Breaking ground - Phuket marina

Asia Property Report 08-21-2007

The construction of Royal Phuket Marina’s Phase Two development was officially launched at a ground breaking ceremony on August 9, attended by Phuket’s new Governor, Khun Niran Kalayanamit, and the Marina’s tycoon owner and developer, Mr Gulu Lalvani.

Governor Kalayanamit officially ‘broke ground’ on the development which will include an Aquaminium condo with private internal yacht berths incorporated into the design and a collection of eight Royal Villas, the most prestigious homes available at Royal Phuket Marina which will open onto sweeping views of the Mediterranean-style marina with its profusion of luxury yachts and boardwalks.

Phases of development

Phase Two will also see an extension to the marina itself with a new ‘inner-marina’ exclusively for the use of private marina residents, operated by a sophisticated lock system allowing easy access.

The outer marina, built in Phase One, is already open for commercial use, comprising 85 wet berths and 40 dry berths, complete with a 60-tonne travel hoist and hardstand for maintenance which is available to both the public and private residents.

With all of the 66 condos and penthouses in Phase One of the island’s first ‘high-end’ residential marina already snapped-up, the new residences in development at the marina will no doubt sell quickly. In fact the triplex Aquaminium condos set a record price for Phuket when they sold at an exhibition in Hong Kong in May.

Royal Phuket Marina Concept

Royal Phuket Marina is Thailand’s first world-class luxury lifestyle marina community, rivalling top resort communities in Europe and the Caribbean. It is located on Phuket’s up-and-coming eastern seaboard overlooking scenic Phang Nga Bay.

The Marina was developed by telecoms tycoon Gulu Lalvani, the founder of Binatone, the world’s second largest manufacturer of digital cordless phones – in line with his vision of promoting Phuket as a world-class yachting hub in one of the world’s most idyllic and accessible locations.

Following the successful sale of all luxury condos and penthouses in Phase One, Royal Phuket Marina is now selling ‘Aquaminium’ condominium units with private, internal boat-berths and a collection of eight palatial ‘Royal Villas’, with up to five bedrooms, private swimming pools and doorstep moorings.

The marina is double the size of any other yachting haven in Phuket, with 350 berths for yachts of up to 30 metres long, and the only facility with a non tidal boat lock, deep water basin and private moorings on the doorstep of residences.

More than half of the Royal Phuket Marina development is devoted to leisure and shopping facilities, including cafes, restaurants, a fitness centre and spa, which are set amidst landscaped gardens and attractive communal areas.

The marina has quickly established itself at the forefront of Phuket’s yachting establishment, sponsoring the prestigious international Phuket King’s Cup each December, an event that was recognised as ‘Yachting Event of the Year’ in the Christofle Asia Boating Awards in April.

Coinciding with the King’s Cup Regatta, will be the PIMEX International Boat Show which is relocating to Royal Phuket Marina in 2007. PIMEX 2007 will showcase the latest boats and equipment in 2,000 square metres of air-conditioned exhibition space at the “luxury lifestyle marina” on December 8-9. Up to 50 boats are expected in the water and on land.

Royal Phuket Marina was awarded the prestigious “Five Gold Anchor” by the Yacht Harbour Association, an arm of the British Marine Federation.

In partnership with The Cruising Club International, ‘The Royal Phuket Marina Cruising Club’ is the first Fractional Boat Ownership Company in Thailand, offering the opportunity to own an equity percentage of a range of luxury power boats, sharing purchase and maintenance costs through syndicated ownership.

The entire US$150 million Royal Phuket Marina project is due for completion in 2010.