Sunset Cruise in Phuket on a Private Yacht

A sunset charter is two hours on a private yacht in the early evening: out of the marina, into the nearest bays, the light going, and back after dark. It is the shortest format we run and the one that needs the least planning — no islands to reach, no lunch, no programme beyond the sunset itself.

What is a sunset cruise?

Departure about an hour and a half before sunset, which on Phuket falls between roughly 18:15 in December and 18:45 in June. The yacht stays close: the bays within a few kilometres of the departure marina, so that most of the two hours are at slow speed or at anchor rather than in transit. Drinks on deck, the crew handling everything else, back alongside when the light has gone.

Who is it for?

• Couples — including a proposal. Two people on an 80-foot yacht is not too much boat; it is the point.
• Small groups of up to 10 or 12 who want the evening, not the day.
• Guests attaching an evening to a conference or a wedding — a short charter fits after the working day.
• Anyone testing whether a full-day charter is for them. Two hours answers the question.

It is not the format for reaching islands, for swimming — the light is going — or for groups that want a meal aboard: two hours is a drinks charter, not a dinner one, unless dinner is arranged in advance.

When is it available?

Every month except the peak season. From 20 December until 10–20 January, depending on the boat, the fleet runs full days only and the two-hour format is not offered. Outside those weeks — any date the boat is free.

Which yachts run sunset cruises?

Any boat in the catalogue — the two-hour format is available across the fleet, from a speedboat to a luxury yacht. Our three own yachts, each with a Russian-speaking manager aboard:

Yacht	Length	Guests	Departs from
Technema 89 Say Yes	89 ft	up to 30	Chalong Pier
Ferretti 80 Sofia	80 ft	up to 25	Chalong Pier
Beluga 88	88 ft	up to 22	Ao Po Grand Marina

From Chalong the evening goes along the southern coast; from Ao Po, into the calm water of Phang Nga Bay. For a couple, a small motor yacht or a speedboat does the same evening at a lower rate — the catalogue by type is on the boat tours page.

What is included?

Captain and crew, fuel for the route, passenger insurance, water, soft drinks and ice, towels, and a final price in Thai baht. Hotel transfer is not included on a sunset charter — it is the one format where you make your own way to the marina; we send the pin and the time. Alcohol, canapés or a dinner are arranged in advance and quoted separately — what's included, in detail.

How much does a sunset cruise cost?

Price on request, always: a sunset charter is priced per boat and per date rather than from a table. Send the date and the number of guests and you get the boats that are free with a final figure within the hour, at any hour of the day.

When is the best time of year?

Any month, with a difference in what you get. November to April is the settled season: flat water, clear horizon, the sun going down into the sea. May to October brings cloud and the occasional evening shower — and the most dramatic skies of the year when the cloud breaks. A sunset charter is the one format where a dull afternoon can turn into the best evening of the trip.

If the Thai Marine Department closes the port, the charter moves to a new date or is refunded in full, your choice.

What does the evening look like, hour by hour?

For a sunset at 18:30:

• 16:45 — you arrive at the marina; the pin and the time come with the confirmation.
• 17:00 — boarding, the yacht leaves the marina.
• 17:20 — the first bay; the yacht slows, drinks come out.
• 18:00 — anchored for the light. The crew positions the boat so the sun sets over open water, not behind the island.
• 18:30 — sunset.
• 19:00 — under way back, the coast lit up.
• 19:15 — alongside.

What should I bring?

Very little. A light layer for after dark — the breeze picks up when the sun is gone. A camera; the phone will do. Anything you want to drink beyond what is aboard, arranged in advance. Shoes come off at the gangway on most boats. Swimwear is optional: the water is warm at sunset, but the light is going and most guests stay on deck.

How do I book?

The date, the number of guests, and whether it is an occasion. A 50 % deposit confirms; the balance is paid on the day. Any yacht can be viewed before you book, free of charge.