The Junk

The Junk is a very strange name for a very special boat. She is officially called June Hong Chian Lee and is a completely refurbished cargo vessel which was first built in Malaysia. This is the same boat used in the James Bond movie, The Man With the Golden Gun. Nowadays, the boat takes diving guests on liveaboard diving cruises around the best diving sites of Thailand. Although her age and appearance suggest traditional sailing and far from luxurious living conditions, the opposite is true of this remarkable yacht. She has facilities befitting the best diving and pleasure craft in the Andaman Sea and can comfortably take up to 18 passengers in air-conditioned comfort.

There are several cabin types on The Junk. The double cabins can be made into twins, and the triple cabins can be made into a double, with a single bunk. In total, there are two cabins for two guests (we call them doubles), two cabins that take three guests (triple), and two four-bunk cabins. All of them are cosy, have air-conditioning and a private en-suite bathroom with proper toilets and showers. The air-conditioned lounge saloon has AV entertainment and a comprehensive library of books, but guests usually choose to be out on deck looking at the view, topping up a tan, or enjoying the sea breeze.

At 33m long and 8.5m wide, The Junk is the perfect size for passengers to enjoy stability and space on board. The traditional design and materials give an intangible feeling of being part of something very special, while modern comforts make sure that the happiness lasts throughout the journey. Two Bauer compressors, two motorized tender dinghies and up-to-date safety & communication features are standard.

Those lucky enough to take a cruise on The Junk will enjoy the delicious food, comfortable cabins and communal areas, and can spend hours enjoying the views, reading a novel, sharing dive experiences, or learning about the history of this very special boat. In addition to the famous James Bond classic, The Junk has featured in several movies.

From late October to May The Junk has trips to Thailand's Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock. All of these trips depart in the evening, either from Khao Lak or Phuket. The 4D/4N trips return mid-afternoon, and the 5D/6N trips give you an extra day diving and two extra nights on board. You disembark in the morning after breakfast. During the low season (May-September) The Junk has short trips from Phuket to the best dive sites around Koh Phi Phi & Phuket. These trips are excellent value and very popular. Departure is usually in the morning, and return late in the afternoon two or three days later.

Recently the local authorities in Thailand made a new regulation that all diving has to be done from dinghies, not from the rear diving deck of purpose-built dive boats. So, now all those dive boats have to use dinghies. However, The Junk team have always been doing it this way, and the crew and facilities are already well set up and experienced.

Two more things that make diving from The Junk so attractive are the incredibly-well-organised team and the special offers. The organisation is thorough from the beginning of the booking process, through to leading up to the departure day, and then everything on board runs like clockwork. And for people who book early, or leave it to the last minute, there are often special offer discounts to be had.