The day we left Malaysia, we sailed for a few hours, entered Thailand waters and stopped at Koh Chuku. The water was crystal clear, and because we hadn’t snorkelled since somewhere before Batam (Indonesia) in March of this year, we both grabbed our gear and plunged into the inviting water.
The fish life was prolific. We swam amongst multicoloured reef fish and large pelagic fish. We had vast schools of bait fish encircle us – often stretched as far as the eye could see. Before long, however, our exuberance was tempered as Thorfinn came in to view, and we were reminded of the unwanted garden she had growing on her hull. We reigned in our child-like glee and set to work cleaning the boat’s hull.
We finished our day in this little paradise with a delightfully refreshing Pina Colada thrown together in Thorfinn’s galley/bar!
A few other stops on the way to Phuket included Koh Kradan, Koh Lanta Yai and Koh Phi Phi Don. After reaching Phuket and clearing into Thailand at Ao Chalong, we sailed up into Phang Nga Bay and explored some of the ‘Hongs’ (sea caves) at islands such as Koh Phanak and Koh Ku Do Yai all of which I will write about at a later date. However, here is a few photos to whet your appetite! For more about the hongs, click here.
Being the monsoon season here in Thailand, we are expecting to hit a little undesirable weather, therefore we were not surprised to see a large front rapidly develop before our very eyes. The front in the picture below brought copious rain and 40-knot winds. It looked nasty, but we put a reef in the main and had a cracking sail!
On our arrival at Ao Chalong (Ao means bay), we dropped anchor and went ashore to check-in. We missed the harbour office by 5 mins (they close at 1500). We returned the next day, a Saturday, and were told customs and immigration will cost more on the weekend. By that time, it was too late to turn around and go back to the boat and pretend we hadn’t arrived!
Phuket has an e-check system whereby you register online (once) and then enter the boat, captain’s and travel details, after which the paperwork is printed in the next three offices and only signatures are required. It makes for a very easy and painless clearance process. However, as mentioned, the whole thing cost more because it was a weekend. Check the notes below for the procedure, cost and location of the Phuket Yacht Control Centre
What next? Umm… we went to the closest bar for a drink… no, we didn’t it was only 9:30 in the morning! We hired a scooter and set off to explore our surroundings.
We have since spent most of our time in Ao Chalong getting work done… or trying to. We have put some plans into an engineer and ordered a frame for a canopy to go over our cockpit, and we have had a shade cover made for the front of the boat. However, we have yet to be able to find the paint we want to paint our deck with. We have spent hours visiting all the paint shops on the island of Phuket with little luck. The language barrier – we cannot speak much Thai at all – is defiantly hampering our search. Such is life… on a happy note, all this travelling around Phuket has invariably led us to the discovery of many mouth-watering Thai delights! Check out some of these novel, flavoursome and, more often than not, piquant treats.
It hasn’t all been work. In fact, we have done bugger all. We have, however, visited Patong Beach, the Big Buddha, Kata and Karon Beaches, Yacht Haven and the Phuket Cruising Yacht Club (PCYC). The PCYC is a little bar right on the beach at Ao Chalong. It’s a casual no-fuss place to relax with other cruisers and sailors. It has a veritable cache of information that all cruisers are looking for when they arrive in port, i.e. where to find fuel, a mechanic or a sailmaker. They also have free tide tables and the Phuket Marine Guide.
It is not unusual that a gathering of sailors will invariably spill over from the Cruising Yacht Club, and into the nearby bars as we did the night the ‘Bull Ship Bar” opened. Fun night as a group of us yachties partied on… large fish bowls of red wine, music and karaoke… the guys did a deplorable rendition of “what can you do with a drunken sailor”…. What can I say… not much work was done the next day.
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More Information
Currency
THB – Thai Baht written here as ฿
Ao Chalong (check-in) – The Phuket Yacht Control Centre (PYCC) is at the end of the Chalong Pier. The office closes at 1500 (3 pm). It is open on weekends and public holidays but will cost you more. Check-in on the ground floor first at the registration office, then make your way to the Immigration office, then customs and lastly, harbour master (all on the first floor).
Clearance Fees
Checking in
Monday to Friday
Open hours – 0900 – 1500 (Closes between 1200- 1300 for lunch).
Cost – free
Weekend and public holidays
Open hours – 0900 – 1500 (Closes between 1200- 1300 for lunch.)
Registration – ฿0
Immigration – ฿310 (for the two of us)
Customs – ฿ 800
Harbour Master – ฿0
Scooter Hire– ฿150/day from Rosi’s Cafe. At the beginning of the pier, turn right, and a couple of hundred metres on you find Rosi’s Cafe and a motorbike hire sign. You can also hire from the Phuket Cruising Yacht Club – ฿150/day (automatic) or ฿100/day (manual).
Phuket Cruising Yacht Club – Phuket Cruising Yacht Club
Directions to PCYC – the club is 300 metres north of the Jetty.
Good priced meals and drinks, taco Tuesday, scooter hire, free wifi, and if needed, you can charge your computers or phones and have a shower.
Ao Chalong pier area – This area has an abundance of bars, restaurants, dive shops, massage parlours, and tour information, and there is a 7-Eleven not far from the pier. You can also get dive tanks filled, organise water (Soi Sunrise) for your boat or buy ice.
Shopping – Where Soi Sunrise meets Phonon Wiset (1/2km from the pier), turn left. Two supermarkets (Tesco & Makro) are less than 1km away. At least 500 metres before the Tesco you will come to a supermarket called Supercheap. This is also a supermarket (walk through what appears to be a minimart, and you will find fruit, veg, tools, kitchenware, stationary – everything!)
Laundry – At the end of the pier, turn right and walk along the beachfront road until you need to make a left turn. Follow the road to the left. Maybe around 1/2 a km up the road is a laundromat with machines that range in size and cost from ฿20 to ฿50.
Fuel – petrol stations nearby to fill jerry cans. Fuel dock at the end of the pier. There is also a fuel boat in the bay. Just diesel, I think.
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