In Safe Hands, with 5 Star Marine
5 Star Marine pride themselves on continuously striving to remain an industry leader in all areas, and when it comes to Covid-19 safety this is certainly no exception. They were, in fact, one of the first private boat companies in Phuket to be awarded the TAT SHA Certification in 2020.
So, what exactly is this accreditation, and why is it important to pick a tourism experience with these credentials? The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in collaboration with the public and private sector partners, introduced an “Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration: SHA” certification, aimed at elevating confidence in Thailand as a destination among international and domestic tourists.
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 passed the inspection with flying colors, presenting their comprehensive ‘Covid-19 Response Plan’ to TAT officials, which highlighted amongst other areas tourist safety and security protocols in particular.
Sanitization kits were fully examined, plus all staff and crew were put through additional training to ensure the utmost safety for all passengers. They have demonstrated without a doubt that they can follow the strict Covid-19 control guidelines set out by the Department of Disease Control and Ministry of Public Health in Thailand. Furthermore, they have developed plans and operational procedures which focus not only on the crew and tourist safety but also promote safe interactions between local communities on the day or overnight trips.
In addition to this, their staff is accredited with, (a US-based Certification) which educates them on how to deal with Airborne Pathogens such as Covid-19. An additional US-based certification has also been obtained; a ‘Covid Safety Certification’ which focuses on how to most effectively sanitize equipment to be Covid-19 safe. Something which is of paramount importance and guidelines is followed each and every day.
5 Star Marine is proud to be one of the first TAT SHA 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.
Overnight Sea Life Safari
Thailand’s local wildlife has been given a much-needed chance to recover since the disappearance of tourists flooding in. Islands and national parks have seen sea and wildlife populations start to return, making right now a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get out and explore.
The Sea Life Safari offers a chance to relax and enjoy the abundance of marine animals over 2 days and 1 night, where the 5 Star Marine team uses their experience and expertise to take you to little-known coves, bays, and secret spots to glimpse the fantastic wildlife on offer.
The two idyllic Racha Islands, (Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi), provide the ideal destination to enjoy nature; with some of the best snorkeling reefs in Thailand, tropical white powdery beaches, and crystal-clear turquoise waters. Koh Racha Yai has situated a mere 45-minute speedboat ride away. However, to experience the plethora of marine life on offer, you need to venture a little further to its smaller twin, Koh Racha Noi – An uninhabited rocky island, with plenty of fantastic snorkeling bays.
During this 2-day trip, you can take your time to relax on stunning deserted beaches, snorkel at both islands and dine at local restaurants in beautiful bays. When you want to explore the local wildlife, 5 Star Marine knows all the best spots.
You might get lucky enough to encounter a pod of inquisitive dolphins playing near your boat, or even see some Green or Hawksbill turtles who are fundamental to our marine ecosystems. Look up to the skies to catch sight of the unusual Hornbills, which are characterized by their long, downcurved bill with a bright yellow casque (or horn) on top.
Get the opportunity to glimpse some smooth-coated sea otters, which have even been known to try to get aboard! How about dragon spotting? OK, not exactly, but Thailand’s Monitor Lizards can grow up to a staggering 2 meters long.
Last, but certainly not least; the stunning coral reefs around these twin islands are just teeming with aquatic life, and make for excellent snorkeling. There are opportunities to see giant starfish, pufferfish, or sea turtles, and reef fish like Parrotfish, snapper, and angelfish can be found in the shallow waters just steps from the beach where you have your pick of snorkeling spots.
Although sightings of these creatures cannot be guaranteed, one thing is for sure; when tourists do return, spotting some of these animals will again become a rarer opportunity.
2 day / 1 night Sea Life Safari itinerary with FREE round trip private minibus transfers available now.
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.
Volunteers Needed For Saturday 30th January 2021
This Saturday The 30th January 2021 At 9:00 AM We Need Your Help. Due To The Resurgence Of Covid 19 More And More Families In Phuket Are Without Work. For Over 11 Months We’ve Been Packing And Distributing Life Bags. This Saturday We Need Some Extra Hands To Prepare A Donation.
There Is No Cost, We Are Not Asking For Donations We Want Your Time. We Have Purchased The Supplies, We Have The Packing Tools We Just Need Some Good Old Fashioned Sweat.
DISCLAIMER: Before You, Volunteer To Help Please Note We Use Plastic. Until We Find A Free Source Of 8000+ Environmentally Friendly Bags Per Month We Use Plastic. We Understand The Downside Of Using Plastic But We Just Haven’t Found A Viable, Free Alternative.
For 11 Months We Have Donated And Each Time We Donate We Run Out Of Life Bags. We Are Maximizing Our Resources To Buy Food to Feed More People And The Cost To That Is We Must Use Plastic.
