What Boat Tours Can You Take from Phuket?

Boat tours from Phuket come in three kinds: a half day to nearby islands, a full day to Phi Phi, Racha or Phang Nga Bay, and overnight trips to the Similans. Horizon Cruises Phuket runs all of them as private charters: 91 boats from ฿23,900 per boat for 4 to 120 guests, from Chalong Pier, Ao Po Grand Marina, Boat Lagoon and Royal Phuket Marina. Send your date and headcount on WhatsApp for 2026/27.

Private boat tours or joining a group tour?

A group tour sells you a seat: a fixed departure, a fixed route, fifty other people, and a beach that is busiest exactly when your boat arrives. A small-group tour sells a seat on a smaller boat. Private island tours sell you the boat: you pick the day, the islands and the hour you leave, and the crew works around your group.

The cost works out differently too. A shared trip is priced per seat, so a group of ten pays ten fares. A private charter is priced per boat, not per guest: the rate covers the group up to the headcount shown on each yacht's page, and the group splits one figure however it likes, which is why groups above six or eight usually find the private option comparable or cheaper. There is no separate tour guide on a private charter; the captain and crew know the anchorages and show you where the reef is. What the whole-boat format includes is on private boat charter in Phuket.

Where do boat tours from Phuket go?

Eighteen destinations in southern Thailand each have a page on the Phuket destinations hub, with routes, timing and what to expect. They are grouped here by how far they are from the marina that serves them: the southern islands from Chalong Pier, Phang Nga Bay and the Krabi side from Ao Po Grand Marina.

Half day: Coral Island and Maiton. Full day: Phi Phi and Maya Bay, Racha, Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island

The Krabi side, overnight and multi-day

Distances are approximate and measured from the marina that serves each direction. Which pier your boat leaves from depends on where it is berthed and is confirmed when you book. The three most-booked full days have separate guides: a private charter to the Phi Phi Islands, a private charter to Phang Nga Bay and a private charter to Racha Yai and Racha Noi; the Similan Islands booking guide covers the two-day trip.

How long should a boat tour be?

The honest answer for a first trip is a full day. A half day works out to two or three hours at anchor once you subtract the travel, which is enough for one island and not much more. The sunset format, two hours in the bays near the departure pier, is covered on the sunset cruise page.

What does a boat tour from Phuket cost?

Prices are per boat, not per guest, up to the headcount shown on each yacht's page. Starting prices of the boats Horizon Cruises Phuket offers, by type, taken from each yacht's page:

The catalogue has forty-one motor yachts, twenty power catamarans, nineteen sailing catamarans, nine speedboats, one sailing yacht and one long-tail boat; the luxury yachts and superyachts are the larger motor yachts and are counted among them. Rates change with the season: November to April is high season, May to October is cheaper, and peak dates differ by boat and are shown on each yacht's page. The full breakdown by format and season is on the yacht charter prices page.

Which boat should you take: speedboat, catamaran or motor yacht?

The route rarely decides the boat. Group size and sea time do. Six types cover almost every trip that leaves Phuket, and the honest differences between them are speed, deck space and how much the day costs.

Long-tail boat: the lowest price for a short trip

The traditional Thai boat. Kiri Long-tail 40 takes eight guests from Chalong Pier (four are in the base rate) and has the lowest starting price in the catalogue, a four-hour morning, which makes it the simplest way to put a small group on the water for a half day to Koh Hey, while Maiton on this boat is a seven-hour day.

Speedboat tours: the fastest way to the far islands

The quickest way to put distance behind you. A speedboat cruises at 20 to 30 knots, which turns the run to Phi Phi into roughly an hour and a half and makes a half day to Koh Hey or Maiton worth doing. The trade is comfort: there is no interior to retreat into, and in choppy water you feel every wave. Best for small groups who want the maximum number of islands in one day. Nine speedboats and the long-tail are on the speedboat charter page.

Motor yacht: the default for a full day

The largest part of the catalogue. A motor yacht cruises somewhere between 9 and 28 knots depending on the hull, has an air-conditioned saloon, a proper head and shaded deck space, and carries a crew rather than just a captain. This is the format that makes an eight-to-nine-hour day feel short rather than long. See the motor yacht charter page.

