Pattaya Fishing Charters: Private Trip Prices, Islands and Season
A fishing boat charter in Pattaya starts from ฿14,000 for a private trip with hotel transfer both ways, tackle and lunch on board. Charter boats are typically 25 feet long and take up to four people, while a seat on a shared group trip costs from ฿1,800. Below: prices per person, piers, fishing grounds, the season and what to bring.
What a private charter includes
A private charter books the whole boat and crew for your group alone, and in Pattaya the starting price usually bundles the transfer and the meal as well.
One boat, your group and a fixed day
A private fishing trip near Pattaya costs from ฿14,000 and puts only your own company on board — no strangers sharing the rail, no fixed group schedule. That is the main difference from the shared day trips, where other tourists fill the boat and the transfer runs at a set time. This Rent-Trip page has no model cards for fishing boats; it shows the market price of a private trip and the formats around it, so the figures can be compared on one page. The boats used for charter are typically 25 feet long and carry up to four anglers. In my view, the right first question is not the price but how many people will actually fish, because every per-person comparison on this page starts from that number.
What ฿14,000 covers and what it does not
- Transfer: a private pickup at a time that suits you, from the hotel to the pier and back again after the trip.
- Tackle: rods, reels and terminal tackle are part of the price, so nobody needs to fly in with gear.
- Lunch: fresh fish cooked on site, with the lunch stop made at an island.
- Drinks: soft drinks are included; alcohol is not, so ask whether you may bring your own.
- Not stated: the number of fishing hours and the maximum group size for this rate — confirm both before paying.
Prices by format and per person
Fishing near Pattaya is sold in several formats, from a shared seat to a big-game charter. Dividing each price by the number of people on board changes the ranking.
Market prices side by side
| Format | Who is on board | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Private trip with transfer and lunch | Your group | from ฿14,000 |
| 25 ft charter boat | Up to 4 people | from ฿15,900 |
| Private 8-hour trip, average | Your group | about ฿20,000 |
| Speedboat, 08:00–14:00 | Up to 4 / up to 6 | ฿25,000 / ฿33,000 |
| Big-game boat with live bait | Up to 10 people | from ฿25,000 |
| Shared day trip | Other tourists | ฿2,500 per angler |
Private boat or group day: the per-person sum
For four anglers, a private trip at ฿14,000 works out at ฿3,500 each, against ฿2,500 each on a shared day — ฿10,000 for the four of them. The gap is ฿4,000 for the group, and it buys the boat to yourselves, a pickup at your own time and the freedom to stay longer where the fish are biting. With two people the arithmetic turns: ฿7,000 each for a private boat against ฿2,500 on the group boat. A fishing charter in Pattaya therefore pays off from about four people, while a couple on a budget gets more fishing per baht on the shared boat. A non-angling partner travels cheaper on the group format too, at ฿1,600 as a passenger. Decide who will hold a rod before comparing anything else.
When the dearer boat is worth it
The speedboat at ฿25,000 for four people (฿6,250 each) and the big-game charter from ฿25,000 cost almost twice the entry private trip; what they buy is distance and method. The speedboat runs from Jomtien to grounds behind Koh Phai, about 35 km from Pattaya, between 08:00 and 14:00 — a short outing, with speed buying time at the spot. The big-game charter prepares live bait, changes spots as it goes and takes up to ten people — ฿2,500 each when full. For a family wanting a fish lunch and a calm morning, the ฿14,000 trip is enough. For trevally, cobia or a king mackerel, pay for the longer run.
Where boats leave and how far they go
Departure points spread along the coast, from central Pattaya to Jomtien and Bang Saray, and each format has its own pier and hours.
Piers and departure times
| Departure | Format | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel pickup (private transfer) | Private trip from ฿14,000 | Start at 08:00 |
| Bang Saray port | Shared day trip | 07:30–17:30, Mon, Wed, Fri |
| Jomtien Beach Soi 11 | Speedboat, 4 or 6 people | 08:00–14:00 |
| Bali Hai Pier | Evening squid fishing | 18:00–22:30, Tue, Sat |
Koh Khram or Koh Phai
Shared day trips work the water near Koh Khram, which is also the lunch stop, while the faster boats head further out to the grounds behind Koh Phai, about 35 km from the city. The choice of island is really a choice of time: the nearer grounds leave room for a long, unhurried day with lunch and a swim, while the far side of Koh Phai is reached quickly only by a speedboat. The entry-price private trip names Koh Khram for its lunch, so a fishing boat charter in Pattaya at ฿14,000 is built around the nearer island. If deeper ground matters to you, ask where the boat will fish before booking, not on board — the answer explains much of the difference between ฿14,000 and ฿25,000.
The day hour by hour
- Evening before: a text message between 9pm and 10pm confirms the exact pickup time for the next morning.
- Morning: the private trip starts at 08:00; the shared day from Bang Saray runs from 07:30.
