- Minor Affair, a 60 ft Sunseeker Manhattan with 3 double cabins, is the top of the range: 8-hour days from ฿260,000 with hotel transfer, Thai lunch and kayaking included.
- Princess 42 is a fast flybridge yacht for up to 10 guests, with 4-hour trips from ฿77,000 and a cruising speed of 28 knots for the long run to Koh Tao.
- Lisa, a Fairline 43 with 2 double cabins, includes lunch on full days and 2 bottles of wine or 24 cans of beer, from ฿85,000 for 4 hours.
- Hilux is the value pick: a 15 m motor yacht for up to 20 people from ฿32,000, moored on the west side close to Koh Tan, Koh Madsum and Ang Thong.
- Ang Thong National Marine Park is usually closed from 1 November to 15 December, so plan Koh Phangan, Koh Tao or Koh Samui routes in those weeks.
The hotel concierge has handed you a list, your partner's birthday is on Saturday, and the question is simple: is a luxury yacht charter on Koh Samui worth it, or is it just a very expensive boat ride? The honest answer is that it depends on the boat, the route and who is coming with you. For luxury yacht charter Koh Samui has four motor yachts worth knowing on chartersamui.com, and they are very different from each other.
This guide walks through each one: size, cabins, guest limits, routes, what is included and what is not. It also tells you when a big sailing catamaran gives you more for less, because sometimes it does.
What does a luxury yacht day on Koh Samui actually look like?
A luxury yacht day is a private boat with a crew, air-conditioned space below deck, cabins where you can rest or change, and a route planned around your group. The yacht leaves at a set time, cruises to one or more islands, anchors for swimming and snorkelling, and brings you back in the late afternoon.
The real difference from a speedboat is not speed, it is comfort between the stops. On a speedboat you sit in the wind and the sun from island to island. On a motor yacht you can sit inside in the cool, lie on a sun deck, use a proper bathroom and take a shower before lunch. Cabins and an air-conditioned interior are what you are paying for, and they matter most on long routes and hot days.
A typical full day on the bigger yachts starts around mid-morning, includes two or three swim stops and lunch on board, and ends in the early evening. Half days of 4 hours are offered on some yachts, usually to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum just south of Koh Samui.
What a luxury yacht does not give you: total silence, perfectly flat water or a guarantee of empty beaches. Popular islands are still popular. The point is that you arrive in your own space, at your own pace.
Which motor yachts can you charter, and how do they compare?
There are four motor yachts on chartersamui.com: Minor Affair, Princess 42, Lisa and Hilux. They range from a 60-foot Sunseeker with three double cabins to a 15-metre yacht that takes up to 20 people on fishing and island trips.
| Yacht | Size and cabins | Max guests | Shortest trip | Full day (8 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor Affair | Sunseeker Manhattan, 60 ft, 3 double cabins | 12 | 8 hours only | ฿260,000 to ฿305,000 |
| Princess 42 | Flybridge, 42 ft, 2 double cabins | 10 | 4 hours, ฿77,000 | ฿102,000 to ฿139,000 |
| Lisa | Fairline, 43 ft, 2 double cabins | 13 | 4 hours, ฿85,000 | ฿135,000 to ฿145,000 |
| Hilux | Twin-engine, 50 ft (15 m) | 20 | 2-hour sunset on request, ฿18,000 | ฿57,000 to ฿62,000 |
Prices are for the whole yacht, not per person, and each yacht counts guests differently. Princess 42 prices cover up to 10 guests, its maximum. Lisa's prices are based on 10 people, with ฿3,000 for each extra person up to 13. Hilux rates cover 1-10 people, and Minor Affair takes up to 12 guests.
You can see all four side by side on the page to rent a motor yacht on Koh Samui. Below is what each one is really like.
Minor Affair: is the Sunseeker worth ฿260,000 a day?
Minor Affair is worth it if you want the most complete day at sea on Koh Samui, with almost nothing extra to arrange. It is a Sunseeker Manhattan 60, 60 feet long, with three double cabins and space for 12 guests, and every charter is a full 8-hour day.
The routes are the long, scenic ones: around Koh Samui or around Koh Phangan for ฿260,000, Ang Thong National Marine Park for ฿285,000, and Koh Tao with Koh Nang Yuan for ฿305,000. The living room is air-conditioned, and the big outdoor deck has a seating area, sun loungers and sofas.
What sets it apart is how much is included. Hotel transfer, a Thai lunch, cold drinks, fresh fruit, kayaking, snorkelling equipment and diving are all part of the price, along with personal insurance and an English or Russian guide. Fishing rods come on request. Wine from the wine list can be arranged in advance, and additional service personnel cost ฿7,000.
