Go diving on a liveaboard in Thailand
Similan Liveaboards
We offer some of the best liveaboard diving trips anywhere in Thailand when you stay onboard our MV Andaman. We have 3-day / 3-night, 4-day / 4-night, 7-day / 7-night and 11-day / 11-night trips available, so there is something to suit everyone.
Best Liveaboard Diving to the Similan Islands and Beyond
Designed by divers, for divers
Join a liveaboard trip and dive into the world-famous Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock, and more…..
We own and operate our unique liveaboard boat, the MV Andaman. She was designed by Sea Dragon and has been continually refurbished and expanded. We run 3-day and 4-day liveaboard trips to Thailand’s top dive sites: the Similan Islands, Surin Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, and Richelieu Rock. You can also put two trips back-to-back to make a 7-day package or three trips back-to-back to make an 11-day adventure (with a discounted price!)
Whether you are a scuba diver, a freediver, or a snorkeler you are sure to find the perfect trip to suit your schedule and budget
3 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS
9 dives incl night dive
Our 3-day/3-night trip visits the more adventurous dive sites in the north:
- Koh Tachai – There are several dive sites on this island. From gentle reefs to rock walls, plus one of the most impressive dive sites in Thailand. Between January and May, manta rays or whale sharks sometimes visit to feed on the rich currents
- Surin Islands – picturesque and quiet, close to the border with Myanmar. Five islands with a variety of granite boulder sites and superb coral reefs. Plus stunning beaches and great snorkeling in the shallows
- Richelieu Rock – a submerged pinnacle in the middle of nowhere. This dive site is legendary for first-class diving and the diversity of fish life. With the possibility of a whale shark or seahorses, if you’re lucky!
3-day/3-night liveaboard
9 dives incl night dive
BBQ & beach visit
4 DAYS / 4 NIGHTS
13 dives incl night dive
Join our 4-day/4-night trip and visit ALL the top dive sites in the area:
- Similan Islands – 9 islands spread over 22km. Divers & snorkellers all love the coral reefs, granite boulders & white sand beaches
- Koh Bon – pretty soft corals & hard coral reef at this limestone island. Manta rays may visit between January and May. One of Thailand’s top dive sites
- Koh Tachai – colorful corals, huge sea fans, and lots of fish. Sometimes visited by manta rays or whale sharks (Jan-May, unpredictable). A fantastic dive site
- Surin Islands – quiet, beautiful, with coral reefs, granite boulder sites & stunning beaches. Great snorkeling and diving
- Richelieu Rock – world-famous and truly spectacular. Always packed with marine life. Plus occasional ‘big’ visitors
4-day/4-night liveaboard
13 dives incl night dive
BBQ & 2-3 beach visits
7 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS
22 dives incl 2x night dives
This extended trip covers the whole region:
- South – Similan Islands
- Middle – Koh Bon & Koh Tachai
- North – Surin Islands and Richelieu RockWith extra dives at the best of the best:Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock
You will have time to explore the beautiful beaches in both the Similans and the Surins. There are many birds, monkeys, and reptiles to be found on the islands
Between dives, you can jump in with your mask and snorkel to look for turtles in the shallow water. Or just relax in a hammock
The 7-day trips include two night dives, plus enjoy our famous BBQ night TWICE
7-day/7-night liveaboard
22 dives incl 2x night dives
2x BBQ & 3-4 beach visits
11 DAYS / 11 NIGHTS
35 dives incl 3 night dives
Our 11-day/11-night trip is for the real scuba addicts! This is a combination of three trips taken back-to-back:
- 4-day/4-night South to North – starting in the Similan Islands and traveling north via Koh Bon, Koh Tachai the Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock
- 3-day/3-night trip – visiting Koh Tachai, the Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock
- 4-day/4-night North to South – traveling in reverse from the Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock, then heading south to Koh Tachai, Koh Bon and finishing with the Similan Islands.
Switch off your phone, choose a hammock and get away from rest of the world.
