For years, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean have been the two biggest yachting destinations. Now more and more yachting adventurers are discovering Southeast Asia, one of the last remaining frontiers for those seeking warm and beautiful escapes and adventure in her exotic and uncrowded islands.
Foreign-flagged yacht visitors are becoming seduced by the many attractions and at times, surprised by the warm welcome and high quality marinas in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Maldives and now, Sri Lanka’s promising marina news.
Indonesia – Benoa Marina Bali
Benoa Marina has strategic and complete berthing facilities in Bali and is continuing to develop the Marina Port and the Daily Cruise Terminal which are equipped with supporting commercial facilities. Current developments include mooring facilities for 15 yachts. The depth has been dredged throughout the harbour to 9 meters and marina has a minimum depth of 6 meters.
Land area development includes restaurants, lounge and bar facilities, Yacht Club, Plaza areas and Daily Cruise terminals. The marina can accommodate a megayacht up to 85m as well as more in the 50-60m sector.
Indonesia’s first international standard marina, Benoa Marina in Bali, provides sheltered and clean dock space with good quality fuel, water, garbage disposal and shore power – all available in a secure and protected environment. The marina has been undergoing a gradual upgrade with landscaping and the construction of a marina club, plus there are plans to add more berths.
“The new marina has space for 3×90 meters in alongside positions and non-potable water can be supplied”, explains Thomas Taatjes of Asia Pacific Superyachts in Bali: “Shore power is via Genset rental and we (APS) have a Genset we can use for our clients and also water treatment facilities to make the dock water potable”, he added.
“The floating pontoons are top quality and easily accessed by ramps, making provisioning and spare part deliveries simple and convenient. The lines are secured using the pilings which are spaced at 10m and have a diameter of 90cm, so straps and shackles are required. Transport can be arranged from a variety of sources”, explains Taatjes.
Thailand – Phuket
Phuket Island in Thailand is developing into a major global marina hub and is known as the ‘Pearl of the Andaman’. The full service marinas on Phuket can provide berths for yachts up to 130M’s in length while providing a growing superyacht labor force and excellent docking facilities.
The Four marinas, located in the Northeast of the island, include: Phuket Boat Lagoon – serving 173 yachts and 135 other vessels on the ground for repair work; Royal Phuket Marina – serving 76 yachts and 35 on ground; Ao Po Grand Marina with space for 300 yachts and 100 on ground; and Phuket Yacht Haven – which can accommodate 300 yachts at sea only. Between two and three new marinas are expected to open at Ao Po, Ao Kung and Ao Makham in the future reports government, referring to new development projects on the island.
Gulf of Thailand – Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Pattaya
Serving the resort island of Koh Samui and the eastern Gulf of Thailand, is the Ocean Marina Yacht Club, standing today as one of Asia’s largest marinas and offering full facilities and currently the biggest marina in Southeast Asia. Completely protected by a 1.5 km. long wave breaker, the marina currently provides 455 floating marina berths capable of accommodating yachts up to 200 feet and there are further plans for more expansion.
Malaysia – Royal Langkawi Yacht Club
The island currently has four marinas, leading with the highly recommended Royal Langkawi Yacht Club marina along with several bases providing great facilities for yachts around the islands. The RLYC marina is located on a large sweeping bay in Kuah with over 200 berths and full sailing facilities. From here you can explore Langkawi’s caves, hidden islands, beaches and hundreds of the millions of years-old Kilim Karst Geoforest Park.
The marina’s close proximity to the town centre provides excellent access to duty-free shops and other business-class facilities. The RLYC marina’s berths can fit mega-yachts up to 60 meters (197 feet) long, and has a low tide depth of 3 meters (almost 10 feet). Pontoons have direct electricity, fuel and water supply, and offer a wireless internet service too.
Singapore – One°15 Marina Sentosa Cove
South East Asia means new cruising grounds for many yachts and Singapore, like a reigning sultan, sits pretty much in the centre of a passage from North to South and East to West in the region. The region is vast and diverse with Singapore smack in the middle of really excellent cruising grounds.
