“Malaysia, Truly Asia,” one of the most famous tourism slogans in the world, beautifully defines the outstanding South East Asian country. And one of the best ways to find the answer to why is to rent a yacht from any of the best boat rental services in Malaysia.
Malaysia comprises Asia’s three main ethnicities — Malay, Chinese and Indian. Its ethnic diversity is one of the country’s biggest strengths. The influence of the three ethnicities is visible in Malaysian politics, culture, custom, tradition, cuisine, art and architecture. Its rich history also carries influences of the British colonial period.
Straddling part of the Malay peninsula and part of the island of Borneo, Malaysia has two regions — Peninsular Malaysia (or West Malaysia) and East Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur, the nation’s capital, is located in Peninsular Malaysia and is one of the most famous tourist destinations in South East Asia.
But, away from Kuala Lumpur, lying along the coasts and in the waters around Malaysia, are amazing coastal paradises, which attract tourists from all over the world. These island destinations are located in both regions and a yacht charter vacation is the best way to explore them.
Yacht charters available for rent in Malaysia can easily navigate the straits, seas and gulfs for breathtaking lagoons, archipelagos, tropical rainforests, mangroves, mountains, coral reefs and a great diversity of flora and fauna found not only in Malaysia but also in the neighbouring territories.
First things first — finding the right kind of yacht for sailing.
Motor yachts, catamarans, sailing yachts or superyachts and boat rentals in Malaysia have a range of vessels in their fleet. Each vessel has its own range of amenities.
Depending on the make and size, luxury yachts can provide the most advanced and finest of facilities that can be availed at sea. They also come with toys such as jet skis and snorkelling gears for the ultimate experience for guests.
Platinum Charters is one of the best yacht charter services in Malaysia. It has an excellent fleet of vessels designed to explore everything along the Malaysian coastline.
Among the destinations catered by the service are Pulau Pangkor for snorkelling and the blue lagoon of Port Dickson, which is closest to Kuala Lumpur and is the hub of Platinum Charters’ operation.
Its luxury yachts include the Princess 52 class of vessel named Liquidity, which is one of the best yachts in Platinum Charters’ fleet. The powerful motor boat can be hired for a week-long cruise for RM 144,000 per person.
For party boats in Malaysia on rent, Globe Sailor is perhaps the best option because among its nine boats is the magnificent 30-metre-long sailboat named Gulet Dalligoo. The vessel can sleep up to eight persons in its four cabins and is the perfect yacht for a day trip full of music, dance and fun on the waters.
Catamarans such as Lagoon 620 are perfect for hosting over 30 guests for a day charter. There are also five cabins that can sleep around 10 passengers. For those who love covering long distances in large motor yachts, there is the 34-metre-long superyacht named Xanadu of London.
Simpson Yacht Charter has GB Odyssey and Aquila 44, a catamaran and a motor yacht, respectively, berthed at Langkawi.
Sailo has a 48-metre-long motor yacht originally built in Nishii Shipyard, Japan, in 1983 and refitted since. It is an excellent party yacht fit to carry 30 passengers besides the crew. The vessel can also sleep 18 passengers in its eight cabins and can be rented for a five-day, four-night cruise for a price of around RM 890,600.
Yachts can also be rented via Boat Crowd, Boat Bookings and the Malaysia section of The Yacht Club. Private charter yachts can also be booked via Y.CO.
To rent a charter in Malaysia, it is important to plan the destination, duration and number of guests well ahead of time. If the trip is personal, involving family, the type of yacht and the amenities needed can be tailored accordingly. Even a small catamaran can be a great way to create Instagram-perfect memories on the sea for small groups.
Conversely, large yachts are perfect for big groups of over 20 guests. Superyachts are excellent for both private groups and large groups, depending on other factors such as the days of yachting, the distance and the destination.
Both untouched natural wonderlands and developed cities lie on either side of the Malaysian peninsula.
Besides Kuala Lumpur, the western side of Malaysia has the country’s most famous tourist destinations. These include Langkawi and Penang — two of South East Asia’s best-known islands.
Langkawi and Penang were ranked 5th and 8th, respectively, by Travel + Leisure in the publication’s list of Asia’s Best Awards 2022: Best Islands In Southeast Asia.