11-day/11-night liveaboard – 35 dives including 3x night dive – 3x BBQ & 5 island visits
When you learn to dive with us, you become part of our Sea Dragon family. Which means you’ll get Return Customer Discounts on all future courses or liveaboard trips. The more you dive with us the bigger your discount! You can even earn a FREE liveaboard trip! That’s the Sea Dragon way of saying thank you ♥
GENERAL INFORMATION
To join one of our liveaboard trips, you must:
- Be a certified diver* We will ask to see your certification card when you book and your logbook at check-in
- Be certified to dive to 30m If not, please see the options below
- Have dived with within the last 12 months If it’s been longer, you can either take a Scuba Refresher course or join a local reef or wreck dive before the liveaboard
- Have no health or medical issues that may affect diving. Please check our Diving Health Policy
* Non-divers are also welcome, please refer to the price tab
30m diving depth on our liveaboards:
On Sea Dragon liveaboards we plan our dives to a maximum depth of 30m. You must be certified to dive this deep. Most insurance companies will not honor any claim if the claimant has dived deeper than the recommended guidelines for their certification level
If you are not already certified to 30m, we offer the
following upgrade options:
1 – Take a PADI Deep Adventure Dive (B1,800 + liveaboard trip price) :
This is the easiest option and requires no extra time. It is conducted during the first dive of your liveaboard trip. You will complete a Knowledge Review from the PADI Deep Dive Speciality or PADI Advanced course manual. During the dive, there are some simple tasks to complete. If later you decide to upgrade your certification to PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, this deep dive will credit towards it
2 – Upgrade your certification level to PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
There are 5 dives in the Advanced course. We offer a package price for completing your Advanced course together with the Andaman liveaboard trip. See here for prices.
Departure day
You can check in anytime before 4 pm on departure day. Drop your luggage in our storage room and explore the town, go to the beach, grab a massage, and/or eat dinner. We meet back at the dive center at 6:30 pm ready for departure
If you have your own equipment you will take it with you in our taxi to the boat. If you are using Sea Dragon equipment, the dive staff will take it to the boat earlier and set it up for you. You must check it thoroughly yourself after the boat briefing
Your Trip Supervisor will give a quick pre-departure briefing before we leave the dive center. Our southern trips depart from Thap Lamu harbor, which takes about 20 minutes by taxi. Our northern trips depart from Khuraburi harbor, which takes about 1 hour 20 minutes by air-conditioned minibus.
Onboard, we will show you to your cabin where you can stow your luggage. The Trip Supervisor will then give a boat orientation and briefing on the middle deck. The journey to the islands takes about 4-5 hours to the Similans or Koh Tachai, 3-4 hours to the Surins.
A typical first day onboard
A typical day will usually follow this pattern:
- 06:20hrs Early wake-up call, giving you time to grab a tea/coffee and a snack
- 06:40hrs Dive brief on the middle deck (an extended brief on day 1 covers our diving & safety procedures)
- 07:30hrs Dive 1
- 09:00hrs Western-style cooked breakfast in the dining area
- 11:30hrs Dive 2
- 13:00hrs Thai-style lunch in the dining area
- 15:30hrs Dive 3
- 16:30hrs An afternoon snack is served on the middle deck, come and help yourself
- 19:00hrs Dive 4 – night dive
- 21:00hrs Thai-style dinner in the dining area
The schedule will alter slightly for subsequent days as we only have a night dive on day one.
