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ANDAMAN SAFARI - 6 days/7 nights
SIMILAN ISLANDS to RICHELIEU ROCK - 4 days/4 nights
HIN DAENG, KOH HAA and PHI PHI - 2 days/3 nights
Monday
Guests transfer to Patong between 17:00-18:00 checking in plus dinner at Royal Phawadee Village. We transfer to Mermaid II at 19:30 for boat + safety briefing then settle into your cabin,set up equipment. Prior to getting underway, the crew set off firecrackers to bring good luck for the cruise and we sail usually calm seas for 6 hours to the Similans.
Tuesday - 4 dives
Wake up call at 7am in paradise ! After a continental breakfast, 1st dive around 8:00at the spectacular East of Eden on Island no. 7 followed by a full western breakfast. Dive # 2 at Elephant Head Rock between islands # 7 & 8 to enjoy coral encrusted swimthroughs, sharks, giant trevally and mostly large fish action at this remarkable site. Macro fans should look out for special Pgympy pipefish, dragonets, nudibrancs and more! Then we cruise north toKoh Bon to see if the Mantas are dancing off West Ridge. The served then its time to relax with our new friends over a cold beer on the party deck.
Wednesday - 4 dives
Early morning the captain sails us quietly to Koh Tachai to dive the fabulous Plateau - leopard sharks sleep around 25 metres while overhead masses of barracuda, big eye trevally and a wonderful school of resident batfish wait the keen diver – maybe even a chance for an angler fish hiding among the cabbage corals on the dome. Whale sharks frequent this dive site as do mantas !!! Next we cruise north for 2 hours to the world famous Richelieu Rock for a minimum of 2 dives - sea horse, frog fish, harlequin shrimp, ornate ghost pipefish, pinecone fish plus more will delight the macro enthusiast.There is loads of fish action for everyone - rivers of fusiliers, big schools of jacks, chevron barracuda, yellow stripped snapper swim in the blue around “The Rock” with giant garoupa standing sentinel at the many coral heads just off the Rock – dripping with yellow, purple and pink soft corals. A sunset dive at Richelieu Rock is a treat if conditions allow otherwise it’s off to Koh Tachai for a good night dive in a quiet sheltered bay.
Thursday - 4 dives
Early morning, another chance for the pelagic action of Koh Tachai and then its back to Koh Bon for more shark and manta action off the West Ridge or a deep dive on the Pinnacle for advanced divers ! Relax over lunch as get ready for an island adventure on the white sand beaches and awesome granite boulder formations at the Similans. Then Dive #3 in the warm blue waters of Anita's Reef Island #5 – wow – are your cameras fully charged ? Night diving at Honeymoon Bay or Hideaway Bay will bring loads of big and Small crabs, lobster, shells and more - maybe a twin spot lion fish, a Spanish dancer ?
Friday - 2 dives
Today 2 morning dives around the southern Similan Islands - Boulder City and and Shark Reef often feature on the itinerary developed each trip to suit all divers on board. These sites are washed by light to moderate currents bringing swarms of bait fish attracting pelagic and reef fishes galore. Loads of gorgonian fans dot the sea floor giving homes for creatures big and small with plenty of photo opportunities. Look around the many huge granite boulders for leopard sharks, napoleon wrasse, oriental sweetlips, jaw fish + more. Relax over a yummy lunch while the crew rinse your equipment and we cruise back to Patong Phuket arriving around 16:00 hours – just part of the great service You will enjoy on board Mermaid Liveaboards. On shore you are met by Mermaid shore crew who assist your every need transferring you to your hotel or next destination.
Here we say good bye till next time to those leaving the boat. Those continuing on their Andaman Safari adventure have a chance to stretch their legs on shore, do a little shopping, have a massage or simply stay on board and relax for a couple of hours while we restock. Dinner is served at Royal Phawadee at 18:30- then its all aboard for 19:30 departure to Hin Daeng adventure !
TOTAL DIVES - SIMILAN ISLANDS/RICHELIEU ROCK - 14
Friday Con't
Joining guests are transferred to Royal Phawadee Village in Patong for 18:00 for dinner and check in - more fireworks for the next leg of our cruise and we get underway for Hin Daeng/Muang in the south cruising about 6 hours over night.
