Thailand Liveaboard
Thailand Liveaboard Diving
Liveaboards in Thailand became famous among scuba divers through the national parks of the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Tachai, and the Surin Islands. Here are relatively easy dive sites where the less experienced diver can quickly get started with liveaboard diving.
Nowadays, Thailand liveaboards are exploring more of the Andaman sea. You can get to The Southern regions near the Phi Phi islands or combine the best dive sites in the Similan Islands with a week-long dive safari to the Mergui Archipelago.
Stunning reefs and exceptional biodiversity makes the Andaman Sea a dream for every diver. It is worthwhile a visit to the land of smiles where many divers like to come back.
Popular Thailand Liveaboards
DESTINATIONS
With a Thailand liveaboard, you have several choices to go to. The most famous are the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock, where most dive boats tempt to visit. Some liveaboards, such as Deep Andaman Queen, combine the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar with the best of the Similan.
You find another beautiful liveaboard experience in Thailand’s Southern region with Koh Phi Phi, Koh Haa, and Hin Deang/Hin Muang’s islands.
Marine Life
The Andaman sea has incredible biodiversity that you can find on each dive site. From the larger animals such as reef sharks, whale sharks, and manta rays. To the smaller critters hiding on the reef, such as harlequin shrimps, pygmy pipehorse, sea moth, and several nudibranch species.
All liveaboards offer night diving, where this is the perfect time to see moray eels hunting around lionfish waiting for small fish to pass buy or find loads of shrimps and crabs hiding in the cracks.
HOW TO GET THERE
The liveaboard trips depart from Phuket or Khoa Lak. The best choice would be to fly to Phuket international airport to get a hotel in the Southern part of Phuket or Khoa Lak. This saves you a lot of time sitting in minibusses.
Thailand Liveaboard DIVING SEASON
A Thailand liveaboard season is from October until the half of May. During this time of the year, you have the best weather on the West coast of Thailand, with clear blue skies and flat seas, and that the national parks are only open within these months.
Throughout May, you will see the change of weather when the wind comes from the West. This is the start of the monsoon season what brings in tropical storms with rain and rough seas. The water temperatures are pretty stable between 27c° and 29c°, making it possible for most divers to dive in a 3 mm full wetsuit or even a shorty.
VISA
To enter the Thai kingdom as a tourist, you don’t need to apply for a visa. On arrival, you will receive a stamp that permits you to stay in the country for a maximum of 30 days. If you would like to stay longer, you can apply to a Thai embassy for a tourist visa to allow you for 90 days. When you overstay your visa, there is a THB500 fine per day.
Before departure, make sure your passport is still valid for at least six months on the date you plan to arrive back home as well you need an empty page for the stamps.