Itinerary

Phuket is Thailand’s largest island, which is often dubbed as the pearl of the Andaman Sea, or the “Pearl of the South”. Phuket’s natural resources- rocky peninsular, limestone cliffs, white powdery beaches, tranquil broad bays and tropical in-land forests, all contribute to making it the South’s wealthiest, busiest, most visited and most popular island and province in Thailand. Phuket is a superb starting place for your dive and sail adventure in Thailand. The central location of the island allows to plan sailing trips to the north, up to the Merigui Archipelagos and down south as far as the Butang archipellagos and Langkawi in Malaysia

Koh Racha or Koh Raya, consists of two Islands, Racha Yai and Racha Noi. The two islands are situated about 20 kilometres south of Phuket. Sailing down to Koh Racha is a comfortable one day cruise for a charter catamaran like the SY Nakamal. Racha Yai is considered to be one of the best diving and snorkeling destinations close to Phuket. Raja Noi is a bit smaller and a bit further away from Phuket than Racha Yai, so they are a great destination for a relaxed sailing weekend retreat. The cristal clear waters around Racha Islands offer often a visibility of 30+ meters, making it a perfect spot for a dive and sail adventure or a fishing trip.

Phang Nga Bay to the east of Phuket Islands offers calm sailing conditions all year round. Breath taking scenery every way you look and several islands with ‘Hongs’, the Thai word for ‘Room’ within the island. Access to these inner lagoons is only possible by kayak but the experience will be happily remembered.

The Phi Phi Islands are located, between Phuket and the western Andaman Sea coast of the mainland of Thailand. The two islands made famous in 2000 by the movie The Beach starring Leonardo Di Caprio. These islands boast beautiful bays, beaches, cliffs, caves with many options for dining on shore. Rock climbing and diving can also be organized on Phi Phi Don island.

The Krabi province of southern Thailand is located south of Phuket Island and is well known for it’s outstanding natural beauty and it’s famous limestone peaks. Krabi is the oldest known stettlement in whole Thailand, dating back to 35000 BC. Krabi is a true Thai countryside location. The unique rock formations around Railay Beach are attracting rock climbers from all over the world and you can find many rock climbing schools here. Every year, a Rock and Fire Festival is held at Railey Beach.

Koh Lanta is only a short sail from Phi Phi Islands. Ko Lanta consists of several different sized islands, of which the two largest are Koh Lanta Noi and Koh Lanta Yai. Koh Lanta has a very laid back atmosphere. It is popular amongst tourists who want to spend their vacation away from parties and crowds. With many restaurants ashore for dining out, Koh Lanta another ideal place to stop for the night and enjoy the beauty of southern Thailand.

Koh Ha (Floating Islands)’Koh Haa‘ in Thai means the “Big Five” islands. It is an excellent location for an over night stop with a beach and lagoon. Koh Ha, the largest of the five islands, is also a great spot for scuba diving, if you thinking of a dive and sail adventure on our charter yacht. On the south west coast you find a cave with two large entrances, leading to two connected cathedrals, rising up to 30 meters.

Don’t miss out on this beautyful island!, Koh Muk has a ‘Hong’ hollow lagoon within the island. Swim through the cave and enter the ‘Hong’, a magical experience. Koh Muk has a protected coast line ideal for exploring it by kayak. Kayaks are available aboard the SY Nakamal. It’s great fun to explore the island this way.

Kradan island is located approx. 16 kilometers east of Chao Mai Cape. The island belongs to the Haad Chao Mai National Park since it’s establishment in 1981. The island offers several tropical beaches, some of them belong to the most beautiful dazzling white beaches of the region. Besides some basic private bungalows, accommodation in tents can be booked with the National Park Office. Snorkeling is easy in the clear waters off the eastern coast, where some reefs are close to the beach.

The remote Surin Islands consist of 5 islands and is also another superb scuba diving sites with a pristine marine ecosystem. The islands are virtually uninhabited, except for a few sea gypsies, administratively, Surin islands are part of the Tambon Ko Phra Thong. The surrounding sea offers and outstanding array of soft corals and frequent sightings of rays and the elusive whale sharks.

The Similan island chain consists of a total of nine granite islands, Koh Similan, Koh Miang (two islands), Koh Bon, Koh Bayu, Koh Payu, Koh Payan, Koh Huyong and Koh Payang. Similan Islands National Park was established in 1982. The Similans are part of the Phang Nga Province in southern Thailand. The archipelago is located about 70 kilometers from Phang Nga town and about 90 kilometers north west of Phuket. The Similan Islands boasts fantastic snorkeling and scuba diving and is considered to be in the top ten diving and snorkeling locations in the world!

