Luxuriant yacht voyages around the likes of Cannes, Monaco and St Tropez might feel over familiar to many well-heeled travellers, but how about trying Southeast Asia?
Thailand’s largest island, Phuket has fast become the region’s hottest mega yacht playground thanks to recent relaxed boating regulations, and a heightened appetite for the super rich to explore beyond the coastline and into the sparkling, idyllic island-dotted Andaman Sea.
I set sail with charter experts Burgess Yachts to discover how to do Phuket’s high seas in high style, before taking in some exclusive, celeb-magnet resorts which might beckon you at Phuket’s sandy shores after your island-hopping voyage.
What to sail
TALISMAN MAITON - The ‘TV Star’ yacht
The Talisman Maiton will look familiar if you watch Bravo TV’s reality show Below Deck Mediterranean, but now you can experience the Art Deco-inspired super yacht for yourself in Phuket... and without all the melodrama.
This 54.2-metre vessel boasts six spacious individually-styled cabins (each with their own bathtub), a bounteous watersport collection, a gym and several indoor and outdoor spaces to dine and/or relax.
The interiors are a hodgepodge of walnut wooden Art Deco opulence, with a glossy ‘80s aesthetic, featuring dining rooms and an upper level saloon. The look might not suit everyone, but when you’re cruising about in Phuket’s storm-free dry season, it’s really the outside (decks) that counts.
Take the open-air bridge deck, where delicious meals are served atop a massive wooden dining table. Talisman Maiton charters in the Thailand region will have a local Thai chef onboard for authentic cuisine such as pineapple fried rice (served in a pineapple), spicy Thai beef salad and green papaya salad.
The massive sun deck, one level up, is the yacht’s pièce de résistance: blue and white loungers, an additional dining table and bar, sprawled lie-flat sized corner seating and a front-facing round Jacuzzi makes it the spot from which to take in the tropical views.
Available for charter through Burgess Yachts starting at 231,000 Euros per week.
TITANIA - The 'Waterworld' yacht
If versatility is what you’re after on your charter, the newly-refurbished Titania might fit the bill.
The stately, Old World-inspired interiors of the common areas and cabins belie the youthful spirit of the crew and select amenities - underneath the sophisticated grand piano-adorned main saloon is a modern stern area which can be converted into a mini-nightclub, for instance.
Stewardesses in thematic outfits dispense cocktails and silver service-style meals, while deckhands and other crew are at the ready for you to try every watersport imaginable off the yacht.
There are seven cabins, including two master suites, dressed in light, feminine fabrics and with opulent marble-and-wood bathrooms. Multi-level outdoor spaces are decked in a sea breeze-and-cream palette, from the plentiful sofa sections and loungers to the Pool Deck’s blue tiled swim-up bar.
At the top is the sun deck, where you’ll find unencumbered views of the seascape and elevated daybeds to take it all in. It’s also where you’ll start your descent (if you’re brave enough) atop one of the world’s largest superyacht slides, an inflatable behemoth that's 13 metres tall.
If that’s too intense, the rest of the watersport collection can be enjoyed at sea level: jet-skis, SeaBobs, an inflatable ‘water park’, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and more are on offer.
After an adrenaline-filled day splashing around Thailand’s pristine seas and bays, massages and beauty treatments in Titania’s dedicated spa room will restore the sense of calm.
Available for charter through Burgess Yachts starting at 525,000 Euros per week.
Where to stay (ashore)
For Contemporary Luxury: Anantara Lyan Residences
When it comes to ultra-luxurious retreats in Phuket, size definitely matters. One will find fewer villas more enormous than the ones at Anantara Lyan Residences, the VVIP-level hilltop accommodations inside the Anantara Lyan Phuket Resort.
Fifteen super-sized residences (‘entry level’ two-bedroom residences are 1,100 square metres) dot the low-rise hills facing Layan Bay and the forested Pristine Sirinath National Park, and each residence contains a lappable infinity pool and rooftop deck.
The look throughout is sleek and contemporary, with a smidgen of Japanese influences; the traditional Thai salas (breezy pavilions) lend the strongest sense of place to each stunning outdoor space. These regal residences come with a private chef, around-the-clock personal butler service, Bulgari toiletries and access to the main resort’s private beach and popular Thai cooking classes.
The best bit? If you have a room with a skylight, look up: you’re gazing at the glass base of your sparkling infinity pool.
For timeless luxury: Amanpuri
Beyonce & Jay-Z, Harry Styles, Angelina Jolie, Leonardo DiCaprio... the list of A-listers and royalty who have stayed at this iconic Thai resort could fill a book.
This is Amanpuri, the Aman brand’s very first resort; though more than 30 years old, the timeless Thai design, secluded peninsula location and first-rate service proves it hasn’t skipped a beat.
Bucking the trend of other ultra-luxe hideaways, Amanpuri’s pavilions and villas are not tricked-out, ultra-modern pads, instead harnessing an ancient Ayutthayan aesthetic comprised of peaked roofs and wooden architecture amidst towering coconut trees. Out from your room are a few lap pools and the never-crowded Pansea Beach, with its west-facing profile allowing for picture-perfect (and paparazzi-free) sunsets along the Andaman Sea.
The coconut plantation-based resort features five eclectic restaurants, including the fantastic washoku-style Japanese restaurant Nama (the sushi and A5 Wagyu beef is sensational) and a can’t-miss holistic wellness centre ranging from serene 60-minute massages to multi-day medical spa programmes.
For Far-Out Luxury: Keemala
If you prefer a stay beyond traditional luxury, give your imagination a run at Keemala, Thailand’s most otherworldly upscale resort.
Even the ‘origins’ of this western Phuket marvel are mythical: four fictitious clans from the ancient Sea Silk Road caravans merged into a forested village in Phuket, and visitors of today can live like these storied people in 38 private pool villas and a cracking spa.
Scattered amongst the hillside are mirage-like treehouses in four distinct styles, from the teardrop-shaped duplexes of the Tree Pool House Villas to the coveted, loose-woven Bird’s Nest Pool Villas, each with mountain and/or sea views.
There is the elevated, Thai cuisine-focused Mala Restaurant, its glass walls giving way to sweeping vistas of the Kamala scenery, and the adjacent Mala Bar with original Asian twist cocktails are served.
The crescent-shaped Kamala Beach can be reached in less than five minutes via complimentary shuttle rides, though you might find it difficult to pry yourself from a fantasyland full of mosaics, jungle walkways and surreal architecture.
Getting there
You’re likely flying to and through Bangkok from your long-haul flight, but if you really want to arrive in style in Phuket you can get there via private jet charter.
MJets, Asia’s leading private aviation company, has a swish private jet terminal and lounge (Thailand’s first) in Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport where you can treat yourself to premium complimentary treats atop marble counters and plush seating while the team readies your Gulfstream V.
After boarding in your swivel leather seats and taking-off, the scene from your window evolves from megacity sprawl to Thai islands surrounded by aquamarine water.
Flight attendants will supply an on-demand stream of Moet & Chandon served with your antipasto skewers and other nibbles for the 90-minute journey.
