The WORLD RENOWNDED…
SIMILAN & SURIN ISLANDS
INCLUDING KOH BON, KOH TACHAI AND RICHELIEU ROCK
4, 5 & 6 nights
Diving the Similan Islands in Thailand is an ADVENTURE NOT TO BE MISSED.
Believed to have inherited their name from the Malaysian word sembelan meaning “nine” as the Similans consist of a group of nine granite boulder islands.
The WORLD RENOWNDED…
SIMILAN & SURIN ISLANDS
INCLUDING KOH BON, KOH TACHAI AND RICHELIEU ROCK
4, 5 & 6 nights
Diving the Similan Islands in Thailand is an ADVENTURE NOT TO BE MISSED.
Believed to have inherited their name from the Malaysian word sembelan meaning “nine” as the Similans consist of a group of nine granite boulder islands.
The WORLD RENOWNDED…
SIMILAN & SURIN ISLANDS
INCLUDING KOH BON, KOH TACHAI AND RICHELIEU ROCK
4, 5 & 6 nights
Diving the Similan Islands in Thailand is an ADVENTURE NOT TO BE MISSED.
Believed to have inherited their name from the Malaysian word sembelan meaning “nine” as the Similans consist of a group of nine granite boulder islands.
aboard THE JUNK & THE PHINISI
WHAT DO OUR GUESTS SAY?
I’ve been on several other liveaboard boats to the Similan Islands and The Junk was my best experience by far.
Tom C
Describing the experience as mind blowing would be an understatement.
Nico
The people on the other boats looked at us with envy!
Maggie
All the islands have Thai names but even your Captain will refer to them by number, starting with Island #1 in the south and finishing ten nautical miles in the north with Island #9.
Above the water the topography is STUNNING, lush vegetation tops the islands giving way to granite boulders or white sandy beaches, surrounded by crystal clear water. But it is what lies beneath the water that allows the Similans to lay claim to being one of Thailand and Asia’s top scuba diving liveaboard destinations.
READY TO EXPERIENCE the SIMILAN & SURIN ISLANDS?
CLICK to go to BOOKING FORM
aboard THE JUNK & THE PHINISI
“June Hong Chian Lee”
The Junk is completely renovated and comfortably welcomes 18 divers. We have 2 private cabins with double beds, 2 three berths cabins (which can be sold as so-called Shared Twins and can also be turned into a Private Double Bed) and 2 four berths cabins (which are all bunks but can also be sold as Shared Twin). All our cabins are fully air-conditioned and have their own hot water shower and en-suite toilet.
“Cheng I Sao”
Purpose-built by divers for divers, The Phinisi is a traditional Indonesian-style sailing yacht. Her official name is ‘Cheng I Sao’ and she is fully equipped to accommodate 18 divers. The Phinisi is constructed using only the best Asian teak and ironwood and she has been equipped with all on board facilities; no expense has been spared to meet the requests of even the most demanding underwater photographers and divers.
PRO TIP – The Phinisi
Combine the Similan & Surin Islands – 6 nights, and the Southern Thailand (incl Koh Lipe) – 4 nights itineraries to make the ULTIMATE diving tour, The Best of Thailand – 10 nights
PRO TIP – The Phinisi
Combine the Similan & Surin Islands – 6 nights, and the Southern Thailand (incl Koh Lipe) – 4 nights itineraries to make the ULTIMATE diving tour, The Best of Thailand – 10 nights
The Junk
4, 5 & 6 NIGHTS
Departs: Tab Lamu Pier, Khao Lak or Chalong Pier, Phuket
Returns: Tab Lamu Pier, Khao Lak or Chalong Pier, Phuket
We dive the following sites*:
Similan & Surin Islands
Koh Bon
Koh Tachai
Richelieu Rock
Surin Islands
The Phinisi
4, 5 & 6 NIGHTS
Departs: Tab Lamu Pier, Khao Lak or Chalong Pier, Phuket
Returns: Tab Lamu Pier, Khao Lak or Chalong Pier, Phuket
We dive the following sites*:
Similan & Surin Islands
Koh Bon
Koh Tachai
Richelieu Rock
Surin Islands
TRIP INFO
It is a mandatory requirement for all divers to have insurance which covers scuba diving activities equivalent to their diving qualification, including emergency evacuation and recompression chamber costs. Please check our Insurance page for possible suitable options.
