To really get away from it all, you need your own yacht. These can be chartered from several companies, mainly in the south of Thailand. Once on board, you’re the captain and can decide exactly where to stop and what to do.

Faraway Yachting has several vessels, including luxury yachts, monohulls and catamarans that can be privately hired to tour the magical islands by the Thai/Burmese border. For extreme luxury, Charterworld has opulent yachts that visit the Andaman Sea and Phuket.

Gulf Charters covers most of Thailand’s serpentine coastline, from Pattaya and Koh Chang down to Phuket. With consistent winds of 10 to 15 knots, the area also has superb sailing conditions nearly all year round.

Sailing from either Koh Samui, Koh Chang or Phuket, Sunsail has yachts that can compete in regattas or simply be used for an island cruise. The Windward Islands, a major cruise company, combines fishing, diving and snorkeling on board its luxury yachts that also explore the islands off Phuket.

If you’re near Phuket in December, you could get to see the King’s Cup, an annual regatta that attracts yachts from all over the world.