What is liveaboard diving?
Liveaboard diving is somewhere between a diving activity holiday and an hotel. You board, set up your equipment, and then spend the next few days scuba diving, eating and sleeping around some of the best dive-sites in the area.
They range from basic to luxurious. From 1 night up to around 7 nights – with 3 or 4 night trips being the most popular in the Similans. They will cover the better dive sites and will usually include the more remote sites that you can’t reach on a day-trip.
On the west coast of Thailand around Khao Lak, the key sites are Richelieu Rock, Koh Tachai, and Koh Bon. Either the Similan Islands or the Surin Islands will also be included in the package.
You should expect to be diving 3 or 4 times a day during your trip, although the last day is often just 2 dives, so that you get back to port at a reasonable time in the afternoon.
We have worked on many liveaboards, and as with many services, you get what you pay for. If you want a modern spacious boat, and experienced staff, look at the top end of your budget. The lower budget boats will still get you to the dive-sites, but the boats are older, and the cabins are smaller.Liveaboard Diving Schedule
They generally have fairly similar schedules, and you usually get picked up from your hotel or the dive shop early evening. You go to the boat, get a boat briefing, set up your equipment and get shown to your room. The boat will usually leave the port at Tap Lamu that evening, and will motor towards the Similans while you eat your evening meal and settle in.
Wake-up is typically around 6.00 am, with time for a coffee, some cereal or fruit, and a dive-safety briefing.
The first dive is a ‘check-dive’ – a nice gentle dive to give you the chance to make sure that all your kit is working properly.It also gives your dive-guide a chance to see how you are in the water, what your air-consumption is like, make sure that you have the right amount of weight, and to check that everyone in the group is of a similar standard. Fine-tuning of groups, weighting, tank sizes etc can all take place after the first dive. If there are any issues with buoyancy or kit then these can be addressed as well.
Meals and Food
The first dive is followed by a big delicious cooked breakfast. There is usually ham, eggs, bacon, sausage, tomato, bread, honey, chocolate spread, peanut butter …….. Different boats have their own specialities, with croissants, rice soup, salad and fruit all being possible variations. From then on you get into a bit of a routine: Dive, Eat, Rest, Dive, Eat, Rest. Beers and wine come out after the last dive of the day. Having said that, after 4 dives in a day, many people are ready for their bed and turn in early.
The meals on-board are one of the highlights, usually buffet style, with lots of choice. Meals are usually a mixture of Thai and Western food. There are usually one or two spicy dishes and at least one with no spices.
Relax and Enjoy
Over the course of the trip you will get to know those in your dive group, others on the boat and the dive staff. Friendships – occasionally even relationships – are forged on these holidays. Most people will come away with e-mail addresses and Facebook links so that they can stay in touch. You will see beautiful sunrises and sunsets at sea, amazing coral, white sand beaches and possibly a Manta or Whaleshark. There are so many fish you couldn’t list them all. All the things that you were concerned about before you left will have quietly evaporated. If you would like some more information on live-aboard diving in the Similans, please contact us. We will be happy to help you find the right trip for you.