- On the water: fishing at one or several spots, depending on the format and the captain's choice.
- Lunch: fresh fish cooked at the stop, with soft drinks.
- Return: the speedboat day ends at 14:00, the shared day at 17:30, then the transfer to the hotel.
Fish, techniques and the season
The Gulf of Thailand off Pattaya holds a wider mix of species than most visitors expect, and the season decides how productive a day will be.
What bites near Pattaya
Deep sea fishing in Pattaya targets barracuda, cobia and king mackerel as the headline species, with grouper, trevally, queenfish, tuna and snapper also caught. Closer to the islands, the shared boats bring mackerel, horse mackerel, jacks and perch. The two lists overlap but are not the same. The bigger predators — cobia, king mackerel, large barracuda — come with longer runs and heavier tackle, while the nearer grounds give a steadier catch of smaller fish that end up as lunch. Grouper and snapper are bottom species, so they turn up on almost any boat that drops a bait to the seabed. Set your expectations by format: a trophy fish is a reason to book the dearer boat, not a promise of the cheaper one.
Bottom fishing, jigging, popping, trolling
- Bottom fishing: a baited rig on the seabed for grouper, snapper and perch — the method most day trips use.
- Jigging: a metal lure worked up and down the water column, effective for jacks, trevally and mackerel.
- Popping: surface lures cast and ripped across the water to provoke strikes from queenfish and barracuda.
- Trolling: lures or baits pulled behind a moving boat, the usual way to find king mackerel and tuna.
- Live bait: offered on big-game charters, it raises the odds with cobia and larger predators.
October to March
October to March brings the best conditions for fishing off Pattaya. Outside those months trips still run, but nobody promises the same conditions, and the weather has more say in where the captain takes the group. That matters most for the speedboat, which covers about 35 km each way to the grounds behind Koh Phai, and for anyone prone to seasickness. If your dates fall between April and September, book a format with a cancellation window and keep a spare date in the plan. A trip moved by one day is better than a day spent sheltering behind an island with the rods still packed.
Group trips, squid nights and non-anglers
Not every fishing day needs a private boat. Two shared formats cover the budget end and the family end of the market.
Who should pick a group day
The shared day trip from Bang Saray costs ฿2,500 per angler and ฿1,600 per passenger, runs from 07:30 to 17:30 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and includes tackle, bait, lunch and soft drinks, tea and coffee. It suits solo travellers and couples, for whom a private boat would cost ฿7,000 or more per head. The catch is the schedule. The boat leaves on three set days, the transfer from the hotel runs at an appointed time, and other tourists share the rail and the fishing spots. Another shared trip starts from ฿1,800, with hotel transfer at an appointed time. If your holiday dates do not include a Monday, Wednesday or Friday, check the other format first.
Squid fishing after dark
Evening squid fishing leaves Bali Hai Pier at 18:00 on Tuesdays and Saturdays and is back around 22:30 to 23:00, at ฿1,800 per adult and ฿1,400 for a child under ten. Dinner and unlimited drinks are part of the price, and the squid caught on the night are cooked on board. For families it is the gentlest way onto the water: no early start and only a few hours at sea. Bring a light layer for the evening and motion-sickness tablets if anyone is sensitive. For a first trip with children, the squid night is the format to try before committing to a full day at sea.
Permits, cancellation and what to bring
Paperwork is light for a fishing trip here, but the cancellation window and a short packing list make a real difference on the day.
No permit for rod fishing, free cancellation 24 hours ahead
No fishing permit is needed for rod fishing on a charter near Pattaya, so tourists can book without any paperwork beyond the booking itself. Cancellation is free at least 24 hours before the trip starts. That window is worth planning around in the wetter months: check the forecast two days out, and if the sea looks rough, move the trip while the cancellation is still free. Alcohol is not part of the package on the private trip, and the day boats serve soft drinks, tea and coffee. Carry some cash for tips and extras — cash is on the operators' own list of things to bring.
Packing list
- Sun protection: sunscreen, a hat or cap and sunglasses for a full day on open water.
- Clothes: comfortable clothes and swimwear for an island stop, plus a towel for the ride back.
- Motion-sickness tablets: take them before boarding, not when the first wave hits.
- Cash: small notes for tips and drinks outside the package.
- Camera: in a waterproof case or bag, for the catch and the islands.
Key points before you book
Five things to remember
- Price: private trips start from ฿14,000 with transfer, tackle and lunch; 25 ft charter boats from ฿15,900 for up to four.
- Per person: for four anglers a private boat costs ฿3,500 each, against ฿2,500 on a shared day.
- Distance: day trips fish around Koh Khram; speedboats reach the grounds behind Koh Phai, about 35 km out.
- Season: October to March brings the best conditions; outside it, keep a spare day.
- Terms: no permit for rod fishing, free cancellation up to 24 hours before, alcohol not included.