What a sunset cruise includes
Sunset cruises from Phuket are built around one spot: Cape Promthep (แหลมพรหมเทพ). Rawai Municipality describes it as the southernmost point of Phuket, a popular sunset spot and the site of the Kanchanaphisek lighthouse. The boat holds off the cape as the sun goes down, dinner is served on board, and the catamaran returns in the dark.
Group programmes come in two kinds:
- Sunset only. Phuket Tour’s Sunset Dinner runs on a catamaran from 14:30 to 19:30: departure for Promthep, sightseeing, a glass of wine and snacks, dinner, the return
- Sunset with a stop at Coral Island. Exotravel and Texpert: a beach and snorkelling at Ko He (Coral Island), then on to Promthep and dinner. Phuket Tour offers one on a sailing catamaran from 11:30 to 18:40 and adds fishing from the deck and snorkelling
The Coral Island stop is covered on the Coral Island page.
When the sun sets: a calculation by month
We calculate sunset with the formulas of the NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory Solar Calculator (based on Jean Meeus’s Astronomical Algorithms): latitude 7.762° N, longitude 98.305° E (Cape Promthep), time zone UTC+7, a zenith angle of 90.833° (refraction and the solar disc). NOAA states accuracy to within a minute for latitudes up to 72°, and real times depend on cloud, haze and the horizon.
| 15th of the month | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|
| January | 18:28 | 11 h 43 min |
| February | 18:37 | 11 h 53 min |
| March | 18:38 | 12 h 04 min |
| April | 18:36 | 12 h 17 min |
| May | 18:37 | 12 h 28 min |
| June | 18:44 | 12 h 34 min |
| July | 18:49 | 12 h 32 min |
| August | 18:43 | 12 h 22 min |
| September | 18:27 | 12 h 10 min |
| October | 18:11 | 11 h 58 min |
| November | 18:04 | 11 h 46 min |
| December | 18:12 | 11 h 41 min |
For 18 October 2026 the calculation gives 18:10. The gap between the earliest (18:04) and latest (18:49) sunset is only 45 minutes, which is why operators keep one schedule almost all year. In October the 17:30 in Phuket Tour’s programme is about 40 minutes before the sun goes down, so you have time to find a spot and watch the disc sink.
How long it takes and when to go
Five to seven hours with transfers. A clear sunset depends less on the calendar than on cloud: the drier the month, the more often the horizon is clear. By TMD normals (Phuket station, 1991-2020) November to April gets 24-178 mm of rain a month and May to October 237-350 mm.
| Period | What to expect |
|---|---|
| November-April | calmer sea, a clear horizon more often |
| May-October | rain and swell, sunsets often hidden by cloud, programmes run as the weather allows |
More in Phuket climate by month.
Boarding and how far it is
Boarding on the programmes we could open:
| Programme | Boarding | Sunset at Promthep | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phuket Tour Sunset Dinner | hotel transfer 14:30, pier not named | 17:30 | departs 19:00, hotel 19:30 |
| Phuket Tour, Coral on a sailing catamaran | transfer 11:30, pier not named | 18:00 | port and hotel at 18:40 |
| Exotravel, Chalong Pier | check-in by 13:00 | evening, time not given | back at the pier in the evening |
| Texpert, Nikorn Marine, Chalong Pier | meet 12:30, depart 13:30 | 17:00 sail to Promthep | back at the pier at 19:00 |
By OpenStreetMap coordinates it is 8.5 km in a straight line from Chalong Pier to Cape Promthep and about 9 km to Coral Island. The route by water is longer than the straight line, because the programmes include stops.
Options: group catamaran, sailing boat, private yacht
| Option | Time | Who it suits | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group catamaran, sunset only | 5 hours | Couples who want dinner and a sunset without a beach stop | The sunset time is fixed by the programme, not by the sun |
| Sailing catamaran with Coral Island | 7 hours | Anyone who wants a beach and snorkelling by day | A long day and an evening return |
| Exotravel and Texpert sailing catamaran | about 6.5 hours (Texpert) | Groups boarding at Chalong Pier | Water sports at Coral Island cost extra |
| Private motor catamaran | half a day | A group of up to 50 | The sunset and route are agreed with a manager |
| Private sailing catamaran with cabins | half a day or longer | Anyone who wants privacy | Capacity and price depend on the vessel |
What to do in rain and swell
Operators say the programme depends on tides and weather (Exotravel, Texpert). Their pages do not say what happens in heavy cloud or swell at the cape. Ask before paying what you get back if the operator cancels. If you do not want to risk it, move the trip to November-April or watch the sunset from Cape Promthep on land, as described on the Cape Promthep page.
