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Malacca
Straits | Ao Chalong | Kata
Beach | Phi Phi | Krabi
 Ao
Chalong is a year-round anchorage at the southern end of Phuket.
It is a big shallow bay facing south and protected by the large
island of Koh Lon at its entrance. Only 10 kilometres from Phuket
Town by road, this is traditionally the first port of call for visiting
yachts, and offers many restaurants on shore. The main anchorage
has a long jetty to give access at low water to dinghies and shallow
draft vessels. Large areas of sticky mud dry on low spring tides,
making dinghy access to the beach impossible.
There are two approaches to Ao Chalong. From the south, care should
be taken to stay closer to Koh Lon on your starboard side than to
the mainland. This is because both the bank and the reef extend
farther than the Admiralty and Thai charts suggest. Just south of
the southern jetty there is a shallow sandbank, so do not turn into
the area where all the yachts are anchored until you are abeam of
the anchorage. From the east, head just north of west toward the
entrance and from there proceed towards a prominent rocky patch
on the hillside directly ahead. You will then see port and starboard
buoys marking the entrance to the anchorage, thus avoiding the shallow
bank in the north of the bay.
 Anchor
on the muddy bottom in 3-7 metres well offshore and well beyond
the end of the jetty. Holding is excellent, and the biggest danger
is other boats with inadequate ground tackle dragging into you in
a strong wind. Try to anchor north of the jetty, as it is used daily
by express ferries of all shapes, sizes, and speeds.
Alternatively, moorings are available at a monthly fee. Check with
some of the local yachtsmen who hang out in Chalong for details
of cost and which moorings are safe.
In the southwest monsoon season, this is one of the few perfectly
protected anchorages on the island (although some ground swell may
be experienced). In the northeast season, on the other hand, conditions
can be a little choppy because of the long fetch in the bay, and
this sometimes makes long dingy transfers to the beach uncomfortable.
There are about 10 days per month when, due to the tide, dinghy
access to the beach is impossible for a few hours.
The Phuket Fishing Lodge is situated to the North of Jimmy's
Lighthouse, a prominent sailor's hang-out. The Port Control Centre
is located on the second floor for all yachts checking in.
 The
Ao Chalong Yacht Club can be found on the top floor of Jimmy's
Lighthouse Restaurant. It usually organises twice monthly races
for keelboats. Jimmy's waterfront restaurant, like the club above,
is a well-known, well-oiled yachties' gathering place. There is
a useful notice board here where prospective boat crew advertise
their availability, and boat's advertise needs for additional crew
and items for sale, etc.
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