Although Marijuana has had a change in status recently here in Thailand, we don’t permit its use on board.
4 NIGHTS
Airport & Transfer Info
Arrival airport: Phuket International Airport (HKT)
Departure airport: Phuket International Airport (HKT)
Embarkation Point: Tap Lamu Pier, Khao Lak at 19:00 or Chalong Pier, Phuket at 19:00
Disembarkation Point: Tap Lamu Pier, Khao Lak at 14:00 or Chalong Pier, Phuket at 14:00
Kindly check your cruise confirmation for the correct (dis)embarkation point.
Shared transfers between Phuket Airport, Phuket hotels or Khao Lak hotels* and the vessel on embarkation and disembarkation day are included in the cruise price.
When you fly in on embarkation day, you can book our free shared transfer from Phuket Airport which departs once a day at a time to be advised at least 48 hours before departure. Please ensure that you arrive on time for this transfer.
Phuket airport is about a 1 – 1½ hour drive from the embarkation/disembarkation point. Please allow at least 2 – 3 hours for international flight check-in and 1.5 – 2 hours for domestic flights.
Marine & Port Fees
50 USD per person
Marine park fees can be paid advance, or onboard.
Minimum dive certification and experience
Diving conditions in the Andaman Sea are generally suitable for all levels of divers. Divers who wish to join this itinerary are advised to have Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent* with a minimum of 10 logged dives and experience with diving in currents.
*Advanced Open Water course can be completed on board.
Number of scheduled dives
For this itinerary, your Cruise Director will schedule up to 14 dives.
This itinerary involves some long-distance travel. Whilst we attempt to ensure the number of planned dives is fulfilled, bad weather and sea conditions can affect the boat’s ability to reach a specific dive site in good time and may impact on the number of dives that are possible.
Safety and dive briefings are conducted in English. If you, or any of your group, do not speak or understand English, please contact us with sufficient notice.
Example of the day-to-day schedule
Day 1: Embarkation at 19.00hr followed by briefings and dinner.
Day 2-4: Your Cruise Director will schedule up to 4 dives per day; 3 dives and a sunset or night dive.
Day 5: After dive 2, the vessel commences her cruise to port. Disembarkation is scheduled for around 12h00 -14h00.
*We kindly request that guests check their flight departure times to ensure that they leave a minimum of 24 hours between their final dive and the departure of their flight. While we wish to show you the very best diving possible, the safety of all on board remains paramount. In the unlikely event we are unable to reach a specified dive site; we always do our best in offering diving at alternative locations.
A typical diving day is scheduled as follows:
Light breakfast, followed by briefing & Dive1
Full breakfast, relaxation, followed by briefing & Dive 2
Lunch, relaxation, followed by briefing & Dive 3
Snack
Briefing for Dive 4
Dinner
5 NIGHTS
Airport & Transfer Info
Arrival airport: Phuket International Airport (HKT)
Departure airport: Phuket International Airport (HKT)
Embarkation Point: Tap Lamu Pier, Khao Lak at 19:00 or Chalong Pier, Phuket at 19:00
Disembarkation Point: Tap Lamu Pier, Khao Lak at 14:00 or Chalong Pier, Phuket at 14:00
Kindly check your cruise confirmation for the correct (dis)embarkation point.
Shared transfers between Phuket Airport, Phuket hotels or Khao Lak hotels* and the vessel on embarkation and disembarkation day are included in the cruise price.
When you fly in on embarkation day, you can book our free shared transfer from Phuket Airport which departs once a day at a time to be advised at least 48 hours before departure. Please ensure that you arrive on time for this transfer.
Phuket airport is about a 1 – 1½ hour drive from the embarkation/disembarkation point. Please allow at least 2 – 3 hours for international flight check-in and 1.5 – 2 hours for domestic flights.
Marine & Port Fees
55 USD per person
Marine park fees can be paid advance, or onboard.
Minimum dive certification and experience
Diving conditions in the Andaman Sea are generally suitable for all levels of divers. Divers who wish to join this itinerary are advised to have Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent* with a minimum of 10 logged dives and experience with diving in currents.
*Advanced Open Water course can be completed on board.
Number of scheduled dives
For this itinerary, your Cruise Director will schedule up to 18 dives.
This itinerary involves some long-distance travel. Whilst we attempt to ensure the number of planned dives is fulfilled, bad weather and sea conditions can affect the boat’s ability to reach a specific dive site in good time and may impact on the number of dives that are possible.
