1 Night Similan Liveaboards - Short Similan Liveaboard Diving Trips

1 Night on a liveaboard is by far the most-commonly chosen length of trip chosen by our guests each year. The reasons for this are probably down to the following factors.

1. Flexibility of our ‘platform boats.’
2. Less commitment
3. Best value

Flexibility to Meet your Vacation Needs

‘Flexible’ or ‘platform’ liveaboard boats are regular Similan liveaboard ships which stay out at sea for the whole season. They cruise around the Similan Islands and Northern Dive sites on a set schedule of 28 dives per week. While one or two of the best dive sites are repeated, in general they move around all the time to offer a variation.

All Scuba Divers On 1-2 Night Liveaboards Get a Dive T-Shirt

1 - 2 Night Similan liveaboard guests all get a free dive t-shirt.

Scuba Diving T-shirt

Guests are transferred from Khao Lak in the morning of their choice by speedboat, and they stay aboard for two days and one night (2D1N) or longer, depending on what package they have booked. Then on the final day they return to Khao Lak by speedboat and arrive at the harbour around 5.00pm. Also supplies of food, drinks and equipment, as well as rotating staff and crew come out on the speedboat. The flexibility of being able to choose on which day or date your Similan diving cruise begins and ends is probably the most-common reason that so many of our guests choose this kind of trip. It can fit in perfectly with any holiday or flight schedule. Also, because the transfers are done by speedboat, there is still time to enjoy 3 dives on the first day, and 3 dives on the final day. Typically, a 2D1N trip gives 6 dives at up to 6 different dive sites. 3 Day 2 Night dive trips give 10 dives, because the middle day is spent entirely on the large boat. 4D3N trips give 14 dives. Our two most popular diving boats most seasons are flexible/platform boats. These are known as MV Camic and MV Nemo 1. Nemo has 4-bunk shared cabins and double-bed private cabins. All the bathrooms are shared. Camic has 4-bunk and twin-bunk shared cabins which share bathrooms. And there are two master cabins which have a double bed and private bathroom.

No Need to Commit to Too Long On Board

When booking a scuba diving vacation in Thailand (normally in advance & online) it’s quite a commitment to decide to spend all your time out at sea with a group of strangers, and with no practical way of escaping from unpleasant guests or returning to land for any reason. Therefore, a short diving liveaboard enables you to enjoy the best diving in Thailand without having to commit to three or more nights on board, or having to suffer extended travelling back & forth for 2-dive Similan diving day trips. In addition to our flexible/platform boats, we also have MV Oktavia’s 2D2N 7-dive cruise to the Similan Islands, and several boats offering 3D2N scheduled* trips with a morning departure from Khao Lak and 9-10 dives at some of the best dive sites in Thailand.

*Scheduled trips leave and return on set dates, with the people on board (guests, staff & crew) not changing. The flexible/platform trips have an ever-changing demographic of guests and staff.

Best Value

Due to being shorter in length than most other Similan diving liveaboard safaris, the 1 night SImilan liveaboard & 2 night Similan liveaboard diving cruises are obviously lower in cost. In addition, the flexible/platform boats and most others offering the shorter cruises are in the budget Similan liveaboard & mid-range liveaboard level of price and luxury. Don’t worry, you will still enjoy fantastic diving & service, lots of great food, safe & professional fun guides, and new high-quality diving equipment. The only sacrifice is in the facilities such as cabin size, lack of private bathrooms and covered outdoor communal areas instead of air-conditioned lounge/saloons.

What About Short Luxury Liveaboard Cruises in Thailand?

A couple of our luxury boats do also offer diving cruises of 1 or 2 nights. These include (but are not limited to) MV Giamani and The Junk. Giamani alternates its trips throughout the year, including during high season. The longer trips of 4D4N go to The Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai & Richelieu Rock, then for 2D2N Giamani sails to Koh Haa, Hin Daeng & Hin Muang. These southern dive sites are not only equal in quality to the best dive sites in Thailand, they are visited far less by liveaboard boats, and therefore very likely to have far fewer divers at each dive site you visit. This is especially true for the first and last dive of each day because any day trip boats from Phi Phi or Koh Lanta will not be there at such an early or late hour.

In the low season of May to October, both Giamani and The Junk have short scuba diving liveaboard trips around Phuket and Phi Phi. These range from a 1 night similan liveaboard (2D1N) to up to a 3 night liveaboard. The quality of food and service remains as high as usual, but of course the rates are lower due to the shorter trips, less fuel needed, and fewer National Marine Parks to enter. Although the diving may not be as exciting as at The Similans during high season, nor may the weather be as predictable, but you are very likely to be on a boat with very few other guests and at a dive site with fewer other Similan diving boats.

In Summary

Short scuba diving liveaboard cruises are by far our most popular. This is mainly due to the fact that guests are able to choose exactly which date their trips start and finish. The lack of commitment to too long on board a diving ship far out at sea in also an important deciding factor. Finally, most of the short diving liveaboard trips and boats are among the cheapest Thailand scuba liveaboard options available.