Phuket’s Future Redefined: Exclusive Deep-water Marina Set To Make It Asia’s Yachting Capital!

Published on October 13, 2025

Few families person played a much important domiciled successful shaping Phuket’s improvement than the Na-Ranongs. At nan bosom of their contributions is Wichit Na-Ranong, nan family patriarch and erstwhile president of the Phuket Hotel Association. His relentless defense for nan land helped propel it from its humble beginnings arsenic a tin-mining outpost to a thriving luxury destination. Wichit’s visionary efforts brought Phuket to nan world stage, highlighting its earthy beauty and untapped potential.

The family’s travel into hospitality began pinch nan creation of Pearl Village Hotel, a landmark that laid nan instauration for their early successful nan industry. In nan mid-2000s, nan edifice was reimagined as Indigo Pearl, and by 2016, it had evolved into The Slate, earning a estimation arsenic a collectors’ brand known for its industrial-chic creation that honored Phuket’s heritage.

Their power extends beyond nan island’s tourism industry. The Na-Ranong family’s imprint is seen successful nan very landscapes of Phuket. When a famous James Bond film introduced nan world to nan stunning Phang Nga Bay, 1 of its limestone karsts was immortalized arsenic “James Bond Island.” This tract remains an world symbol, exemplifying really imagination and timing tin toggle shape a scenic location into a world legend.

Now, nan family is erstwhile again poised to reshape Phuket’s trajectory pinch a deep-water marina project in Sapam Bay, a improvement that could solidify nan island’s position as Asia’s yachting capital.

A Game-Changing Marina successful Sapam Bay

The caller marina tract in Sapam Bay spans nearly 61,000 quadrate meters of waterfront, pinch an additional 78,000 quadrate meters of adjoining land. This expansive tract is ample capable to accommodate up to 200 berths alongside residential villas, unit spaces, and a clubhouse. With the Marine Operating License already successful place, nan improvement process is importantly accelerated, positioning this task arsenic 1 of nan astir precocious and viable deep-water marina developments successful nan region.

In a marketplace wherever suitable deep-water sites are highly rare, nan operation of nan site’s size, location, and regulatory clearance offers a unsocial opportunity. This task is much than conscionable different marina; it represents a transformative displacement successful the yachting and luxury tourism sectors for Phuket and Southeast Asia.

Phuket: Asia’s Emerging Yachting Hub

Phuket already boasts respective marinas, including Yacht Haven, Ao Po Grand, Royal Phuket Marina, Boat Lagoon, and Chalong Bay, which together big hundreds of yachts, including mega-yachts up to 100 meters in length. However, contempt nan increasing demand, Thailand presently has less than 2,000 value berths, acold beneath what is needed to meet nan expanding request for luxury yachting experiences.

Regional benchmarks supply a glimpse into nan imaginable standard of Phuket’s marina development:

• ONE°15 Marina in Singapore offers 270 berths, accommodating yachts up to 120 meters and features manner and unit precincts.
• Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Pattaya, Southeast Asia’s largest marina, offers 380 berths and showcases nan standard that is imaginable wrong nan region.
• Benoa Marina in Bali, expanding to 180 berths, including abstraction for 50 superyachts, demonstrates nan increasing request for luxury marina spaces successful nan area.

With its strategical location, the Sapam Bay marina could surpass these location benchmarks, leveraging nan island’s natural geography and global marque recognition to create a world-class destination for yachting enthusiasts and luxury travelers alike.

The Economic Impact of a Luxury Marina

A marina is not conscionable a spot to dock boats; it serves arsenic an economical motor pinch wide-reaching effects. Each marina berth supports aggregate jobs, including engineers, restaurateurs, attraction staff, and crew. By offering 200 berths, the Sapam Bay Marina could straight create up to 800 skilled positions. Furthermore, this task will trigger multiplier effects across supply chains and the tourism industry, benefiting everything from section businesses to large-scale work providers.

The beingness of mega-yachts, successful particular, demands a scope of precocious services, from refits and dry docks to luxury provisioning and crew services, each of which lend to high-value, resilient employment. Studies person shown that marinas typically make higher economical returns than different recreational accommodation like golf courses or convention centers, making them valuable assets for immoderate destination.

Government Support for Marine Tourism

Thailand’s authorities has identified marine tourism as a cardinal maturation sector. The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Phuket’s Governor have some endorsed the Sapam Bay marina project, recognizing its imaginable to pull high-spending travelers from astir nan world. The recent Foreign Charter Licence reforms also make it easier for world superyachts to charter successful Thai waters, further enhancing nan country’s competitiveness successful nan world yachting industry.

Infrastructure improvements person been implemented to support nan broader imagination of a marine tourism hub. Phuket International Airport has expanded its long-haul capacity, and nan improvement of new roads and five-star hotelprojects ensures that nan land will stay a premier destination for luxury travelers.

A Prime Location pinch Limitless Potential

The Sapam Bay Marina site is located little than 30 minutes from Phuket’s Old Town, providing a premier waterfront location. The parcel covers 6.08 hectares, pinch ample abstraction for 200 berths, arsenic good arsenic room for further development, specified as waterfront residences, a marina clubhouse, and basal accommodation like dry-docks. The additional 7.8-hectaresite offers further description opportunities, ensuring that nan marina tin turn successful statement pinch demand.

Phuket’s strategical location astatine a maritime crossroads enhances its appeal. From Sapam Bay, yachts tin easy sail to Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago, Langkawi in Malaysia, aliases the Maldives, enjoying year-round cruising successful the Andaman Sea, which offers less seasonal restrictions compared to nan Mediterranean.

A Comprehensive Luxury Ecosystem

The deep-water marina at Sapam Bay is portion of a broader luxury ecosystem already successful spot on Phuket. The land features backstage jets, speedboats, golf courses, polo, tennis, and world-class wellness retreats. With Bangkok offering world unit experiences, including haute couture, good wines, and gourmet dining, Thailand is uniquely positioned to cater to nan needs of able travelers.

What Phuket has been missing is nan keystone that tin unify these luxury experiences into a coherent package. The deep-water marina will beryllium nan centerpiece of this vision, binding together nan island’s extended offerings into a seamless, high-end experience.

Conclusion: Stewardship and Legacy for Future Generations

For the Na-Ranong family, releasing the Sapam Bay marina site is not conscionable astir retreating from nan past but about stewardship. The family has spent decades shaping Phuket’s tourism and hospitality landscape, and this caller improvement continues that legacy. For investors, this tract represents an opportunity to style a marina that will time off an indelible people connected Phuket’s future, influencing nan island’s position arsenic a world yachting and luxury destination for decades to come.