Summer Liveaboard

[Owl]

Hi all,

I will be coming into Phuket May 16 or 17 and want to do a Similan/Koh Bon/Koh Tachai/Richelieu Rock liveaboard. Are there any that leave around this time? Many of the liveaboards that I have seen only run until early May, and not many continue in late May or the summer. I understand that this is due to monsoon, but is it possible/desireable to do a liveaboard at this time? I understand that the visibility is not affected much, but that the ride could be bumpy. Thanks in advance for any information.

 

[stevenl]

This is always a point of hot discussion.

I personally like the liveaboards in the summer, no other divers at the Similans, good visibility, and some of the animal you won't see in the high season because they run away from the divers are there, so really nice.

Just 2 disadvantages: if the weather is really bad it is not possible to go out (all scheduled trips did leave this year, but in other years we had to cancel a few trips) and if the weather is ok but nor too good, the ride out to the islands may be rough. Once there, the Similans offer enough shelter.

These trips go in July and August on this boat. This is also one of the boats that keeps going till the end of May. Another boat, The Really Wicked Witch, also goes till the end of May. Good value for money, but very basic boat. Also The Bunmee and Jonathan Cruiser go till the end of May. The latter I can really recommend, always happy guests although the boat itself is nothing special. Mermaid II also runs till the end of May.

So, even in May quite a few options.