By Shaun Stenning February 8, 2021 5 Star Marine News, Island Hopping, Private Boat Charter Comments Off

Welcome Lucus 5 – VIP Speedboat

Due to strong support by our local ex-pat community, 5 Star Marine is proud to announce the arrival of Lucus 5. Adding to our existing fleet of 3 VIP Custom Private Speedboats, Lucus 5 is a 39 feet speedboat complete with back decking, Bluetooth sound, 2 X 250 HP Yamaha Engines, VIP Matting, and full fixtures and fittings.

This boat is perfect for cruising to the Island Destinations surrounding Phuket like Phi Phi, Raya, Phang Nga, and beyond. It is comfortable in all sea conditions and can reach over 42 Knots.

If you are looking for a safe, reliable, and cost-effective Private Boat in Phuket then you can’t look past Lucus 5.

By Shaun Stenning October 6, 2020 5 Star Marine News, Private Boat Charter, Weather Update Comments Off

What Happens To A Private Boat Tour If The Weather Is Poor?

We have been asked a lot the last month or so what happens to a Private Boat Tour if the weather is bad, the wind is high or the sea is rough. It’s a good question and relevant this September and October as we are still in the Phuket Wet Season.

The answer is different from company to company. For example, today as I write this the rain is bucketing down but I am seeing video footage of tours going out.

Now in some cases, the Private Boat Tours will go out in bad weather as the customer requests it but in other cases, the companies do not allow for cancellations.

Here at 5 Star Marine Phuket, we offer a flexible cancellation policy. The policy allows you to cancel a tour up to the day before the tour for any reason without needing to lose a deposit or make full payment.

On the day of the tour if the weather is poor cancellation is allowable weather. This means we will not force you, your family, or friends to take a tour in bad weather, sea conditions, or wind conditions.

We wish your private boat experience to be a GREAT experience and the only way to do that is to ensure we have good conditions for you, our customers. So to be clear, as a responsible Private Boat Company we will always give you the option to cancel ON THE DAY of your TOUR if the weather is bad.

IF you wish to go out this is your choice but we will never force you to take a trip just because you are booked. This is something that our company does differently from most private boat companies in Phuket.

By Shaun Stenning September 14, 2020 5 Star Marine News, Private Boat Charter Comments Off

The Different Seasons Of A Phi Phi Island Tour

Phi Phi Island Private Boat Tour

I often get asked by our customers why some people who book private boats with us go to the same location multiple times a year. The answer is a little complex but please allow me to explain.

Phi Phi Island is a set of 6 Islands and each island has multiple areas to explore. Depending on the time of year, the weather conditions, and the wind, some locations are more beautiful at one time of year than another.

For example, during our low season or wet season, the wind is generally strong on the Camel Rock and Maya Bayside of Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley so it is more pleasant to snorkel, swim and explore on the Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, and Leam Tong Bayside of Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley.

The opposite is true of our High Season or Dry Season. During this season you’ll find that it’s most pleasant exploring Camel Rock and Maya Bay sides of Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley.

In addition to this difference, an island like Bamboo Island, which is in the chain of Phi Phi Islands is best explored during our High or Dry Season as it is susceptible to high winds during our low or wet season.

This is why some of our customers who book Private Boats to Phi Phi Island decide to visit the same location twice, as there can be totally different experiences based on the season.

By Shaun Stenning September 7, 2020 5 Star Marine News, Island Hopping, Private Boat Charter Comments Off

Can You Do Overnight Tours With 5 Star Marine?

I’ve had some interesting conversations over the past few weeks with customers about the types of tours that a private boat company like 5 Star Marine can do.

As a True Private Boat company, and what I mean by that is we cater only to the Private Boat Market, we are not a group tour boat offering you a private service, we have full flexibility on what we can offer.

For example, if you’d like to visit Phi Phi Island, do a day tour, stay the night and come back the next day we can do a 2-day 1-night tour.

Maybe you want to explore for longer?

