Cruises the Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock and Khao Lak
Sidemount and CCR friendly
Cabins with ensuite and shared bathrooms
Very experienced dive operator in Thailand
Motor boat with steel hull
MV Blue Dolphin is a 27 metre motor vessel that can accommodate up to 16 divers on 4 night liveaboard diving charters to the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock. Its steel-hull construction makes for a safe and smooth ride throughout the cruise.
The liveaboard has 7 air-conditioned cabins with both ensuite and shared bathrooms, meaning it offers an amazing time onboard to suit all budgets. Safety is the highest priority so diving is conducted in small groups with a maximum of 4 divers per guide, and the liveaboard staff have many years of experience diving in the area (since 1991), as well as up to date first aid and O2 certifications. All scuba equipment receives regular maintenance checks and is serviced by its in-house technicians.
Blue Dolphin’s dive deck gives you plenty of room to set up. Standard and DIN tanks are available. The EANx system allows nitrox certified divers to extend their bottom times. Guest scuba gear is washed and tanks are filled by the highly trained staff. The only thing you have to do on board is to dive and have fun! The liveaboard is well equipped for photographers, with a custom designed camera table and set up area, large fresh water tanks, and a dedicated charging area. All diving is conducted from 2 x 40 HP motorised 5.5m dinghies.
On the main deck there is an indoor saloon with a large screen TV, where guest can relax and watch movies. There is also free wi-fi when available around the islands. The sun deck also features sun bags in which guests can relax, either in the sun or shade. Meals are served in the upper deck open-air dining section, and feature mainly Thai, western and Japanese cuisine.
The upper deck of the liveaboard has a Master cabin with an en-suite bathroom and a king-size double bed. It enjoys luxurious comfort with views of the islands, a small desk area, clothes area and a safe. The Blue Dolphin main deck has a Deluxe cabin with a choice of a double bed or twin bunks. It too has an en-suite bathroom, a small desk area, clothes storage and 2 safes.
On the lower deck there are 4 Standard cabins with either double bed or twin bunks, a small desk area, clothes storage, and 2 safes. There is also a quad bunk bed cabin; each bunk has a storage area, private shelf, reading light, and safe. These lower deck cabins share 4 bathrooms.
All the cabins have:
Air conditioning
Toilet and shower with hand basin
Towels and bio-degradable soaps and shampoo
Sea view windows (upper/main deck) / portholes (lower deck)
Reading lights
Safety box
Daily housekeeping
Clothes storage
Bedding
3 pin mains outlet 220 Volts AC - 24 hours per day
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock and Khao Lak
Day 1
Once everyone is on board, the tour leader will provide a warm welcome, assign your cabin, and give a detailed briefing on the The Blue Dolphin's features and the exciting itinerary for the days ahead. As the liveaboard sets sail from Khao Lak towards the Similan Islands, a welcome dinner will be served. The Blue Dolphin is scheduled to arrive at the islands by midnight, allowing you a full night's rest in your comfortable cabin before your first day of diving begins the following morning.
Core Days
Renowned as Thailand's most spectacular dive destination, the Similan Islands are an archipelago of 9 granite islands blanketed in jungle and encircled by aquamarine waters, offering a world-class diving environment that caters to both beginner divers exploring rich coral gardens and advanced divers tackling exhilarating wall dives and drift dives through canyons formed by massive boulders.
Your liveaboard safari with the Blue Dolphin will include iconic dive sites like Koh Bon and Koh Tachai, but the undeniable highlight is Richelieu Rock, a submerged pinnacle that is famously one of the best spots on the planet to encounter majestic whale sharks and manta rays, especially during the season, while also offering incredible macro life like seahorses and ghost pipefish; with up to 4 dives a day in this very popular marine park, you will be immersed in a realm teeming with huge schools of barracuda, trevally, and other marvels like turtles, making for an unforgettable underwater adventure.
Final Day
Your underwater adventure culminates with 2 final dives, exploring the exciting sites of Koh Bon known for its pelagic action and/or the fascinating Bunsoong Wreck near Khao Lak. Breakfast and lunch will be server before returning to Tab Lamu pier.
Similan, Richelieu Rock & Khao Lak (Turtle Special) (5 Days / 4 Nights - 14 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, non diving activities, onboard experts on wildlife and natural history
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock and Khao Lak. Turtle photo-ID Citizen Science project.
