Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

Sailing in Paradise - escape the winter blues at Thailand's stunning Royal Varuna Yacht Club

by Mark Jardine 9 Dec 2025 08:00 GMT
The view from the Royal Varuna Yacht Club © Mark Jardine

The Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Thailand is a hidden gem, with a stunning view towards Ko Lan, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand.

During the winter months in the northern hemisphere, the Royal Varuna Yacht Club can give visiting sailors some of the best warm water sailing available. The club welcomes guests from around the world and has accommodation on-site, a beautiful clubhouse while enjoys the most amazing sunsets, great facilities including full bar and restaurant, and super-friendly staff who are ready to help with whatever you need.

We take a close look at the club, talking to key people to find out more about its history and ethos, as well as the thriving sailing school which has been nurturing young sailors who have gone on to represent Thailand at the Olympics, and win huge World Championships in classes such as the Optimist.

The club hosts a number of world-class events and training camps, and in early 2026 will be hosting the ILCA Thailand National Championship, the Royal Varuna Yacht Club Open Masters Championship for ILCA 4, 6, 7 and International OK dinghies, and the OK Thailand Open Nationals. The club also hosts World Championships for major dinghy classes.

There is also a thriving catamaran section with large fleets of Formula 18s, Dart 18s and Hobie 16s. For foiling sailors the incredible Switch dinghy is built nearby at Element 6 Evolution, and it's an ideal place to learn to fly.

Royal Varuna Yacht Club organises the world-famous King's Cup Regatta, held in December every year, which is well established for keelboats and has a growing dinghy fleet.

If you are looking for a way to escape the cold in Europe or North America, and keep your sailing up during the winter, then there's possibly no better place on earth to do so. The only warning is that you may not leave!

Find out more about the club at www.varuna.org and view the upcoming regatta schedule at www.varuna.org/regattas

View from the water back towards the Royal Varuna Yacht Club - photo © Mark Jardine
View from the water back towards the Royal Varuna Yacht Club - photo © Mark Jardine
Looking towards the Royal Varuna Yacht Club from one of the club's accomodation buildings - photo © Mark Jardine
Looking towards the Royal Varuna Yacht Club from one of the club's accomodation buildings - photo © Mark Jardine

Related Articles

Which rocks you on about?
Australia is part of the 38th America's Cup. So where are they at? Australia is part of the 38th America's Cup. Given the seconf Preliminary Regatta has just occurred, where is Team Australia at? Best ask CEO, Grant Simmer OAM Posted on 2 Oct The Real Deal
Naples, and Luna Rossa, deliver America's Cup Masterclass It's hard to overstate how important the Preliminary Regatta in Naples was for the America's Cup, when on the surface it was just a show. Posted on 28 Sep Hannah Brewis Interview
Journey from Clipper Race First Mate, to Skipper, to Deputy Race Director When it comes to the Clipper Race, Hannah Brewis has done it all. Starting as a First Mate during the Covid-affected race, on to Skipper in the last edition, and now she is the Deputy Race Director. Posted on 25 Sep On Board With Ollie!
The ex-Charal IMOCA becomes Embrace the Challenge, modified for crewed sailing I went to see Oliver Heer in Gosport to talk about the new (to him) IMOCA 'Embrace the Challenge', which was Jérémie Beyou's Charal. Posted on 21 Sep Women's International Championship kicks off
Twenty teams have started racing at Newport, Rhode Island It's the opening day of the inaugural Women's International Championship at the New York Yacht Club and, without doubt, it is the stand-out event in sailing this week. Posted on 15 Sep Mighty Mary, WIC, match racing
Mighty Mary, the NYYC's WIC and the Women's Match Racing Worlds I recently had the chance to stream Mary Mazzio's film, Mighty Mary, ahead of its September 11 debut. The film, which was narrated by Elizabeth Banks and Hugh Jackman, chronicles the first all-women's team to compete in the America's Cup defender trials. Posted on 9 Sep Fly Higher. Travel Faster. Last Longer. - Pt. III
Bring on the final of the Gitana 18 trilogy - the Ultim - Edmond de Rothschild In Part One of Fly Higher. Travel Faster. Last Longer. we got to see just how different Gitana 18 is, and most importantly, why so. Part Two raised the stakes, literally, by seeing how much higher Gitana 18 will fly, and at what speeds. Now for the finale Posted on 9 Sep Return of the Doublehanders
It doesn't feel that long ago when they seemed to be going out of fashion... It doesn't feel that long ago when doublehanders seemed to be going out of fashion. There was a new crop of singlehanded dinghies, led by the RS Aero, and it felt like everyone was sailing on their own. Posted on 1 Sep VX Air Test Sail - Thrills without the Spills
Taking the modern single trapeze doublehander for a spin on Portland Harbour The VX Air is a high performance two-person, single-trapeze dinghy designed by Brian Bennett, Ross Weene, and Mackay Boats. The hull is 4.78 metres long, that's 15 foot 8 inches, and has a beam of 1.74 metres, or 5 foot 9 inches. Posted on 25 Aug Fly Higher. Travel Faster. Last Longer. - Pt. II
Alphabet Soup - When it comes to appendages, we've had so many letters of the alphabet already When it comes to appendages, we've had so many letters of the alphabet already; C, T, L, J etc. The U rudders have always intrigued me. The answer lies in the higher flight of Gitana 18, meaning the rudders too are a half to one metre longer Posted on 25 Aug
Copyright 2026 YY Online Services Ltd. registered in England no. 7895890
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy