4 days/4 nights: Note! The first three as well as the last four cruises of the season are to the Similan Islands only. Departure with M/V OKTAVIA, 4 days/4 nights cruise among the Similan Islands. You will have plenty of time to experience the Similan Islands – above as well as below the surface. Return trip with M/V OKTAVIA.

MV Nautica, a steel mono-hull vessel, was custom built in 2004 to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) specifications. This assures you that the vessel lives up to standards of safety and security that not many liveaboard vessels in Thailand can boast. It is built with the intention of providing you with a safe, pleasurable and exhilarating cruising experience.

A comfortable and luxurious liveaboard boat, Nautica accommodates up to 12 guests. She has 1 double bed master cabin and another 4 twin double bed cabins, including a bunk bed cabin. All cabins have been designed to give you a sense of luxury, furnished with teak wood and equipped with individually controlled air condition, en suite bathrooms (except the bunk bed cabin on main deck) with hot shower and towels provided, large sea view windows to let in the morning sunlight, reading lights, wardrobes for your personal belongings and a mini bar.

She boasts a spacious open air lounge on the upper deck with comfortable cushions for relaxing in your post-dive times. In fact there is a general laid back atmosphere to this vessel accomplished with the help of a sociable and friendly crew which makes for an easy, fun and enjoyable live aboard experience. You can also listen to your favourite cds and watch movies or explore our extensive marine library.

Food on board the MV Nautica is served by buffet, providing you with the option of many different dishes and the opportunity to eat as much as you want. Food is carefully prepared with Thai, European and American dishes served across the day by our caring hostess and coffees and teas, including water and small snacks are free. If you have special dietary requirements please let us know.

Diving with MV Nautica will provide you with the opportunity to visit Koh Tarutao, one of the least visited dive sites by other boats and the on board instructors will be happy to teach you new skills and train you all the way to higher levels of PADI certification.

Itinerary

THAILAND – SIMILAN & SURIN ISLANDS
4 days & 4 nights or 6 days & 6 nights
Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon West Ridge, Koh Tachai

Sample Itinerary
Departure at 6 – 7 pm. Guests are picked up from within Phuket. Board MV Nautica at the pier and depart with destination Similan Islands,Thailand. Dinner is served on board followed by a briefing regarding the schedule of the following days.

THAILAND & MYANMAR
8 days & 8 nights
Similans, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon, Richelieu Rock, and the Mergui Archipelago, Rocky Island, Black Rock

Travel through the night to the spectacular Similan Islands in Thailand.

Day 1
Similans, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai dive sites

Day 2
Richelieu Rock, then cruise to Myanmar and Thailand border
Day 3
Mergui Archipelago (Myanmar – Burma)

Day 4
Mergui Archipelago (Myanmar – Burma)

Day 5
Mergui Archipelago (Myanmar – Burma)

Day 6
Mergui Archipelago (Myanmar – Burma), cruise to Myanmar and Thailand border

Day 7
Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon

Day 8
Arrival Day: visit Koh Tachai, departure from Tablamu after lunch, followed by minibus transfer back to your hotel in Phuket.

*N.B.: The MV Nautica route will widely depend on current weather conditions and the current political situation in Burma; decisions are taken by Captain and Cruise Director, always with consideration to the wishes of the guests.

The MV Oktavia was originally built in 2003. The liveaboard vessel was then fully renovated in 2007 to provide even more comfort and space for scuba divers. The M/V Oktavia is 30m long and 6,5m wide. The size and weight of this great liveaboard boat makes it very steady in the sea even in rough waters. An extra large dive deck allows for much space to gear up and to comfortably enter the water. Oktavia is a quit boat with a wooden hull that effectively reduces the engine noise. Of course, safety is top priority and M/V Oktavia fulfills all international safety standards.

MV Oktavia offers two very large and comfortable master en-suite cabins and 13 “blue ocean cabins”, large cabins with ample space which are all equipped with air conditioning, fan, reading lights and large panorama windows. Usually there are only two guests per cabin, unless a family chooses one of the triple bed family cabins. This live aboard boat is very attractive for families with children and groups. M/V Oktavia is one of the biggest boats cruising the Similan and Surin Islands which means more leisure space and no cramped areas with a maximum of 20 diving or non diving guests on board it allows less than half of what the boat originally was built for. The staff of the M/V Oktavia welcomes babies and children of any age and will take good care for them while the parents can fully enjoy diving in the Similan Islands. The Swedish owners are always on the boat, ensuring that the ship is well maintained and guaranteeing a high service level

The huge sun deck of the Oktavia lets you enjoy stunning views over the Similan and Surin Islands and spectacular sunsets in the Andaman Sea. The “Party Deck” offers comfortable sitting space with lots of large and comfortable armchairs and sofas for reading books, sharing diving adventure stories and eating. Speaking of which; excellent food is served from breakfast to lunch and dinner. The crew of the M/V Oktavia guarantees small dive groups with max 4 divers per guide – and divers are split according to experience and comfort level. The max. dive time is 1 hour (everywhere else 50 minutes). Scheduled are 4 fantastic dives per day including the choice between sunset- or night dive (only 3 dives on day 5)

The MV Black Manta is a 32 meter long, double engine motor yacht with a steel body. The is one of the most comfortable liveaboard diving boats in Thailand and Myanmar. The MV Black Manta accommodates up to 22 diving and non diving passengers. The MV Black Manta has 11 cabins with different sleeping arrangements including a master suite, deluxe doubles and twin share suites, and two standard twin share cabins. The boat is fully designed by scuba divers for scuba divers. This live aboard boat has an extra large dive deck and huge diving platform, allowing easy entries and exits. The MV Black Manta is your first choice live aboard diving boat

MV Black Manta has been designed to fit the needs of both the comfort, and the flexibility of recreational and technical diving alike. The large dive deck and professional organization on the boat will assure that you have plenty of space to assemble and disassemble your equipment easily. The dive deck is equipped with an enriched air blending station. A dedicated rinse tank and shelf for your underwater digital camera is provided. We carry a full compliment of equipment on board; our SCUBA cylinders are available in yoke and DIN fittings; including larger and smaller tanks and extra DIN adapters. We have 2 support RIBs, 1 of which is deployed constantly during your dives.Warm towels and fruits are always ready for you after every dive. Full briefings are conducted before every dive in Saloon or Dining Area. All Dives are conducted in small groups of equal or similar dive experience, certification level and dive objectives.

The upper deck is where our guests are dining and relaxing in between the exciting dives. The large outdoor dining area lets you enjoy the exotic panorama of tropical islands covered with palm trees. The large saloon offers a digital multi media center with sound system and wide-screen plasma TV for your entertainment and to watch the footage you just shot on the last dive. The spacey sundeck is as long as the whole the boat and incorporates loungers for you to relax. The MV Black Manta also offer an on-board massage service for your convenience. MV Black Manta serves three plentiful meals a day. A blend of Western and Thai dishes will be ready for you after every dive. Light breakfast and afternoon snacks and a delightful array of fresh tropical fruits accompanies every meal. Further snacks, tea and coffee, hot chocolate and drinking water are available during the whole day.

Itinerary

Pickup Times

• 16:00 PHUKET TOWN; guests to office (16:30 for ferries from Rassada Pier)
• 16:30 CHALONG; start from our office on the day of departure.
• 17:00 KATA, KARON
• 17:30 PATONG, KAMALA, SURIN
• 18:00 BANG TAO, MAI KHAO
• 18:30 NAI THON, NAI YANG and AIRPORT
• 20:00 KHAO LAK
• 20:30 Latest arrival on the boat
• 21:00 Dinner

Daily Schedule*

Days 1 -3

06:30 / 07:00 Wake up

07:30 / 08:00 Dive #1

09:00 / 09:30 Breakfast

11:00 / 11:30 Dive #2

12:30 / 13:00 Lunch

14:30 / 15:30 Dive #3

16:00 / 17:00 Snack

17:30 / 19:00 Dive #4

19:30 / 20:30 Dinner

Final Day: After 2 dives the MV Black Manta will arrive in Thap Lamu pier at approx. 14:00

*The schedules of the MV Black Manta are always approximate and may vary according to the weather and wind conditions. The schedule for any given trip is at the discretion of the Cruise Director.

Dive Sites :

• Anita’s Reef
• Shark Fin Reef
• East of Eden
• West of Eden
• Deep Six
• Elephant Head Rock & Pinnacle
• Waterfall Bay
• Turtle Bay
• Donald Duck Bay
• Three Trees
• Rocky Point Reef & Pinnacle;
• Christmas Point
• Koh Bon Ridge
• Reefs & Pinnacles
• Koh Tachai Reefs & Pinnacle
• Richelieu Rock
• Boonsung Wreck

a – Air conditioned customer cabins, 2m x 2m
b – Staff cabins
c – 2 x heads, 1 x extra restroom
d – 2 x extra fresh water showers
e – Forward sundeck
f – Galley
g – Stairs to the upper deck
h – Camera and video shelf
i – Diving platform, 2m x 6m
j – Stairs to lower sundeck
k – To the engine & compressors
l – Cold drinks bar
m – Captain’s cabin
n – Lounge, A/V equipment, sat phone
o – Dining area
p – Shaded, cushioned “chill-out” zone
q – Stairs to lower deck
r – Ladder to top deck
s – Inflatable dinghy