Yacht Charters on Phuket's Holiday Dates

Horizon Cruises Phuket charters private yachts on Phuket's three holiday dates of the 2026/27 season: New Year's Eve on 31 December, Chinese New Year on 6 February 2027 and Loy Krathong on 25 November 2026. The rate is the ordinary rate of that boat for that season, from ฿23,900 for the long-tail boat, with no holiday premium; what runs out is availability, so write to us on WhatsApp early, before the New Year's Eve boats are gone by October.

★ 5.0 on Google · 33 reviews

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day — 31 December 2026 and 1 January 2027

Fireworks go up along the west coast at midnight, and the biggest display is over Patong. From the water you see all of it at once: the whole bay lit, without the crowd on the beach. A New Year's Eve charter is an evening one — departure late afternoon, dinner aboard, anchored off Patong for midnight, back after one.

New Year's Day is the quietest day on the water in the whole peak season: everyone else is asleep. A full-day charter on 1 January reaches anchorages that are crowded every other day of the holidays.

Both dates fall inside the peak weeks, whose exact dates differ by boat and are shown on each yacht's page. Its end date is set per yacht and runs from mid-January to the end of February, so check the rate table on the boat's page before booking a date in late January or February. Peak rates apply; there is no additional New Year premium.

Dinner aboard on New Year's Eve is arranged on our yachts, priced on request per menu.

Chinese New Year — 6 February 2027

Phuket has a large Thai-Chinese community and the town celebrates for several days: lion dances, red lanterns, temple ceremonies. Chinese New Year 2027 begins on Saturday 6 February and opens the Year of the Goat. On the water it is a high-demand week — families and groups from across Asia travel for it — and February is also the middle of the settled season, with the flattest water of the year.

Charters on these dates are ordinary full-day or half-day charters at high-season rates. Book several weeks ahead; the larger yachts are the first to go.

Loy Krathong — 25 November 2026

On the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, Thailand floats krathong — small baskets of banana leaf, flowers and a candle — on rivers and the sea, to let the year's troubles drift away. On Phuket the beaches and piers fill after dark. In 2026 Loy Krathong falls on Wednesday 25 November.

From a yacht it is a different festival: you float your own krathong from the swimming platform in a bay away from the crowd, and watch the lights on the shore from the water. It is an evening charter, like New Year — departure at sunset, anchored for the ceremony, back late. November is high season and rates are high-season rates.

Krathong for every guest are made aboard — you do not need to bring anything.

Where do you anchor for the fireworks?

Off Patong, in the bay, far enough out to be clear of the tour boats and close enough that the display fills the sky rather than the horizon. The captain chooses the exact spot on the night by wind and by how many boats are already there — leaving Chalong around 19:00 puts you in position with two hours to spare. From Ao Po the run around the island is longer, which is why for New Year's Eve the two Chalong yachts are the natural choice and Beluga 88 is the one for a quieter New Year's Day in Phang Nga Bay.

How to plan the week around the date

The holiday charter is one evening or one day. The rest of the stay is ordinary high-season sea, and the anchorages that are packed on the holiday itself are empty two days later. A pattern that works: the celebration charter on the date, a full day to the islands two or three days after, when the crowds have gone home. Book both together — the boat you like is easier to hold for two dates than to find twice.

What does a holiday charter cost?

The same as any charter of that boat in that season. December 31 and January 1 are peak dates; Chinese New Year and Loy Krathong are high-season dates. From the fleet: the long-tail boat from ฿23,900, speedboats from ฿28,900, motor yachts from ฿33,900, luxury yachts from ฿100,000. Our yachts on a peak-season full day: Ferretti 80 Sofia from ฿180,000, Technema 89 Say Yes from ฿180,000, Beluga 88 from ฿299,600. Full tables by boat and season.

How do I book a holiday date?

Early. For New Year's Eve the boats are typically gone by October; for Chinese New Year and Loy Krathong, weeks ahead. Most boats hold the date with a 50 % deposit and take the balance before departure, and some are paid in full at booking. Late cancellation is not refunded, and on Technema 89 Say Yes, Ferretti 80 Sofia and Beluga 88 bookings for peak-season dates (20 December – 20 January) are non-refundable. If the Thai Marine Department closes the port on the day, a full refund or a new date, your choice.

Which yachts?

For a New Year's Eve evening with dinner and a view of the fireworks, our three yachts: Technema 89 Say Yes for up to 30, Ferretti 80 Sofia for up to 25, both from Chalong on the west side of the fireworks; Beluga 88 for up to 22 from Ao Po. For a full day on 1 January or a Chinese New Year island day, anything in the catalogue that is still free. Celebrations on a yacht covers what can be arranged aboard.

How the sea, the routes and the rates change through the rest of the year is laid out month by month in the guide to the best time to charter a yacht in Phuket.

Frequently asked questions

Is a yacht more expensive on New Year's Eve in Phuket?

No. A New Year's Eve charter is priced at the boat's peak-season rate, the same as any other night of the peak, whose exact dates are shown on each yacht's page. On a peak full day Ferretti 80 Sofia and Technema 89 Say Yes start at ฿180,000 each and Beluga 88 at ฿299,600; the full tables by boat and season are on the prices page.

What time do we leave for the New Year's Eve fireworks, and when are we back?

It is an evening charter: departure in the late afternoon, dinner aboard, then the yacht anchors off Patong, where the biggest display goes up at midnight, clear of the tour boats. Leaving Chalong Pier at about 19:00 puts you in position with two hours to spare, and the yacht is back after one in the morning. The captain picks the exact spot on the night by the wind and by how many boats are already there.

Can we float a krathong from the yacht on Loy Krathong?

Yes, and it is the point of the evening: the yacht leaves at sunset, anchors in a bay away from the crowded beaches, and every guest floats a krathong from the swimming platform while the lights of the shore show across the water. The krathong, small baskets of banana leaf, flowers and a candle, are made aboard, so there is nothing to bring. It is a high-season evening charter at the ordinary high-season rate.

Can we combine the holiday evening with an island day in the same week?

That is the pattern we suggest. The celebration charter takes one evening or one day; two or three days later the anchorages that were packed on the holiday are empty again, so a full day to the islands then is the quiet part of the week. Book both dates together: holding the boat you like for two dates is easier than finding it twice in the peak. New Year's Day is the quietest day on the water all season.

What happens if the weather stops the charter on the holiday date?

If the Marine Department closes the port that day, you choose a full refund or a new date. Otherwise the terms on a holiday date are those of the boat: most boats hold the booking with a 50 % deposit and the balance before departure, some are paid in full at booking, late cancellation is non-refundable, and on the New Year peak dates Say Yes, Sofia and Beluga 88 take no refund at all once booked. The written terms are on each yacht's page and on the terms page.