Phuket is THE base for sailing the Andaman Sea,
and there are few places on earth which compare to the Andaman Sea
when it comes to sailing.
The
Andaman Sea, with Phuket as its hub, will always be Thailand’s
reigning maritime jewel. Here we find some of the most beautiful
islands and beaches in the region, crystal clear waters and stunning
geography. The diversity of that geography is also a powerful
attraction.
Phuket has emerged as the star performer in Thailand’s
thriving tourism industry. Beautiful beaches, a warm winter climate
and isolated islands are the core attractions that lure a few
million tourists from colder climates each year. These are exactly
the kind of attractions that those on boats are much better positioned
to seek out and enjoy.
First among the boating attractions of the Andaman is Phang Nga
Bay, famed for the stunning sea-mountains that rise vertically
out of calm, turquoise waters. This bay offers year round shelter,
and even during the heavy months of the monsoon a yacht can find
calm waters, tranquility and dramatic beauty here. When the clear
skies of the northeast season arrive in November or December the
bay can offer both a fabulously beautiful playground and great
day sailing.
Safe
anchorages are numerous in
the bay, as our sailing guide shows. In fact we have not listed
all of the good anchorages here, leaving some for the more experienced
and adventurous yachtsmen to discover alone. When exploring the
bay, a dinghy, or preferably a sea canoe, is needed to get into
many of the quaint little coves and bays. Up the many mangrove
channels that feed into the north and east of the Bay one can
find small, traditional fishing villages, some of them on stilts
out over the water. The locals are invariably good-humoured and
friendly. Fishermen will often approach anchored yachts to sell
prawns or crabs. A bit of friendly bargaining is the norm.
Moving from the north of the Bay southwards, the water clarity
changes from a thick milky turquoise to near crystal around the
islands off Krabi. These offer
beaches of outstanding beauty, though there are often many day
visitors from the resorts of Krabi out here. Krabi itself, while
relatively crowded in the ‘high’ season, is one of the most dramatically
beautiful places imaginable. Phra Nang beach, where moutainous
rock pillars tower over each end of the sand, has been called
one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
From Krabi south the snorkelling becomes ever more interesting,
with beautiful corals and an abundance of small, colourful reef
fish. The Phi Phi islands are again both beautiful and dramatic
due to the combination of palm-lined beaches and vast rock faces
rising directly from the sea. During the day the islands crawl
with day-tripping tourists, though by evening they are
relatively quiet again.
The
Phi Phi Islands are a must-see port
of call in the common, circular route taking in the three provinces
that enclose the bay of Phang Nga. This runs from Phuket to the
northwest corner of Phang Nga Bay. Anchorages here are plentiful,
usually deserted and always beautiful. From here boats sail east,
then turn south to the Koh Hong (Krabi) group of islands. If weather
permits, these make a delightful overnight stop. Phra Nang,
Krabi is the next overnight stop for most. South of Krabi it’s
an open sail to Phi Phi for another overnight stop or two, before
completing the circle with a final leg back to Phuket.
Another
of the other major, but very different island attractions in the
Andaman is the Similan group
northwest of Phuket. These nine, low-lying islands are of completely
different geologicalform to Phang Nga’s sea mountains. Here, great
boulders of smooth granite, often the size of houses and cars,
lie in great jumbles along the shorelines. It’s almost as if a
gathering of prehistoric giants had been playing marbles, then
quickly fled, leaving behind their stony toys in nine neat piles.
The waters off Phuket have become famous as host to one of the
world’s best-loved regattas, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
held in early December. This combination of serious racing and
plain, good old fun attracts about 80 boats annually, with serious
racing craft coming from Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia
and the Philippines. Many passing yachts also enter.
The King’s Cup of ’98 was followed by a new, all-fun regatta from
Phuket into Phang Nga Bay, then down to Krabi – thus the name
Phang Nga - Krabi Regatta. This new event is scheduled for the
Chinese New Year holiday.
