The bridge which links Thailand's largest island, Phuket, with the mainland also very effectively cuts off the spectacular Pang Ngha bay from boat traffic wishing to access it from the Andaman Sea.
It also means that traffic approaching Thailand from the Indian Ocean and wanting to use the Phuket Yacht Haven, one of only two marinas in the area, will have to spend an extra two days circumnavigating Phuket.
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Phuket is the Base for sailing Phang Nga Bay and there are few places on Earth which compare to the Bay when it comes to yachting. Through the long north-east monsoon season, weather conditions are the equal of any area in the world, better, for example, than those in the Mediterranean. Even in the south-west monsoon season there are calm, protected waters in this spectacular and fascinating Bay.
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By now reports of the devastating Tsunami have reached every pocket of the world, thanks to modern telecommunications. But recent accounts have it that all the boats lost during the onslaught of the tidal wave were lost in marinas (notably Telaga Harbour and Reebak Marina, Langkawi, Malaysia) or, anchored in shallow waters. The Royal Langkawi Yacht Club sustained only minor damage to their pontoons and are fully operational. Telaga and Reebak are closed although the hardstand area of Reebak Marina was virtually untouched the berths were totally destroyed.
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