Catamaran or Speedboat in Phuket: How to Choose Your Private Charter

Both boats can give your group a private day on the Andaman Sea. They just give you a different kind of day. A catamaran is a floating base: you spend more of the day on board, with space to spread out, eat and swim from the boat. A speedboat is transport with character: it gets a small group to the islands quickly and leaves more of the day for stops.

The right choice depends less on which boat is "better" and more on four things: where you want to go, how many of you there are, who is in the group, and the time of year.

The short version

The last two rows come from the website of Blue Andaman, the charter service behind this site, checked on 6 November 2026. They are one operator's figures, not a market average, and a starting rate can cover fewer guests than a boat's maximum. They do show something useful: at the entry level, the two types are priced closely enough that cost rarely decides it on its own.

Start with the route, not the boat

Decide which places matter most before comparing boats. Around Phuket, the nearer islands such as Racha Yai, Coral Island, Maiton and Khai feature on many day-charter routes, while Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay are longer trips that only some boats offer. As the planning notes on Blue Andaman's private day charter page put it, a longer crossing leaves less time for swimming and stops, so a shorter route often makes the more relaxed day.

There is no single crossing time to Phi Phi or Phang Nga Bay. It depends on the boat, the pier you leave from and the sea on the day. Ask the operator for the expected crossing time for the exact boat and route you are considering, and how many hours of the charter that leaves at the islands.

Two more points affect your route:

• Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh closes every August and September and reopened on 1 October 2026. Even when it is open, swimming in the bay is not allowed, according to Time Out Bangkok's report on the reopening. A boat passing Maya Bay is not the same as a stop where you can swim.
• Departure piers differ by boat. Boats in Blue Andaman's listings leave from Chalong Pier, Ao Por Grand Marina or Nakalay Pier, depending on the boat. A pier on the opposite side of the island from your hotel adds road time to your day.

When a catamaran is the better choice

• You want the boat to be part of the day. Lunch at anchor, swimming off the back steps, a shaded saloon to retreat to. On a catamaran these are the point, not an extra.
• Your group is larger. Catamarans carry bigger groups. In Blue Andaman's listings they range from 40 ft boats for up to 20 guests to a 78 ft double-deck catamaran for up to 120.
• You are travelling with young children or older relatives. More room to move, more shade and a steadier ride at modest speed make a long day easier. Our family checklist covers what else to check.
• You would like to sail. Some catamarans are sailing catamarans. Whether you actually sail depends on the boat, the wind, the route and the captain's call, so ask rather than assume.
• You are celebrating. A birthday, a proposal or a group of friends tends to want space and time more than speed.

If this sounds like your day, you can compare catamarans listed by Blue Andaman by guest capacity, layout and route. Two of the 47 ft catamarans in that fleet have an air-conditioned saloon, which matters more than you might expect at midday.

When a speedboat makes more sense

• You are a small group. Speedboats in Blue Andaman's listings carry 6 to 12 guests. For a couple or a family of four, that is often enough boat.
• The places you want to see are farther apart. A faster boat makes a multi-stop day more realistic, as long as the route fits the charter hours.
• You want time ashore rather than time on board. If the beach, the viewpoint or the snorkelling spot is the point, getting there quickly matters.
• You want to fish. Some speedboats are set up for fishing rather than island hopping. Choose by the experience you want, not only by boat type.

The private speedboat charter page is a good reminder of what differs between speedboats: seating, sun cover, toilet facilities and access to the water vary a lot from one boat to the next.

Comfort, seasickness and the season

How the ride feels. Two hulls give a catamaran a wide base, so it tends to roll less at anchor and moves through small waves at a steady pace. A speedboat rides over the waves at speed. On a calm morning that is exhilarating; in a chop it means repeated jolts. Anyone who is pregnant or has back or neck problems should ask their doctor and the operator before choosing a fast boat. On a speedboat, seats towards the back usually feel fewer jolts than seats at the bow.

The season matters as much as the boat. Thailand's rainy season, driven by the southwest monsoon, runs from about mid-May to mid-October according to the government's thailand.go.th guide to the seasons. During that period the Andaman Sea can be rough: in late May 2026, the Thai Meteorological Department warned of waves of 2 to 3 metres in the upper Andaman Sea from Phuket northwards. On days like that, the question is not catamaran or speedboat but whether to go at all, and which sheltered route the captain recommends.

If someone is prone to seasickness, CDC's travel advice suggests focusing on the horizon, and notes that many motion sickness medicines cause drowsiness, so ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking or giving them. CDC also points out that children are especially vulnerable. A steadier boat, a shorter crossing and a calm-season date all help.

What the price difference really comes down to

At the entry level the gap between the two types can be small, as the table above shows. What changes the total is usually not the hull shape but:

• how many guests the quoted rate covers,
• how far you go and for how many hours,
• whether fuel for that route, lunch, transfers and national park fees are included.

Our guide to what a private charter in Phuket costs walks through each of these and how to compare two quotes fairly.

Questions to ask before you book

• Which exact boat is this, and can I see recent photos of it?
• Where does it depart from, and what time should we be at the pier?
• What is the expected crossing time to each stop in normal conditions?
• How many hours does the charter include, and what does extra time cost?
• Is there shade for everyone at once, and is there a toilet on board?
• Are there life jackets on board in the right sizes for every guest, including children?
• What is included: fuel for the route, drinks, lunch, snorkelling gear, transfers, park fees?
• What happens if the weather makes the planned route unsafe?

If the answers point to space and a slow day, go catamaran. If they point to distance and a small group, go speedboat. If you are unsure, choose the nearer route on the steadier boat: it is the safer bet for a first day on the Andaman Sea.