Once you’ve decided to book a Private Boat Charter with 5 Star Marine your mind naturally wonders what should you bring to the boat to ensure you have a wonderful day?
The Life of a Life Bag – Video by Chris Parker
5 Star Marine was thrilled to welcome Chris Parker, (from Retired Working For You), as he joined their usual weekly efforts to see exactly what goes on behind the scenes of each vital life bag.
Chris Parker got an inside glimpse of how things work right from the organized packing efforts by volunteers at Sutai Muay Thai, to the distribution to some of the most suffering communities in and around Phuket. He joined the distribution efforts by truck and then headed out on the sea to get to some of the harder-to-reach places which the 5 Star Marine have been able to serve using their speedboats for deliveries.
In his follow-up, hard-hitting video, you get to see where these life bags go, and how vitally important they have become for the worst-hit communities around us here.
In Chris’ own words: “What 5 Star Marine in Phuket, Thailand have done during the past 14 months is nothing short of unbelievable. This video will tell the story about how, when the pandemic struck, one man decided to begin helping those in need on his home island and as the need grew, so did the effort. Today, One Phuket has handed out more than 210,000 ‘Life Bags’ with daily essentials for a local family who have no income. On Phuket, where tourism is basically everything, this has provided a lifeline and gotten many through this challenging year.
The news in Bangkok and Thailand has been mostly bad this past year, but the Phuket Sandbox is reopening travel and bringing hope to the locals who are looking to get back on their feet. So book a ticket and be a hero!”
5 Star Marine is so grateful to Chris for filming this emotional and honest video and for helping to raise awareness by sharing this story on his YouTube platform also; all much appreciated.
5 Star Marine – TAT SHA Plus Approved
5 Star Marine pride themselves on continuously striving to remain an industry leader in all areas; and they were in fact one of the first private boat companies in Phuket to be awarded the TAT SHA Certification in 2020, followed by the TAT SHA Plus Certification in 2021.
As the Phuket Sandbox officially reopened to international guests on July 1st, 2021, this means that international travelers can be assured of their safety with 5 Star Marine’s speedboat tours. The Tourism Authority of Thailand awarded 5 Star Marine with this certification, as a tourism-related business on the island; and the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration Plus Certificate is now proudly held by the company.
The TAT SHA Plus symbol shows customers that the business has been certified as adhering to all public health measures set up for Covid-19 safety. Although it only requires 70% of employees to have been fully vaccinated as part of the “Phuket Must Win” vaccination rollout – 5 Star Marine have gone over and above with 100% of employees having been fully vaccinated.
This private speedboat tour company has taken extensive measures to ensure that its speedboats, staff, crew, policies, and procedures are industry-leading. Not only have they been accredited by the Thai Government by proving they competently following ‘Covid-19 Safe Guidelines and Principles’, but they have also gone the extra mile so that you can rest assured of all aspects of health and safety during this unprecedented time.
5 Star Marine is proud to be one of the first TAT SHA Plus certified tourism services and looks forward to welcoming more domestic and international travelers onboard for once-in-a-lifetime experiences on their private speedboats in 2021.
Private Charter FAQs
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:
- If you choose to pay via Mastercard or Visa please note we charge a processing fee of 5%.
- If you choose to pay via Paypal please note we charge a processing fee of 5%.
- If you choose to pay via American Express Card there is a 5% processing fee.
- If you choose to pay via International Bank Transfer please transfer 7 days before your tour to ensure the funds are received in time.
- 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.
‘Captain’s Choice’ – A Maximum Flexibility Private Tour
Captain’s Choice is 5 Star Marine’s unique luxury boat tour experience, offering you the perfect combination of maximum convenience plus flexibility. It brings together a new collection of inspired day sea tours tailored to your personal expectations; with an element of surprise thrown in to ensure your day is exactly what you would have wished for.
So, all you have to do is book your VIP boat experience then, simply turn up on the day for your adventure. That’s literally all you need to do! No worrying about where to stop for lunch, what to do first, which order to sightsee or snorkel, where is best for the sea conditions that day – you can leave the hard decisions to our expert Captains and concentrate on enjoying your trip to the deserted paradise islands around Phuket.
Our experienced team of Tour Managers and Captains will ensure you have the perfect day out on the water, and fulfill your expectations to leave you with special lasting memories of your VIP tour with us. We are also TAT SHA Plus approved, so you know that you and your booking are in safe hands.
For the ultimate travel experience, you can trust 5 Star Marine’s ‘Captain’s Choice’ to bring you itineraries that are only available to small and private booking groups and not offered with any other boat tour company.
We have already taken a number of international bookings, so don’t delay and book your ‘Captain’s Choice’ luxury day out now, to enjoy the bespoke selection of untouched paradise locations on offer.
