Embarking on a liveaboard diving adventure in Thailand’s pristine waters is an exhilarating experience. To ensure a seamless journey, it’s essential to pack thoughtfully, balancing necessary dive gear with personal items suitable for the tropical climate.

We have a ‘ticklist’ available here, with extra suggestions also, which you can download as a reference also – Packing list

Dive Gear Essentials

Bringing your own dive equipment can enhance comfort and familiarity while underwater. Key items include:

• Mask and Fins: A well-fitting mask is crucial for clear vision (we also have a mask cleaning prep station for setting up your mask to not fog up before each dive also). Comfortable fins, paired with dive booties (if preferred), aid efficient movement.
• Wetsuit: Thailand’s waters typically range between 27°C to 29°C. A 3mm shorty wetsuit is generally sufficient, but personal tolerance to cold should guide your choice. Having said that, some choose to dive in just board shorts and rash vest too.
• Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) and Regulator: Using your own BCD and regulator ensures proper fit and reliability.
• Dive Computer: Essential for monitoring depth and dive time, a personal dive computer is a must-have for safety, and diving with is mandatory on all of our cruises.
• Surface Marker Buoy (SMB): Vital for signaling your position to the boat, especially in areas with currents. These are provided also, free of charge on board.
• Torch: If you are looking to join on any night dives, you are going to need a Torch!

If you do not have dive equipment of your own, we have plenty on board that is available for rent. You can see the pricing for each itinerary here.

Clothing and Personal Items

Packing light, breathable clothing is key to comfort in Thailand’s humid climate. Consider the following:

• Swimwear: Bring multiple sets to ensure you always have a dry option between dives.
• Lightweight Clothing: Opt for quick-drying fabrics like cotton or linen. Pack a few t-shirts, shorts, and a long-sleeve shirt for sun protection.
• Warm Layer: Evenings can be cooler, especially after multiple dives. A light sweater or hoodie is advisable.
• Footwear: On our vessels we operate a no-shoes policy on board. However, do pack sandals or flip-flops for shore excursions.
• Sun Protection: Sleeves, sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, and reef-safe sunscreen are essential to protect against the tropical sun.

Toiletries and Health

Maintaining personal hygiene and health is crucial during your trip. Ensure you have:

• Personal Toiletries: While there is shampoo and shower gel available already in the en suites on board, do bring preferred brands of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
• Medications: Pack any personal medications. There are sea sickness pills available on board already, and a well stocked first aid kit, although you may wish to being items of your own also.
• Moisturizer and Lip Balm: Saltwater and sun can be drying; keep your skin hydrated.

Electronics and Documentation

Staying connected and capturing memories are part of the adventure. Remember to bring:

• Camera Gear: An underwater camera or GoPro to document your dives. Ensure you have extra memory cards and batteries.
• Chargers and Adapters: Thailand uses Type A, B, and C sockets. You may wish to bring a universal adapter for charging your devices, although the charging stations in the common areas will fit most plug styles on our vessels.
• Travel Documents: Keep your passport, dive certification cards, and travel insurance documents in a waterproof pouch, especially when boarding, and transiting. We also have an emergency dry bag on board, which you may like to use. In case of an emergency, this bag is a priority for an assigned team member to ensure leaves the vessel, so guests are recommended to use it for any important travel documentation.

Additional Tips

• Packing Aids: You may wish to use things such as packing cubes to organize your belongings efficiently.
• Dry Bag: Useful for keeping valuables dry during boat transfers or shore excursions.
• Reusable Water Bottle: Stay hydrated and reduce plastic waste by bringing a refillable bottle. If you do not have your own, we have them on board also for each of our guests to use.

We know how it is, we all have the ‘have I remembered everything’ anxiety as we head out the door, so hopefully these suggestions will keep that to a minimum for you. As each of us is different, it is impossible to create an exhaustive list that fits everyone, but all being well, you’ll be prepared to fully enjoy your liveaboard diving adventure in Thailand’s beautiful waters.