Formed by 99 islands, the archipelago of Langkawi is a picturesque biodiversity hotspot and is a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Counted among the most popular destinations for luxury yachting on rent in Malaysia, Langkawi has some of the finest hotels in the region for the utmost comfort of its affluent guests in case they wish to spend a night on the land.
White sandy beaches, coral reefs, ancient mangroves and hills covered by tropical forests — Langkawi is the best place to unwind.
Penang, on the other hand, was also included by CNN in their list of the world’s best destinations to travel to in 2022. The island is known primarily as a heritage centre. Its capital, George Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its historic buildings, street art, boutique hotels and cuisine reflect the tremendous influence of Malay, Chinese, British and Indian cultures in the region.
Apart from the slice of history, adventure lovers can take the zipline on The Habitat Penang Hill in Penang, while sporting enthusiasts can tee off on Bukit Jawi Golf Resort.
The eastern side of the Peninsula is exciting nonetheless. Any yacht charter in Malaysia can go to any of the beach destinations and islands in this part. Washed by the waters of the South China Sea, life on the eastern islands is relatively more laid back than the ones on the western side.
Among the best-known destinations here are Tioman Island, Redang archipelago and Kota Kinabalu in the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo.
Kota Kinabalu deserves special mention, as it is the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kinabalu National Park. This is where intrepid mountain climbers can scale the 4,095-metre-tall Mount Kinabalu, which is the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea.
Nearby are smaller islands, such as Dinawan Island, rich in coral reefs and the marine wonderland of the Mantanani archipelago. And, if one takes the yacht across the other side of Borneo, then they can reach one of the world’s best-known diving sites in the waters of Celebes Sea at Sipadan Island.
Redang archipelago can be a special place for family yacht rentals in Malaysia for its array of luxury resorts that help explore the islands better.
Rental superboats in Malaysia can also take guests to outlying South East Asian islands and beach destinations, starting with the city-state of Singapore to the renowned island of Phuket in Thailand and onwards to the Andaman Sea.
Among the finest places for relaxation beyond Malaysian waters are Indonesia’s Anambas Islands where turquoise waters form pristine lagoons and clean white beaches dazzle in the sunlight. But for thrill seekers, perhaps nothing can come close to surfing on the giant waves off the Mentawai Islands on the western side of Indonesia’s Sumatra.
From quaint fishing villages to towering mountains and breathtakingly beautiful reefs to soft sand beaches, yachting in Malaysia guarantees absolute fun.
One of the major reasons why Malaysia has so much to offer is because of the length of its coastline. Measuring 4,675 km, the Malaysian coastline is one of the longest in Asia. Of this, Peninsular Malaysia comprises 2,068 km of coastline, while East Malaysia has the remaining 2,607 km.
Some of the best charter yachts in Malaysia can be booked for cruising the length of Peninsular Malaysia as well as East Malaysia.
If sailing along Peninsular Malaysia, yacht lovers can visit almost every major island and beach destination, including Langkawi and the duty-free Tioman Island, where sea kayaking and hiking up the Gunung Kajang are must-do activities.
For those who choose to sail in the waters of East Malaysia, the magnificent coastline not only has its own territorial gems but is very close to the Indonesian island province of Sulawesi to its southeast and the Philippines’ Palawan archipelago comprising 1,780 islands to its northeast.
Due to the abundance of islands in close proximity in both regions of Malaysia, island-hopping is easily possible. Travellers get to enjoy a great variety of cuisine, culture and heritage in whichever region they may be sailing in.
Yacht rentals in Malaysia, as in any other country, depend on a number of factors, including the season of sailing. While crewed yachts cost more than those without a crew, the latter can be booked only by those who are expert seafarers. This means that nearly everyone out on a leisurely vacation with friends or family can opt for crewed yacht charters.
The smaller the boat, the lesser the rent. A basic catamaran can come anywhere in the range of RM 113,000 for a week. But for something as luxurious as Xanadu of London, the minimum would be RM 3,36,768 for a week. The actual rent may be higher than the listed price when additional costs, such as those for specific services, are included in the charter.
Therefore, it is best to enquire directly with boat rental services in Malaysia for a factual estimate. Once again, it is absolutely important to finalise everything well in advance. This not only ensures the availability of the preferred yacht on the intended date but also gives time to the yacht rental services for making the vessel completely ready for the voyage.
(Main image: Sabeer Darr/@sabeerdarr/Unsplash; Featured image: Izuddin Helmi Adnan/@izuddinhelmi/Unsplash)
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