Thailand International Boat Show 2027

For four days every early January, the Thailand International Boat Show takes over Phuket Yacht Haven Marina on the east coast of Phuket island — the headline yacht show of Southeast Asia, and the regional anchor event of the Asian winter charter season. The show draws around 40-60 charter and brokerage yachts on display alongside the Phuket Yacht Haven Marina pontoons, with the marina village hosting the exhibitor pavilions, hosted lifestyle programmes, and the regional brokerage-and-builder community across the four show days. Visitor numbers are smaller than the major European or US shows (the regional Asian charter market is still scaling), but the show is the defining trade-and-consumer pivot for the Phuket-and-wider-Southeast-Asia charter market.

The 2027 edition runs across 14 – 17 14 – 17 January 2027: Thursday through Sunday, with the show day-pace running broker-and-buyer programmes across the daytime and the wider Phuket hospitality calendar across the evenings. The early-January timing sits squarely in peak Asian winter charter season — the Andaman Sea dry season runs November-April, with December-March the absolute peak. Daytime highs run 28–32°C, water at 27–29°C, the north-east monsoon settled, and the cruising conditions across Phang Nga Bay, the Phi Phi Islands, the Similan Islands, and the wider Andaman programme at their cleanest of the year.

The page below is built around how a charter client should actually approach Phuket show week and the wider Andaman Sea charter calendar: where to base the yacht across the Phuket marina districts — Phuket Yacht Haven Marina (the show venue, east coast), Ao Po Grand Marina (further east, gateway to Phang Nga Bay), Yacht Haven Marina (north Phuket, deep-water), and Boat Lagoon Marina (east coast, full-service shipyard) — and how a longer charter extends the show with cruising Phang Nga Bay (the dramatic limestone karst-formation bay, 30 nm east), the Phi Phi Islands (30 nm south-east), the Similan Islands National Park (60 nm north-west), Koh Lipe (150 nm south, inside Tarutao National Marine Park), or the longer-haul Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar (100+ nm north, special permits required).

The first reason charter clients book a yacht for Thailand International Boat Show is the seasonal logic. Early January sits at the absolute peak of the Andaman Sea charter season — the north-east monsoon dry season runs November-April, with December-March the cleanest weather, water, and anchorage conditions of the year. Daytime highs run 28–32°C, water 27–29°C, winds settled at 10-15 knots from the north-east, and the Phang Nga Bay-and-Phi Phi cruising programme operating at its full quality. The Andaman summer (May-October south-west monsoon) is genuinely too wet and rough for charter; the November-April window is the only viable season.

The second reason is the regional charter market scale. Phuket is the largest yacht-charter market in Southeast Asia — the Phuket-Phang-Nga-Bay-Andaman triangle holds 200+ charter yachts across the November-April season, with the Phuket Yacht Haven Marina, Ao Po Grand Marina, Yacht Haven, and Boat Lagoon marina infrastructure handling the regional fleet. The show concentrates the regional Asian charter brokerage community in Phuket; charter clients from Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, China, the Gulf, and Australia attend.

The third reason is the Phuket hospitality density. Amanpuri (Pansea Beach, the founding Aman property opened 1988), Trisara (private pool villas on the Layan / Nai Thon headland, with the 1-Michelin-starred PRU restaurant), Rosewood Phuket (Emerald Bay clifftop, opened 2017), the InterContinental Phuket Resort at Kamala Bay, Six Senses Yao Noi (in Phang Nga Bay, 30 minutes by boat from Phuket), Sri Panwa Phuket (the Cape Panwa headland), and The Surin Phuket (Pansea Beach) all sit within thirty minutes of the show. The dining scene runs deeper than the regional reputation suggests — PRU at Trisara (1 Michelin star, the first in southern Thailand), Acqua at Kalim Bay, Jampa at Tri Vananda (Michelin Green Star), and the wider Cherngtalay and Phuket Town restaurant strip.

The fourth reason is the cruising extension. Phuket is the practical gateway to five distinct Andaman Sea charter regions — Phang Nga Bay (the dramatic limestone karst-formation national park, with James Bond Island, Koh Hong, and the wider Hat Khao Lak coastline), the Phi Phi Islands (Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh, the Maya Bay made famous by “The Beach”), the Krabi-and-Railay coastline (the rock-climbing-and-beach east-coast programme), the Similan Islands National Park (60 nm north-west, dive-site quality), and the longer-haul Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar (a UNESCO-equivalent untouched archipelago, requires advance permits). The natural pattern is show attendance plus a 7-to-14-day post-show Andaman cruise.

Booking timing for an Andaman Sea charter follows a different rhythm than the Mediterranean or Caribbean equivalents. Because the Andaman charter season runs only November-April (the May-October monsoon shuts the region down), fleet utilisation is high across the entire six-month window rather than concentrated in a few peak weeks. Show-week slips at Phuket Yacht Haven Marina are committed nine-to-twelve months ahead, but the wider Andaman fleet is bookable across the full window with reasonable lead time.

