Shibuli Leopard 40 Yacht Charter in Phuket

About this boat

Shibuli is the shortest Leopard on this pontoon, and shortness is a real advantage in the bay. At forty feet she draws less and turns tighter than the fifty-footers, so the crew can take her into the small anchorages behind the limestone where a longer catamaran has to stand off and send a tender. On a day built around Koh Hong and the inlets of Phang Nga Bay that is the difference between looking into a lagoon and being in one. She carries fifteen guests by day and sleeps six overnight in three air-conditioned cabins with two bathrooms — the same accommodation as the forty-three-foot boat beside her, at the same fifty-nine thousand baht, so the choice between them comes down to whether you want the extra deck or the extra manoeuvrability.

Two decks of living space, a flat platform at anchor and an easy swim step come as standard with the catamaran layout. A floating mat, an inflatable pool, a kayak, paddleboards, fishing gear and snorkelling equipment are aboard. From Boat Lagoon Marina the natural range is the sheltered water: Phang Nga, Koh Hong, Koh Yao. She is right for a family of six to ten who value getting close in over deck space.

She is wrong for a large group, and for anyone planning the southern islands. A note on how the crew uses the shorter hull: on a day in the bay they will often plan an extra stop that the bigger boats cannot make, which is where the value shows. Ask the manager to build the route around that rather than booking the standard itinerary, since it is the only real reason to choose forty feet over forty-three.