Frequently Asked Questions
What is a liveaboard diving cruise?
Liveaboards provide diving facilities and living accommodations for divers. You eat, sleep and dive on the boat! Thailand liveaboard cruises stay at sea for the duration of the cruise and therefore can explore more remote dive sites. This type of diving opens up a whole world of top class diving opportunities that would simply not be available on a regular day trip dive boat.
How many dives will I make per day?
Generally you can make four dives a day. A typical cruise day starts at 07:00 hrs with the first dive, the last dive being either a sunset dive or night dive. You have about three hours between dives at your leisure.
When is the best time to dive?
The Phuket liveaboards cruise season runs from October to May. The weather and Andaman Sea are at their calmest during the months of February to early May, and this is when visibility is at its best. This time of year is also manta ray and whale shark season.
What diving license do I need?
An open water diving license is acceptable for Thailand liveaboard safaris. Although there are some deep and exposed dive sites, there are enough easy dive sites and enough dive guides on board so that you will never need to dive beyond your limits.
To make the most of your Phuket adventure and to extend your dive training you may wish to take your PADI Advanced Open Water Diver license on board. Certification is normally discounted to about half price. Select the "Facilities" information tab of each boat for course prices on board.
How far in advance do I need to book?
Although it is possible to book some liveaboards only a few weeks before departure, if you want to ensure your place on one of our most popular Similan choices between December and April you must try to book six months in advance.
Are there any strong currents?
Some of the dive sites visited can have strong currents. This depends on the site, time of month and time of day. Your dive guide will advise you in your dive briefings. Generally, there is never an occasion when you need to swim against a strong current.
I don't have my diving license with me, can I still dive?
If you have a PADI certification, we can check your details direct with PADI. Please provide your name as it appears on your card and your date of birth. If you contact the dive centre where you were certified, they can help you obtain a new card before you travel.
Can I dive on my own?
Similan liveaboards are recreational diving boats, and as such follow recreational diving guidelines. This means you'll be expected to dive with a buddy to a maximum depth of 40 metres and observe safe diving time limits. If you prefer to dive without a dive guide, then this is not a problem provided you have all the equipment necessary to conduct dives unassisted i.e. dive computer or timing device, safety balloon, compass and dive knife.
Do I need a wetsuit?
Although the Andaman Sea is very warm at 27 to 30°C, you will get chilled making four dives every day on your cruise. We recommend at least a 3mm wetsuit shortie, or more if you are susceptible to heat loss. A wetsuit also provides protection from jellyfish and poor buoyancy control.
Can I recharge my strobes and batteries?
Usually this is not a problem on board liveaboards in Phuket. Please review the "specs" information tab for details of the power sources provided on each boat.
What type of tanks and valves are on the boats?
Nearly all liveaboards in Thailand carry 12 litre aluminium tanks with yoke or A-clamp international valves as standard. If you have a DIN regulator, you should bring an adaptor, or you can rent (US$ 2.50 per day) or buy one here. 10 or 15 litre tanks are available for rent in advance for US$ 2.50 per day. Enriched Air Nitrox is available on some boats. See the "Facilities" information tab of each boat for more details.
Can I rent an underwater camera?
We have Sealife Reefmaster cameras (US$ 15 per day) and Sea & Sea MX 10 cameras with strobe (US$ 25 per day) available for rent on your Similan liveaboard cruise. Please request these in advance to ensure availability.
What kind of food is served?
Please review the "Food" information tab for details of food served on each cruise. Generally, the standard of cuisine is excellent throughout the Phuket dive industry.
Can I request vegetarian food?
Please review the "Food" information tab for details of dietary requirements that can be met on each boat. Please do tell us your requirements at the time you make your booking, so that we can meet your request.
Can I bring alcohol onboard?
You can bring what you like on board Similan diving liveaboards. If you have a favourite tipple or taste, feel free to bring it along. We even had one diver bring a blow-up doll and inflatable sheep...anyway, enough about that Nigel.
Where can you pick me up from?
We can arrange transfers to your Phuket liveaboard from your hotel, from our dive centre or from the airport if you arrive just before your boat departure. Please advise us of your preferred transfer point before you arrive.
What should I bring on board?
All your personal diving equipment (except tanks, weights and weight belts), a bathing suit, towel, toiletries, T-shirts, shorts, and sun cream. You may also want to bring something a little warmer for the evenings.
Where can I leave my excess baggage when I go on a cruise?
If your hotel can not help you store your baggage, then we are more than willing to help. You can store your bags and valuables at our dive centre for the duration of your cruise. Just don't leave any open boxes of chocolates lying around!
Will I get sea sick?
All the Thailand liveaboard boats use mooring points to over-night at the islands visited on the cruise. These mooring points are located in the island's bays, sheltered away from any open sea swells.
If you are particularly susceptible to motion sickness, then you should consider joining a Similan Islands cruise in February to April, when the seas are very calm.
Is dive insurance for customers included in the cruise price?
Some Phuket liveaboards provide insurance. For details please review the "Safety" information tab for each boat. Phuket now has two (expensive) recompression chambers. We recommend you have your own personal dive insurance, for your own peace of mind.
Is Malaria a problem?
The Thailand liveaboards destinations are free of Malaria.
Can a non-diver go on a liveaboard?
Non-divers and snorkellers are always welcome on board. Most of the dive sites visited offer good snorkelling too, particularly liveaboards to Similan Islands. Do bear in mind though that the cruises are designed for diving, not snorkelling. Prices for non-divers are usually discounted 10%, sometimes more, but please ask for exact details. Although this sounds quite a small discount, boat operators will tell you that if you are not diving, then you will be on the boat eating all the food! Anyway, you are taking the space that would otherwise be available to a diver.
Do I have to share a cabin?
As space is the ultimate premium on liveaboard safaris, single cabins are extremely rare and expensive. Unless we manage to book you a single cabin, you will be expected to share. It may be, if the boat is not full and there are an odd number of passengers, that you can have your own cabin, but this situation can not be guaranteed. The only way to guarantee a cabin for yourself is to pay for two beds! Please review the "cabins" information tab of each boat for more details on the types of cabin available.
Can I explore the beaches at the islands?
You have three hours surface interval between each dive, so as long as you are not travelling between dive sites, you are free to do want you want on board Similan liveaboards. Please do advise the tour leader before and each time you disembark from the boat.
What about tipping?
Tipping in Thailand is entirely a matter of choice. If your liveaboard cruise met or exceeded your expectations, you may wish to leave a tip of up to 10% of your cruise price. Smaller tips are welcome too!
Will I see sharks?
We certainly hope so! Leopard sharks and white-tip reef sharks are the most common and seen on all Similans trips. Nurse sharks and silver-tip sharks can be seen quite commonly on Burma liveaboards. Whale sharks sightings were infrequent in 2003 and 2004, but regular in 2002 — keep your fingers crossed!
Manta rays sightings were very common in 2003 and 2004, and you will always see blue-spotted sting rays, marble rays, and fantail rays.
 Choose your Phuket liveaboards adventure
For more liveaboard diving adventures, visit our other websites:
Burma Liveaboards ,
Indonesia - Bali Liveaboards ,
Malaysia Liveaboards
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