Both are warm in December. Both have good crewed catamarans. They are different trips, and the wrong choice costs you a week of your one winter holiday.
The short version: the Seychelles are the better boat holiday if you want granite islands, empty beaches and a short hop between anchorages. Thailand is the better trip if you want drier weather, a lower price per cabin and a holiday that does not depend on a good forecast. The detail below is what moves that decision.
Which is better for a winter catamaran, Seychelles or Thailand?
Choose the Seychelles for the scenery, the snorkelling and the short, easy legs between Praslin, La Digue and the small islands around them. Choose Thailand if you want the driest, calmest weather, a lower cost per cabin and more variety on shore, accepting a longer flight and a busier Phuket start.
In practice it comes down to the people on board.
Couples and anyone who wants quiet: the Seychelles. Inner Islands anchorages are small, the water is clear, and you will often have a bay to yourselves outside Christmas week.
Families with teenagers, or a group of friends: Thailand. Phang Nga Bay is sheltered, there is more to see ashore, and a larger boat costs less per head than the equivalent in the Indian Ocean.
Anyone who dislikes humidity: Thailand. December to February in the Seychelles is the hot, wet monsoon. In Thailand it is the dry season.
Anyone short on days: the Seychelles are no nearer, but the sailing is more compact. Most of the Praslin and La Digue circuit is short hops, not long passages.
What are the seasons and winds in the Seychelles and the Andaman Sea?
In the Seychelles, December to February is the north-west monsoon: warm, humid, light winds of roughly 10 to 15 knots, and short, heavy showers that usually pass within the hour. In the Andaman Sea off Phuket, the same months are the north-east monsoon: dry, clear and calm, and the heart of the high season, which runs roughly November to April.
Seychelles charter operators describe the north-west monsoon as November to March, with the south-east trades (15 to 25 knots, drier, choppier) from May to September. April and October are the calm transition months, with very light wind and the best underwater visibility. December and the New Year are the busiest weeks of the year despite the weather, so it is the most crowded time, not the best sailing weather.
Phuket is the opposite story. The north-east monsoon gives clear skies and flat seas, and Phang Nga Bay and the east coast of Phuket are sheltered enough to sail year-round. The exposed west coast and the Similan Islands are the season-limited part (more on that below).
A rule of thumb: Seychelles in December means a hot, slightly unsettled week with lovely light between showers. Thailand in December means a settled week. Wind in both is light, which suits a catamaran but means you will motor more than you sail. Do not book either expecting a hard sail.
How long is the flight from London?
Both are long-haul, and neither is a quick weekend. The Seychelles currently mean one stop through the Gulf, from about 13.5 hours at best, longer with a slow connection. Phuket now has a non-stop option: Virgin Atlantic starts a seasonal Heathrow to Phuket service on 18 October 2026 (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday out of London, Boeing 787-9), at roughly 12 to 13 hours.
British Airways flew a seasonal non-stop from Heathrow to Mahé of about ten hours, but listings show it ended in 2023, so today you connect through Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha or Istanbul. Schedules change. Check both routes before you commit to dates.
A non-stop to Phuket matters more than it sounds if you are travelling with children or on a tight week.
Crewed or bareboat in each?
Crewed is the better answer in both places for most readers, and the only sensible one if nobody in the group holds a recognised sailing qualification.
Seychelles. Bareboat is possible but gated. Charter companies require a recognised qualification and logged experience, and the base will not release a boat to you without a certified skipper aboard. Some operators also ask for proof of qualifications in English or French in advance. Check the exact requirement with your operator. Winds are light, but there are coral heads, tidal flows between islands and few places to get help, which is why most people hire a skipper at the least.
Thailand. Bareboat catamarans are listed in Phuket, but the market is smaller, and skipper requirements vary by operator. Phang Nga Bay has limestone islets, shallows and busy tourist-boat traffic. A local skipper, or a fully crewed boat, takes the stress out of that.
If you are weighing it up, the bareboat vs crewed article goes through the trade-offs. If you are new to catamarans themselves, read catamaran vs monohull first.
What does a Seychelles catamaran charter cost in winter?
Expect roughly €6,000 to €10,000 a week for a crewed catamaran of around 42 to 50 feet in the Seychelles, and well over €20,000 for 58 to 65 feet. These are broker listing ranges, not quotes, and Christmas week sits at the top of them or above.
Some listings worth anchoring on, all per week, crewed:
- A crewed Lagoon 42 listed at €5,900 to €8,000 on Happycharter.
- A Saba 50 listed on 12knots from about $12,251 for a 2016 boat out of Mahé. That price is for a July date, so treat it as a floor, not a Christmas figure. A larger 2019 Saba 50 is listed from about $13,591.
- A Leopard 58 and a Galathea 65 listed at roughly €20,500 to €28,500 on Boatbookings.
- Large luxury catamarans, such as a Lagoon 77 at €54,000 to €74,000.
Bareboat sits lower: a Lagoon 450 is listed from about €4,200 to €10,900 a week, depending on the date.
What does a Phuket crewed catamaran cost in winter?
A Phuket crewed catamaran typically costs less than a comparable boat in the Seychelles, and the gap between low and high season is wide. A Kelsall 58 with three crew and six cabins is listed on Boatbookings at about €13,000 a week in low season and €20,000 in high season. A Lagoon 52F is listed at €9,428 to €19,999 a week, and a Lagoon 620 at €23,000 to €30,000.
Bareboat catamarans in Phuket start much lower. A Lagoon 450 is listed at roughly €5,000 to €12,000 a week.