So If You Have Time And Can Help Here Are The Details:
Date: 30th January 2021 (Saturday)
Time: 9:00am
Location: Sutai Muay Thai Sutai Muay Thai Helps With Life Bags
We Will Supply All You Need To Pack. We, Will, Have Covid Screening On-Site And Work To Make It A Safe Packing Environment. Both Sutai Muay Thai and 5 Star Marine Staff Will Be On-Site To Pack And Ensure TAT SHA Compliance.
If You Can Help Comment Below Or Private Message Us. It Takes 10 People About 4hrs To Pack 300 Life Bags. We Are Packing 900+ So We Need At Least 30+ Volunteers!
Phang Nga Bay Private Boat Tour
I am often asked when I join our customers on tour what is my favorite destination to visit on a Private Boat Tour. The answer to the question is difficult and my answer will change dependent on the season. But one part of my answer will always stay the same and that is that Phang Nga Bay is the most visually stunning above-the-water area to explore.
Why Is Phang Nga Bay So Stunning?
With 47 Islands in the Bay (I think there is more, but at 47 who’s counting?) just entering Phang Nga Bay is a stunning and moving experience. As you cruise into the bay and see the length of the bay, the number of islands, the stalactites, and formations you will be stunned.
I often say to our customers that entering Phang Nga Bay is like stepping into a Jurassic Park movie. The setting is very similar and the feeling of the bay is amazing. As you look around Phang Nga Bay and marvel at how the island formations were made, how some of the stalactites have grown you really start to appreciate it’s a true wonder.
Is James Bond Island In Phang Nga Bay?
While Phang Nga Bay is better known to tourists as the area where James Bond Island is located, to me as a Private Boat Charter Company I truly believe that James Bond Island is just one of many stunning islands and formations in Phang Nga Bay.
I feel the overwhelming joy that James Bond was filmed in Phang Nga Bay as it gives a marketing attraction and motivation to enter the Bay. But the reality is that once you are in the Bay James Bond Island becomes irrelevant as you marvel at the true wonder and beauty of Phang Nga Bay.
There is no better way to explore Phang Nga Bay, the Mangroves, the Hongs, and the Hidden Caves than by Private Speedboat. Let us take you on a journey into the mystical Phang Nga Bay.
5 Star Marine Covid Update January 2021
After a pretty rough 2020, we were hoping that 2021 would see a more stable and predictable Domestic Tourism market and the return in a small way of an international tourism market. The reality is that the start of 2021 has seen a lot of uncertainty combined with a resurgence in Covid 19 cases here in Thailand.
To date, Phuket has been lucky enough to not have reported many cases from the recent outbreak but with the amount of inter-provincial travel that occurred over the New Year period, it’s a matter of time before more cases are reported.
What Is 5 Star Marine Doing In Response To The Covid Resurgence?
At this time the Provincial Government of Phuket has not restricted our business or Private Boat Tour companies from operating. We have been ordered to increase the amount of Covid Screening we are doing at our pier.
So in response to the Covid Resurgence, we have implemented as follows:
1. Travel Advice – We have advised customers of ours that have booked multi-day tours outside of the Phuket Province about the possible effect that Covid will have on our ability to complete these tours. We have offered our customers the ability to cancel and refund their tours. We do not offer credits or deferred dates, we prefer to provide full refunds and wait for the government response to Covid to stabilize.
2.One Day Tours – We are operating all of our single-day tours to Phi Phi, Raya, Phang Nga Bay, Hong island, and beyond as normal. For these tours, you will be screened at the pier per our normal TAT SHA accreditation with hand sanitizer and medical masks available on all our boats.
3.Staff Screening – We are screening all of our staff per our TAT SHA regulations and response plan. To date, our staff has not returned any failed screenings but we continue to monitor the situation.
4.Boat Cleaning – We deep clean our boats daily, sanitize all our equipment, and use recommended and regulated procedures to do this in addition to our Company Response Plan which has been in play since March 2020.
Do You Have Availability?
For certain we have bookings and availability on all our boats. Due to orders issued by the BMA and advice provided to inter-provincial travelers a lot of our pre-bookings have now canceled and crews of all our boats are available to complete tours upon request.
Will You Continue Your Donation Program?
We have recommitted with our volunteer team to continue our Life Bag donation program in 2021 with the first day of packing starting on January 4th, 2021.
Frequently Asked Private Boat Charter Questions
As we continue to grow our customer base and offer more unique Private Boat Charter Experiences it’s important we feel to write a post that offers answers to our most asked questions.
Find some of our most frequently asked questions answers below:
What Do You Have On Your Private Boat?
In all of our Private Boat Charters, we include Water, Soft Drink, Fresh Fruit, Masks, Snorkels, Life Jackets, Beach Mats, and Fins. At request, we can put on an outdoor cushion, picnic equipment, plastic cups, wine glasses, and more. If we have it in supply we are happy to place it onboard for you.
Can We Bring Our Own Alcohol?
You are more than welcome to bring Alcohol on board. We have an icebox on all of our boats with plenty of ice to cool down and keep cool your Alcohol. Additionally, we can purchase alcohol for you and place it on board and you can pay the receipt of the purchase.
We do not mark up on Alcohol purchases and do not charge corkage fees.
How Long Do We Have The Private Boat For?
Quite simply put, we do not limit time on our boats. We hire out our boats once per day so the boat is available to you for the day. Whether you want to start at sunrise or finish at sunset we do not mind as long as it’s safe to be out we will stay out with you.
Do You Include Return Pier Transfers In Your Pricing?
Our price quotes do not include Transfers from your Hotel to our pier. We can provide this service to you at an additional price with no issues. Our team of drivers are professional, safe, and have baby seats available for you.
Do You Include National Park Fees In Your Pricing?
National Park Fees are not included in our pricing, this is an extra charge that is payable on the day direct to the National Park officers. As this is not a fee we collect we prefer for you to pay it directly to the National Park Officers.
Do You Include Lunch In Your Pricing?
We do not include lunch in our pricing. For an extra charge, we can organize a picnic lunch for you, or you can ask our Guide for a recommendation on the best restaurants for you on your tour. The reason we don’t include lunch is that most packaged lunch options are limited and do not cater to everyone’s needs. We prefer to allow you to select the meal you want at the price you are willing to pay.
Phuket Boat Lagoon Private Boat Charter Office
During this Covid 19 Season, the 5 Star Marine team has been well supported by the local and domestic markets booking private boats and excursions. Combine this with our Donation program that has seen over 100,000 meals donated by the team we thought it was time to move to a location more central to the areas that we operate from.
During November our team started the cleaning, set up, and operations of a new office for our Private Boat Charters at Phuket Boat Lagoon. Considering the location of Phuket Boat Lagoon, we thought it was strategic as it allowed easy and quick access to our office from all over Phuket.
Whether you are coming from Rawai, Patong, Laguna, or beyond Phuket Boat Lagoon is a centralized location. So when you board for your next tour with 5 Star Marine you will be checked in and prepared for your tour at our newly opened office for our Private Boat Charters.
A huge shoutout to our Administrative and Operations team for setting up the office and making it comfortable for our clients and staff. We welcome you to come to the office at any time for a chat.
Lucus 3 Private Boat Charter Phuket
Here at 5 Star Marine, we have taken the opportunity during Covid to expand our product offerings and also expand our assets. In the last week, we have been lucky enough to launch our 3rd boat, Lucus 3, into the water and have it out on Charter.
Lucus 3 is similar to our Lucus 1 boat, a very stable boat and capable of doing all trips in all conditions safely. Lucus 3 is 39.9 feet with a back deck extension ideal for relaxing, fishing, and diving.
With 2 250 HP Yamaha engines powering the boat we are able to cruise to each destination at speed while also maintaining safety. The crew of Lucus 3 have been working hard to prepare the boat for charter.
The boat comes with an inbuilt Cool Box, Bluetooth Sound System, VIP Matting, and all the fixtures and fittings of Lucus 1 and Lucus 2. If you are looking for a safe, reliable, and cost-effective Private Boat Charter in Phuket then Lucus 3 is a great addition to the 5 Star Marine team.
How Long Do We Have A 5 Star Marine Boat For During A Private Charter?
One of the frequently asked questions I received from customers prior to booking a Private Boat Charter with us is how long they get the boat for.
The answer to us is simple, as long as it’s safe to be out on the water. We do not hire out our boats more than once per day, so whether you take the boat for 1 hour, half a day, or the full day the price does not change.
When we price our Private Boat Charters we include the cost of fuel, so our price is not based on how long you have the boat but where the boat is going.
Now I know that seems like a really vague answer to the question, so let me give you a few guidelines. Most of our customers end up using our boats from between 5hrs to 8hrs. Generally, after 8hrs the customers are exhausted and want to head back to the pier, but this is not because we are rushing them, or forcing them back to the pier.
Our team is trained to ensure that our customers are happy and your happiness and satisfaction is our number one priority so we will only go back to the pier when you have had enough and are ready to go home.
There is an exception to that rule though. If we feel that you are asking us to stay out and it’s unsafe then we will advise you that the safest thing for you, our crew, and the boat is to go back to the pier.
What Do I Mean By Unsafe?
Generally, that means that it is getting too dark to stay out. Our boats are available to you from sunrise to sunset, so if you are getting close to sunset we will ask you to move to an island closer to the pier so that once the sun has set, we don’t have a long cruise back to the pier.
So feel free to use the boat as you like, our guide will provide advice to you on the best program for you on the day as well as guide you on how to ensure we get back to the pier at a time that is safe and not in the dark.
