Private Boat News

Our boats are all 2 engine speedboats. You can view a video walkthrough in the video below. Before you do, here are a few quick FAQs about our boat:

Do we have a toilet on the boat? 

• Yes, our boats are all equipped with onboard marine toilets. 

Do we have a Bluetooth Speaker on the boat?

• Yes, our boats are all equipped with onboard Bluetooth sound systems.

Do we have an icebox/cooler or esky onboard?

• Yes, we do fill it with water, soft drinks, and ice. You can add to it as you like.

You can watch a walkthrough of our boats and their facilities here:

• Please take a photo of your data page of your passport and save it on your phone, please bring this with you on the day, it is required for your tour insurance.
• Towels (we provide cool face towels, to cool off with, but these are not Beach Towels or used for Drying Off. All hotels on the island provide Beach Towels Or Tour Towels, please request from your hotel.)
• Sunscreen
• Cash – National Park Fees need to be paid in cash. Also some restaurants and outlets on the island require cash. Please bring in Thai Baht. There is no currency exchange available on our pier and the rate on the island is very low.
• Drinks (we provide soft drinks and water, but you are welcome to bring your own alcohol onboard at no additional charge)
• Snacks (fresh fruits will be served)

Lunch – If you wish to stop for lunch then our experienced team can help you decide where would suit your requirements and desired itinerary.  Our guides know a number of great restaurants on each tour program and can recommend for you.  Alternatively we can organize a beach picnic for your tour; we have a selection of western and Thai sharing dishes to select from. See our menu here.

National Park Fees – Most of our tours do not include National Park Fees. You will need to bring Thai Baht to pay this fee to the Park Rangers on the day. They do not accept card or international currency.

The national park fee is not included in your quoted price. Payment for the national park fee can be made at our office before departure.

Here is a good blog post that outlines the different national parks and there associated costs: National Park Fees – How Much Are They?

You can watch the video here:

The tour timing is flexible. Your guide onboard will help to adjust the timing to suit you on the day. The maximum time onboard is 8 hours. As a guide most of our guests are onboard between 5hrs and 8hrs.

The return time to the pier is flexible, your guide onboard will help to set this with you on the day. As a guide, most of our tours return to the pier between 3pm and Sunset.

We recommend coming to the pier minimum 30 minutes before departure. This will give you time to discuss your day luxury tour requirements with your guide to ensure you get the most out of your day.

Yes, we include private minibus transfers from your hotel / villa / residence to the pier for your private speedboat (unless specifically requested otherwise).

As your boat hire with us is private, timing on your tour is flexible.  If you are an early riser and wish to get out early, we can accommodate that.  If you prefer a leisurely breakfast and to get out later we can do that as well.

Our Guide Team recommend to avoid the crowds a pick up from your hotel at either 06:30 AM or 09:30 AM.  This allows us to design your tour program to miss the group tours.

Please note that some of our tours will have specific timing recommended.

For example our Bioluminescence and Phi Phi and James Bond combined tour have different recommended times.

This will be detailed in your confirmation email.

Our pier is in Boat Lagoon, you can find our location on Google Maps here.

73, 20, Tambon Ko Kaeo, Amphoe Mueang Phuket, Chang Wat Phuket 83000, Thailand

If you are transferring to the pier on your own, please show this to your driver:

73,20, ตําบลเกาะแก้ว, อําเภอเมืองภูเก็ต, วัดภูเก็ต 83000, ประเทศไทย

You will get only a ‘suggested’ itinerary, and this is why; when you arrive at the pier we will talk through the day plan, and make suggestions (because there are variables outside of our control like the sea, wind condition, and tide, etc.) Our concept is a joint idea between you and your guide on the day, for the best experience.

For example, if the tide is high on your Phi Phi private luxury tour date, we suggest you go to Phi Phi Ley first (explore Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, go snorkeling near Viking cave), and then in the afternoon head over to Phi Phi Don. However, for a low-tide morning and high-tide afternoon; the itinerary would need to reverse to see Maya Bay at its most beautiful.

This is why the itinerary is suggested, not set in stone. We allow you to add in more snorkeling stops if you please, and take your time; there are no set schedules of rushing for the next stop as you might experience on group tours.

The answer is simple, it is however long you want it to be. As it is a private boat, essentially the boat is yours, and your captain, guide, and crew on the day are there to give you the ultimate day out so they will take into account your requirements and help guide you.

The cost of lunch will vary depending on what you order. You can expect the cost to be similar to a Phuket Restaurant. A good guide is to budget between 100 THB And 700 THB per dish.

We hope to have great weather for your tour. As a private speedboat operator we spend a lot of time studying weather patterns. In the event we predict poor weather for your tour, we would inform you on the morning of your tour. You can then choose to cancel or re-schedule your tour (if available).

Your booking confirmation will include an option to pay a 30% deposit. The deposit is not compulsory. If you prefer you can make payment in full on the day of the tour. Please see our Payment Methods here.

We accept various payment methods for your convenience, including Mastercard, AMEX, Visa, Paypal, bank transfer, or cash. PLEASE NOTE:

1. If you choose to pay via Mastercard or Visa please note we charge a processing fee of 5%.
2. If you choose to pay via Paypal please note we charge a processing fee of 5%.
3. If you choose to pay via American Express Card there is a 5% processing fee.
4. If you choose to pay via International Bank Transfer please transfer 7 days before your tour to ensure the funds are received in time.
5. If you plan to pay by foreign currency please note that our in-office rate will not be as good as a licensed money exchange.  It is best to convert your currency into Thai Baht before paying us.

At 5 Star Marine, we ensure that our customers remain our top priority. Therefore, we offer a flexible cancellation policy; so, if you need to cancel your tour, we will honour all cancellations made 24 hours prior to departure with honest, 100% refunds.

While tipping is not compulsary our team would love a tip if you believe the service was worthy of a tip. When asked what we recommended we would suggest 1,000 THB as a good tip.

The Australian Consulate-General in Phuket (also covering Krabi, Phang Nga and Surat Thani) may be able to assist you if you face issues while travelling.

Visit their website for information about the types of services available to you. The latest travel advice for Thailand can be found on the Smartraveller website.