Practical timeline for the 2027 show:

• Twelve months out (January 2026 for the 2027 edition): The window for Phuket Yacht Haven Marina show-period slips on 30+ metre charter yachts, plus the headline Andaman superyachts in the 50+ metre class. Boatcrowd’s pre-allocated Andaman season inventory is typically committed by the previous Asian autumn.
• Six to nine months out (April–July 2026): The window for mid-tier yachts (25–45 metres) across the wider Andaman fleet — Phuket Yacht Haven Marina, Ao Po Grand Marina, Yacht Haven, and the Phang Nga Bay-based fleet. The Mediterranean-based fleet repositioning east for the Asian winter season is fully negotiable for show-week and post-show positioning.
• Three to six months out (July–October 2026): Standard fleet inventory remains available across most Phuket marinas; some last-minute Phuket Yacht Haven Marina slip availability surfaces through the show operator. The Phi Phi-and-Krabi day-charter fleet and the wider catamaran charter market becomes accessible at scale.
• Inside three months: Last-minute by Phuket charter standards. Phuket Yacht Haven Marina slips are typically fully committed for show week; alternatives include the Ao Po Grand Marina (8 nm east), Yacht Haven (north Phuket), or yachts based at Krabi or Langkawi with show-day yacht transit. Day-and-weekend charters from Phuket Yacht Haven Marina and Chalong Bay remain widely available.
• Day-charter on show-days: Available from Phuket Yacht Haven Marina, Chalong Bay (south Phuket day-charter hub), and the wider Phuket day-charter fleet — smaller motor yachts and the dense catamaran fleet running show-day hospitality across Phang Nga Bay and the Phi Phi Islands. Day-charter rates run at peak Andaman season pricing.

The yacht-charter infrastructure for Thailand International Boat Show splits across four main Phuket marinas plus the wider Andaman perimeter: Phuket Yacht Haven Marina (the show venue itself on the east coast), Ao Po Grand Marina (further east, the gateway to Phang Nga Bay), Yacht Haven Marina (north Phuket, the deep-water facility for the largest yachts), and Boat Lagoon Marina (east coast, with the major full-service shipyard). Krabi (40 nm east) and Langkawi in Malaysia (130 nm south) work as alternative regional bases.

Phuket Yacht Haven Marina (RPM) — the show venue

The defining show-week position. Phuket Yacht Haven Marina sits on the east coast of Phuket island, adjacent to the Pa Klok district and within 20 minutes of Phuket International Airport. Handles yachts up to about 60 metres alongside (deeper-draft superyachts may need to use Yacht Haven), with the marina village hosting the show’s exhibitor pavilions, restaurants, and the wider yacht-services infrastructure (concierge, refit support, customs and immigration on-site during show week). Show-period slips are committed nine-to-twelve months ahead. Walking distance to the marina-village dining and the show floor.

Ao Po Grand Marina — gateway to Phang Nga Bay

The deep-water marina at Ao Po on the north-east coast of Phuket — the natural gateway to Phang Nga Bay and the Koh Yao islands. Handles yachts up to about 80 metres alongside, with deep-water access and a quieter, less-developed setting than Phuket Yacht Haven Marina. About 25 minutes by road from Phuket Yacht Haven Marina (or 30 minutes by tender across Pak Phra Channel). The natural alternative for charter clients prioritising direct Phang Nga Bay access over the show-floor proximity.

Yacht Haven Marina — northern Phuket deep-water

The northernmost Phuket marina, at the top of the island near the Sarasin Bridge causeway to mainland Thailand. Handles yachts up to about 100 metres alongside — the deepest-water facility in Phuket, popular with the largest charter yachts and the long-term Andaman-based superyacht fleet. About 30 minutes by road from Phuket Yacht Haven Marina; the natural alternative for the largest yachts (over 80 metres) or for clients prioritising the quieter northern Phuket programme.

Boat Lagoon Marina — full-service shipyard

The Boat Lagoon Marina on the east coast of Phuket, with the major Phuket full-service yacht refit-and-service yard attached. Handles yachts up to about 50 metres alongside, with a more working-shipyard atmosphere than the resort-style Phuket Yacht Haven Marina. About 10 minutes by road from Phuket Yacht Haven Marina. Practical for charter clients combining the show with a refit-and-service visit, or for the wider mid-size charter fleet.