Koh Rok consists of two limestone islands approx. 30 kilometers south of Ko Lanta Yai. Ko Rok Nok and Ko Rok Nai belong to the Koh Lanta archipelago. Besides of the Marine Park Rangers, there are hardly any people living on Koh Rok. The islands are unspoiled, with some beautiful beaches like Ao Man Sai Beach, which blongs to the top ten most beautiful beaches in Thailand! Ao Man Sai is a long beach with white powder sand and crystal clear water, with fabulous coral reefs offshore. Walking from the beach into the rainforest will bring you with a few steps to a jungle of huge banyan trees. Walking a little further into trees will bring you to the neigboring beach Ao Tha Lu, a bay, surrounded by black limestone cliffs.

You can easily swimm the only 100 meters to Koh Rok Nai. The clear water and the colorful coral reefs between the islands are a beutiful snorkel spot. One of the most beautiful beaches on Koh Rok Nai is called Ao Sarn Chao (Spirit House Beach). Fishermen have built ‘spirit houses’ here for generations, to protect their ships and fishing gear. At the southern end of Koh Rok Nai you will find a pole mark which points to the end of Thailand.

The Tarutao National Marine Park consists of two island groups, Tarutao (หมู่เกาะตะรุเตา) and Adang-Rawi30 miles north east of Butang islands, Tarutao has a rich history with many pirate stories, during the second world war it was used to hold prisoners. In the north of the island is a river which can be canoe or dinghy deep into the mangrove forest. The island has some water falls and many hiking trails.

This less known island group lies just north of the Thai/Malaysia border. Butang Island Group is the ideal spot to escape the crowds! On these islands you will only find a few basic bamboo bungalows and some restaurants. The Butang Island Group offers excellent anchorage.

Koh Lipe is only 4 square kilometers small. It is flat and mainly dominated by lowlands in the middle portion. As water is available all year round, Lipe Island is home to the largest human settlement of the region. The 800 native inhabitants are sea gypsies, who settled on Rawi and Adang Island, before the establishment of the national park. The sea gypsies have their own tradition, culture, religion, language and dances, which clearly separate them from the Thai. The village has a community school, a clinic and some basic shops.

This Malaysia group of 99 islands is not only fascinating and beautiful but it is as well duty free! Langkawi is also known as “The Jewel of Kedah” and offers fast ferry services to mainland of Malaysia. Langkawi consists of two island areas: the Southern Islands, wich are more popular to tourists and the northern islands which are more secluded and almost without tourist traffic.Some of the most popular beaches on Langkawi are Pantai Tengah, Pantai Cenang, Pantai Kok, Burau Bay and Datai Bay. The biggest tourist attraction on the isdlands is the Langkawi Cable Car, which takes visitors up to the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang, where you find the famous Langkawi Sky Bridge.

One of the most beautiful destinations for your sailing vacation are the Andaman Islands! The beauty of these islands is without comparison. Secluded beaches, glass clear water, fantastic scuba diving and paradise like places to relax and enjoy your holiday. With more than 300 islands to choose, you can find some of the world’s best scuba diving and snorkeling at the Andaman Islands. For more information about our Sailing Cruises to the Andaman Islands, please visit our other website where you find a much larger article with many details and many more pictures on the exquisite sailing destination.

The Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar (Burma) is also referred to as Myeik Archipelago and lies north of Thailand, on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. The Archipelago consists of more than 800 islands. This region was opened to foreign tourism in 1997, after negotiations between the government of Burma and dive operators from Phuket. Nevertheless, still today, the only way to visit these waters, and therefore some of the best scuba diving destinations in the world, is either on a live aboard boat, together with many other divers, or on a private sail and dive charter through the Mergui Archipelago with SY Nakamal. Read more about Sailing and Diving at the Mergui Archipelago here.

The Ang Thong National Marnie Park is made up of 42 beutiful islands featuring mainly lime stone massifs, tropical rain forests and deserted beaches. This fascinating group of islands, within sight of Koh Samui to the north and west, is geographically different from the other islands in the region. The Ang Thong Marine Park is also the location, where the story of the book “The Beach” really took place.

Koh Tao is a small tropical island which has become world famous for it’s incredible snorkeling and scuba diving! A rich jungle in the center is surrounded by remarkably quiet, palm tree laced sandy beaches. Although the island’s main income today comes from scuba diving and diving courses, Koh Tao has much more to offer than diving alone. Try rock climbing, hiking through the hills, go bowling or play some crazy golf, Koh Tao has it all! we are working with a partner in the Gulf of Thailand, who can accommodate all your sailing wishes in this region. contact us for more information about sailing the east coast of Thailand.

Although Koh Phangan is most famous for it’s monthly Full Moon Parties which brings tens of thousands of party lovers to the island month after month, gaining on popularity every year, Koh Phangan has also many tranquil places for visitors to enjoy. The island offers Elephant Riding, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Kite Surfing, Rock Climbing and many more activities. Discover the beauty of the Gulf of Thailand by sailing around Koh Tao, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan!