Gulf Charters Thailand

Thailand’s new cruising grounds

• Ko Chang (Nov to May)
• Ko Samui (Jun to Sept)
• Pattaya (Year round)
• Bareboat charter
• Skippered sailing holidays

It all starts with a great cruising ground…

The aim of Gulf Charters Thailand is to take you to cruising grounds that have not yet become mainstream yacht charter destinations. Anchor in total solitude and be the first to set foot on a long stretch of white powder-sand beach, visit hidden water falls and swim amongst the thousands of tropical fish living on the coral reefs. Stop at an empty bay and dine ashore in a fine resort. Gulf Charters Thailand offers you the opportunity to charter a yacht in the cruising areas of Koh Chang and Koh Samui before the crowds arrive.

Our Fleet, something for everyone…

Our Charter yachts range from 30ft keelboats to 52ft catamarans. Our brands include Catalina, Beneteau, Jeaneau, Fontaine Pajot and Wharram. The age of our yachts stretch from 2 years to 15 years. We like to think that we have a yacht to suit everybody’s style and budget.

Gulf Charters Thailand is owned by the people that manage it…we even write our own web site…you probably guessed that by now…We’re passionate about our sailing and our cruising area and we’ll bend over backwards to make sure you see it at its very best. We’re more than happy to answer as many emails as you care to send, we can assist with hotel bookings, advise on pre or post charter trips in the region, arrange transport, just let us know what it is you need and we’ll do our best to deliver.

Exceptional on board comfort…
Gulf Charters Thailand understands the need for comfort onboard so we’ve equipped our yachts with the best quality linens and fine galley equipment, all spotlessly clean when you board your charter yacht. You’ll find everything you need on your charter yacht to enjoy dinning aboard, from nice cutlery, wine glasses to coffee makers, be sure to bring fresh coffee!

Safely and on the water support…
Irrespective of the age of the yacht you charter, you will find that all of our yachts are meticulously maintained, spotlessly clean and are equipped with all the safety equipment you would expect to find on a coastal cruiser. If you do have problems on the water our staff aboard our dedicated support boat are ready to stop by and solve the problem.

Koh Chang

November through April
The Northeast Monsoon delivers perfect conditions for yacht charter at the Koh Chang Archipelago with over 50 islands and with all the very best bays and beaches offering a sheltered harbor to drop anchor.

This is a new yacht charter cruising area and has a freshness to it, in 2010 there are less than twenty yachts cruising the area so you can chose total solitude at a deserted bay or anchor off one of the many fine resorts, enjoy a beachside massage and the very best that Thai cuisine has to offer.

The Sailing conditions are comfortable, low stress and fun, perfect for a family sailing vacation and is location makes combining your sailing holiday with an overland holiday to Angor Wat in Cambodia a breeze, within 5 hours you can be taking in the days of old in a colonial style villa at one the worlds most treasured historical sites.

Overview of the area
The Ko Chang archipelago is a must see cruising ground, it’s 52 islands combine a balmy tropical climate with the lovely temperament of the Thai people, deserted long white sandy palm tree lined beaches, secluded anchorages and a scattering of restaurants and resorts offering up the very best that the Thai cuisine has to offer.

If snorkeling is your thing you’ll find living coral reef at most anchorages and an abundance of marine life and for a deeper look, diving can be arranged with local operators.

Beyond the abundant beaches, resorts and tropical rainforest walks, the area is of historical significance, situated in what was once named the Gulf of Siam and bordering Cambodia there remains influence of the Chinese traders of old and stories of piracy, the Japanese occupation during the second world war, the French occupation of Indochina or Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam combined. A little bit of research before you arrive will provide you with an endless opportunity to explore the islands beyond the shore line.

As of this writing there is a total of 20 yachts frequenting the area so you can be sure that there will be no jostling for moorings, often times you’ll have your anchorage all to yourself, a yacht entering a bay is still something that people take photo’s of and fishing boats still stand and wave as you pass by.

Koh Samui

June through September
The Southwest Monsoon brings a brief window of unsurpassed sailing conditions to Koh Samui and the surrounding islands of Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and the Ang Thong Marine Park.

Well known for its upscale island spa resorts the cruising area of Koh Samui and the surrounding islands is little know to the cruising yachtsman in 2010 there are less than twenty yachts cruising in the area, yet as a yacht charter cruising area it delivers exciting sailing and an abundance of picture perfect protected anchorages.

The Ang Thong Marine Park is simply spectacular and will soon be on the list of “must do’s” amongst the yacht charter community with its limestone atolls and breathtaking geography it will not remain a secrete for long.
Koh Samui is serviced by its’ international airport so it is an easy destination to get to, combine your charter with a little bit of luxury and pamper yourself at one of the many world-renowned spa resorts.

Overview of the area
Koh Samui is Thailand’s self-styled Boutique Island, with it’s ‘coconut’ feel, it offers an abundance of high end spa’s, restaurants and every imaginable luxury.

In spit of the fact that Samui is now almost entirely dedicated to the task of pampering the weary traveler the value of the surrounding area as a yacht cruising ground remains little known fact to the yacht chartering community.

The Ko Samui Cruising area includes the Islands of Koh Phangan, well know for its edgy full moon parties and the Island of Ko Tao, a world-renowned diving destination. We also take you to the virtually unheard of island group of the Ang Thong Marine Park which rivals the beauty of Phanga Bay one of the must see highlights of the Phuket cruising area.

Given the popularity of Koh Samui you would be mistaken to expect hundreds of yacht cruising the area, in fact at the time of this writing there is less than 30 yachts sailing in the area and only a handful of those are a available for charter.

A yacht charter holiday in Koh Samui provides a unique opportunity to go sailing in during the Southeast monsoon period from June to September. This is a time when the conditions in both Phuket and Ko Chang are untenable, providing those in the northern hemisphere the opportunity to go sailing in Asia during their summer holiday and for those on the south an opportunity leave the winter behind and head to the tropics.

Pattaya

All year round
Chartering a yacht is probably not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of Pattaya, long know for the nightlife that stemmed from the RR day of the Vietnam war. However, the waters off Pattaya deliver good solid sailing conditions all year round with plenty of deserted tropical bays to drop anchor for the night.

Pattaya is home to the only Marina in the Gulf of Thailand and supports Thailand’s most vibrant yacht racing community and host the Top of The Gulf regatta, one of Thailand’s largest sailing events.

Being just a bit over an hour away from Bangkok airport the Pattaya cruising area is a perfect destination if you are living in the region, a weekend breakaway from the pressures of business and the city and is well worthwhile and easy to do at very short notice.

Overview of the area
You may be surprised to think that just 10 miles off the coast of this bustling city, known better for its wild nightlife scene than for yachting, that there lie uninhabited islands lined with long sandy beaches and crystal clear water.

Just 20 miles north of Ocean Marina Yacht Club the island of Ko Sichang offers a step back in time, steeped with a seafaring history dating back may hundreds of years and supporting a Chinese style town and cave temple you would expect to see featured in a James bond movie.

Gulf Charters Thailand has its head office at Ocean Marina, located in Jomthien beach some 20kms south of the main town of Pattaya, this is the center of yachting in the Gulf of Thailand offering yacht maintenance facilities, chandleries and is fast becoming the center of boat building in Thailand.

From our Pattaya base we operate our International Yacht Training School and our Yacht Brokerage and Catalina Yachts agency.

The Cruising grounds off Pattaya offer a great opportunity for weekend escapes from Bangkok. The surrounding islands are managed by the Thai military and offer only limited access and no form of tourist infrastructure. Fortunately you can in a yacht anchor off the islands in protected bays and enjoy absolute solitude, deserted beaches and good swimming and snorkeling in crystal clear water.

For longer charters the island of Ko Samet lies some 60 miles to the southeast, this low key island supports a multitude of resorts ranging from high end spa’s to low key beach bungalows.

During the months of November through April we offer the opportunity for the more experienced and adventurous sailors the option of one way charters from Pattaya to Ko Chang, via Ko Samet. The journey includes a 60 mile stretch of open blue water sailing from Ko Samet to Ko Chang.