Sailing catamaran: the flattest deck for a long lunch at anchor

Two hulls, so it barely rolls at anchor, and a wide flat deck between them. It is the slowest format on the list, 5 to 8 knots under sail, which rules out the far islands in a single day but makes it the most comfortable platform for a long lunch at one or two anchorages. Families and groups that plan to swim more than they travel usually end up here, and the largest, Lobster 78, takes the biggest group of any boat in the catalogue. Nineteen boats are on the sailing catamaran charter page.

Power catamaran: catamaran stability with engine speed

The compromise: catamaran stability with engines instead of sails, cruising around 8 to 18 knots. It reaches the Racha Islands or Phang Nga Bay comfortably in a day and stays flat once you stop, and the biggest, Pisces 85, carries the largest day group after the Lobster. Twenty boats are on the power catamaran charter page.

Luxury yacht and superyacht: cabins, full crew and multi-day range

A different category of booking: larger motor yachts with cabins, a full crew and the range for multi-day trips to the Similans or Koh Lipe. Chartered for events, for overnight cruising, or simply when the day itself is the occasion. The luxury yacht charter in Phuket page lists the yachts from 60 to 90 ft; the seven superyachts of 92 ft and longer, up to Vanora 170, are listed separately.

On group size. Every boat carries a licensed day capacity, printed on that boat's page. It is not a soft number: a boat licensed for twelve guests takes twelve, not fourteen, and the crew will not sail over the figure. Groups of roughly a dozen and up should filter by capacity first and choose the route second; it is the constraint that removes the most options. Above twenty guests the practical shortlist is large motor yachts, power catamarans and sailing catamarans, and the guide to the best Phuket yachts for groups of ten, twenty and thirty guests goes through it by name.

What a full day of island hopping looks like

Times below are for a standard full-day charter to Phi Phi. Other routes shift the middle of the day, not the shape of it.

Two things are worth knowing about that schedule. The first is that the itinerary is yours to move: a private charter has no timetable to hold to, and groups regularly ask to stay longer at one anchorage and drop another. The second is that the early departure is doing more work than anything else on the list. The same bay at half past nine and at eleven is a different place.

What is included in a Phuket boat tour, and what is not

On every boat Horizon Cruises Phuket offers: the captain and crew, passenger insurance, water and soft drinks, snorkelling gear (mask, snorkel and fins) and towels, plus fuel for the agreed route except where a yacht's page lists a fuel fee. The hotel pickup and return depend on the boat and are listed on its page. Lunch, alcohol and water toys depend on the boat and are listed on its page; lunch is usually not included on half days, and most boats let you bring drinks. Not included: national park fees where the route enters a park and the yacht's page does not list them in the rate, guests above the boat's included headcount, changing the departure pier, and extra hours beyond the programme.

National park fees are paid in cash on the day, per guest, unless the yacht's page lists them in the rate.

The Phi Phi Islands, Ao Phang Nga (James Bond Island, Hong Island), the Similan Islands and Banana Beach on Coral Island each collect a separate fee on arrival, with children at a reduced rate; the parks revise their rates from time to time, so we confirm the current figures with your quote.

What to bring, and what is already on board

Already on board on most boats: towels, masks, snorkels and fins, soft drinks, water and ice, a cool box, life jackets in adult and child sizes, shade and a marine toilet. Larger boats add an air-conditioned saloon, a sound system and a swimming platform.

Bring a hat, sunglasses, high-factor sunscreen (reef-safe if you have it) and a light long-sleeved layer for the middle of the day, which protects better than any amount of cream. Swimwear under your clothes saves the changing routine. Cash in baht for the park fees above. A dry bag if you want a phone with you on the tender. Leave behind hard suitcases, glass bottles and anything you would be upset to see go over the side; shoes come off at the gangway on most boats. Vegetarian, halal and allergy requirements are arranged in advance, so send them with the booking.

When is the best time for boat tours in Phuket?

November to April is the settled season on the Andaman Sea: light wind, flat water most mornings and the visibility that makes a snorkelling stop worth it. May to October is cheaper and quieter, and trips still run; the south-west monsoon brings wind and swell in bands rather than continuously, so the captain looks at the forecast on the morning and picks the side of the island that is in the lee. Trips very rarely cancel; they change shape. When conditions do not allow a safe departure, that is discussed case by case rather than settled by a fixed rule.

Whatever the month, leaving early matters more than most people expect. Shared tour boats reach the popular anchorages between ten and eleven, and a private boat that starts at eight has the same bay to itself for the first two hours.