Then we can head out past Phi Phi to Koh Lanta, Koh Rok, Koh Haa, Koh Lipe, or beyond. All of these locations we have visited before and we can build 2, 3, 4, or even 5-day tours.

Each day we would go exploring, sightseeing, swimming, relaxing, and at the end of the day find a hotel that suits your budget to stay the night.

These kinds of tours are invigorating and give you more time to explore places that normal tours do not go to. This is truly the beauty of having a private boat and booking with a true Private Boat Company.

So, if you are thinking about getting away from Phuket for a few days chat with us about your options, what would work for you, and the kind of experience you are looking for.

If you like remote, we even have a floating villa in the Mangroves of Phang Nga Bay completely away from everyone else.

As I said if you have an idea, or dream just reach out and we will work something out for you.

By Shaun Stenning May 28, 2020 5 Star Marine News, Private Boat Charter Comments Off

Family Celebrations and Experiences Done The 5 Star Way!

Family Celebrations and Experiences Done 5 Star Way!

You probably don’t know it, but the team here at 5 Star Marine are extensively experienced in creating and executing family celebrations, romantic experiences, and wedding receptions that integrate amazing scenery, beautiful blue water, and private islands.

Let me give you a few examples:

New Years Day Serenade –

We had a client join us from Spain and as part of his plans for New Years Day, he hired one of our VIP Private Speedboats for a custom program tour that included James Bond Island, Canoeing through the Hongs, and snorkeling at a quiet spot in Hong Krabi.

The client had specifically requested a Private Island Sunset Dinner complete with a live acoustic band. To make this happen we split our teams up, we had the “on boat team” of Guide, Manager, Captain, Engineer, and Host looking after the customer as they did the tour.

The second team went to the private island, set up a romantic sunset dinner location, prepared their custom meal, set up the band, and did a sound test. On arrival the band played a very special song that was specifically requested by the client, dinner was served as was a custom drinks menu.

After sunset, the band played into the evening and we transferred the client back via our VIP Private Boat. This is just one example of a unique and special experience we can craft upon request.

50th Wedding Anniversary –

We had a family group of 20 people join us on a private custom Phi Phi Island tour. The tour was to celebrate the 50^th Wedding Anniversary of our client.
We organized Snorkeling, Diving, Jet Skiing, and more while on tour. While our “on tour team” were looking after the clients at Phi Phi we had our “Island Team” setting up a private island dinner for 20 people complete with a sound system for music and speeches.

A custom dinner menu was created, drinks were served, our DJ played an array of old and new songs and the speeches were moving. At the end of the evening, we transferred the clients safely back to their hotels. This is just one example of a unique and special experience we can craft upon request.

Post Wedding Tour –

We were delighted to have an Australian Bride and Groom select a Private Custom Tour to James Bond Island, Hong Island, Panyee Island, and more as part of their wedding plans.

Upon completing the wedding ceremony we transferred the Bride and Groom and their guest to our pier where we took them on a private tour complete with a wedding reception lunch.

Drinks were flowing on board as was a custom playlist on our VIP Private Speedboat sound system. A truly unique way to have a post-wedding celebration and one that will be remembered by all who attended for years to come.

If you have a dream, an idea, or a plan that you would like to implement contact our team here at 5 Star Marine about how we can any dream come true and design a memorable experience for you and your friends, family, or even team members.

By Shaun Stenning May 10, 2020 Island Hopping, Private Boat Charter Comments Off

Cheap Phi Phi Island Tours

Prior to providing Private Boat Tours to island sets like the Phi Phi Islands we were heavily involved in the resale and promotion of Cheap Phi Phi Island Group Tours. The kind of tours where 35 to 50 people are on a boat and they quickly move from stop to stop.

