Cruises in Phuket

Cruises from Phuket run in two directions — east to the Phi Phi archipelago and north into Phang Nga Bay. The most affordable option, 39 dollars, is a half-day speedboat run to the Khai islands with snorkelling. The eight-hour Phi Phi sailing uses a comfortable cruiser, while the ten-hour one strings Maya Bay, Phi Phi and Khai into a single day by speedboat. The half-day at Khai is the gentlest way in for anyone heading out to sea for the first time.

Phang Nga is about landscape. The ten-hour four-in-one route takes in James Bond Island and canoeing between limestone cliffs, while the eight-hour version on a larger boat moves more gently and costs 139 dollars. A genre of its own is the small-scale sailing: Escape the Crowds and the day-plus-sunset combination, six and a half hours each at 100 dollars, made for anyone who wants the bays without the crowds. Speedboats are faster but feel the swell more than the bigger boats.

GetExperience lists 7 cruises from Phuket, from 39 to 139 dollars. Pages state the boat type, the duration — four to ten hours — the island route and the inclusions: transfer, lunch, snorkelling gear. Date and party size go in the calendar; confirmation comes quickly. Payment is online and the voucher lands in your inbox.