LOC ATION AND CHANGING REGUL ATIONS WILL MEAN MORE YACHTS AND SUPERYACHTS VISITING, AND STAYING AT, THE THAI ISL AND OF PHUKET.
LOC ATION AND CHANGING REGUL ATIONS WILL MEAN MORE YACHTS AND SUPERYACHTS VISITING, AND STAYING AT, THE THAI ISL AND OF PHUKET.
PHUKET’S GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION (latitude 15ᵒN; longitude 100ᵒE) ideally situates the Andaman Sea island as the future so-called “third destination” for sailing between Europe and Asia Pacific.
The island’s four biggest marinas are striving to meet this challenge. In the last two years, all have made substantial investments in state-of-the art equipment, lifestyle choice facilities, increasing berths, and building accommodation and entertainment facilities.
Yacht Haven Phuket Marina in the far northeast, Ao Po Grand Marina just to the south, and Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) and Boat Lagoon on the mid-Phuket east coast between them currently account for around 1,400 berths/ moorings, but this is set to increase in 2016.
The upgrades are timely. More superyachts are destined to ply Phuket waters in future after the government agreed in 2015 that foreign-flagged superyachts would be able to operate commercially in Phuket waters under special charge licences.
So what are these new innovations, additions and ideas the marinas have come up with in the last two or three years? Here’s a snapshot and update of each one, from north to south.
YACHT HAVEN PHUKET MARINA (1997)
Yacht Haven’s upgrade has focused on the water and superyachts. It can now accommodate 55 30m+ yachts with two new 260m pontoons with usage on both sides alongside the dockage from Finnish company Marinetek plus three 50m fingers, or six 50m berths. The pontoons and fingers are anchored by the secured Seaflex system. To support this upgrade, the marina has focused strongly on servicing its clients. Landside there is little change.
AO PO GRAND MARINA (2008)
Ao Po’s strategy is to cater for any size boats, including superyachts 100 feet+ in length. New fingers on the outer dock were due to be finished in December 2015. A new 80T Roodberg lift trailer, enabling the marina to handle a maximum 3.4m draft, is to be delivered in April 2016.
Currently 100 plus superyachts can be accommodated. A 260m long K-dock is for catamarans and mono hulls. Onshore a new restaurant, clubhouse with sauna/steam rooms, swimming pool and fitness centre, plus condominium building and retail shops have been completed. Rental apartments will be available by mid-2016. In February Phuket’s second boat show, the Thailand Yacht Show, will be held. Ao Po has also attracted new yacht industry clients, such as Lee Marine, the island’s leading shipbroker.
http://www.aopograndmarina.com
ROYAL PHUKET MARINA (2005)
RPM has invested heavily in the last two years, and will do so over the next five years under Founder/ Chairman Gulu Lalvani’s 5 billion baht #DestinationRPM campaign. A dry stack system, the first in Thailand, enabling covered boat storage and with a concierge service will increase capacity to 250 boats from the current 170 on and off water (includes three berths of up to 35m). Onshore, more than 600 hotel rooms are planned over the next five years across two new hotels and in the last two years new restaurants and bars, including popular Phuket bakery BAKE, have started. A kid’s club is to start in early 2016. The huge conference centre offers 6,000 sqm if indoor and outdoor space. Events include lifestyle expos, markets, the PIMEX boat show and even a German Oktoberfest.
http://www.royalphuketmarina.com
BOAT LAGOON (1994)
The island’s oldest marina, Boat Lagoon had a dramatic transformation recently, morphing, like RPM, from a pure marina into a lifestyle marina and village concept.
On the water it has 173 moorings (30-70ft boats). Landside the new travel lift is capable of carrying 60 tonnes; the Boat Arcade Mall with 25 shops occupying 50,000 sq ft includes an upscale Villa Supermarket, new marina office and marina bridges. Accommodation is being renovated to take long-term customers. The new workshop can now undertake all maintenance, especially steel and stainless steel work. Targeting family groups and children, Boat Lagoon also has the Phuket Academy of Performing arts, a Dragon Taekwondo School and a Yu Music Academy.