Contact 5 Star Marine on Facebook to book.
What a Year!
We know that uncertainty remains at unprecedented levels globally, but we wanted to take a moment to look back on all the positive experiences from the last year, to realize how far we have come – and wow what a year it has been for us.
We took time to regroup and focus on reprioritizing our efforts in the last 12 months, and this meant rolling up our sleeves and getting busy. We re-evaluated in order to understand where new opportunities could open up for us and where they made sense. We continued supporting the vulnerable communities and the people around us via our charity efforts. We focused on the upside wherever we could see or create one. We wanted to look at where we could add value to our community and what we should be doing during this time.
All in all, we are feeling positive about the future and wanted to share our top positive moments from the last year with you:
1. Adding To Our Fleet
Let’s start with our speedboat fleet, which has doubled in size; we now have a total of 12 Private VIP Speedboats which offer day and multi-night tours out of Phuket and Krabi. We introduced our first VIP Luxury Cruiser, which is a proud extension to our current speedboat fleet and offers a truly unique experience on the water.
2. New Premises
To accommodate our growing fleet size, the domestic market support, and prepare for the return of international tourists, we moved piers and into a new office at Boat Lagoon, Phuket. Our new glass-fronted office is a more welcoming environment for all our loyal VIP customers and future private tours.
3. Once In A Lifetime Experiences
We are humbled and know how lucky our crew, staff, and guests have been in the last year. We had the opportunity to experience Phuket and the Islands like NEVER before. Deserted beaches, empty turquoise lagoons and even being some of the first people to climb the new 3600 Krabi Viewpoint. We made unforgettable memories and feel blessed to have these with us forever.
4. New Tour Options
We introduced overnight and multi-day tours to our Phuket and Krabi markets. This included supplying private guests with island hotel return transfers, and adding new day trip locations such as Koh Ngai, Koh Mook, and Koh Kradan. We also had some exciting and memorable multi-night tours to paradise locations such as Koh Lipe, where our guests experienced manta rays and turtles amongst other stunning marine life.
5. Our Charity Efforts Kept Going
We financed, packed, and delivered over 190,000 Life Bags to support the local, vulnerable communities; not only in Phuket but in the hard-to-reach surrounding islands where help was so greatly needed. Our teams of staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly ordering, packing, managing logistics, and delivering these food-based Life Bags for over 15 months now. Often exhausted from the sheer scale of efforts, our teams have stood strong and kept these efforts going each and every week – We want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has been involved in this critical effort.
Here’s to more positive times ahead in 2021 and beyond.
46800 Meals Distributed In The Last 14 Days
As Covid continues to restrict the local Phuket economy our team here at 5 Star Marine, lead by Shaun Stenning continues to dig deep and help the community. The third wave of Covid created more devastation than any other wave has.
This means that our team has had to step up and deliver more life bags and meals than ever before. Take a quick look at the last 14 days in review:
A Snapshot Of Our Life Bag Program In May 2021
If you didn’t know, for the last 14 months our business has been helping our local community survive through one of the most economically trying times ever seen.
As a tourist island, Phuket was devastated by Covid leaving so many without work, businesses closed and the local community needed help.
Seeing this need we stepped up and financed the purchasing, packing, and delivery of life bags all over Phuket.
Here’s a quick look at what we did in May:
Limited VIP Trips Re-Starting on 1st June 2021
During the last few weeks, our private boat tours have been put on hold to help keep Phuket safe. During this time, we have been able to concentrate on our charity efforts as well as finding safe and responsible ways to get our VIP guests back out on the water. Our piers, boats, and office have all been thoroughly cleaned by Government provincial teams, plus staff members have been PCR Covid-19 tested – and we are happy to report that all of our fantastic team are officially Covid-19 free.
Therefore, from 1st June 2021, we are looking forward to welcoming back our existing VIP guests as we will be re-opening with a range of limited private trips. Please note that all guests will be required to complete a short Declaration Form prior to being accepted on board, and also must comply with all Provincial announcements. These precautions and regulations will enable us to re-open our operations on a smaller scale to keep staff and guests safe.
Re-opening at this point is important to give our staff the opportunity to work again and keep motivated during these difficult times. We also want to give you the chance to explore some exciting destinations whilst the seas are still calm, and the islands are blissfully quiet and beautiful.
From 1st June 2021 we are able to offer private small group tours to the following destinations:
- Raya Islands
- Khai Islands
- Mai Ton Island
- Coral Island
If you would like to book a trip to the aforementioned areas, please get in contact to book and fill in our Declaration Form.
