Ao Po Grand Marina Yacht Charter: Departures into Phang Nga Bay
Ao Po Grand Marina is where Horizon Cruises Phuket starts charters into Phang Nga Bay: 24 of the 89 boats in the catalogue are based here, and the airport is about half an hour away, the closest of the four departure points. The entrance has no tidal window, so the water never delays a departure. Tell us your date and group size on WhatsApp and we will list the boats free from Ao Po.
Getting to Ao Po Grand Marina
The marina is at 113 Pakhlok, Thalang District, on the northeast side of the island, and the drive depends heavily on where you are staying.
From the airport it is about half an hour — the shortest airport run of any departure point we work with. Guests who land in the morning and want to start the same day usually leave from here.
From Phuket Town the drive is around three quarters of an hour. From Patong it is close to a full hour, since the road crosses the island from west to east.
So Ao Po suits guests staying in the north and east of Phuket, and guests coming straight from a flight. If you are on the southern beaches, the drive is long enough that it is worth asking us whether a boat from Chalong Pier covers the same route.
Traffic varies day to day, so leave a margin on any of these times.
What is on site
Ao Po is a closed marina with facilities on site, not a public pier, and there is a place to sit while you wait:
- Parking on the upper area of the marina.
- A taxi booth in the car park, and an ATM at the corner of the upper car park.
- Port of Call, the marina restaurant, open from morning until late evening every day, and the d'deck bar in the evenings.
- A pool and a gym, which visitors who are not marina members can use for a fee.
- The marina office works from morning to early evening, every day.
The entrance to the marina is 50 metres wide and the marina is accessible 24 hours, with no tidal window to wait for. Departure time is still the captain's call, and you receive it before the charter.
Bring your passport. At Ao Po it goes on the passenger list the captain files, rather than through a registration app, but it is needed either way. Be at the marina fifteen minutes before the departure time.
Boats that depart from Ao Po Grand Marina
Twenty-four boats in the catalogue are based here, from a 40-foot boat for a small group up to a 170-foot motor yacht. Ten of them:
| Boat | Length | Guests, day trip |
|---|---|---|
| Fountaine Pajot 41 | 40 ft | up to 12, 8 overnight |
| Bali 41 | 41 ft | up to 12, 10 in the rate, 8 overnight |
| Ocean Pearl 42 | 42 ft | up to 20, 10 in the rate |
| Fountaine Pajot Astrea 42 | 42 ft | up to 12, 8 overnight |
| Leopard 47 Myra | 47 ft | up to 30, 10 in the rate, 6 overnight |
| Princess 65 | 65 ft | up to 20, 10 in the rate, 6 overnight |
| Pisces 85 | 85 ft | up to 85, 30 in the rate |
| Beluga 88 | 88 ft | up to 22, 12 in the rate, 8 overnight |
| Westport 130 Sea Bear | 130 ft | up to 40, 10 in the rate, 10 overnight |
| Vanora 170 | 170 ft | up to 80, 22 overnight |
Beluga 88 is one of our three yachts. The other two, Technema 89 Say Yes and Ferretti 80 Sofia, leave from Chalong Pier. Everything else on the list is a boat in the partner catalogue. Also berthed here is Song of Songs at 139 feet; the depth and the round-the-clock access are what keep hulls of this size in Ao Po rather than in a lagoon marina.
Rates and what is included sit on each boat's page.
Where Ao Po Grand Marina takes you
The marina opens directly onto Phang Nga Bay, so the limestone islands are the short run from here rather than the long one:
- James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan) and the surrounding karsts.
- Hong Island and Koh Panak, the islands with sea caves and inner lagoons you enter by kayak.
- Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai, the two large inhabited islands in the middle of the bay.
Ao Po Grand Marina to Koh Yao Yai. Koh Yao Yai lies east of the marina, across the bay. It is one of the shortest crossings from Ao Po, which is why a day trip there can be done without spending the morning under way — and why boats that stay overnight in the bay often anchor near the Yao islands. Ask us for the crossing time on the specific boat: a motor yacht and a sailing catamaran cover the same distance very differently.
