Sailing Catamaran Krabi: A Slow Day on the Andaman Sea

Around mid-morning the long-tails are racing out of Ao Nang in a line, and somewhere among them a white catamaran is moving at its own pace, sails up, guests stretched out on the nets at the bow. That is the appeal of a sailing catamaran in Krabi: the same limestone islands, but slower, steadier and with a lot more room to lie down. Before you book one, it helps to know which boat fits your group, where it can take you and how much real sailing to expect.

I will be honest from the start. A sailing catamaran is not the fastest way around the islands and not the cheapest. It is the most comfortable way to spend a long day at sea in a small to medium group, and for many people that matters more.

Which sailing catamarans can you charter in Krabi?

Two sailing catamarans are available for private charter: the Fountaine Pajot Lavezzi 40 with 4 double cabins for up to 12 guests, and the Lagoon 400 Blue Atoll with 2 double cabins for up to 30 guests. Both are about 12 m long and 7.2 m wide, so the difference is not size but how each boat is set up and priced.

Both come with captain and crew, and both are chartered whole: one group, one price for the boat. You can see them together on the sailing yacht charter page for Krabi, and here are the main facts side by side.

The pricing is the first thing to look at. The Lavezzi starts low for a couple and climbs with each guest. Blue Atoll starts higher, but the base price already covers ten people and each guest after that adds less.

Lavezzi 40 or Blue Atoll: which boat suits your group?

For couples, families and groups up to 12 who want fixed island routes, the Lavezzi 40 is the natural choice. For bigger groups, celebrations and anyone who wants a more hosted day with a butler, a picnic and afternoon tea, Blue Atoll makes more sense.

The Lavezzi 40 feels like a proper cruising boat. The helm has good visibility, the lines for the mainsail and genoa are easy to handle from the cockpit, and there are swim ladders on both sides at the back with an outdoor shower for after the swim. It is the only one of the two with a paddle board and a kayak on board, which keeps active guests busy at every stop.

Blue Atoll is the owner's version of the Lagoon 400, which gives more room inside. The saloon is laid out like a living room with a dining table, a galley and an inside helm station. With a butler, a massage therapist and a bartender available at an extra charge, it is set up for a social day rather than an active one.

A simple rule I use: if most of your group wants to swim, paddle and snorkel, take the Lavezzi. If most of them want to eat, talk, lie in the sun and be looked after, take Blue Atoll.

And one thing to be clear about. Thirty is the maximum on Blue Atoll, not the comfortable number. A group of fifteen or twenty will have a much nicer day than a full boat, especially on the nets.

Sailing catamaran Max 12 persons Lavezzi 40 From฿20,000 Sailing catamaran Max 30 persons Blue Atoll From฿34,500

Where does a sailing catamaran go from Krabi?

The Lavezzi 40 runs three set routes: Railay and Poda, Hong Island and Poda, and Phi Phi and Poda. Blue Atoll offers morning and afternoon half days, a full day, and a full day to Phi Phi, with the route for the shorter trips agreed when you book.

Railay and Poda is the easy day, 6 to 8 hours, and costs ฿20,000 on the Lavezzi. It covers Poda Island, Chicken Island, the Talay Waek sandbar and Railay, which is reached only by boat. For a first sailing day, this is the route I recommend, because the islands are close together and you spend more time at anchor than on the move.

Hong Island and Poda is the long day, 10 to 12 hours, for ฿25,000. It adds Daeng, Hong Island, Pak Bia, Lading and the Hong lagoon, where the limestone walls close in around calm green water. If the lagoon is the reason you came, read the guide to Hong Island yacht charter from Krabi before deciding.

Phi Phi and Poda is also 10 to 12 hours, for ฿28,000, with Nui Bay, Maya Bay, Loh Samah Bay, the lagoon and the Viking Cave. Blue Atoll goes to Phi Phi too, from 10:30 to 18:30, for ฿70,000. Remember that Maya Bay has a no-swimming rule and can close for restoration, so the crew follows the park rules on the day.

Hong Island and Phi Phi are national park areas with a park fee, which is not part of the boat price. And from about May to October the south-west monsoon brings swell to the Andaman Sea, so the longer open-water routes are the ones most likely to change.

Do you actually sail on a sailing catamaran in Krabi?

Sometimes, yes, but not all day. The crew sets the sails when the wind and the route allow, and uses the engines when the wind is light, from the wrong direction or when time is tight.

This surprises some guests, so it is worth saying clearly. A day charter among the islands is built around stops, swims and lunch, not around a sailing passage. Expect a relaxed cruise with sails when conditions are good, not a sailing course.

When the sails do go up, it is the best part of the day. The engines go quiet, the boat leans very slightly and settles into a smooth, steady motion, and you hear water along the hulls instead of a motor. Catamarans do not heel much, so nobody has to hold on to their drink.

