Spring Sail 2020: Thailand

We've traveled halfway around the world to get away from the winter weather! The marina is a buzzing with the excitement for our warm-weather adventures. We've all gathered at the marina and are enjoying some refreshments while we make our final preparations for the voyage of a lifetime.

Saturday afternoon we meet up at the marina and meet our crew for the week, who quickly become like family. Plenty of sunshine as we make our way toward the fairytale like islands. Warm breezes while sitting on the front nets of the catamaran with our new family. Gin and tonics all around, followed by our first dinner on the boat with a spectacular peachy pink and orange sunset.

Sunday morning brings a breakfast of fresh fruit, granola and yogurt. Chopping strawberries in a sunny sailboat kitchen is one of the happiest feelings! Now we’re en route to James Bond Island, cruising by islands of so many shapes and sizes it’s like living in a storybook.

Some island exploring followed by snacks and cocktails makes for an ideal mid-morning stop. On to Ao Muang for an afternoon of swimming, kayaking, SUPing, euchre, napping, and reading. Anchorage for the evening is in the northwest bay of Koh Yao Noi, complete with a delicious dinner aboard and card games with the crew.

We still cannot get over the views we get to wake up to! Cruised over to a little island for a STEEP climb with amazing views, and a quick dip to cool off. On to Krabi! Amazing caverns to explore, and some rather, uh, fertile caves. Dinner on land, including plenty of chicken satay, pineapple fried rice, and the ever present Chang.

A karaoke bar with the crew brings an ideal conclusion to the evening (Chang tower, anyone?).

Rafting up with friends!  As we make our way around Ko Yao Noi, we decide to raft up with some other boats for an impromptu on-the-water party!

Our skippers coordinate getting boats into position and tied together, then we’re free to hop from boat to boat and meet up with our other boat friends. Did somebody mention dinosaurs?

Enjoying the laid-back lifestyle of Ko Lanta! Part of the crew stayed beachside and soaked in the peaceful day of sun and sand, and the other part of the crew opted for an adventurous excursion where they were able to be up close with the island wildlife (monkeys, anyone?). The Thai massages were something we continued to dream about long after we were home from the trip.

Thursday was a day of SCUBA for some, and a sail in the sunshine for others – an excellent day for all!

Another fantastic Thai sunset helped transition the day from peaceful sun and sand into the boisterous personality of Ko Phi Phi. Firedancers, endless dance beats, and incredible food made for (yet another) memorable night. The unique culture of each Thai island makes each new anchorage an adventure.

As much as we wanted to stay forever, Friday meant having to part ways with both this amazing place and the incredible people we got to experience it with. We’re already looking forward to the next YachtXP trip so we can see our friends, make some new ones, and explore yet another magical place!  

We look forward to meeting up next year, and we hope you’ll join us too :)