Who books it: milestone birthdays, anniversaries, families with grandparents, and business groups who want to host clients properly. Who should not: anyone who mainly wants to see Pig Island for a couple of hours. There is no half day, and paying for a Sunseeker to sit at anchor off a short route is not good value. Read the details on the Minor Affair yacht page.
Princess 42 and Lisa: the middle of the luxury range
Princess 42 and Lisa are both around 42 to 43 feet with two double cabins, and they suit couples, families and small groups of up to 10 or 13. The main difference is that Princess 42 is built for distance and speed, while Lisa is built around a relaxed island day with drinks and toys included.
Princess 42: fast and well equipped
The Princess 42 is a flybridge motor yacht, 13 metres long, with two double cabins including an en suite master, a galley, air conditioning, a fresh water shower and a stereo. A large bimini on the flybridge keeps off the sun. It has a 440 hp Volvo Penta engine, cruises at 28 knots and tops out at 32.
A 4-hour trip to Koh Tan or Koh Phangan costs ฿77,000. Full 8-hour days cost ฿102,000 on the Koh Samui route or at Koh Phangan, ฿114,000 to Ang Thong and ฿139,000 to Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan. Each extra hour is ฿20,000. Hotel transfer, captain, crew and fuel surcharge are included; lunch and kayaking are not included on Princess 42, so plan to eat on an island or arrange food in advance.
The honest take on value: Princess 42 makes the most sense for Koh Tao, the longest route, where its speed earns its price. For a short hop to Koh Tan it is a lot of yacht for a little trip. See the full routes on the Princess 42 page.
Lisa: the relaxed, all-in Fairline
Lisa is a Fairline 43 with two double cabins and room for 13 guests. The yacht carries a paddle board, a dinghy, fishing rods, snorkelling gear, towels and a Bluetooth speaker, and the staff speak English. Soft drinks, fruit and snacks come on every trip, along with 2 bottles of wine or 24 cans of beer.
A half day of 4 hours to Pig Island (Koh Madsum) and Koh Tan costs ฿85,000, morning or afternoon. Full days of 8 hours, from 10:30 to 18:30, cost ฿135,000 for Pig Island, Koh Tan and Koh Rap, or ฿145,000 for dolphin watching with Koh Tan, for Ang Thong or for Koh Phangan. Lunch is served on full days only, and hotel transfer is included.
Lisa suits a group of friends who want a cheerful, easy day with drinks and water toys sorted. It is less of a long-distance boat than Princess 42, and its half-day price is high for what is a short route, so the full days are the better buy. Check the dates on the Lisa yacht page.
Is Hilux a luxury yacht or a value pick?
Hilux is the value pick: a 15-metre, twin-engine motor yacht for up to 20 people, with trips from ฿32,000. It is less polished than the Sunseeker or the Princess, but it gives a big group a proper motor yacht for the price of a smaller boat.
Hilux is moored on the west side of Koh Samui, close to Ang Thong, Koh Tan and Koh Madsum, and most programs combine island stops with fishing. A 4-hour Koh Tan and Koh Madsum trip with fishing costs ฿32,000, in the morning (09:00-13:30) or the afternoon (14:30-18:30). Six hours with Koh Rap is ฿49,000.
The 8-hour days cost ฿57,000 for dolphin sightseeing with Koh Tan and Koh Madsum, or for Koh Tan, Koh Madsum, Koh Rap and the Five Islands, and ฿62,000 for Ang Thong, around Koh Samui or around Koh Phangan. A 2-hour sunset at the Five Islands costs ฿18,000 and is arranged on request.
The group pricing is generous. Rates cover 1-10 people, children aged 0-10 travel free, children aged 11-14 cost ฿800 and each extra adult ฿1,500, up to 20. Soft drinks, water, fruit, a BBQ grill, snorkelling gear, life jackets and a guide are included. For extended families and groups of friends who care more about space and fun than about leather and polish, Hilux is the smart booking. Details are on the Hilux motor yacht page.
Luxury yacht charter Koh Samui: which route makes sense?
The best routes for a luxury yacht are the long ones: Ang Thong, Koh Tao with Koh Nang Yuan, or a full circle of Koh Samui or Koh Phangan. Short trips to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum are lovely, but on a big yacht you pay a lot for a short time on board.
Ang Thong National Marine Park is a protected archipelago of 42 islands with limestone cliffs, caves, lagoons and shallow coral gardens. On a yacht it is a long, rewarding day. Remember the park entrance fee of ฿300 per adult and ฿150 per child, paid separately on every yacht. The park is usually closed every year from 1 November to 15 December, and no Ang Thong trips run in that period.
Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan is the longest run and the best snorkelling in the area. Only Minor Affair and Princess 42 offer it among the motor yachts; Koh Nang Yuan charges an entrance fee of ฿250 per adult and ฿125 per child.