On a calm morning in the dry season the sea can be glassy, and there is simply not enough breeze to sail far. Enjoy the flat water for swimming and paddling instead. If sailing itself is the main point for you, say so in your request so the crew can plan the timing around the wind.

If you want to try steering, ask. On a private charter the crew can often let a guest take the helm for a stretch in open water, always under their eye and only when it is safe.

What does a day on the nets look like?

A sailing catamaran day is slow on purpose: a short cruise, a long stop, a swim, lunch, another stop, and a lot of lying on the trampoline nets at the bow in between. That rhythm is why people choose these boats.

The day usually begins with the boat leaving the coast and the crew handing round drinks. The first stop is often the closest beach, before the busiest part of the day. On the Lavezzi you can take the dinghy ashore, jump off the stern ladders, or paddle around the rocks.

Lunch is on board or on the beach. The Lavezzi includes standard food, and Blue Atoll includes a beach picnic and BBQ grills. On the long routes, the food matters more than people think, because a 10 to 12 hour day is a long time to run on snacks.

After lunch, the afternoon is quieter. People nap in the cabins or the shade, the swimmers go out again, and on Blue Atoll there is afternoon tea. On the way back, the nets are where everyone ends up, watching the cliffs turn gold.

A few habits make the day better:

• Go barefoot on deck and keep your shoes in a bag: decks and nets are easier and safer without them.
• Reapply sunscreen after every swim and use a hat on the nets, where there is no shade at all.
• Keep phones and cameras in a dry bag when you use the dinghy or the kayak.
• Drink water all day, not only soft drinks: the heat on deck is easy to underestimate.
• Bring a light layer for the trip home on long days, when the wind and the sun have worn you down.

Sailing catamaran or power catamaran?

Choose a sailing catamaran for a slow, quiet day with sails and cabins. Choose a power catamaran if you want to cover the distance faster, have a larger group, or prefer a covered upper deck to sails.

The Power Catamaran 40ft is the closest alternative. It is also 40 ft long with 4 double cabins and a mesh net at the bow, but it runs on engines only and takes up to 25 guests. It does the 4 Islands as a half day for ฿22,000 or a full day for ฿29,000, and Hong Island as a full day for ฿32,000.

Its price covers 1 to 10 guests, with ฿600 for each extra adult and ฿300 for each child aged 3 to 12. For a group of 10 to 25 that does not care about sails, the power catamaran is often the better value, and it is steadier on schedule because it does not depend on the wind.

What you give up is the quiet. A motor catamaran is a comfortable boat, but it never has that moment when the engines stop and the boat simply sails. For couples and people who come for the feeling of the sea, I still prefer the sailing boats. You can compare both kinds on the motor yacht charter page for Krabi.

Sailing catamaran Max 12 persons Lavezzi 40 From฿20,000 Sailing catamaran Max 30 persons Blue Atoll From฿34,500 Power catamaran Max 25 persons Power Catamaran 40ft From฿22,000

What are the downsides of a sailing catamaran day?

The main downsides are long days on the far routes, heat on deck, the chance of swell in the monsoon months and some extra costs that are not in the boat price. None of them is a reason not to go, but they are worth planning for.

The Hong Island and Phi Phi routes on the Lavezzi take 10 to 12 hours. That is a full day out, and with small children or guests who tire easily, the Railay and Poda route or a Blue Atoll half day is kinder. Choose the length of the day for the least energetic person in your group.

Seasickness is less of an issue on a catamaran than on a single-hull boat, because the two hulls keep it stable. Still, in swell the boat moves, and the longer the open crossing, the more you feel it. If someone in your group is sensitive, keep to the shorter routes and sit in the middle of the boat, looking at the horizon.

And the fees. National park and island entry fees, if any, are not included in the Lavezzi price, and on routes in the park areas a park fee applies. On Blue Atoll the massage therapist and the bartender are extra. Ask the manager what applies to your route before the day.

How to book a sailing catamaran in Krabi

Pick the boat and the route, then send a free, non-binding request from the boat page or on WhatsApp with your date and group size. A manager checks that the boat is free and confirms the final price before you pay anything.

1. Decide on the group size first: up to 12 points to the Lavezzi 40, more than 12 points to Blue Atoll.
2. Choose the route or the length of the day, keeping the youngest and oldest guests in mind.
3. Mention anything special: a birthday, a wish to sail, food needs, or children's ages.
4. Wait for the confirmation of date and price.
5. On the day, bring swimwear, sunscreen, a hat, a dry bag and cash for park fees.

There are only two sailing catamarans for private charter in Krabi, so in the busy dry-season months it pays to book early. Between May and October, keep a spare day in your plans in case the sea changes the route.

Ready to choose your boat?

Every boat page shows the routes, prices and what is included. The booking request is free: a manager checks the boat is free on your date and confirms the price.

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Updated 4 November 2026. Prices can change: the boat page always shows the current price.