Day 1
Welcome aboard! Once all guests are on the Blue Dolphin at Tab Lamu pier, our turtle specialty liveaboard cruise will set sail into the Andaman Sea. Your tour leader will provide a warm welcome, show you to your cabin, and give a detailed briefing on the boat's amenities and the special itinerary. As you enjoy a welcome dinner, the liveaboard will begin its journey towards the legendary Similan Islands. You'll arrive by midnight, allowing a restful night's sleep in your comfortable cabin before waking up to your first day of world-class diving.
Core Days
This is not just a dive trip; it's a unique opportunity to become a citizen scientist. In partnership with Andaman Turtle Watch, a grassroots conservation initiative, this is Thailand's first liveaboard experience dedicated to the sea turtle photo-ID project. Imagine your dives contributing to real science! Using a technique similar to fingerprinting, you photograph turtles' unique facial scales to track individuals, understand their movements, and protect their habitats.
Dive alongside a dedicated sea turtle specialist from Andaman Turtle Watch. Receive training and actively collect valuable data on every dive. Participate in engaging workshops on turtle biology and conservation. Explore sites specifically chosen for their turtle research potential. Receive a post-trip report on the impact of your contributions, knowing that your work directly contributed to a genuine scientific database.
The tour will visit world-renowned dive sites at the Similan Islands, Thailand's most spectacular dive destination. Here, we'll explore stunning hard and soft coral gardens and navigate through iconic granite boulders that form swim-throughs and canyons, all while collecting data for the Turtle photo-ID Citizen Science project.
You'll then venture to Koh Bon, a magnet for manta rays, and the submerged seamount of Koh Tachai, where powerful currents attract schools of pelagic fish like barracuda and trevally. The crown jewel of the trip is Richelieu Rock, a horseshoe-shaped pinnacle famous as your best chance to encounter whale sharks. It's also a macro paradise, with marine life like ghost pipefish and seahorses. The dive guides will likely plan multiple dives at this unforgettable site.
Day 5
The scuba diving is not over yet! You'll enjoy 2 final dives at sites like Koh Bon and/or the Bunsoong Wreck near Khao Lak before returning to Tab Lamu pier.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
You will quickly settle into the daily rhythm aboard the Blue Dolphin, where all meals are served buffet-style in the open-air dining area of the liveaboard.
The day begins with a light pre-dive breakfast of coffee, tea, cereals, fruit, and toast to energise you before the first dive. After surfacing, a hearty cooked breakfast is served, featuring options like eggs, sausages, and pancakes. A substantial lunch and a diverse dinner follow the subsequent dives, offering a mix of local Thai cuisine such as Massaman curry or mango and sticky rice, international favourites like spaghetti bolognaise, Japanese favourites such as sushi, and other options like pizza or steak and French fries.
To keep your energy levels high throughout the day, different snacks are provided daily after the third dive, timed before the potential night dive.
The 2 cooks take pride in their work and are more than happy accommodate any food requirements or preferences.
A selection of complimentary drinks including water, soft drinks, and hot beverages is available throughout the day, while other beverages are available for purchase.
DEPARTURE SCHEDULE & PRICES
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MORE TRIP DETAILS
Notes: Maximum occupancy: normally 16 guests (occasionally slightly more with family sharing option).
Child policy: Children over 9 years old pay adult rates.
Dive experience: All open water certified divers are welcome onboard.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, hot drinks, return transfers to the boat from Phuket and Khao Lak areas, dives (as detailed in the trips above), experienced English-speaking divemaster(s) (4 divers per guide), tanks (DIN adaptor if required), weights and weightbelts, snorkelling gear.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment USD18 per day, dive computer USD8 per day, dive insurance (available onboard), Similan and Surin park & entry fees at approximately USD70. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash, or Wise, PayPal or bank transfer).
Optional extras: Alcoholic drinks, nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers (USD98 per 4 night trip), 15 litre tank USD6 per day, torch USD5 per day, digital underwater camera, private guide. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: Blue Dolphin liveaboard diving charters depart in the evening from Khao Lak. A pick up service from Phuket (3-5:30 pm) and Khao Lak (5:30-6:30 pm) to and from the boat is provided. For airport pick up, the meeting point is the Cafe Amazon outside of the domestic arrivals terminal at 5:30 pm (your flight must land no later than 4:30 pm). Boarding is at 7 pm and departure from the pier at 9 pm. For more details, including airlines, on how to get to Phuket see our Thailand travel information section. The last dive of the tour will end at around 11:30 am, and the boat should arrive back at the pier around 3:30 pm. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.
Non-diver rate: 10-20% off the published price, depending on cabin type.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travellers may choose to share a cabin or pay 2,288 for the sole occupancy of the Master or Deluxe cabins.
Dive clubs and group discounts: See whole boat charter rate below.
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Please ask us for details.
Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow
