Affordable Similan liveaboards?

[Robertson]

Hi,

I've read through a lot of the threads on Similan liveaboard options but was just wondering if people could help me differentiate between the decent budget operations and the cattle call overloaded dive boats? I know you get what you pay for, but I can't do luxury at the moment I'm afraid.

I'm going to be in Phuket over the Easter weekend and was thinking perhaps of staying longer and doing a liveaboard for 4 days if there is something decent available in my price range. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[sailmaryann]

Hi ya canadian robertson...
you'll find they are all quite OK as long as the weather is fine, which gets a bit iffy during easter, as this is when the NW monsoon gets going. check their websites for number of divers, and don't go with anyone that carries more than 12 divers would be my advice. There have been several reports of boats capsizing during storms, so i would stick to any one that offers a 4 day package for 100 USD/night at least (otherwise you are compromising on safety) and has less than 12 divers (otherwise, its a real crowd).
4 days is a minimum if you want to enjoy similans... too late probably for the ever more elusive whale shark though, i'm afraid.
Have fun!

 

[Batfish]

Better correct a few things here...

The SW (not NW) monsoon normally starts sometime during May, not April. Storms? There was a boat went down a couple of years ago trying to go out in rough weather in the low season, but it was a research boat. One liveaboard sank in about 2002 heading out in July in bad weather, nobody was hurt. Another sank in 2005 in calm seas while at anchor, and that was an expensive boat that took only 8 guests!

Very few boats take 12 divers or less, and these will be WAY above 100 U$ per night, which is what you'd pay for a real bargain basement trip. There are good boats for 500 U$ for 4 days/ 4 nights, there are nice boats for US$ 700-800 and really nice boats for more.

April is normally a very good time to have a chance of whalesharks.

Hope you can make it,

Jamie
Phuket

 

[stevenl]

In addition: and at the moment there are lots of manta rays, and also the whale shark sightings are increasing.

Really budget boat but decent cabins and good value for money: this boat.

 

[MoonWrasse]

Lower vis, cooler water, higher plankton, hopefully will bring in the pelagics.
I heard about a whale shark sighting recently at Racha Yai of all places.

Seems like there are more thermoclines this year than before as well - I'm thinking of getting a 5mm shorty made.

As far as sinking LABs at the Similans, I've heard one went down due to a clogged toilet, that was last year I think.

 

[stevenl]

The clogged toilet was the 2002 sinking Batfish was talking about. Main thing: it was outside of the season, bad weather, bad maintenance.

 

[Rumrita]

You didn't post your actual budget - so here's a recomendation for the Queen Scuba a "midrange" price at ~ $800 for 4 nights. We had a great time last April aboard this boat (saw a whale shark and a seahorse on one dive at Richelieu rock) - you can read my trip report here:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=138216

 

[Batfish]

Queen Scuba is indeed nice, but the OP was asking for budget boats, which surely means 500 dollars or less for 4 nights.

By the way, I had someone enquiring by email the other day who told me they had been offered a 4 day trip for 12000 Baht including park fees and equipment. What kind of boat can that be?

 

[DiverDave65]

I've been on South Siam 3 and 4 the last two years....great boats, good people, excellent diving....and a freaking ZOO in the middle of the day when the high speed boat comes out to bring out new people who overload the boat for the next two dives until the high speed takes away the divers leaving that day....you can have 30-40 divers on board for a few hours...never again for me!! Of course, they are the cheapest boat, too.
You get what you pay for!!

 

[stevenl]

you can have 30-40 divers on board for a few hours

There are 30 sleeping places on SSD 3, so with a full boat, half the people leaving and half the people coming new plus some daytrip guests, 60 is quite common.
Not in this time of year though.