Thailand

A little about ThailandThe

Kingdom

of Thailand

, once Siam, is located in Southeast Asia. The main part of Thailand is inland, surrounded by Myanmar (Burma), Laos and Cambodia. The other part lies on the Malay Peninsula and borders Malaysia. This area also divides Thailand into two important areas for us - the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. The length of the Thai coastline is about 3200 km. Thailand is a paradise for tourists of all kinds for many reasons. More than 90% of Thais profess Buddhism and every man in Thailand should become a monk at least once in his lifetime! Thais by principle try to avoid conflicts and do not want to lose face, so even problems are solved with a smile in Thailand. But where and what problems... ? Let's go back to the sea!

For us yachtsmen, Thailand is divided into two areas - the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. The Gulf of Thailand is the sea east of the Malay Peninsula. In its eastern part lie the islands of Koh Chang, Koh Samet, Koh Sichang as well as important cities such as Chanthaburi or the seaside resort of Pattaya. In the western part of the Gulf of Thailand you will find a trio of islands - Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao, as well as the holiday resorts of Cha-am and Hua Hin and the city of Phetchaburi with the remains of Khmer culture. The distance between these areas is about 190 Nm and there is a minimum of boaters.

The Andaman Sea, in contrast, is busier and a very popular destination for yachtsmen. The starting point for sailing in this area is the island of Phuket, followed by the Krabi area with the islands of Koh Phi Phi and the Phang Nga area. This area is famous for the beautiful limestone formations that rise high out of the sea, creating a unique panorama and an unrivalled variety of local islands and rocks. To the north of Phuket you will find the Similan and Surin Islands, and to the south the islands of Koh Lanta, Koh Muk, Koh Kradan, Koh Rok and many others. Near the border with Malaysia lies the beautiful Tarutao National Park.

Weather and climate

Thailand lies in a monsoon area outside the range of tropical storms. When planning a holiday in Thailand, you only need to know where and when it rains.

From about the end of November to the end of April, the northeast monsoon prevails and the rest of the year the southwest monsoon prevails. Wind strength is usually around 5 - 15kn and rarely exceeds 20 - 25kn. The climate is tropical, with year-round temperatures around 30°C. During the northeast monsoon it rains more in the Gulf of Thailand, while the Andaman Sea has a drier season. Conversely, during the southwest monsoon, it rains more in the Andaman Sea and less in the Gulf of Thailand.

So when to go where? Preferably from December to April in the Andaman Sea, you will have the driest season with the best sailing conditions, but you can go to Thailand anytime! You will always find plenty of safe and beautiful places to sail! I know from personal experience that you can sail the same route twice and when the monsoon changes, you feel like you're in a completely different place and it's beautiful every time!

IslandsPhuketThe largest

island of Thailand and the centre of action in the Andaman Sea. In the north of Phuket is the international airport, where you'll likely fly in and from where you'll head to one of four marinas. The northernmost and most used for charters, Yacht Haven marina is located in a well-protected channel between Phuket and the mainland. In this marina it is important to take the tidal currents into account. In the Andaman Sea, the maximum difference between tide reaches up to 3 meters! Other marinas are Ao Po, which is without problems, Boat Lagoon and Royal Phuket Marina. In Boat Lagoon and Royal Phuket Marina you have to watch the tide again, this time because of the depth. It is only about 40cm at low tide in the artificially dug channel! All these marinas are located on the east coast of Phuket and encourage you to explore Phang Nga Bay and the Krabi area. On the west coast of Phuket you will find several nice bays suitable for anchoring. These mostly correspond with the tourist centres of Phuket, such as Patong, Karon, Kata and the southernmost and prettiest Nai Harn. The busiest anchorage in Phuket is Ao Chalong. Chalong is the only place on Phuket where you can check-in - check-out if you intend to sail outside the borders of Thailand. You'll find a gas station where you can refuel and the adjacent town offers everything you could possibly need. You can also rent a car or motorbike and explore the island.

Ko Similan and Ko SurinNational

Parks located 50 and 80 Nm northwest of Phuket. Here you will find diving sites among the best in the world, uninhabited islands, secluded bays and beautifully clear seas. If you are planning a "people-free" holiday, head in this direction. You need to stock up sufficiently in Phuket, here you will only find the bases of the local park rangers and their very simple restaurants.

Ko Phi PhiKo

Phi Phi are two limestone islands belonging to the province of Krabi.

Koh Phi Phi Don is the larger and more populated one. This island is shaped like a butterfly and is basically two rock formations connected by a sandy beach. However, it is built up and is the centre of all the action. You will find a plethora of restaurants, hotels, diving schools, massage parlours and shops with all kinds of... The streets are full of tourists, but no cars or motorbikes. In the evening, there are plenty of bars and discos. Some bars attract loud music, others Thai boxing, but alcohol flows everywhere and the beach discos usually end at sunrise.