Around Koh Samui or Koh Phangan suits groups who want to see coastline, swim in two or three quiet bays and not cross open water for long. Here is a quick way to match route and yacht:
- Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: Princess 42 for speed, Minor Affair for the full service.
- Ang Thong: Minor Affair, Princess 42, Lisa or Hilux, depending on budget and group size.
- Around Koh Phangan: Minor Affair or Princess 42; Lisa and Hilux also go there.
- Dolphins and the small southern islands: Lisa or Hilux.
- Pig Island for a short day: Hilux or Lisa, or simply a smaller boat.
From about November to January the north-east monsoon can make the sea rough, and a route may change or a trip be postponed. A yacht handles waves better than a small boat, but nobody enjoys a rolling sea for hours, so keep a spare day in your plans.
Motor yacht or big catamaran: where is the better value?
For groups of more than 10, a big sailing catamaran often gives better value than a motor yacht: more deck space, more stability at anchor and a lower price for the day. A motor yacht wins on speed, air-conditioned interiors and the feeling of a private, polished space.
Look at the numbers. A full day to Ang Thong on the Coco Paradise catamaran costs ฿85,000 for up to 10 guests, with a personal butler, paddle board and snorkelling gear, and it takes up to 45 people. Blue Coco, a Lagoon 400 with 3 double cabins, goes to Ang Thong for ฿72,000 for up to 10, with a butler, a bartender and a beach picnic. Compare that with ฿114,000 on Princess 42 or ฿285,000 on Minor Affair.
So what are you paying for on a motor yacht? Speed on long routes, a cool interior, and a sense of occasion. A catamaran moves slowly but is wide and stable, which suits kids, big groups and anyone who gets seasick at anchor. My advice: book a motor yacht for a couple, a family celebration or a long route, and a catamaran for a big crowd or a slow day of swimming. Browse the options to rent a catamaran on Koh Samui.
For a small group celebrating in style, these two motor yachts are the strongest picks: Minor Affair for the full-service day where everything is included, Princess 42 for a fast run to Koh Tao or Ang Thong.
For a bigger or more relaxed group, these suit better: Lisa for friends who want drinks and water toys included, Hilux for families and large groups on a budget, and Coco Paradise for up to 45 people who want a butler and space.
How to book a motor yacht on Koh Samui
Pick the yacht and the route on its page, choose a date and send the booking request. A manager checks that the yacht is free on that day and confirms the final price for your group size.
- Decide on the route first, then the yacht: long routes justify the bigger boats.
- Count your group carefully, including children, and check the guest limit and the extra-guest price.
- Check what is included: hotel transfer comes with Minor Affair, Princess 42 and Lisa, while lunch is included only on Minor Affair and on Lisa's full days.
- Budget separately for island and park entrance fees.
- Book early for peak dates and keep a spare day in the monsoon months.
If you are celebrating, say so in the request. Flowers, a cake or a particular wine are often easier to arrange when the crew knows in advance.
Questions and answers
Which is the largest motor yacht for charter on Koh Samui?
Minor Affair, a Sunseeker Manhattan 60, is the longest at 60 feet, with three double cabins for up to 12 guests. Hilux takes the most people of the four motor yachts, up to 20, but it is a simpler boat.
Can I stay overnight on these yachts?
The trips described here are day charters of 2 to 8 hours, and the prices are for those programs. Cabins are used for resting and changing during the day. Ask about anything longer in your booking request.
Is lunch included on a luxury yacht charter?
It depends on the yacht. Minor Affair includes a Thai lunch, Lisa serves lunch on full-day trips only, and Princess 42 does not include lunch. Hilux has a BBQ grill on board, with drinks and fruit included.
Are entrance fees included in the yacht price?
No. Ang Thong costs ฿300 per adult and ฿150 per child, Koh Nang Yuan ฿250 per adult and ฿125 per child, and Koh Madsum and Koh Rap ฿50 per person each. These are paid separately.
Do the yachts pick us up from the hotel?
Hotel transfer is included on Minor Affair, Princess 42 and Lisa. Hilux is moored on the west side of Koh Samui, so check the pick-up details when you book.
Can I extend a Princess 42 trip?
Yes, each additional hour on Princess 42 costs ฿20,000. Ask when you book, because the extra time depends on the yacht's schedule that day.
Is a motor yacht good for people who get seasick?
A motor yacht is fast, which shortens the crossings, but at anchor a wide catamaran is usually steadier. If someone is sensitive, pick a shorter route or calmer months and take a remedy before boarding.
Ready to choose your boat?
Every boat page shows the routes, prices and what is included. The booking request is free: a manager checks the boat is free on your date and confirms the price.
Updated 28 October 2026. Prices can change: the boat page always shows the current price.