Phang Nga Bay & Koh Yao Yai/Noi anchorages

For yachts unable to secure show-week pontoon positions, anchorage options are available across Phang Nga Bay — Koh Yao Yai, Koh Yao Noi (the Six Senses Yao Noi adjacent anchorage), and the wider Phang Nga National Park. Sea conditions are reliably calm across January — depths and holding ground are generally good. Show-day tender transit to Phuket Yacht Haven Marina runs 30-45 minutes from most anchor positions. Practical as a quieter alternative for clients prioritising the Phang Nga Bay setting.

Langkawi alternative — 130 nm south

Yacht-charter facilities at Langkawi in Malaysia (Telaga Harbour, Royal Langkawi Yacht Club, the wider Langkawi marinas) sit 130 nautical miles south of Phuket — an overnight passage. Langkawi is a duty-free port with materially better fuel and provisioning costs than Phuket, plus the headline Malaysian Andaman charter region (Pulau Payar, Pulau Singa Besar). Practical as the alternative base for the largest yachts or for clients running a combined Thailand-and-Malaysia Andaman programme.

The natural way to think about a Thailand International Boat Show charter is as a four-day show-week programme followed by four-to-fourteen days of post-show Andaman cruising — east into Phang Nga Bay, south-east to the Phi Phi Islands, north-west to the Similan Islands National Park, far south to Koh Lipe at the Tarutao National Marine Park, or (for clients with the time and the permit lead) north into the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar. Early January delivers peak Andaman dry-season conditions — daytime highs 28–32°C, water at 27–29°C, the north-east monsoon settled at 10-15 knots, and the cleanest cruising window of the Andaman year. The south-west monsoon shuts the region down in May; the season-end is mid-to-late April.

• Phang Nga Bay. 30 nm east of Phuket — a 3-hour daylight passage. The headline Andaman cruising programme. Phang Nga Bay is a national park of dramatic limestone karst formations rising from the sea — James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan, the iconic “Man with the Golden Gun” backdrop), Koh Hong (the hidden lagoon system, accessible only at low tide by sea kayak), Koh Panyee (the Muslim stilt-village built on the sea), and the wider Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi luxury-resort cluster. The natural three-to-five-day post-show extension; one of the most-photographed cruising regions in Asia.
• Phi Phi Islands. 30 nm south-east of Phuket — a 3-hour cruise. The headline beach-and-snorkel destination — Phi Phi Don (the larger island with the Tonsai Bay village), Phi Phi Leh (the smaller uninhabited island with Maya Bay made famous by Danny Boyle’s “The Beach”, plus the Viking Cave). January is peak Phi Phi season; the main beaches are busy with day-tripper traffic but the wider anchorages remain quiet. The natural two-to-four-day post-show extension.
• Krabi & Railay. 45 nm east of Phuket — a 4-hour cruise. The Krabi mainland coastline with Railay (the rock-climbing peninsula accessible only by boat), Ao Nang (the resort village), and the wider Phra Nang Cave Beach. The natural alternative to a Phi Phi-and-Phang-Nga programme for clients prioritising the eastern mainland Andaman coast.
• Similan Islands National Park. 60 nm north-west of Phuket — a 6-hour cruise. A nine-island national park in the open Andaman, with some of the cleanest dive-site reef water in Southeast Asia. The headline diving destination from Phuket; the natural three-to-four-day post-show extension for clients prioritising the open-water programme over the protected-anchorage Phang Nga Bay cruise. National park access fees apply.
• Koh Lipe & the Tarutao National Marine Park. 150 nm south of Phuket — an overnight passage. Koh Lipe sits at the far southern tip of Thailand, inside the Tarutao National Marine Park, with crystal-clear water and reef snorkelling regularly compared to the Maldives. The headline beach is Pattaya Beach, with the quieter Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach on the eastern and western sides; the surrounding Adang-Rawi cluster adds the wider exploration. The natural five-to-seven-day post-show extension for clients prioritising the cleanest Thai water and the quietest cruising of the Andaman programme.
• Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar. 100-200 nm north of Phuket — the headline exclusive Andaman programme, and the most logistically challenging. A 800-island archipelago in southern Myanmar territorial waters, largely untouched, with traditional Moken sea-gypsy villages, dramatic untouched beaches, and the cleanest large-scale wild-cruising region in Asia. Requires advance Myanmar permits (typically 4-6 weeks lead time) and is restricted to a small number of operators. The natural seven-to-fourteen-day post-show programme for clients prioritising the exclusive untouched-cruising experience and willing to navigate the permit complexity.

Phuket dining splits across several districts: the headline luxury-resort kitchens at Trisara, Amanpuri, Rosewood, the InterContinental Phuket Resort and the Surin / Cherngtalay coast; the Kalim Bay and Kamala headland Italian-and-fine-dining cluster; and the Phuket Town heritage-architecture restaurant strip. The rooms below are the consistent show-week reservations across the wider island.