Dive centres also advertise Czech instructors, so don't hesitate and if you like to dive, take advantage of this opportunity! There are some really top-notch dive sites around Phi Phi! Be sure to head south of the Phi Phi Islands for a dive around the rocks of Bida Nai and Bida Noi, or perhaps to the wreck of the King Cruiser. There will be fish, coral, and if you're lucky, even a whale shark!

Around Phi Phi Don Island there are several bays suitable for anchoring. The main bay and harbour is Ton Sai Bay on the south side. There is a lot of traffic, but it dies down in the evening and you can sleep peacefully. In case you want to use one of the many buoys, be sure to check that this buoy is indeed free! The northwestern bay, Loh Dalam Bay, is much more picturesque and quieter during the day. Here you need to watch out for the far-out reefs that make disembarking at low tide impossible, and in the evening you anchor right in front of all the discos. The last option is Loh Lana Bay in the north, it's quiet in season and most of the buoys are free as local boats anchor in Ton Sai Bay.

Koh Phi Phi Leh is a smaller and uninhabited island, but according to many travellers it is one of the most beautiful in the world! And that's not an exaggeration! It's anchored in Maya Bay, made famous by the movie The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio. Thousands of tourists head here during the day, so you need to arrive in the afternoon and spend the night. We're sure you'll agree that there's no place like it! You can snorkel and dive right under your boat!

Koh LantaAnother

pleasant island where time has stopped. Ko Lanta may also be tourist-oriented, but compared to bustling Phuket, it's exactly the kind of tourism most visitors to Thailand dream of. You can find everything here, but somehow in a smaller way. It's pretty quiet here, so it's suggested to rent a scooter and explore the island by land.

Anchoring is possible all along the west coast, the bottom here drops gently and one beach succeeds another - just take your pick! The best anchorages are in the bay off Klong Dao Beach in the north and Kantiang Bay in the south.

A little south of Koh Lanta are several smaller islands that are not to be missed! Ko Ngai, Ko Kradan and Ko Muk - one is prettier than the other! It's hard to say which beach is the nicest here, the tourist guidebook says "an excessive amount of beautiful beaches". Plus, with a sailboat you have a completely different freedom of movement, and you'll be surprised to know that you'll usually be anchored here alone! On all these islands you will find small resorts and restaurants. There is also wonderful snorkeling all around. There are also a few easy dive spots off Koh Ngai, Koh Waen and Koh Kradan. The biggest attraction on the west of Koh Muk is the so-called "hong" - which is like a hole in the island. There are more places like this in Thailand, but this is definitely the nicest! To get to this "hong" you have to swim through an inconspicuous, 80m long cave. A sea kayak is a plus here, a waterproof torch a must! At the end of the cave is a white beach and a few trees - all enclosed in vertical rocks rising to a huge height! It is said that pirates once temporarily hid their loot here.

Koh RokThere

are two Koh Rok

islands

and they lie 10 Nm west of Koh Kradan. Ko Rok is one of Thailand's many national parks and except for the ranger station they are uninhabited. During the day, boats of day-trippers head here, which are mainly divers. Nowhere else will you find such clear seas and such beautiful snorkeling and diving. Dive sites are practically everywhere around both islands! And the beaches again... They anchor between the islands on buoys, but be careful because not all buoys are in deep enough water!

Koh BulonAnother

island that is a good place to stop on the way south. Again, there are a few resorts and restaurants on the island, and a beautiful beach on the northeast of the island. Right in front of the beach are two buoys suitable for sailboats. In a strong northeast monsoon, it is better to anchor in the south of the island and take the dinghy to the southern bay with its picturesque native village. Caution! You must not enter this bay! There is no water there and the buoy that is there is dry at low tide!

Tarutao National

ParkTarutao

National Park

is in the south of Thailand, just off the border with Malaysia and is made up of five islands. The largest of these is Tarutao, then the islands of Ko Adang, Ko Ravi, Ko Butang and Ko Lipe. This main group of islands is joined by several smaller ones. The only tourist island is Ko Lipe. Ko Lipe is alive and well and has seen a lot of construction recently. All the beaches have been built up with hotels and more and more motorbikes and tuk-tuks are running around the island. The hustle and bustle here is almost comparable to Phi Phi Don - but that's where the similarities end. The beaches on Koh Lipe and the surrounding islands will remind you more of the Similans or the Seychelles. On the beautiful white beaches there are huge rounded rocks everywhere. You'll also find top-notch snorkelling and diving everywhere. Except for the island of Tarutao. Tarutao is the closest of all the islands to the coast and the sea around it is shallow and full of plankton, so visibility is poorer. Generally in Thailand, the more to the coast, the muddier the water! But Tarutao is an equally beautiful, mountainous island with large and deserted beaches and you'll find extensive mangrove rivers and mazes. There is a ranger station on the northwest side of the island and a little further on you will find a cave about 300m deep with lots of stalactites and stalagmites, plus total darkness! You can explore on your own or take a local guide. Tarutao is a big island, but it is almost uninhabited.

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