Between dives, you can relax on board, take the dinghy to the beach (if available), and snorkel from the boat. Or just lay back and enjoy the scenery from a hammock or bean bag. On the final evening of the 3-day and 4-day trips, we have a barbecue and cocktail on the upper deck
Return on the final day
After the second dive on the last day of your trip, we head to the nearest harbour. From the Similans, we go to Thap Lamu harbour. However, from Richelieu Rock, we go to Khuraburi harbour. We serve lunch on the journey and you’ll have time to relax more as well as pack up your things
Before we arrive at the jetty, your Trip Supervisor will collect any outstanding money for beer, courses, logbooks, etc. Should you wish to, you can leave a tip for the boat crew in their private tip box. We will also try to get a group photo as a memento of our fun trip together
We arrive back at the dive center at about 16.30/17:00hrs. We’ll take a few minutes to return your valuables from the safe and any luggage you have stored with us. Then we will take you back to your hotel in our taxi
Note for divers on back-to-back package trips
If you are doing two trips back-to-back, the boat will come to the harbour at Khuraburi for a few hours between your trips. You do not have to move out of your cabin, but our cleaners will come onboard to change bedding, etc. At least one member of our dive staff will be with you and will take you ashore at Khuraburi harbor. You will have time to explore and see a bit of rural Thai village life
In Khuraburi harbour there is a coffee shop (with great cake and THE BEST wifi!). You will have dinner on the boat before the new guests arrive. We will depart again at 21:00Â for the second leg of your trip
And you’ll get two barbecue nights!
DEPARTURE SCHEDULE FOR MV ANDAMAN 2022 / 2023
| October 2022 | |||
| Depart 19:30 | Return 17:00 | No. days | Visiting |
| Wed 19 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Sun 23 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Thu 27 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Mon 31 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| November 2022 | |||
| Depart 19:30 | Return 17:00 | No. days | Visiting |
| Sun 06 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Wed 09 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Sun 13 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Wed 09 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Sun 13 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Sun 13 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Fri 18 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Mon 21 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Fri 25 | 11-day/11-night | All Island | |
| Mon 21 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Fri 25 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Fri 25 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Wed 30 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| ..Sat 03 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| ..Sat 03 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| ..Sat 07 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| ..Wed 07 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| December 2022 | |||
| Depart 19:30 | Return 17:00 | No. days | Visiting |
| Wed 07 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Mon 12 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Thu 15 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Mon 19 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Thu 15 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Mon 09 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Mon 19 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Sat 24 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Thu 27 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Sat 31 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Thu 27 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Sat 31 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Sat 31 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| January 2023 | |||
| Depart 19:30 | Return 17:00 | No. days | Visiting |
| Thu 05 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Sun 08 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Thu 12 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Sun 08 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Thu 12 | 7-day/7-night | Noth – South | |
| Thu 17 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Fri 20 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Thu 24 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Fri 20 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Thu 24 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Thu 24 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Sun 29 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Thu 31 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| ..Wed 01 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| ..Sun 05 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| February 2023 | |||
| Depart 19:30 | Return 17:00 | No. days | Visiting |
| Sun 05 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Fri 10 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Mon 13 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Fri 17 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Mon 13 | 3-day/3-night | Nothern | |
| Fri 17 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Fri 17 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Wed 22 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Sat 25 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| ..Wed 01 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Sat 25 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| ..Wed 1 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| ..Wed 1 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| March 2023 | |||
| Depart 19:30 | Return 17:00 | No. days | Visiting |