Phuket’s bar scene is structured around the dramatic-setting rooftops, the resort-anchored beach clubs along the Bang Tao-Layan-Mai Khao coast, and the Cape Panwa luxury headland. The headline rooms below are the consistent show-week reservations.

Phuket’s nightlife scene is structurally different from the Bangkok or Pattaya equivalents — the headline luxury district is structured around the resort-anchored beach clubs and the late-evening dining venues, with the historic Patong / Bangla Road tourist-nightlife strip operating as a separate (and largely irrelevant for the charter community) entertainment district. The four show days concentrate the regional Asian charter brokerage community in Phuket; the hospitality calendar runs at correspondingly high intensity.

• Builder & brokerage hosted events. The defining show-week nightlife. The regional Asian builders (Sunseeker Thailand, Princess Asia, Lagoon catamarans, Sanlorenzo Asia) and the visiting international fleet run yacht-deck cocktail evenings across show week at Phuket Yacht Haven Marina, with the wider international brokerage community layering hosted dinners on top. These are invitation-only; Boatcrowd’s clients with hosted-yacht arrangements typically receive multiple invitations through our brokerage partners.
• Catch, RAVA & the Bang Tao beach-club circuit. The defining late-evening programme. Catch Beach Club at Bang Tao Beach, RAVA Beach Club, XANA at Angsana Laguna, and the wider Bang Tao / Cherngtalay beach-club programme run extended day-into-night programmes that transition into late-evening cocktail-and-DJ scenes. The natural post-show-day late-stop for the international charter community.
• Cape Panwa late-evening — Baba Nest at Sri Panwa. The Cape Panwa headland late-evening programme, anchored by the Baba Nest rooftop and the wider Sri Panwa hospitality footprint. Practical for clients berthed at Phuket Yacht Haven Marina or Ao Po who want a 20-30 minute road transfer to the south-coast setting.
• Trisara, Amanpuri & the luxury-resort late-evening. The Bang Tao / Layan / Pansea Beach luxury-resort late-evening programme — Trisara, Amanpuri, Rosewood Phuket, the InterContinental Phuket Resort at Kamala, the Anantara Layan, and The Surin Phuket all run extended late-evening dining-and-cocktail programmes across show week. Practical for clients prioritising the quietest, most refined evening pace.
• Patong & Bangla Road — lower-end mass-market. The historic Phuket tourist-nightlife district at Patong Beach, with Bangla Road as the headline party strip. Charter clients typically avoid this district during show week (it’s structurally lower-end than the wider Phuket luxury programme), but it’s worth flagging for completeness.

Andaman Sea charter pricing sits at peak season across the entire November-April window. The combination of (1) the only viable charter window across a six-month gap, (2) the regional charter fleet operating at near-full utilisation, and (3) the headline show-week demand from regional brokers, buyers, and the Asian corporate-hospitality circuit pushes show-week rates to the upper end of the year. Show-week rates with a Phuket Yacht Haven Marina slip typically run 1.2–1.5× the equivalent yacht’s standard January rate — January is already the highest-priced month of the Andaman year, alongside December and the Christmas-New-Year peak.

Standard Andaman charters include the yacht, full professional crew (captain, mate, chef, full stewardess and deck team), comprehensive insurance, and use of all on-board equipment and tenders — jet skis, paddleboards, sea bobs, kayaks, snorkel gear, water toys. Most charters include the marina berth at the embarkation port; Phuket Yacht Haven Marina show-week slips are typically charged separately and command a premium over standard Phuket marina rates. Tender shuttle between anchored or off-show-marina yachts and the show docks is included as standard.

Additional costs are APA (typically 30–35% of the charter rate, covering fuel, food, beverages, and dockage), 7% Thailand VAT on charter services, Phuket Yacht Haven Marina show-week slip surcharges where applicable, Thailand International Boat Show preview-and-exhibitor passes arranged separately through Boatcrowd’s show-week partners, Phang Nga Bay and Similan Islands National Park entrance fees (typically $20-30 per guest per park), Myanmar Mergui permits where applicable ($150-200 per guest plus 4-6 weeks advance lead time), and a recommended crew gratuity of 10–15% paid at the end of the charter.

The Andaman charter season is genuinely concentrated in a six-month window (November-April), with December-January-February the absolute peak. Show-week rates run a modest premium over the wider peak-season pricing. Booking a charter immediately outside show week (early November-December or February-March) typically delivers a 10-15% rate improvement on the same yacht. Speak with us about pre-or-post-show extensions.

Charter operations in the Mergui Archipelago (southern Myanmar) require advance Myanmar government permits, typically 4-6 weeks lead time. The permits are arranged through specialist operators with established Myanmar relationships. Mergui charter rates run 10-20% above the equivalent Thai Andaman rates to reflect the additional logistics and the exclusive nature of the cruising region. Speak with us early if a Mergui programme is part of your itinerary.