Safety
- Life jackets. Texpert provides a jacket and snorkelling gear, and Phuket Tour includes masks and snorkels in packages with Coral Island
- Returning in the dark. On Phuket Tour’s programmes the catamaran heads back at 19:00 and Texpert returns to the pier at 19:00. Take a light layer and hold the rails
- Pregnant women and older travellers. Texpert does not recommend the programme for pregnant women, people over 65 and children under one
- Alcohol. Phuket Tour’s programme includes a glass of wine and snacks. Do not drink before snorkelling, and do not swim without a jacket
- Belongings. Texpert asks you not to bring unnecessary items and is not liable for loss
Who it suits and who should skip it
Suits:
- Couples and groups. Dinner and a sunset at Phuket’s southern tip
- Anyone with an evening free. The programme ends around 19:00-19:30
Skip it if:
- You get very seasick. There can be swell off the cape in the evening
- You are pregnant, over 65 or travelling with a child under one. That is Texpert’s wording
- You need a guaranteed sunset in the rainy season. Cloud hides the sun, and Texpert accepts no changes after a booking is confirmed
FAQ
What time does the sun set in Phuket?
By NOAA's formulas for Cape Promthep the sun sets at 18:10 on 18 October 2026. Through the year sunset moves from 18:04 in mid-November to 18:49 in mid-July. The method and a table by month are below, and the calculation ignores terrain, cloud and haze.
Where does the sunset catamaran go?
To Cape Promthep at Phuket's southern tip. Phuket Tour puts sightseeing and the sunset at 17:30 or 18:00 depending on the programme, Texpert sails to Promthep at 17:00, and Exotravel names Laem Promthep and Laem Krathing with a stop that gives a 360-degree view.
How long does the evening trip take and where do you board?
5-7 hours with transfers. Phuket Tour gives 14:30-19:30 or 11:30-18:40, Exotravel asks you to be at Chalong Pier by 13:00, and Texpert meets you at 12:30 at Nikorn Marine on Chalong Pier and returns to the pier at 19:00. Phuket Tour does not name the pier.
What if clouds cover the sunset?
Exotravel and Texpert say the order of stops depends on tides and weather, and Texpert accepts no changes or cancellations once a booking is confirmed. Operators' pages do not say what happens in heavy cloud, so ask before paying, especially from May to October, when TMD normals show 237-350 mm of rain a month.
Is it suitable for children and pregnant women?
Phuket Tour has a child category and does not state an age on the page, while Texpert does not recommend the programme for pregnant women, people over 65 and children under one. Ask the operator about life jackets for small children and the evening return: you will be on the water after sunset.
How does a group catamaran differ from a private one?
On a group trip the programme and dinner are shared and the times are fixed. For private hire Phuket Tour describes motor catamarans of 10-18 m for up to 50 people, sailing catamarans up to 25 m with cabins and VIP vessels up to 35 m, and lists Promthep among popular destinations. Details of a private sunset are agreed with a manager.
Where else can you watch a sunset in Phuket without a boat?
At Cape Promthep, which Rawai Municipality calls a popular sunset spot, and at the Laem Krathing viewpoint, which the same municipality describes as another very beautiful sunset point. For Karon, see the [Karon viewpoint page](/en/travel/phuket/sights/karon-viewpoint/).
What should you bring on a sunset cruise?
Sunglasses, sunscreen, a swimsuit and towel if the programme stops at Coral Island, a change of clothes and your voucher (Exotravel, Texpert). It is cooler on the water in the evening, so take a light layer. Leave valuables at the hotel.
Sources
- NOAA GML. Solar Calculator, Solar Calculation Details (equations, 90.833° zenith)
- Rawai Municipality. Cape Promthep (แหลมพรหมเทพ)
- Rawai Municipality. Laem Krathing viewpoint (แหลมกระทิง)
- TMD. Climatological Data of Thailand for 30 Year Period (1991-2020), Phuket station
- OpenStreetMap. Cape Promthep (node 265689795), Chalong Pier (way 149701364), Ko He (relation 5 660 746)
- Phuket Tour (TAT licence 34/03743). Sunset Dinner on a catamaran: programme
- Phuket Tour. Coral Island on a sailing catamaran at sunset: programme
- Phuket Tour. Catamaran rental in Phuket (vessel types) (in Russian)
- Exotravel. Coral Island and Sunset Promthep Cape
- Texpert. Sunset Dinner Sailing Catamaran Experience (Phuket)
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