Community Efforts and Preparing for the Road Ahead
Here at 5 Star Marine, we passed a huge milestone this April (2021) – of over 14 months of continuous efforts supporting vulnerable communities in need situated in and around the Phuket and Phang Nga areas.
Over 60-weeks of donations have produced an incredible amount of these Life Bags; more than 160,000 have been paid for, packed, and delivered to date. Each one containing staple items such as eggs, oil, noodles, sauces, and rice, among other essentials.
So, what do these numbers actually mean? Well, each Life Bag can feed a family of 4 for 5 days, which means that over the last 14 months we have already helped over 640,000 people, (and counting), get access to basic food supplies. Our teams put themselves out there in the local communities, going out at least twice per week to make these deliveries, so this number is rising every day.
Through this initiative, we are happy to report that we have already made a huge difference and been able to target some of the remote, hardest to reach, and most at-risk areas and islands utilizing our fleet of 5 Star Marine speedboats.
Even the current and previous waves of Covid-19 here did not halt our charity drives. After seeing first-hand how much devastation was caused to the local economy, our 5 Star Marine team now continues to work even harder to find solutions to continue these indispensable efforts.
We have worked long and hard to build trusted relationships with a network of local OrBorTors, and these connections have enabled us to get insights into the real needs of these communities. So, we are able to identify the highest priority villagers, and where to focus efforts several times a week. The necessity for these Life Bags is now, sadly, greater than ever.
Packing had previously been at Sutai Muay Thai on Saturday mornings by teams of volunteers and schools; in a Covid-19 safe and TAT SHA compliant way. However, as the number of active cases in Phuket has increased, the decision was made to keep everyone safe by reducing the number of packers and revert back to the original core group of 5 Star Marine and Sutai Muay staff (April 2021). With an ever-increasing need for Life Bags as the months go on, it means that our small-scale team will work around the clock to ensure no one is left out.
Our scaled-back team recently managed to finish 1,000 Life Bags in a long 6-hour packing window. To put this into perspective, this would normally have taken just 1 hour with the usual volunteer numbers. However, our team didn’t stop there and after finishing the mammoth packing task, they then went on delivering them without a break.
During the past few months, we have received increasingly frequent and anguished requests for help. Community visits have clearly highlighted that some villagers are desperate, they simply don’t know where to turn, and they are truly struggling.
However, in order to prepare for the road ahead, we at 5 Star Marine have increased our own funds available for donation; meaning we can help more people in need. We will continue to help the communities during this pandemic, and beyond too.
With an understanding that plastic usage during food donations is not ideal, we have teamed up with UWC Thailand to come up with solutions and ways to reduce this.
So, please rest assured that throughout this pandemic, we have and will continue with the buying, packing, and distribution of Life Bags to the communities who rely on us, and often have no other means of getting food.
Please follow @5StarMarinePhuket on FB to see our donation activities. Also, when packing efforts resume, (please note these are currently paused for the safety of volunteers and staff), then why not volunteer some of your time to help out – this really will make a difference.
Stay safe and be kind.
From the 5 Star Marine team.
All Good Things Must Come to an End
Last Chance Tourism isn’t a new concept. The enthralling social and psychological notion has been around for several years, feeding tourists with a desire to visit or experience a place at risk of vanishing, (or altering due to climate change), while they still can. Now, I am not suggesting that Thailand is about to disappear, however, a huge shift is most certainly on its way, so this might well be your Last Chance Tourism window of opportunity.
With a strong push by the Thai government to reopen Phuket by this summer, and a relaxation in minimum mandatory quarantine days for vaccinated travelers starting imminently, it is inevitable that tourists will be coming back.
The month of April provides one of the last periods to see the islands around Phuket as they currently are – think Phi Phi, Koh Racha Yai, Similan Islands, Hong Krabi, Railay Beach, Phang Nga Bay, Koh Lanta, etc. The list goes on and on with numerous stunning day trip options and multiple day itineraries easily accessible with 5 Star Marine’s private VIP speedboats.
So, for those of us in or around Phuket right now, we do have a small opportune timeframe in which to enjoy these islands in all their natural beauty, minus the crowds before the tourists return. April bestows fantastic water clarify to us also, which makes for an even more memorable day out on the water especially if your private VIP trip fancies a spot of snorkeling. Towards the end of April / beginning of May, this will all start to change.
Which islands around Phuket are on your bucket list? Maybe there are some on your list that you have never been to. Or perhaps you have already been to one of the islands, however, it was so crowded with tourists that it just didn’t live up to your dreams. So, take the time and take the opportunity NOW while you still can, as this literally is your last possible chance to experience the islands around Phuket in peace and quiet, before the rainy season, rougher seas, and borders reopen.