Seasickness: most people who feel it feel it on the long legs, not at anchor, and a catamaran of either kind is far better than a monohull for anyone unsure. Take something before you board rather than after, and stay on deck where you can see the horizon. Children: there is no minimum age; child-sized life jackets are on board and the crew fits them. A speedboat is a long, loud, bouncy day for a small child, while a catamaran with shade and a flat deck is close to ideal. Tell us the children's ages when you book and the shortlist changes accordingly.

Where do private boat tours in Phuket leave from?

Phuket has no single yacht harbour. Boats are berthed across several marinas, and the one your charter leaves from depends on where that boat lives and which direction you are going. Chalong Pier on the south coast serves Coral Island, Maiton, the Racha group and Phi Phi; the captain handles the passenger registration there, and guests hand their passports to the crew. Ao Po Grand Marina on the north-east coast serves Phang Nga Bay, James Bond Island and the Krabi side, has no tide restrictions and is the closest of the four to the airport. Boat Lagoon and Royal Phuket Marina on the east coast share a tidal channel. The same island can be forty minutes closer from the right side of Phuket. Your departure point is confirmed at booking, with a pin and the time to be there; arrive fifteen minutes before departure.

How to book a private tour

• Send your date, group size and the islands you have in mind.
• You get back the boats that are free, with final prices in baht (THB).
• Payment confirms the booking: most boats take a 50% deposit with the balance before departure, some are paid in full at booking, and late cancellation is non-refundable. The exact terms are on each yacht's page and in the booking terms.
• Cash, bank transfer to the company account, credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay) or crypto. Thai baht, US dollars and Russian roubles are accepted.

New Year's Eve, Chinese New Year and Loy Krathong from the water: yacht charters on holiday dates.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a boat tour in Phuket?

The price is for the whole boat, and the rate covers the group up to the headcount shown on each yacht's page. The cheapest private boats are the long-tail and the sailing catamarans; a motor yacht starts at ฿33,900 and a power catamaran at ฿35,900, and the cost table above gives the starting price of every type. Season and route move the figure, and the quote you get back is final, in Thai baht.

What is the best boat tour in Phuket?

For a first visit, a full day to Phi Phi and Bamboo Island; for clear water with less travelling, the Racha Islands; for limestone scenery and a canoe into a lagoon, Phang Nga Bay from Ao Po. Each is a full day of eight to nine hours door to door on a private boat, and the right one depends on how much of the day your group wants to spend in the water rather than moving.

What are the best boat tours from Phuket to Phi Phi?

A private speedboat, motor yacht or power catamaran from Chalong Pier leaving at eight, so that Maya Bay is the first stop before the group tours arrive, then Pileh lagoon when the boat's draft allows and Bamboo in the afternoon. The Phi Phi guide linked above lists the boats that run this route with their per-route prices.

Can I book a private charter instead of joining a small-group tour?

Yes. Every boat on this site is chartered whole: your group, your route, your departure time. There are no shared departures and no fixed timetable, and groups of six or eight and more usually find the whole-boat price comparable to buying seats on a tour, with the boat to themselves.

How long is the boat ride from Phuket to the Phi Phi Islands?

About 48 km from Chalong Pier. A speedboat covers it in roughly an hour and a half; a motor yacht or power catamaran takes longer and arrives with the group rested, which is why the day starts early. A sailing catamaran is the slowest type, so ask us whether a given one fits Phi Phi in a day; a speedboat, motor yacht or power catamaran does it comfortably.

Are Phuket boat tours safe?

Every charter is skippered: a licensed captain and crew on every boat, passenger insurance included, life jackets in adult and child sizes on board, and no bareboat. The captain decides the route on the morning against the forecast and keeps to the sheltered side of an island when the wind is up; when conditions do not allow a safe departure, the day is discussed case by case.

Do boat tours run in low season?

Yes. From May to October trips run and cost less; the route is chosen on the morning according to the wind rather than fixed a week ahead, and the captain picks the lee of the island. The Similan Islands are the exception: the national park is open only in the dry season, so that trip is a dry-season booking.

Should a boat trip from Phuket be booked in advance?

In high season, yes: a date that can move by a day widens the choice of boats considerably, and a booking is held once the deposit, or on some boats the full price, is paid. Send the date, group size and the islands you have in mind on WhatsApp and you get back the boats that are free with final prices, at any hour of the day.