| Mon 06 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Thu 09 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Mon 13 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Thu 09 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Mon 13 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Mon 13 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Sat 18 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Tue 21 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Sat 25 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Tue 21 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Sat 25 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Sat 25 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Thu 30 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| ..Sun 2 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| ..Thu 06 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| ..Sun 02 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| ..Thu 06 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| April 2023 | |||
| Depart 19:30 | Return 17:00 | No. days | Visiting |
| Thu 06 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Tue 11 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Fri 14 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Tue 18 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Fri 14 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Tue 18 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Tue 18 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| Sun 23 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Wed 26 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Sun 30 | 11-day/11-night | All Islands | |
| Wed 26 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Sun 30 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Sun 30 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
| May 2023 | |||
| Depart 19:30 | Return 17:00 | No. days | Visiting |
| Fri 05 | 4-day/4-night | South – North | |
| Mon 08 | 7-day/7-night | South – North | |
| Mon 08 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Thu 11 | 3-day/3-night | Northern | |
| Mon 15 | 7-day/7-night | North – South | |
| Mon 15 | 4-day/4-night | North – South | |
PRICES – MV ANDAMAN 2021/2022
| Trip | No. Dives | Cabin | Diver | Non-Diver |
| 9 | Single bed (6-berth) | B16,600 | B12,450 | |
| 9 | Standard Double Cabin | B18,000 | B13,875 | |
| 9 | Ensuite Double Cabin | B19,000 | B14,813 | |
| – | National Park Fees | B1,800 | B1,000 |
| Trip | No. Dives | Cabin | Diver | Non-Diver |
| 13 | Single bed (6-berth) | B20,600 | B15,450 | |
| 13 | Standard Double Cabin | B22,600 | B17,450 | |
| 13 | Ensuite Double Cabin | B23,600 | B18,450 | |
| – | National Park Fees | B1,800 | B1,000 | |
| – | National Park Fees | 2,000 | 1,000 |
| Trip | No. Dives | Cabin | Diver | Non-Diver |
| 22 | Single bed (6-berth) | B32,000 | B24,000 | |
| 22 | Standard Double Cabin | B35,500 | B27,500 | |
| 22 | Ensuite Double Cabin | B37,250 | B29,250 | |
| – | National Park Fees | B3,600 | B2,000 | |
| – | National Park Fees | B3,800 | B2,000 |
| Trip | No. Dives | Cabin | Diver | Non-Diver |
| 35 | Single bed (6-berth) | B49,500 | B37,125 | |
| 35 | Standard Double Cabin | B55,000 | B42,125 | |
| 35 | Ensuite Double Cabin | B57,750 | B44,625 | |
| – | National Park Fees | B5,600 | B3,000 |
| * S-N means the trip runs from the South to the North |
| * N-S means the trip runs from the North to the South |
| * On the North-to-South trip we dive in two National Parks on the same day so the park fee is 200 more |
Equipment hire
Full diving equipment is included in all our prices
We provide a dive computer, SMB and torch on night dives free of charge
Own Equipment
If you have your own dive equipment you will receive a discount as follows:
- 10% – Full set of your own equipment
- 5% – 2 out of 3 from BCD/Regulator/Wetsuit
Extras :
| Item | Price |
| 300 per day | |
| 150 per day for daytime rental (night dive torch is included free of charge) | |
| 350 per day or 1,500 per week | |
| Price on request. We can organise airport transfers, local journeys or a car & driver for a local tour | |
| Celebrating a special occasion during the liveaboard trip? Would you like a cake or bottle of champagne to surprise your partner/friends? Talk to us in advance, we will agree a budget with you, and then arrange for your ‘surprise’ to be smuggled onboard without anyone else knowing | |
CHARTER PRICE
Would you and your group of friends like to have the whole boat to yourselves?
You can charter the M/V Andaman for as many days as you like and set your own schedule. Contact us to discuss prices
Included in the price
- Full set of diving equipment including a dive computer, SMB, and torch for night dives and sunset dives
- Air-conditioned accommodation on board in the cabin of your choice. All cabins have windows & sea view
- All meals. Western-style breakfast, Thai-style lunch, and dinner, plus afternoon snacks
- BBQ and a cocktail on the sundeck on your final evening
- Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, soft drinks, and drinking water
- Fruit, cornflakes, and cookies are available at all times throughout the trip
- Towel
- 12-liter aluminum tanks and all the weights you need
- Services of a medically trained PADI certified dive guide and attentive service from our six-boat crew
- Taxi to your hotel in the Khao Lak/Bang Niang area after your trip returns
- Great diving, new friendships, plenty of food, and loads of fun!
Not included in the price
- National Park fees
- Beer and wine. You can buy alcohol on board and pay at the end of the trip
- Tips for the boat crew and dive staff
See Prices tab for extras such as daytime torch rental, 15l tank, insurance, etc
LIFE ON A LIVEABOARD
If a picture’s worth a thousand words….
EXPLORE THE DECKS OF MV ANDAMAN
Use our interactive 360-degree
look around our liveaboard boat
Unique to Sea Dragon, you can do a tour of the boat without leaving your chair. Click the button below to open an interactive ‘video’. Choose a deck and have a look around. You can even go in the cabins. It’s just like using Google Maps ‘street view’.
