Life on board
Water toys: what is worth having and what sits in the locker
What water toys come with a charter yacht in Thailand?
The short answer
What water toys come with a charter yacht in Thailand?
Every crewed yacht carries a tender, snorkelling equipment and paddleboards, and those three get used every day. Kayaks earn their place in the Andaman more than anywhere else, because the cave and lagoon entrances at Koh Panak and Koh Hong can only be reached by paddle. Seabobs are genuinely fun and heavily used. Jet skis are restricted in the national parks and used less than people expect. E-foils need flat water, an hour of instruction and a patient crew, and are the toy most likely to stay in the locker.
What gets used, in order
| Toy | Use in the Andaman | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Tender | Every day, for every landing and every cave | The one that matters. Ask about its size and its shade |
| Snorkelling gear | Every anchorage | Bring your own mask if you are particular |
| Paddleboards | Every calm morning | Universally used |
| Kayaks | Cave and lagoon entrances at Panak and Koh Hong | Specifically valuable here, unlike most destinations |
| Seabob | Reef edges and drop-offs | Heavily used when aboard |
| Jet ski | Open water only, restricted in parks | Used less than expected |
| E-foil | Flat water, with instruction | Usually stays in the locker |
| Dive compressor | Only on yachts set up for it | Decides whether diving is easy or a logistics exercise |
The tender is the toy that matters
It is the only one used every single day: every landing, every cave, every trip ashore, every early run to Maya Bay before the cap fills. Its size decides whether the group goes in one trip or two, and whether it has a bimini decides whether a twenty-minute transfer at midday is pleasant or not.
Kayaks matter here more than elsewhere
The hongs at Koh Panak are entered through tunnels that are, at their lowest, a passage where you lie flat in the canoe. No tender goes in there. On most charters kayaks are a nice extra; on a Phang Nga itinerary they are the access to the thing you came to see.
Jet ski use is restricted or prohibited inside the marine national parks, which is most of where you will be. If a jet ski is important to the group, ask specifically where it can actually be run.
Last checked 6 September 2026. Rates, fees and regulations in this market change every season, so figures on this page are correct as at that date and not afterwards. How the figures are gathered.