MAHA BHETRA

## Maha Bhetra — 90ft of Thai craftsmanship in the Andaman Some yachts announce themselves through glass and carbon. Maha Bhetra does it through wood. Her hull was built in Thailand by local shipwrights, and that choice tells you most of what you need to know about her character: solid, unhurried, made for long passages rather than short hops between marinas. The design came from American architect Ed Tuttle, a name associated with a certain restrained, materials-first approach to Asian hospitality — and it shows in how the yacht is organised. The main living space sits high, on the top deck: an open-plan saloon laid in teak, generous enough to spread out in, open enough that the Andaman is never more than a glance away. It is the kind of room where lunch drifts into the afternoon without anyone suggesting a plan. Below, three double cabins. Each has a double bed, each sleeps two, for a total of six guests — a sensible ratio on a 90-footer, where space per person matters more than the headline number. Her construction is her cruising argument. This is a yacht built to range: from Phuket out to Mu Ko Similan Marine Park, north into the limestone theatre of Phang Nga Bay, down through the Phi Phi and Racha Islands, and further still to Koh Lipe and the Butang Archipelago. Krabi and its national park, Koh Samui, Koh Chang — all within reach for those with the days to spend. Onboard, a professional crew handles the running of the yacht and the rhythm of the days, leaving guests to do very little beyond deciding which anchorage comes next.