• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • Your Horoscopes for the Month of July!
        • Street Talk: A Guide to Peng Chau
        • Outdoor activities in Hong Kong - hikingOutdoor activities for all the family
        • Health insurance for women
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • Things to do in Hong Kong - Summer Vibes at Central HarbourfrontTop 35 Best Things To Do In Hong Kong This Weekend
        • Your Horoscopes for the Month of July!
        • Outdoor activities in Hong Kong - hikingOutdoor activities for all the family
        • What's new in Hong Kong - The Palace MuseumWhat’s new in Hong Kong?
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
        • Baby spit upReflux in newborns: tips and treatment
        • Julius - boarding school student at UWCSEA in SingaporeThe Boarding Experience at UWCSEA
        • Outdoor activities in Hong Kong - hikingOutdoor activities for all the family
        • Why Small Settings Matter
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • PplusP Design Firm Hong KongInterior Design: 3 Projects Shared
        • Sustainable bamboo items for your home
        • Transforming an old Hong Kong junk
        • Pok Fu Lam homeInside an eclectic Pok Fu Lam home
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Outdoor activities in Hong Kong - hikingOutdoor activities for all the family
        • Living in Singapore - CBDConsidering moving to Singapore for your next expat post?
        • An introduction to international schools in Singapore
        • Pets and Planes: 5 Things to Consider
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Recipe: Orange Almond Cake
        • Hong Kong Chef’s: Meet Devon Hou
        • OM Tapas eggTasty tapas in the heart of HK
        • supermarkets and online grocery stores in hong kongWhere to find your fave grocery brands
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Best lipstickWhich lipsticks do we love?
        • Sunscreen6 sunscreens for super skin defence
        • Dolma Waxing Boutique - hair removal salon in Hong KongWhere to go for waxing in HK
        • EstheClinic non-surgical treatments - fat freezing2 non-surgical toning treatments to try
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • Health and exercising outdoors7 reasons to exercise outdoors
        • Health insurance for women
        • Circuit workout-UPCircuit workouts you can do at home
        • Family planning, fertility, egg freezing“When should I start my egg freezing journey?”
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
      • Magazine
      • Advertise With Us
        • June-August2022
        • June-August 2022 Issue – $36 (Free Shipping)
        • March-May2022
        • March-May2022
      • View all
    Close

Weekend boat cruising off the coast of Phuket

21 October, 2018 by Expat Living 4 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/phuket-coast-cruising-charter-boat-spaboat/

Rebecca Bisset heads offshore for a completely different Thailand travel experience, cruising off the coast of Phuket.

I was invited for a weekend cruise off the coast of Phuket on the Merdeka 3, a custom-made wooden Indonesian phinisi (two-masted boat) available for charter. Merdeka 3 is the brand new, bigger sister of Merdeka 1, which was having a bit of a revamp at the time. (I’m not sure what happened to number 2!) Having been to Phuket several times over the years and even backpacked there in my youth, I thought I knew it and had done it, but this “cruisy” way of seeing things is a whole new experience.

Kayak to uninhabited beaches while cruising off Phuket
Kayak to uninhabited beaches while cruising off Phuket

The islands are spectacular: large rust-coloured walls of stone pushing up through the water. Inside these giant formations you find little havens, and sometimes an entire enclosed sea, while others have small islands with their own ecosystems, mangroves, bats and other interesting creatures. We got taken in the boat’s motor dinghy through caves to explore these places, sometimes having to lie flat down on the bottom to get through the openings. We also took out the kayaks that are onboard and cruised silently along the coast and found ourselves at uninhabited beaches. It really is an extraordinary way to explore.

The Merdeka 3 has four double beds (all with ensuites) that open up practically onto the water; it’s amazing to wake up to your own sea view! A further two berths are below; these have three beds each and are better for kids. You don’t have to worry about food – unless you’re concerned about eating too much, that is; we seemed to have a constant flow of meals, snacks and alcohol coming our way. You could probably catch your own dinner, if you’re lucky – rods and tackle are available if you feel so inclined. And, if you’d rather be swimming with the fishes, there are goggles and snorkels to use.

The Merderka 3 is a custom-made wooden Indonesian boat perfect for weekends off Phuket
The Merderka 3 is a custom-made wooden Indonesian boat perfect for weekends off Phuket

Two large living areas make the set-up feel so spacious, and one of them doubles as a massage parlour, with a masseuse available around the clock to sort out those knotty areas. The top deck is great for tanning, drinking cocktails and watching for meteorites. Unluckily for us, it started to rain around midnight on both nights (it was the rainy season, so lots of short showers) – this is usually the best time to see them; either way, lying up there with the gentle rocking motion and the near silence is special enough on its own.

The owners operate a Party Weekend Package and a Chilled Private Charter for weekends and weekdays. Merdeka 1 is 85 feet and Merdeka 3 is 100 feet, so there’s plenty of space for you to have a real party. With eight of us on board Merdeka 3, plus crew, it felt pretty empty; it can sleep up to 16 comfortably – plus there’s plenty of space for others to sleep on deck, under cover – and it can cater for a party of up to 70! And the best part of its large size and catamaran base is that there’s very little movement.

The Merdeka's Phuket cruises offer plenty of chances to enjoy the sea and snorkelling
The Merdeka’s Phuket cruises offer plenty of chances to enjoy the sea and snorkelling

The Party Weekend Package is a fixed itinerary cruise that departs Friday night from Ao Por in Phuket’s northeast (near the airport), visits Krabi or Phi Phi (weather permitting), and arrives back in Chalong Bay in the south on Sunday evening. The Chilled Private Charter can be customised to specific requirements – you’re encouraged to limit numbers to around 12 people for a more relaxed and exclusive experience. You can also choose where you want to go in the area around Phang Nga Bay and Krabi and Phi Phi islands – this means you can avoid the crowds.

Both cruise types include full board and lodging, all meals plus snacks and fruit, free massage, use of snorkelling equipment, and free soft drinks, water and beer, plus additional alcoholic drinks for the Chilled Private Charter. Depending on which boat you’re on, and the size of the group, the cost can start from as little as HK$880 per person for the party package, and from HK$12,900 (total) per day for the private charter. You just need to arrange 30 percent of the price as a deposit, and then pay the balance one week prior to your cruise. As the owner Neil Dibb says: “It’s a rustic and cultural experience for people who enjoy being with nature, and who relish private time in the company of good friends and family.” I would completely agree!

For more information about this or other cruises visit spaboat.com.

This article appeared in the Dec/Jan edition of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.

Looking for more travel ideas while living in Hong Kong?

5 Asian destinations you have to visit while living in Hong Kong

10 holiday hotspots for your travel bucket list

Categories: Short Breaks Travel Tags: Charter Boats Cruising Phuket Spaboat Thailand Weekend getaways

Get the latest events, stories and special offers
sent to your inbox.

By signing up, you'll receive our bimonthly newsletters and offers, which you can unsubscribe to anytime.

You May Also Like

Paragliding in Hong Kong and Asia

Where to try paragliding in HK & Asia

Living in Singapore - CBD

Considering moving to Singapore for your next expat post?

An introduction to international schools in Singapore

Primary Sidebar

  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.