Asia Liveaboards

If you are looking for a Thailand liveaboard now you are a little late, the Andaman sea season is all but over.

So what are your alternatives? There are plenty within Asia.

White Manta still has a few spaces left to Layang Layang in May. They saw Hammerheads on every trip last year.

White Manta also has one very rare liveaboard trip to Sipadan and Lankayan. There are still a few spaces for 1-8 June.

White Manta also has trips in Indonesia at the amazing Sangalaki/Derawan. Spaces available from 12 June.

Also in Indonesia, everyone is raving about Komodo these days. Mermaid II has 8 day trips availability June-October.

Departing from Singapore Dive Race has weekend trips in May and June to Tioman, Palau Aur, 7 seas wreck.

Still in Thailand but over in the gulf, Giamani has a few liveaboard trips available around Samui & Koh Tao

Layang Layang in 2013

Hammerhead sharks

This week I've had a couple of people ask me if there is still a chance to dive Layang Layang this year. I've had to tell them that they are too late, the few trips running in early June have already stopped taking bookings because it takes about 5 weeks to get the permits to enter the area. Besides, the best months to dive Layang and the Spratly Islands is Mar-May, that is if your goal is to dive with hammerhead sharks.

Both White Manta and Divemaster 1 have recently released their schedules for next year. I know it seems a bit early to plan diving for next year but with so few places available I recommend it.

The advantage of diving from these liveaboards as opposed to diving from the resort on the island at Layang Layang is that you also get to dive the Spratly islands and, with Divemaster 1, the Labuan wrecks. Also, the flight from Kota Kinabalu to Layang Layang resort is very restrictive regarding baggage allowance (they weight passengers and bags together).

I've just had some divers come back from trips on both White Manta and Divemaster 1 and they all saw hammerheads and other reef sharks. I know that every White Manta trip saw hammerhead sharks this season and the reports back on the quality of the reefs, reef fish life and pelagics has been excellent.

Next year when White Manta finishes in Layang Layang they will be moving round to Sangalaki (Indonesia) , an exciting new destination for the boat. More on that soon...