Phuket Travel Guide

Big Game Fishing

Sailfish

Costa Rica, Guatemala, Broome, Cape Bowling Green, and Watamu are all world-famous sailfish "hot-spots". Dedicated blue-water anglers make regular pilgrimages to these "angling mecca's" to test their skills against one of the world’s most popular game fish.

The fish-rich waters of The Andaman Sea are blessed with a vast population of sailfish and Thailand’s spectacular island of Phuket is the ultimate venue from which to target these remarkable opponents.

Phuket has been a popular holiday destination for many years and a remarkably sophisticated infrastructure has developed as a result. Due to the lack of world-wide publicity, the extremely high quality gamefishing offered by Phuket fleet is enjoyed almost exclusively by holiday-anglers, while the majority of dedicated specimen hunters, remain woefully unaware of the superb action they’re missing.

This somewhat sad fact is about to change. Recently, Australian fishing "guru" Rex Hunt and his equally respected fishing partner Steve Starling, visited Phuket to film a fishing show for Australian television. Their experiences stunned the well-travelled pair and Rex was quoted as saying-"I have never seen so many sailfish in one place in my life."

Although sailfish are present year-round, the monsoon months of July and August always produce an impressive run which develops into a staggering feeding population concentrated around a small island, just one hour from the fleet’s base at Chalong Bay. Check out our Seasons and Species chart for further details.

In November every year, Asia’s most prestigious fishing tournament the "Phuket International Sport Fishing Classic" attracts anglers from all over the world. The event is always successful and will eventually place Phuket on the map as a top angling venue. What has not yet been attempted is a " Sailfish Tournament". Such an event would not only be welcomed by Phuket’s sportfishing fleet but could provide competitors with unparalleled enjoyment. There are numerous reasons why Phuket would be the perfect choice of venue for such an event -- listed below are just a few.

10 good reasons to fish for Sailfish in Phuket

1. A respectable catch is virtually guarantied.
2. Phuket’s sophisticated and convenient international airport offers visitors hassle-free immigration/custom formalities with friendly, courteous officials and helpful staff.
3. The wide range of accommodation on the island is designed to cater to virtually every taste and preference. Choose from stunning, world class resorts to clean, comfortable guest houses, or anything in between.
4. Thailand has long been know as the "Land of Smiles", the warm, genuinely friendly Thai people will charm even the most discerning visitors. Tourists can feel totally safe and secure to walk anywhere, at any hour of the day, street crime is virtually unheard of on Phuket.
5. Thai food is enjoyed all over the world, and in Phuket numerous restaurants feature tantalising dishes to suit every taste. If exotic, spicy Thai food is not to your liking, Phuket boasts a vast selection of international restaurants offering visitors delicacies from virtually every continent.
6. Phuket can offer accompanying family and friends of competitors a variety of activities that many other angling venues lack. Attractions include: world class golf courses, superb diving, bare-boat or skipped sailing charters, numerous day tours to outlying islands, elephant trekking, wind surfing, parasailing, sea walking, mini golf, mountain biking, temple and culture tours, Thai boxing and spectacular, exotic night-life activities.
7. Phuket’s gamefishing fleet consists of over 20 well equipped boats, ranging from sophisticated American/Australian style sportfishers to converted local style vessels. The vast majority of the fleet are skipped and crewed by very experienced personnel with extensive knowledge of local waters.
8. As Phuket has been host to tourists for many years, the infrastructure of the island is geared to cope with the needs and demands of overseas visitors. Most hotel staff and locals working in tourist-related industries have a good command of English and are experienced in dealing with problems often encountered by travellers.
9. Phuket has several world class hospitals with highly trained doctors and staff, and state of the art equipment.
10. Finally, a phrase adopted by numerous visiting anglers says it all. "There may be places in the world where the fishing is better -- but there’s no better place to go fishing".

General | Sailfish | Seasons | Competitions | Charters | Fishy Tales