How to Choose a Private Yacht Charter Company in Phuket

Phuket has many companies selling private boat days, from owner-operators with one boat to agencies with dozens of listings. Their websites can look very similar. The differences show up in licensing, in how precisely they describe what you are buying, and in what happens when the weather or the plan changes.

1. Check the tourism business licence

Selling and running tours in Thailand requires a licence. Under the Tourism Business and Guide Act B.E. 2551 (2008), operating a tour business without a valid licence is illegal, with penalties of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 500,000 baht, or both, according to The Phuket News in July 2025.

The same report explains that Thailand's Department of Tourism has a License Check on its website, dot.go.th, where you can enter a licence number or a company name and see its registration status. The authorities also require tour advertising, online and offline, to show the operator's licence number, name and address, as Nation Thailand reported in May 2025.

How to check, in practice:

• Find the licence number on the company's website, quote or social media profile
• Look it up with the License Check on the Department of Tourism website
• Make sure the registered company name matches the company you are paying
• If you can't find a number, ask for it. A licensed company will give it to you

As an example, Blue Andaman's About page (the charter service behind this site) names its operating company, Abetter Travel & Tour, and Tourism Licence No. 32/01028. You can check that number the same way.

2. Find out who runs the boat

Some charter companies own and crew their own boats. Others arrange boats run by partner owners and crews. Neither model is better by default, but you should know:

• which company is responsible for your booking and issues your receipt,
• who employs the captain and crew on the day,
• whose terms apply if something goes wrong.

Ask directly. A clear answer is a good sign; a vague one is worth a follow-up question.

3. Book a named boat, not a category

"A 40 ft catamaran" describes dozens of boats in Phuket. Ask for the boat by name, with recent photos, its guest capacity, its facilities and the pier it leaves from. Facilities matter more than length: shade, a toilet, seating and steps into the water make or break a long day.

Some companies publish this up front. Blue Andaman, for example, lists named boats with their length, guest capacity and departure pier. Whichever company you use, make sure the boat named in your quote is the boat you will board.

4. Get the quote in writing

A written quote protects both sides. It should state:

• the boat's name
• the date, charter hours and meeting time
• the departure pier
• the planned route and stops, with a note that the captain may change them for safety
• how many guests the price covers
• what is included: fuel for the route, drinks, lunch, equipment, transfers
• what is not included, especially national park fees
• the total price and currency
• the deposit, when the balance is due and how to pay it
• the cancellation and weather terms

Our guide to what a private charter in Phuket costs explains each of these lines and includes a worksheet for comparing two quotes.

5. Ask the safety questions

These are normal questions, and a good operator will answer them without hesitation.

• Life jackets. Are there life jackets for everyone, including children's sizes? After the 2018 boat incidents off Phuket, Thai authorities said that all passengers and crew must wear life jackets at all times on tourist boats, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
• The captain. Does the captain hold the licence required for this boat? The same action plan stated that boat captains must hold a relevant licence.
• Passenger numbers. What is the boat's maximum, and how many people will be on board, including crew?
• The briefing. Will there be a safety briefing, and in which language? The 2018 plan also called for staff to be able to explain safety guidelines to foreign passengers.
• If someone is hurt or unwell. What first aid is on board, and what is the plan for getting back to shore?
• Weather. How is the decision to sail made on the day?

6. Understand the weather and cancellation terms

Thailand's rainy season runs from about mid-May to mid-October, according to the government's guide to the seasons, and the Andaman Sea can be rough in that period. Even in the dry season, a captain may change the route for wind or swell.

Before paying, get in writing:

• who decides whether the trip goes ahead,
• what your options are if it can't: a new date, a sheltered alternative route, or a refund,
• the cut-off for cancelling on your side, and what you get back.

7. Pay safely

• Pay a deposit, not the full amount, unless the terms clearly say otherwise and you are comfortable with them.
• Pay the company named on the licence, and get a receipt or invoice in that name.
• Take extra care with offers made only through social media or messaging apps. A Department of Tourism official urged travellers to be careful when booking through social media and to check credentials, as reported by The Phuket News.

8. Read reviews with care

Recent reviews on independent platforms are useful when they mention specific boats, crews and situations, such as how a weather cancellation was handled. A single overall score tells you less. Look at how the company replies to criticism: that is a preview of how it will treat you if something changes.

Red flags

• No licence number, or a number registered to a different company name
• A "similar boat" instead of a named boat
• Inclusions described loosely ("everything included") but never listed
• Pressure to pay the full amount immediately
• Vague answers about life jackets, the captain or the weather policy
• Promises nobody can keep, such as an empty beach, guaranteed calm seas, or a swim at Maya Bay, where swimming is not allowed, according to Time Out Bangkok

A one-page scorecard

A company that scores well on all seven is doing the basics right. The final choice can then come down to the things that make your day: the boat, the route and how well they listened to what your group wants.