As a reseller of these tours we were frequently changing providers as our clients often came back dissatisfied with the Phi Phi Island Group Tour. Complaints we often received were:

Travel Time – Due to the nature of a group tour the bus that transfers you to the pier has to stop at multiple hotels to pick up other guests. Sometimes those guests are late and you stuck waiting on a bus adding an extra 1hr each way onto your travel.
Boat – The quality of the boat is poor and has too many people on the boat for you to really enjoy the sights. Additionally when snorkeling it takes some time to get into the water as too many people are trying to get off at once.
Equipment – The equipment on the boat is faulty. Life jackets don’t close properly, masks leak, snorkels are broken, no fins are available.
Snorkeling – The area where they are snorkeling is too crowded as multiple boats with 35 – 50 people are in the same area and they keep getting kicked in the head.
Lunch – The buffet lunch is of poor quality with the food lukewarm and of a low quality.

These are just some of the complaints we heard and helped to solve. Out of the frustration of sending customers to companies that really didn’t care about delivering quality experiences we created 5 Star Marine.

5 Star Marine Private Boat Tours to Phi Phi Island

The 5 Star Marine team, boats, and equipment are all high quality. Our boats are some of the newest and best-maintained on the water. Our crew and guides are constantly receiving training and are instructed to avoid the crowds.

So while 5 Star Marine Private Boat Tours to Phi Phi Island may be more expensive than Cheap Phi Phi Island Group Tours the difference in experience is not comparable. Decide to make your Phi Phi Island trip memorable for all the right reasons and chat with the team at 5 Star Marine today.

You’ll be amazed at how affordable we are!

By Shaun Stenning March 28, 2020 Island Hopping, Private Boat Charter Comments Off

What Is A Traditional Phi Phi Island Private Boat Tour?

Often when we are discussing with potential clients a Private Boat Charter to the Phi Phi Islands we are asked what is a traditional Phi Phi Island tour. Our answer is generally direct and maybe a little confusing for our guests. You see, we say we don’t have a traditional Phi Phi Island tour, every single tour we run out to Phi Phi Island is unique, customized, and tailored to the customers on the Private Boat.

As a Private Boat Charter company, we encounter a wide range of guests. We have guests who love snorkeling, guests who want to see reef sharks, guests who want to snorkel from the boat, guests who want to snorkel from the beach, guests who want to sightsee.

Due to the wide range of guests we have and the wide range of tours they wish to experience we build a custom program for every single guest. When building that program for a Phi Phi Island tour we consider the guest’s desires, the sea conditions, the water clarity, and the wind direction.

If the wind is coming from a certain direction it may make sea conditions more pleasant in different areas of Phi Phi Island. So this is why every single time that we run a Private Charter Boat to Phi Phi Island we take a different course, we stop at different locations and we time the tour differently.

What Can You Expect From A Phi Phi Island Private Boat Tour?

Instead of giving an EXACT plan of what we will see and do at Phi Phi Island, we allow our guides and captains to have complete flexibility on the day. With that said there are a few things we can guarantee you’ll have the opportunity to experience. Those things include 2 or more wonderful snorkeling spots, 1 or more great beaches for relaxing, 1 or more spots to view the local monkeys, 1 or more beautiful lagoons, and a quiet spot for lunch.

If you’d like to find out more about a Phi Phi Island tour, simply contact us and we’d happily discuss how we can customise a Private Boat Charter to Phi Phi Island for you.

By Shaun Stenning October 25, 2019 5 Star Marine News, Phuket Tips, Private Boat Charter Comments Off

Book Tours Before Arriving Or On Arrival To Phuket?

I often see people asking whether they should book tours before arriving in Phuket or on arrival at Phuket at the street vendors. Whenever someone posts something like this the local community has different thoughts, ideas, and advice for the person writing the post.

After 11 years here booking tours myself, being part of a tour company, and also running a private boat marine business my advice is a little conflicted. If you plan to do a group tour, then generally you will find it best to book once you arrive in Phuket as you can compare prices at different agents.

The only exception to that is if you wish to book one of the premium tour providers like Phuket Sail Tours or Simba Tours. These companies generally book out well ahead of time and as such it’s best to at least reserve a spot prior to arriving.

So if you plan to book a group tour that sits in the “general” category and not in the small group or VIP tour category then I would strongly recommend to you that you should research before you arrive and then book on the ground.

