TIGER LILY

TIGER LILY — Andaman Sea, from Phuket A 2020-built Prince 38 set up for exactly what the Andaman Sea does best: fast, direct access to the islands that larger yachts reach slowly, or not at all. Twin Mercury Verado outboards give her the legs and the manners for it — enough pace to make the Similans a comfortable day's run, enough stability underway to keep the ride civilised when the sea gets up in the afternoon. It is a hull that rewards ambition in the itinerary rather than punishing it. The cruising ground is genuinely broad. Phang Nga Bay and its limestone towers, the Phi Phi Islands, the Rachas just off Phuket's southern tip, Mu Ko Similan Marine Park to the north, and further afield Koh Lipe and the Butang Archipelago, Krabi and its national park, Koh Samui, Koh Chang. Phuket alone counts more than thirty beaches — the west coast holding the finest of them, white sand shelving into clear water, and sunsets worth timing your return around. Accommodation is one cabin for two guests, conceived as a private retreat rather than an afterthought. It matters more than it sounds: after a full day of snorkelling and island-hopping, the ability to rinse off the salt, close a door and change for the evening in privacy is what separates a proper day on the water from a long one. Detailed bed configuration on request. She suits couples and small parties who want the islands on their own terms — anchoring in a cove because it looked right from the helm, staying for the light, and moving on when it suits them.