Chalong Pier, Ao Po and Royal Phuket Marina: Which Pier for Which Boat Trip

If you are booking a private boat in Phuket, the pier is easy to overlook and worth getting right. In short: Chalong Pier sits in Ao Chalong, the bay at the southern end of the island, near islands such as Koh Lon and Coral Island. Ao Po Grand Marina is on the north-east coast and is used as a base because of its closeness to Phang Nga Bay. Royal Phuket Marina is on the east coast, in Koh Kaew. Which one you use is mostly decided by the boat you book, so the real questions are where your boat leaves from and how far that is from where you are staying.

This guide explains where each departure point is, what the sources say about the waters it suits, and what to ask so the pier does not eat into your day.

Where the three departure points are

Chalong Pier (Ao Chalong). The Southeast Asia Pilot, a cruising guide for the region, describes Ao Chalong as "the only year-round anchorage at the southern end of Phuket", a big shallow bay facing south and protected by the large island of Koh Lon at its entrance. Its long concrete jetty is, in the guide's words, "used daily by express ferries, day trip catamarans and dive boats of all shapes, sizes and speeds". The same guide notes that roads from the Chalong Circle lead to Rawai, Nai Harn, Kata and Phuket City. It is also where visiting yachts complete their port check-in, at the port control centre at the seaward end of the main pier.

Ao Po Grand Marina. Noonsite's marina listing places Ao Po Grand Marina on the north-east coast of Phuket, in Tambon Paklok, Amphur Thalang. You will also see it written "Ao Por", which is how the Blue Andaman fleet page spells it. The Southeast Asia Pilot files it under its Phang Nga Bay section and says some of Phuket's yachting businesses use it as their main base "due to the proximity of the cruising grounds of Phang Nga Bay".

Royal Phuket Marina. The marina's own website describes it as "centrally located on Phuket's east coast", with an address on Thepkasattri Road in Koh Kaew, Muang district. The Southeast Asia Pilot lists it together with Boat Lagoon, which shares the same approach channel, also under Phang Nga Bay; the channel is marked all the way from Ao Tha Rua.

Which waters each one suits

Be careful with simple rules here. What the sources support is this:

• Chalong and the southern islands. The Southeast Asia Pilot groups Koh Lon and Koh Hae (Coral Island) in the same local area as Ao Chalong. Islands such as Racha Yai, Coral Island, Maiton and Khai appear across many of the day-charter routes listed on the private day charter page of Blue Andaman, the charter service behind this site, which also notes that many of its listed boats describe Chalong departures.
• Ao Po and Phang Nga Bay. The marina's appeal to yacht businesses, according to the Southeast Asia Pilot, is that it is close to the cruising grounds of Phang Nga Bay. That makes it a natural starting point for trips into the bay.
• Royal Phuket Marina. It sits on the east side of the island, and the pilot guide includes it in its Phang Nga Bay section. The guide also says keeled or deep-draft vessels enter the channel either side of high tide. If you are booking a larger yacht from there, ask whether the tide affects departure and return times.

None of this means a pier rules out a destination. On the Phang Nga Bay guide from the charter service behind this site, two of the boats listed with Phang Nga Bay itineraries leave from Chalong Pier. The same page says the sailing time "depends on the boat and departure pier", so a longer crossing from a farther pier is something to weigh, not a reason to rule a boat out.

Which piers the Blue Andaman boats use

On 7 November 2026, the Blue Andaman fleet page showed these departure points:

No boat on that page was listed as leaving from Royal Phuket Marina. Fleets and piers change, so treat this as a snapshot and confirm the pier for the exact boat when you ask for a quote. As the day charter page puts it, "the departure point belongs to the individual boat and booking".

Why the pier matters for road time

A boat day starts at your hotel, not at the jetty. Chalong is at the southern end of the island, Ao Po is on the north-east coast and Royal Phuket Marina is on the east coast in Koh Kaew. Depending on where you are staying, one of these can be a much longer drive than another. That road time comes out of your morning, adds to a tired drive back in the evening, and matters most with young children or anyone who gets carsick before they even reach the sea.

This guide does not give drive times, because they depend on where exactly you start, the time of day and traffic. Ask the operator, or check a map app for the time you would actually be travelling. Two practical points from the charter pages:

• Transfers may not be included in the charter price. Blue Andaman's speedboat charter page says meals, transfers, island admission and national park fees need separate confirmation.
• Settle the meeting point before you arrange transport. A booking should come with a confirmed departure pier, meeting time, charter hours and list of inclusions.

How to weigh pier against destination

A useful way to think about it is total time, not just sea time:

1. Start with the places you most want to see. Southern islands near Chalong, or Phang Nga Bay on the north-east side.
2. Look at which boats offer that route and where each one leaves from. The same destination can be reachable from more than one pier, with a longer or shorter crossing.
3. Add the road to the sea. A pier near your hotel with a longer crossing can still make a better day than a far pier with a short crossing, or the other way round. Ask the operator for both numbers.
4. Check that the boat suits the crossing. Our comparison of catamarans and speedboats covers how boat type changes the pace and comfort of a longer run.

If you are comparing more than one operator, our guide to choosing a yacht charter company in Phuket lists what a clear, complete quote should include.

Questions to ask before you book

• Which pier or marina does this exact boat leave from, and where exactly do we meet?
• What time should we be at the pier, and when will we be back there?
• Is a hotel transfer included, and if not, can you arrange one and what does it cost?
• Roughly how long is the drive from our hotel to that pier at that time of day?
• What is the expected crossing time from this pier to each stop on our route?
• Would a boat from a different pier give us more time at the places we want to see?
• For marina departures, does the tide affect when we can leave or come back?
• If the weather changes the route, do we still leave from the same pier?