The islands off the south coast — Coral Island, Maiton, Racha — are reachable from Ao Po as well, but the run is longer than from Chalong.
The day from Ao Po that pairs James Bond Island with the Koh Hong lagoon is set out boat by boat in the guide to James Bond Island and Koh Hong by private boat from Phuket.
Choosing between Ao Po and Chalong
Two things decide it.
Where you are staying. Ao Po is the short drive from the airport and from the north and east of the island. Chalong is the short drive from Patong, Phuket Town and the southern beaches.
Where you want to go. Phang Nga Bay, the caves and the Yao islands are close to Ao Po. Coral Island, Maiton and the Racha islands are close to Chalong.
If the two point in opposite directions, tell us which matters more and we will say which boats fit.
Ao Po is the closest departure point to Krabi: the day trip and the overnight options are in the guide Phuket to Krabi by yacht. Guests staying in Bang Tao, Laguna, Surin or Kamala will find the drive and the three nearest marinas compared in the article on a yacht charter from Bang Tao, Laguna and Kamala.
Questions and answers
How do I get to Ao Po Grand Marina from the airport?
By car, about half an hour in normal traffic — the shortest airport transfer of the four departure points. Taxis are available at the marina for the return, from the booth in the car park.
Is there somewhere to wait before boarding?
Yes. The marina restaurant opens in the morning and stays open into the evening, and there is a bar in the evenings. Fifteen minutes before departure is enough to be there, but nobody minds if you come earlier.
Do I need my passport?
Bring it. The captain files a passenger list, and the passport is what goes on it.
Does the tide affect departure time here?
The marina is accessible around the clock and has no tidal restrictions on entry. The departure time itself is set by the captain, and you get it before the charter.
Why are the biggest yachts based at Ao Po?
The marina is deep-water, takes vessels up to 499 tons across 230 berths, and the entrance is 50 metres wide. That is what a 130- or 170-foot hull needs, and it is why those boats are here rather than elsewhere on the island.
How long is the drive to Ao Po Grand Marina from Patong or Phuket Town?
Close to a full hour from Patong, because the road crosses the island from the west coast to the east, and around three quarters of an hour from Phuket Town. Traffic changes from day to day, so leave a margin. Guests staying in Patong or on the southern beaches often do better with a boat from Chalong Pier; tell Horizon Cruises Phuket where you are staying and we will say which departure point saves the drive.
Which islands can we reach from Ao Po Grand Marina in one day?
The marina opens straight onto Phang Nga Bay, so the nearest stops are its limestone islands: James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan), Hong Island and Koh Panak with their sea caves and kayak lagoons, and the inhabited Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai. The crossing to Koh Yao Yai, due east, is among the shortest from the marina. Coral Island, Maiton and Racha can be reached as well, at the cost of a longer run.
Is there a boat at Ao Po for a small group of six to eight people?
Yes. Azimut 46, a motor yacht based at Ao Po, carries up to eight guests by day and four overnight, and Ocean Pearl 42 is the compact motor-yacht choice when the party may grow, with room for up to 20. Both are partner boats in the catalogue; their rates, inclusions and peak dates are on their pages. Send the headcount and we will say which of the two fits better.
Can we stay overnight on a boat from Ao Po Grand Marina?
Yes. Several boats based here have cabins: Leopard 47 Myra and Princess 65 sleep six, Beluga 88 sleeps eight, Westport 130 Sea Bear ten and Vanora 170 as many as 22. Boats that spend the night in Phang Nga Bay often anchor near the Koh Yao islands, where the water stays calm. Tell us how many nights and guests and we will check the exact boat.
Booking
Send us the date, the number of guests and where you are staying. We come back with the boats free from Ao Po Grand Marina on that date, the route that fits, and the full amount in baht.
Contact us · Where yachts depart from in Phuket · Chalong Pier · Royal Phuket Marina · Boat Lagoon Marina
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