Safety and dive briefings are conducted in English. If you, or any of your group, do not speak or understand English, please contact us with sufficient notice.
Example of the day-to-day schedule
Day 1: Embarkation at 19.00hr followed by briefings and dinner.
Day 2-5: Your Cruise Director will schedule up to 4 dives per day; 3 dives and a sunset or night dive.
Day 6: After dive 2, the vessel commences her cruise to port. Disembarkation is scheduled for around 12h00 -14h00.
*We kindly request that guests check their flight departure times to ensure that they leave a minimum of 24 hours between their final dive and the departure of their flight. While we wish to show you the very best diving possible, the safety of all on board remains paramount. In the unlikely event we are unable to reach a specified dive site; we always do our best in offering diving at alternative locations.
A typical diving day is scheduled as follows:
Light breakfast, followed by briefing & Dive1
Full breakfast, relaxation, followed by briefing & Dive 2
Lunch, relaxation, followed by briefing & Dive 3
Snack
Briefing for Dive 4
Dinner
6 NIGHTS
Airport & Transfer Info
Arrival airport: Phuket International Airport (HKT)
Departure airport: Phuket International Airport (HKT)
Embarkation Point: Tap Lamu Pier, Khao Lak at 19:00 or Chalong Pier, Phuket at 19:00
Disembarkation Point: Tap Lamu Pier, Khao Lak at 10:00 or Chalong Pier, Phuket at 10:00
Kindly check your cruise confirmation for the correct (dis)embarkation point.
Shared transfers between Phuket Airport, Phuket hotels or Khao Lak hotels and the vessel on embarkation and disembarkation day are included in the cruise price.
When you fly in on embarkation day, you can book our free shared transfer from Phuket Airport which departs once a day at a time to be advised at least 48 hours before departure. Please ensure that you arrive on time for this transfer.
Phuket airport is about a 1 – 1½ hour drive from the embarkation/disembarkation point. Please allow at least 2 – 3 hours for international flight check-in and 1.5 – 2 hours for domestic flights.
Marine & Port Fees
$65 USD per person
Marine park fees can be paid in advance or on board.
Minimum dive certification and experience
Diving conditions in the Andaman Sea are generally suitable for all levels of divers. Divers who wish to join this itinerary are advised to have Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent* with a minimum of 10 logged dives and experience with diving in currents.
*Advanced Open Water course can be completed on board.
Number of scheduled dives
For this itinerary, your Cruise Director will schedule up to 19 dives.
This itinerary involves some long-distance travel. While we attempt to ensure the number of planned dives is fulfilled, bad weather and sea conditions can affect the boat’s ability to reach a specific dive site in good time and may impact the number of dives that are possible.
While we wish to show you the best diving possible, the safety of all on board remains paramount.
In the unlikely event, we are unable to reach a specified dive site; we always do our best in offering diving at alternative locations.
Safety and dive briefings are conducted in English. If you, or any of your group, do not speak or understand English, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
Example of the day-to-day schedule
Day 1: Embarkation at 19.00hr followed by briefings and dinner.
Day 2-5: Your Cruise Director will schedule up to 4 dives per day; 3 dives and a sunset or night dive.
Day 6: Usually 2 morning dives and one dive after lunch* before the vessel commences the cruise back to port.
Day 7: Following breakfast, disembarkation is scheduled for 9h00 -10h00
*We kindly request that guests check their flight departure times to ensure that they leave a minimum of 24 hours between their final dive and the departure of their flight. While we wish to show you the very best diving possible, the safety of all on board remains paramount. In the unlikely event we are unable to reach a specified dive site; we always do our best in offering diving at alternative locations.
A typical diving day is scheduled as follows:
Light breakfast, followed by briefing & Dive 1
Full breakfast, relaxation, followed by briefing & Dive 2
Lunch, relaxation, followed by briefing & Dive 3
Snack
Briefing for Dive 4
Dinner
READY TO EXPERIENCE the SIMILAN & SURIN ISLANDS?
CLICK to go to BOOKING FORM
epic! DIVE SITES
SIMILAN ISLANDS
SIMILAN ISLANDS
The above water scenery will provide stunningly beautiful white sandy beaches with small forested areas. Dive some of the following sites; Boulder City, Sharkfin Reef, Anita’s Reef, and Three Trees.
