Thailand to India, help needed!

[edwin.maaike]

Dear readers,

We, a Dutch couple in our late twenties, are looking for a freighter that goes from Thailand to the Andaman islands or mainland India. After six months of traveling through Russia, Mongolia and China using only public transport, we are trying to continue our trip without flying.

However, finding a ship doesn't seem very easy. After 2 weeks of trying in Thailand (we're in Phuket now), we haven't come any closer to going to India over sea.

The main problem is that we don't know how to get in contact with the right people / companies. We've searched the internet, but can only find commercial freighter 'cruises' for thousands of dollars, which don't even pass through Thailand.

Could anybody point us in the right direction: where to find the right schedules, telephone numbers, etc? We can't even find which (if any?) boats are going from Thailand to India (or Sri Lanka, which would be fine also).

Thanks a lot for any help!
Maaike & Edwin.

[Steve]

There are 1-2 ships that might be able to take you from Singapore or Malaysia to India - I don't think you will get anything from Thailand, unless you departed from Bangkok, which would be a longer journey and a lot more expensive.

If you can get a ship, it will still be a lot more expensive than flying - probably the best part of $1000 each.

Budget around $130 per day, per person, for the fare, with at least $200 on top for the compulsary insurance and other extras. If the voyage takes 5-6 days, you can see where the $1000 figure comes from.

Freighter 'cruises' are ordinary freighters - the only 'non-cruise' freighters are simply just cargo ships (ie no passengers allowed)

Contact any major freighter booking agency for details - just google "freighter travel" - they are all listed

[twiane]

Hi there, I did this in the opposite direction, phuket to andaman last year. it wasn't on a freighter though we managed to find a dive company who were returning at the end of the dive season to take us back so you might be able to find one to take you out there as the boats can only stay up to a maximum of one month. Google dive or sail andaman, the boats are 'live aboard'. Technically you're not allowed to enter Indian soil without exiting in the same way and none of their ports are deemed entry and exit points since the mumbai bombings but i think it is possible, you'll need to put some work into it though. there are ferries to the mainland India from andaman though you need to check travel dates. anyway check out the dive companies...it might help if you said you wanted to dive too, they are pretty pricey but the sea is just truly amazing if you had the funds...or just snorkel when you get there!

all the best
t

[csteggles]

Hi Maaike and Edwin,

We're currently doing what sounds like a similar trip to you guys and have made it to India from the UK without flying but we're now struggling to get to SE Asia. We were planning on going to the Andamans and then just trying to get on a yacht/dive boat heading back to Thailand but as it's cyclone season we've been told that there probably won't be any boats doing this journey at the moment.

Did you manage to find a freighter or do you have any other advice for us?

Thank you!
Carly and Euan