Island Hopping (2 days / 1 night)

Last season, I watched a family from London absolutely lose their minds when they spotted their first sea eagle circling above Koh Racha Yai (Koh Raya Yai). Two days later, they were still talking about it. That's the thing about this island—it does something real to people.

Thailand proves that turquoise actually has dozens of shades, and Racha Yai shows off most of them. The waters here sit deeper and clearer than the crowds up north, which means stellar snorkeling without the usual tour boat traffic. This 55-footer works brilliantly for these trips because the Azimut 55ft is genuinely stable even in those brief afternoon showers—tropical rain that lasts twenty minutes and leaves everything smelling incredible.

Running the Gao into Racha Yai means you'll anchor in a bay that feels like it belongs to you alone. The island has decent beach clubs and restaurants, but honestly, the real magic happens when your chef preps dinner topside while the sun drops into the Andaman. November through February is pretty cool for Thailand weather-wise, though monsoon season brings authentic local color—those warm showers are genuinely part of the experience, not something to dodge.

Bring good swimwear and a waterproof camera. Some spots have limited facilities, so pack what you need. Two days might sound short, but floating between anchorages, diving into water that's this clean, and sleeping under stars on a proper motor yacht? As good as it gets in Thai paradise.