Under the surface, you may see Leopard (zebra) shark, blue spotted stingrays, clown triggerfish, rabbit fish, scorpion fish, snappers, emperor fish, giant trevally and angelfish. The coral gardens, bommies, and boulder formations are wonderful to dive.
Elephant Head Rock, visible from the surface, is the biggest pinnacle in the Similans and has some fantastic swim-throughs. Whitetip reef sharks, batfish, trevally and barracuda can often be seen on the perimeter of the boulders. If you look closely in the cracks and in the rubble you can see smashing mantis shrimp, porcelain crab, moray eels and cleaner shrimp.
There are also sites dominated by huge granite boulders such as Deep Six, Christmas Point, and North Point where you can see white tip reef sharks, schooling giant trevally, and schools of neon fusiliers.
KOH BON
This is generally the most likely place to see manta rays on our Similans itinerary. You are also likely to see Napoleon wrasse, sweetlips, octopus, bluefin trevally, giant moray eels, great barracudas, fire dart goby, spiny lobster, and nudibranchs of many types. The dive sites vary from wall diving to gently sloping reefs and from submerged boulders to coral gardens.
Diving on the West Ridge can be an adrenaline-filled drift, with amazing views, while the North Reef is a gentler experience over a hard coral garden.
KOH TACHAI
This island is famous for its pinnacle dive site, known by many as Twin Peaks, as well as more relaxed reef diving on the North Reef and South Reef. Normally, turtles, barracuda, pipefish, and nudibranchs can be found here. There is also a chance to see bigger species in this area like manta rays and whale sharks, especially from late January until April.
SURIN ISLANDS
SURIN ISLANDS
The topside scenery of Koh Surin, with evergreen forests, mangroves, and small beaches, surpasses even that of the picturesque Similan Islands.Underwater the reefs of Surin offer some of the greatest hard coral diversity in Thailand.
Across sites like Torinla Pinnacle, Hin Kong, and Turtle Ledges you are likely to see Napoleon wrasse, yellow-masked angelfish, bumphead parrotfish, tomato anemonefish and barramundi, as well as lots of turtles that still come ashore in this area to lay their eggs.
Due to the remoteness, not many liveaboard boats visit these islands and you will be able to enjoy the dive sites without sharing them with tourist hordes.
RICHELIEU ROCK
This limestone pinnacle was named after former Danish Naval Officer, Andreas Richelieu, who eventually became the only foreign born commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy to date, appointed by King Chulalongkorn. One of Richelieu’s tasks was to modernise the outdated Navy charts, and as he had become such an influential and important figure, this potentially hazardous-to-ships rock that poked out from sea at low tide, east of the Surin Islands, was eventually named after him.
Barely breaking the surface at low tide, this horseshoe-shaped outcropping slopes steeply to a sandy bottom at 18 to 35 meters (60-120 Ft). This site offers great diversity for such a small and isolated spot. It also offers excellent multi-level diving and, because it’s a high-profile reef, there are always sheltered areas to hide from the current.
The marine life is prolific and includes amongst, many other things; pharaoh cuttlefish, large octopuses, all 5 varieties of anemone fish of the Andaman Sea, a variety of moray eels, ornate ghost pipefish, smashing mantis shrimps, harlequin shrimps, tigertail seahorses, Spanish mackerel, frogfish, many schooling snappers and occasional sightings of manta rays and whale sharks.
KHAO LAK
KHAO LAK WRECKS (4 & 5 night only)
Before disembarking in Khao Lak, if conditions and timing are favourable, there is a choice of easily diveable wrecks between the Similan Islands and the port of Tap Lamu.
The Boonsung and The Premchai are old tin miners that were sunk in the 1990’s and are a treat for underwater photographers as well as lovers of life of all kinds!
Only in 18m of water they are covered in nudibranchs and various kinds of shrimps. Many quite unusual honeycomb morays also made these wrecks home. There are also huge numbers of schooling fish as well as rays and sharks that can occasionally be seen.
Upcoming cruises…
THE JUNK
The JUNK – NOTE – If you are looking for a Twin/Double and both are taken, we can convert a Triple Cabin into a Twin/Double for you, if available.
THE PHINISI
The PHINISI – NOTE – Combine the Similan & Surin Islands – 6 nights, and the Southern Thailand (incl Koh Lipe) – 4 nights itineraries to make the ULTIMATE diving tour, The Best of Thailand – 10 nights