Crewed prices in both places usually exclude fuel, food, drinks, marina and mooring fees and a crew gratuity. The usual vehicle for those running costs is the APA, typically 20 to 40 percent on top of the charter fee. What is APA explains it, and the yacht charter cost guide shows the full stack. For a per-person view of a crewed cat, the Greece breakdown is a useful benchmark.
Add flights. Airline fare pages show London to Mahé returns from roughly £600 to £800 on quieter dates. Christmas week costs well above that, and Phuket will too. Price your actual dates before you fix a budget.
Which routes do you actually sail?
Seychelles Inner Islands. Most charters start at Eden Island Marina or Mahé, or at Praslin. A typical week works through Praslin, La Digue and the small islands between them.
- Praslin: Anse Lazio is the famous beach. Curieuse, a short sail away, is a marine national park with giant tortoises and mangroves.
- La Digue: granite boulders, Anse Source d'Argent, and bicycles instead of cars.
- Cousin and Aride: bird reserves, with strict landing rules. Cousin is a special reserve run for conservation, and you need to go ashore on their terms.
- Sainte Anne Marine Park and the islands off Mahé for snorkelling and diving.
Legs are short. You are not covering distance, you are choosing anchorages.
Thailand, Phang Nga Bay and beyond. Boats start in Phuket, usually from the east coast marinas. The standard route runs north into Phang Nga Bay (Hong Island, James Bond Island, the limestone cliffs and sea caves) and south or east to Koh Phi Phi and the Krabi coast. Distances are longer and the scenery is more dramatic than the Seychelles. The anchorages are less private, because day-tour speedboats arrive by mid-morning. Plan the busy sites for early morning or late afternoon.
The Similan Islands are the dive destination, and a long way northwest, but the national park is only open from 15 October to 15 May, with day visits only and no overnight stays on the islands. Many Phuket charters skip them in favour of a shorter week, or hand it to a dive operator.
What park fees, permits and entry rules apply?
Both countries charge park fees on top of the charter, and both have entry requirements for UK passport holders that changed recently in Thailand's case.
Seychelles. Marine park fees are paid per person at the parks you visit. The Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority lists Sainte Anne at Rs200 for non-residents over 12. Curieuse was reported at $22 per non-resident back in 2019, and no current figure is published that we could confirm, so ask the operator to price the park fees into the quote. Entry for UK citizens: no visa, but a travel authorisation is required before you travel, applied for online up to 30 days ahead. You need a return or onward ticket, confirmed accommodation and funds. The visitor's permit on arrival is free for the first three months. Read the current UK government entry requirements before you book.
Thailand. Park fees are charged per person: the Phi Phi national park fee is reported at 400 baht for foreign adults, Ao Phang Nga at around 300 baht (older source, check), and the Similan Islands at 500 baht. Divers pay extra at Phi Phi. Operators often include park fees in day-tour pricing but not on a charter, so ask.
The bigger change is entry. From 15 September 2026, UK passport holders get a visa-exempt stay of 30 days, for tourism only, where it used to be 60. Business travel is not covered. You must also complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within three days before arrival, and your passport needs six months' validity. Border officers can ask for onward travel and proof of funds. Details are on the UK government Thailand page.
Seychelles vs Thailand: comparison table
| Seychelles (Inner Islands) | Thailand (Phuket, Phang Nga Bay) | |
|---|---|---|
| Weather Dec to Feb | Hot, humid, short heavy showers | Dry, clear, calm |
| Winds | Light, 10 to 15 knots NW | Light, north-east monsoon |
| Flight from London | One stop, from about 13.5 hours | Non-stop from 18 Oct 2026 (Virgin Atlantic), about 12 to 13 hours |
| Crewed 50 ft cat, per week | From about $12,250 (low-season date) | Often lower per cabin; 58 ft from about €13,000 low season, €20,000 high |
| Bareboat | Gated by qualification | Available, smaller market |
| Scenery | Granite boulders, white beaches | Limestone karsts, sea caves |
| Anchorages | Quiet, small | Busier by day |
| Entry for UK passport | Travel authorisation online | 30-day visa-exempt stay, digital arrival card |
When do you need to book for Christmas and New Year?
Now. Christmas is ten weeks away, and brokers say the best crewed boats for the holidays book five to seven months ahead. You are not early, so the job is to find what is still free, not to browse.
Three things help.
Be flexible by a few days. A Saturday to Saturday week straddling Christmas is the most contested. Starting on 26 or 27 December, or the first week of January, widens your options and often lowers the price.
Expect the deposit early. 12knots lists a 50 percent deposit with the balance due 45 days before departure. For a 20 December start that means early November. Read the cancellation terms, because some holiday charters are non-refundable.
Choose the crew, not just the boat. The boat gets the photographs. The captain and cook decide whether the week is good. Ask for recent guest references and for the exact itinerary they plan for your dates.
If December is gone, February and March are less crowded in Thailand, and the Seychelles' shoulder months of April and October are the calmest. If you want the Caribbean instead, BVI sailing and the Caribbean vs Mediterranean comparison cover that choice.
Let us do the legwork
A winter charter is decided by availability, so speed matters. The best intelligence available tells us what is still open and at what rate. People who make the calls confirm that the boat, the crew and the dates actually hold. If you tell us the dates, the group and whether you lean towards the Seychelles or Thailand, we will find what is genuinely available for your week through our yacht charters service, and tell you plainly which one we would pick.