A welcome standout marina in Singapore is the One°15 Marina Sentosa Cove. The Marina has completed its S$7 million (about US$5.2 million) marina reconfiguration project. All new and relocated superyacht berths are now stern-to in front of the clubhouse. While keeping the total number of berths at 272, the new layout increases the berths for 80ft-plus superyachts from 15 to 33 and increases the overall linear footage of yachts moored within the marina.
The marina has a new channel with a minimum depth of 4.5m and can accommodate yachts up to 220ft (67m). Other changes include the relocation of Boaters’ Bar, Singapore’s only floating marina bar. In June 2019 it became Singapore’s first private marina to have a Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facility which has been especially helpful during the pandemic.
Raffles Marina – Lagoon Berths
There are 152 walk-on wet berths that cater for boats up to 20m, or 65ft in length. The marina’s solid breakwater provides the calmest marina lagoon in Singapore, with an average lagoon depth of 3m at LAT and single or double berths are available.
Maldives – The Yacht Marina @ CROSSROADS
The Yacht Marina at the extraordinary, multi-island CROSSROADS Maldives is set amongst the breath-takingly exotic Kaafu Atoll and Emboodhoo Lagoon. “The Yacht Marina offers an impressive 30 berth quay, complete with world-class facilities and exclusive concierge services, the ideal haven to weigh anchor”, reports Mohamed Hameed, heading up Asia Pacific Superyachts Maldives and the head office in Malé. The Yacht Marina caters to vessels from 10 to 60 metres and the superyacht docks are fully operational. This is the ultimate explorer’s paradise, a true waterfront township.
Sri Lanka’s New Yacht Marina & Harbour – Galle Port
For the second time in the world, Sri Lanka will change the contours in the world map when Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) will reclaim and add nearly 100 acres of landmass to the Galle Harbour. The Cabinet of Ministers has cleared a proposal to call for Expressions of Interest from investors to develop the Galle Port as a regional commercial port with additional services including tourism. The project involves deepening the port from the current 10 metres to 20 metres parallel to the construction of the two breakwaters.
A 45-hectare land area will be reclaimed from the sea as a Port City in which shopping malls, leisure parks, community centres, hotels and many other facilities will be available. The first phase of the project including construction of the two breakwaters and land reclamation is estimated to cost approximately US$175 million. Many leading figures recently participated in an awareness programme organized by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) that centered on the Under the Galle Port development proposal of the construction of two breakwaters of 850 and 150 metres in length to be constructed.
According to SLPA sources a yacht marina and a cruise ship terminal will be built with the project going beyond providing traditional services. “This is a significant incentive in attracting superyachts wanting to explore and enjoy Sri Lanka’s cruising and on land attractions”, said Priyantha Perera, heading up Asia Pacific Superyachts Sri Lanka, adding: “The main cruising destinations consist of the North-East coast and the Southern coast which boasts of some of the most pristine beaches of the world”. The approval of UNESCO had already been obtained since Galle town, including its Fort, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Subsequent to the global investor forum it was proposed this reclaimed land of 40 hectares to then be leased out to both local and foreign investors for mixed development projects. This is to include leisure parks, apartments, hotels, ship repair facilities, marinas, shopping malls and other recreation facilities, making it the biggest post COVID development project in Sri Lanka.
The government will be officially calling for global expressions of interest at the end of February and note it is expected the project will be completed in three years.
While government investment and co-operation, coupled with an overhaul of complex marine taxes and regulations is needed, one major advantage the region possesses is its abundance of pristine and largely world-class cruising waters that are non-commercial. As more yachts and luxury vessels discover or return to the spectacular cruising grounds and find an increasing number of welcoming quality marinas in Southeast Asia, the region is looking toward a significant growth in foreign-flagged yachts at the backend of the pandemic.
www.asia-pacific-superyachts.com
Photo Credit: Asia Pacific Superyachts
By Linda Cartlidge