We Recommend Booking Private Boats In Advance

But if you are booking with a popular tour provider in the VIP or Small Group category then I would suggest that you reserve. Then when it comes to Private Boats you should also reserve the boat if you wish to go with a reputable private boat provider.

For example here at 5 Star Marine, we pre-sell more than 75% of our month weeks or months in advance as we are a popular and reputable provider. If you land in and try to secure a private boat you may not get the date you want, the price you want, or even the boat you want.

If you’d like more advice feel free to contact us.

By Shaun Stenning September 4, 2019 Phuket Tips, Private Boat Charter Comments Off

What Is The Difference Between A James Bond Island Private Boat Tour and A Phi Phi Island Private Boat Tour?

Generally, when we receive inquiries about private boats we are asked what is the difference between James Bond and Phi Phi Island. The immediate response out of our mouths is they are night and day tours.

The tours while taking place on the water are two completely different tours. For example, the James Bond Island Private Boat Tour takes place in lagoon-like water. There is very little clarity around the waters of James Bond (or Phang Nga as it is known locally). When you go on a James Bond Island Private Boat Tour you go to look at the wonderful limestone rocks, stalactite formations, hidden caves, lagoons, and of course the famous James Bond Island.

But when you go to Phi Phi you go see the crystal clear water, the white sandy beaches, the colorful marine life, rocky outcrops, and if you are really lucky maybe a reef shark or two. The Phi Phi Island Private Boat Tour is really about seeing what’s under the water, as well as what’s above whereas the James Bond Island Tour is about seeing what’s above the water.

Both tours are equally as beautiful, you just need to decide what kind of tour you want, do you want to go swimming, snorkeling and sitting on white sandy beaches or do you want to go sightseeing, sea canoeing and cave exploring?

If you are the adventurous type then you can do BOTH Phi Phi Island and James Bond Island at one time on a Private Boat.

By Shaun Stenning June 28, 2019 5 Star Marine News, Island Hopping, Private Boat Charter Comments Off

Are All Private Speedboats In Phuket The Same?

When I first came to Phuket over 11 years ago I hired a Private Speedboat to take me to Phi Phi Island and also on a separate day to James Bond Island. While the speedboat was ok (not amazing, but it didn’t sink) the tour was no different from a standard Group Tour, just done on a Private Speedboat.

Fast forward 11 years and with years of experiencing chartering, leasing, hiring, and going on Private Boats in Phuket I’ve come to realize that when most tourists visiting Phuket ask an agent, tour desk or online operator for a Private Speedboat what they are really getting is a Group Tour boat, hired Private for the day.

This means your concept of arriving at destinations without the crowds, visiting remote spots, finding hidden gems are all pipe dreams. The captains of these group tour boats that are rented to go Private are not trained on how to avoid the crowds, devise routes that discover unique locations, and generally give you a “True Private” experience.

For me, a true Private Boat Tour in Phuket experience is where I find beaches, snorkeling spots, lagoons, restaurants where there are very few people, that are probably not even on a brochure and are uniquely beautiful.

So, when you look at hiring a Private Speedboat in Phuket my answer to the question as it relates to this post is NO not all Private Speedboats are the same.

This is one of the reasons that 5 Star Marine is so popular and well-reviewed. Our company designs programs and tours to suit the customers on the day, the conditions on the day and the tides on the day.

While we will provide an itinerary to you prior to booking, we will also advise you that this may be adjusted on the day as we visit and pass by locations that intrigue you. For example, yesterday we conducted a private tour of Hong Krabi, this tour included 7 stops at some absolutely stunning locations and each stop was completely private, with no other boats.

When booking a Private Boat in Phuket we strongly advise that you ensure that the boat is a “True Private Boat” and not just a Group Tour boat that has been provided to your Privately for the day.

Because if it’s just a group tour boat, then you won’t enjoy the tour as much and it won’t be as memorable as if you take a true Private Boat like the 5 Star Marine boat here in Phuket.

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