Early Booking Discount for next season

Book a Thailand liveaboard for 2012/13 between now and 30 September and we'll give you two payment options.

1. Pay 10% deposit now to confirm your place. The balance is due 60 days before departure. Or...
2. Pay in full now and get 10% discount off the full price.

We think this is a pretty good deal. We don't know any banks that are paying 10% interest. Invest your money in diving instead!

Some other offers:

• Book 3 day trips and get 5% discount
• Book 5 day trips and get 10% discount
• 5-10% discount for returning customers

White Manta videos

Here are a couple of videos of White Manta courtesy of Peter Walker.

White Manta in Thailand:



See White Manta's Thailand schedule, prices, itinerary and specs here

White Manta in Singapore:



See White Manta's Singapore schedule, prices, itinerary and specs here

Thailand's best snorkeling

We've been busy adding new snorkeling tours to our SnorkelingThailand.com website. We've also revamped the layout so it's now easier for you to find the best snorkeling tours from either Phuket, Khao Lak or Krabi.

We have snorkeling day trips to all the best reefs including the Similan Islands, Phi Phi Islands, Koh Racha and the Khai Islands. We also have half day trips by speedboat to local reefs which are full of fish. We also arrange multi day snorkeling tours with accommodation either on a liveaboard boat or camping in tents at the Similan Islands. We also have boats available for charter for private groups.

Most of our snorkeling tours are designed for all ages. Want to see manta rays underwater? How about leopard sharks or turtles? We know the best places.

If you are interested in snorkeling in Thailand check out the packages here. 

Last Minute Hin Daeng Liveaboard

The Junk

We've had a very wet June so far but today the weather has turned nice. Just in time for the Junk trip to Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Phi Phi and Racha Islands this week. The trip departs from Phuket's Chalong Bay and is the best diving available at this time of year. There is a last minute price with 10% off.

Boat: The Junk
Dates: 16-22 June 2012
Diving at: Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Koh Haa, Phi Phi Islands, Racha Yai, Racha Noi
Number of Dives: 19
Price:
Four share cabin: 38,000 baht
Triple share: 47,000 baht
Double cabin: 56,000 baht

To book please contact us

Nitrox on Diva Andaman

Diva Andaman has just installed a Nitrox membrane system. Next season enriched air will be available for just 200 baht per tank. A great addition to the best boat.

Diva Andaman

Other Thailand liveaboard news:

• Nautica has raised prices by 9% for next season.
• Hallelujah has also raised prices for next season by 9%. They were cheap last season so this price rise brings them in to line with other mid budget boats. A twin cabin for 4 days is now 29,700 baht.
• Pawara have reduced their prices by 13%! This looks to be the value boat for next season with a twin cabin for a 4 day trip at 27,700 baht.
• The old Queen Scuba is back in Thailand, now called Deep Andaman Queen. This is a welcome return, more on this boat in a future post.
• Mariner One has been sold and at this time we are not sure if the new owners will be operating her next season.
• Colona VI was sold at the end of last season and is now enjoying a new life in Pattaya.
• Oriental Siren, a Thailand liveaboard that we don't promote, had to evacuate all guests to Layang Layang island after the boat started taking on water last week.

Songkran in a North Thailand Village

Songkran (Thai New Year) in April 2012 was my 12th since I've been in Thailand but it was the first one that I've celebrated away from Phuket. This year we were in a tiny village up country, north of Chiang Rai.

I'd heard that in the north they celebrate Songkran for the entire month, not just two days like in Phuket. So I was expecting to be dodging water a lot. As it turned out there was a near drought in the village and only a little muddy brown water for the kids to fling. The celebrations mainly involved going from house to house, eating, singing and drinking beer and whiskey. Partying starts shortly after sunrise and ends around sunset as people stumble back to their own beds. Then the following day it starts where it left off the night before. The holidays is a time of year when everyone returns to their village to see family and friends that they haven't seen all year.

Life in the village is about as simple as it gets, much removed from the ever developing Phuket. If you get a chance to sample it at some stage I would highly recommend it.