Discover Thailand
Tue 10th - Wed 18th Feb 2026
Overview
Our first long haul trip since before Covid is taking us to the warm waters of Southeast Asia. Starting from Phuket, this will be an 8 day trip with the opportunity to add on extra days for travelling before and after the cruise. We will be following the Bay Regatta for the central 4 days which will leave 4 days for exploring the more remote parts of Phang Nga Bay either side of the regatta.
The Bay Regatta
This is an annual event held over 4 days which will be 11-15 February 2026. After an evening for registration and an opening party the event course circulates around Phang Nga Bay stopping at a different place each night. There, live entertainment and food is provided with the chance to meet with other participants. About 35 boats will be competing. We hope to meet up for for the social element each evening.
The course for 2026 hasn’t been set yet but this map shows the 2025 course. Details of last year’s Regatta can be found here http://www.bayregatta.com/
Phuket
Phuket Island is one of the most popular beach destinations in the world and definitely the most visited in Thailand. It’s a great launch pad to see the Phi Phi Islands, Similan Islands and Phang Nga Bay. The Old Town of Phuket city is an area of historical interest with its Sino-Potugese buildings showing its former prosperity when tin mining was an important industry on the island.
Phang Nga Bay
This is a 150 sq mile bay in the Andaman Sea between Phuket and the Kra Isthmus of southern Thailand.
This shallow bay has 42 islands and is famous for its limestone cliffs, caves and archaeological sites. Since 1981 an extensive area of the bay has been protected as the Ao Phang Nga National Park.
James Bond
After appearing in the 1974 James bond movie the Man with the Golden Gun, one of the islands Ko Ta Pu became known as James Bond Island. The island was described by assassin Francisco Scaramanga, who killed with his signature solid gold pistol, as a “mushroom-shaped rock” housing solar panels. The island also featured in Tomorrow Never Dies (identified as being in Vietnam).
Weather
February is one of the best times to visit Thailand. Temperatures in February range from 29-34 degrees. The weather is hot but not so unbearably hot as other times of the year. Rainfall is lowest in January & February with an average of 25mm, compared to 322mm in May.
Getting there
There are no direct flights to Phuket and routes require stopovers in Jeddah, Doha, Istanbul, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore or Dubai. Return flights are £690 – £909. You may choose to take advantage of these stopovers and spend a couple of days in say, Kuala Lumpur on the way out and Bangkok on the way home. Local flights from say, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok to Phuket are around £75 – £112.
British passport holders arriving by air or land can enter Thailand without a visa.
Do not book flights until advised to do so by the event organiser.
Important Trip Information
Embarkation: 1700 onwards on Tue 10 February 2026
Set sail: 1000 on Wed 11 February 2026
Arrival back in Phuket: 1800 on Tue 17 February 2026
Disembark: 0900 on Wed 18 February 2026
The Sundowners member price of the trip for the yacht charter is:
Standard Berth £950
Single Occupancy Preferred £1,425 Click for details
These prices are subject to the availability of yachts we would like to charter.
The price includes the following:
Basic Yacht Charter
Not included in the sailing event price are: flights, transfers, outboards, personal insurance, victualling, meals ashore, diesel, bed linen, end cleaning, water, mooring fees, anchoring fees, tourist tax (£6.86/day), local taxes, national park fees (£10 pp) and any personal expenditure.
Damage waiver 50€ per boat per day (reduces security deposit liability by 50%)
Service Pack £880 per yacht: Transit Log, end cleaning and bed linen etc.
The Club’s standard terms and conditions apply. In summary:
- Paying your deposit commits you to the trip and to paying all payments as and when required.
- If you withdraw from an event you are still liable for the full cost unless a replacement participant is found.
- If a replacement is found there will be an admin charge made for the change of participant.
- You agree to bear the shared cost of any security deposit loss levied by the charter company for loss or damages.
Additionally you should be aware of the Club’s Covid Policy and the requirements for participation in the event.
The full cost of the deposit is 3000€ to 5000€ per boat.
Payment Schedule
| Payment | Due Date | Shared Cabin | Single Cabin |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Deposit |
Immediately |
£300 |
£300 |
|
Mid Payment |
1st September 2025 |
£350
|
£350 |
|
Final Payment |
14th December 2025 |
£300 |
£775 |
|
|
Total Cost |
£950
|
£1425 |