Tuesday 27 September 2011

Sailing in Koh Samui

 
Sailing is a sport that is growing in popularity all the time. There is a certain sense of freedom to be found on the open sea with nothing but the elements all around; the wind in your hair, the sound of the sails snapping; being the master of your own destiny. It costs a lot of money to buy your own yacht, more than it does to buy your own car, and that is why a yacht remains a potent status symbol of the rich and the jet set.

There is a fledgling yachting scene in Koh Samui. The best place if you want to experience yachting in Koh Samui is Saard’s Water sports Center. It is located in Bophut’s Fisherman’s Village next to the ferry pier.

Saard’s Watersports Center offers tour groups on 4 boats. There are tours to Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, and Angthong Marine Park. The Koh Phangan tour takes people snorkeling in Koh Ma off the coast of Koh Phangan then onto the beautiful beach of Thong Nai Pan then Than Sadet (place of a famous waterfall) and finally a short stop at Haad Rin. The Koh Tao tour takes in the famous triple islets of Nang Yuan. Ang Thong Marine Park is a collection of 40 uninhabited islands with many hidden beaches, sea caves, unusual rock formations, an inland lake and great snorkeling spots.

If you want something more private you can hire a boat by the day or the hour. The price includes a captain and a deckhand. There are 4 boats to choose from. The pick of the crop is ‘Kindred Spirit’. It is a catamaran with 3 double rooms. It is 13.1 meters in length and 9.6 meters wide. It has a speed under motor of 7 knots and 12 knots by sail. It is the perfect boat to take off on a journey to explore the nearby Gulf. The cost is 40,000 Thai Baht per day.

There are also 3 boats that can be hired by the day but are not suitable for overnight stays unless you camp on a beach. The fastest is ‘Sting’. It has two 300 HP engines and has a shallow bottom. It can seat 13 people in its air-con lounge.

‘Natalie’ is 38 feet in length can sit 25 people for day trips. It costs 9,000 THB an hour to privately charter. ‘Natalie’ has twin 250 HP motors.

The smallest boat in the fleet is ‘Panyawan’. It is 6.2 meters in length and can seat 5 people. The boat has twin 85 HP engines.

If you are interested in yachts or want to find out more about private boat hire then Saard’s is a good place to start. You can probably find cheaper speed boats for hire elsewhere in Koh Samui. What is special about Saard’s is the catamaran it has - surely, one of the most beautiful boats on the island.

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