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
The Blue Dolphin liveaboard presents a seasoned, purpose-built vessel designed for divers seeking to explore the pinnacle of Thailand's Andaman Sea. This 27-metre steel-hull motor yacht travels to the celebrated reefs of the Similan and Surin national parks, including the legendary pinnacle of Richelieu Rock. Its robust construction ensures stable passage, while an intimate capacity for just 16 guests preserves the feel of a dedicated dive group rather than a crowded cruise.
Accommodation onboard the Blue Dolphin liveaboard balances comfort and practicality, with 7 air-conditioned cabins configured as both ensuite and shared bathroom options. This arrangement makes extended 4-night charters accessible for scuba divers prioritising affordability. Post-dive, communal spaces like the upper deck’s open-air dining area and the sun deck, furnished with loungers and shade, become natural hubs for sharing the day’s sightings over a meal.
The operational philosophy is precision and safety, honed over decades navigating these waters. Diving is conducted in small groups, typically with a maximum of 4 divers per experienced guide, ensuring personalised attention and minimal reef impact. The crew’s extensive local knowledge, paired with rigorous safety and equipment maintenance protocols, allows you to dive with complete confidence. The dedicated dive deck is logically arranged, with EANx available for certified divers and efficient tank refills managed by the onboard team.
Mobility across the dive sites is key, and the Blue Dolphin liveaboard utilises 2 powerful, custom tenders. These 5.5-meter dinghies provide swift, direct access to submerged pinnacles and protected bays, maximising time at depth. For underwater photographers, the vessel offers a considered setup area with a custom table, dedicated rinse tanks, and ample charging stations, acknowledging that caring for gear is part of the diving ritual.
Between dives, the atmosphere is one of relaxed, informal comfort. The indoor saloon offers a cool retreat for film viewing, while Wi-Fi provides a link when within range of the islands. The culinary focus is on varied cuisine - a mix of Thai, Western, and Japanese dishes served to suit a diver’s appetite - ensuring energy levels are maintained throughout the trip.
Choosing the Blue Dolphin liveaboard is a choice for a dive adventure where the logistics are expertly handled by a long-established operator. It is a vessel that understands its purpose: to serve as a reliable, comfortable base from which to fully immerse in the vibrant marine ecosystems of Thailand’s premier national parks, where every detail aligns with the core pursuit of exploring the deep.
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, sales tax.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment USD19 per day, dive computer USD8 per day, dive insurance (available onboard), Similan and Surin park & entry fees at approximately USD73. 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 (USD101 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 2,370 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
