About Asia

Asia is the world’s largest and most populous continent, home to over 4 billion people and covering almost 30% of the world’s land surface.  There is no one thing called Asia; it incorporates dozens of countries, cultures, languages and people rather than a homogeneous physical entity and is diverse enough to satisfy individual ideas of paradise. With over thirty centuries of history the culture is varied and you can find lasting testaments to ancient civilizations as well as the latest in high-tech innovations all over Asia. 

For those seeking a sailing holiday in paradise the region of South East Asia is ideal, gifted with some of the most spectacular coastlines in the world with vivid turquoise oceans gently lapping on milky white pristine beaches fringed with palm trees and the scent of flowers and spices on the breeze, it is a truly special place to visit.

Yacht Charter in South East Asia

South East Asia is a remarkable place to sail and explore by boat because of its extensive tropical coastline, exotic destinations and reasonably good infrastructure.  The advantage of discovering the area by boat allows you access to all the pockets of unexplored territories, including islands that have been closed to foreign visitors for up to 50 years! 

The people of South East Asia are welcoming and helpful and are always willing to offer you their best service and satisfy your needs. South East Asia is where pampering is considered an art form and the region is inundated with spas offering authentic treatments.  Each country has something unique to offer. Just choose the one of your dream paradise; the exquisite scenery of Thailand, the gorgeous diving in Indonesia, the luxurious marina in Singapore and let Boatbookings.com find you the right boat to explore it in.

Specific Asian Destinations

There is a charter destionation in Asia to meet virtually every need. We've listed some of the top ones below:

Thailand

Thailand offers some of the most exotic and beautiful yacht charter destinations in the world. Over 3000 km of coastline are mixed with gorgeous beaches, amazing rock formations, world class diving and snorkeling and the genuine smiles of the Thai people. Key charter areas in Thailand include Phuket, the Andaman Islands, Koh Samui, and Pattaya.

More about chartering in Thailand.

Singapore

Singapore is an ideal place for short charters, either day charters around the island of Singapore and its impressive city skyline, or for extended weekend trips to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The business focus of Singapore makes it an ideal location for corporate charters or team-building charters.

More about chartering in Singapore.

Malaysia

Malaysia has a variety of spectacular sailing locations to choose from. The west coast includes the modern facilities of Langkawi, with its archipelago of 99 islands, to the cultural and historic island of Penang. The east coast has the emerging sailing area of Tioman and its surrounding islands.

More about chartering in Malaysia.

Getting There

The main airports supported by flights from the US and Europe are Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Manila.  From these many of the other Asian destinations can be reached by connecting flights or other means of travel. South East Asia'a more touristy destinations such as Thailand, Singapor, Malaysia and the Philippines do not require visas from most visitors, however, most of the others do.  It is always best to check any visa requirements well in advance of travelling by consulting a travel agent, tour operator, national tourist board or embassy, some information can also be found on the destination pages of this site. To obtain a visa you often have to send off a form with your passport and the process can take a couple of weeks to process, however there is often the option to speed up the process with an extra charge or travelling to the embassy yourself.

Activities

As well as sailing there are many other activities on offer across Asia, including sports fishing, whale watching, surfing and scuba diving on some of the world's best coral reefs.  These activities can complement your sailing holiday and is an growing area in the Asian travel industry, so watch this space for more information!

Language

The diverse nature of Asia has led to many different languages throughout that are not always mutually intelligable though English is spoken widely and you can get by in most areas. However, if you wish to travel to lesser trodden tracks and out of the way places it is a good idea to try and take a local phrase book with you even if you have visited another Asian country before or hire a skipper who can also act as your translator.

Climate

Asia is so vast, that there is a variety of climates across the region. The climate in the South East Asia region is mainly tropical, with year round heat hovering at 30°C and varying levels of humidity. South East Asia straddles the tropics and the equator and the region can be roughly split into two zones; an equatorial zone and a northern tropic zone. 

The northern tropic zone (Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Central/Northern Thailand) has three main seasons, the hot, wet and dry seasons. The relativley cool dry season runs from November to May and is more popular with tourists though even in the wet season the typical pattern is sunny mornings with a short downpour in the afternoon.

The equatorial zone (Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines and Southern Thailand) has two main seasons; the wet and dry season. Depending on which side of the equator the countries lie, the dry season tends to be cooler but less humid and happens between May and November south of the equator, north of the equator it happens in the November to May period. The hotter and more humid wet season in the alternate months increases the risk of monsoons and tropical cyclones but these are very localized and in well defined areas, meaning that there is still lots of time and space for some of the most spectacular sailing in the world year-round.

Asian Cuisine

The other great attraction of the region is the cuisine, world renowned as a feast for the senses with its unique flavors and spices.  The major influences in South East Asian cuisines have come from China in the east, India from the west and the introduction of the chili from the Americas by the Portuguese in the 16th century which now provides the basis and "heat" for so many of the South East Asian dishes.  As in Chinese cuisine, the aim is to achieve a harmonious balance of textures, temperatures and the four basic flavors; sweet, sour, salty and bitter.

Our Charter Yachts

Asia has something to offer everyone and Boatbookings.com knows the region and boats.  We can find you the ideal charter yacht, be it bareboat, crewed, sail, motor or catamaran. Click here to see our Asian Charter Yachts or simply contact us and we'll recommend the best boat for you.

Asian destinations: Thailand | Myanmar/Burma | Singapore | Malaysia | India