nationalities for tourist stays up to 30 days. Charter base handles permits.
- Currency
- Thai Baht. USD accepted at marina; baht for shore-side spend.
Sample Itineraries
All depart and return from the charter base. Distances are approximate nautical miles.
7-Day Active — Phuket Loop
- Day 1 — Phuket (Yacht Haven Marina) → Koh Yao Yai. ~12nm E. Short first sail. Anchor in one of the bays on the west side. Quiet — Yao Yai sees a fraction of the traffic of Phi Phi.
- Day 2 — Koh Yao Yai → Koh Hong (Phang Nga Bay). ~8nm N. The hong here is the namesake — a collapsed-cave lagoon you enter by kayak or paddleboard at low tide.
- Day 3 — Koh Hong → James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan). ~10nm N. Famous from The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). Crowded mid-day with tour boats; anchor and wait until 4pm when they leave, then dinghy in.
- Day 4 — James Bond Island → Koh Roi. ~8nm S. Another hong; less-visited because it requires more time. Best at high water.
- Day 5 — Koh Roi → Phi Phi Don. ~30nm S. Long sail. Anchor in Tonsai Bay (loud) or Loh Dalum (quieter). Phi Phi town for dinner and the night scene.
- Day 6 — Phi Phi Don → Maya Bay (Phi Phi Leh). ~3nm S. Maya Bay — the Beach location — operates on daily visitor caps; book mooring access ahead. Anchor at Loh Samah Bay on the south side if Maya is full.
- Day 7 — Phi Phi Leh → Phuket. ~25nm W. Return sail back to Yacht Haven.
Available Yachts in Thailand
Anchorages Worth Planning Around
Koh Hong (Phang Nga Bay)
Why stop here: Hong lagoons are collapsed limestone caves with sky-open centers — you enter through low passages at the right tide and find yourself in a circular pool surrounded by 100-meter limestone walls. Koh Hong's hong is the most accessible.
Holding & approach: Anchor in the bay outside the hong in 25–40 feet of sand. Don't take the boat into the hong. Use the dinghy, kayak, or paddleboard — entry only at mid-rising tide; at low tide the entrance is closed.
What to do: Enter the hong by paddleboard at mid-rising tide. Wait inside for the tide to change and float out. Mangroves at the edges; fish life dense.
Getting There
- Airport
- Phuket International (HKT). Direct flights from regional Asian hubs (Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur) and an increasing number of European cities. From the US, connect via BKK, SIN, or HKG.
- Charter Bases
- Dream Yacht Charter — Yacht Haven Marina, Phuket (north side, near the airport).
- Airport Transfer
- HKT to Yacht Haven is ~15 minutes by taxi.
- Customs & Check-in
- Visa-free for most nationalities. Bring passport.
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