Saturday - 4 dives
Good morning call for 7am and a continental breakfast. Dive 1, 2 and 3 give you plenty of opportunity to enjoy the wonders of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. Famous for stunning purple soft corals and one of the best places for the chance to spot whale sharks. Mantas spend hours on the cleaning stations here as do divers ! Couple this with a “fish soup" of rainbow runners, yellow tail and chevron barracuda, fusiliers and millions of reef fish and you have one awesome dive location ! We head north to Koh Haa – a cluster of 5 scenic islands for a wonderful night dive alive with colour, decorator crabs, shrimps, spiny lobster, red whip corals, brilliant yellow and orange cup corals plus more.
Sunday - 4 dives
Special treats today ! Dive 1 at Koh Haa I for sea horse, great chimneys and swimthroughs. Dive 2 - "Twin Cathedrals" of Koh Haa - a safe but awesome open cavern dive with limestone stalactites . Outside this spot is nudibranc city – you can’t fail to spot rare and interesting macro delights here.Then we cruise to dive Bida Nai and Bida Nok at Phi Phi for 2 dives featuring leopard sharks, bamboo sharks, seahorse, ornate ghost pipe fish, turtles …. After diving we head on shore to Phi Phi to shop for souvenirs, have a few a few beers at one of the many trendy bars or simply enjoy a romantic stroll along the the moonlit beach. All aboard by 10:00-11:00 to cruise back to Patong Phuket.
Monday
A hearty breakfast for all while the boat crew transfer your luggage ashore. Then we bid farewell to our guests transferring ashore by 9:00 hours. Those staying on their Andaman Safari to the Similans have the day to relax on the beach, enjoy a massage, go for an elephant trek, or relax by our pool at Royal Phawadee Resort till check in at 18:00 hrs.
TOTAL DIVES for HIN DAENG/ PHI PHI - 8
TOTAL DIVES FOR ANDAMAN SAFARI - 22
NOTE: Your Andaman Safari can start on either Mondays or Fridays for 6 days and 7 nights seeing much of the splendor of the Andaman Sea
SIMILANS and SURIN - 6DAYS/6NIGHTS
Monday
Guests transfer to Patong between 17:00-18:00 for check in plus dinner at Royal Phawadee Village. We transfer to Mermaid II by 19:30 for boat + safety briefing, settle into your cabin and set up equipment. Prior to getting underway, the crew set off firecrackers to bring good luck and we sail usually calm seas to the Similans.
Tuesday - 4 dives
Wake up call at 7am in paradise ! After a continental breakfast, 4 dives around the beautiful Similan Islands including sites such as the glorious Antia’s Reef. East and West of Eden and night dive at Honeymoon Bay.
Wednesday - 4 dives
An extra full day’s diving at the Similans taking in sites such as the famous Elephants Head Rock with its pelagics and amazing topography and swimthroughs, North Point granite boulders will continue to amaze you, ThreeTrees for a great drift and night dive at Koh Bon bay.
Thursday - 4 dives
Early morning, Koh Bonn’s pinnacle calls up to hunt for leopard sharks and other treasures – this area is famous for its Mantas ! In the afternoon we head to Koh Tachai Pinnacle for the feeding action and a great night dive too.
Friday - 4 dives
The wonders of Richelieu Rock will astound you today. Frogfish, ghost pipefish, seahorse, pinecone fish, barracudas, jacks, rays, mantas – whaleshark please !!! Then we head over to Surin Islands to enjoy Koh Torinla and its beautiful corals and Cabbage Bay – juvenile batfish love this area
Saturday - 4 dives
Good morning call for 7am and more dives at Richelieu Rock - How were the conditions yesterday ? (an extra chance for those whalesharks !)Then back for more big fish action at Koh Tachai then on to more of the famous Similans at sites like Christmas Point and Turtle Rock
Sunday - 2 dives
East of Eden bommie encrusted in soft corals will bring more delight this morning followed by a usually action packed dive at either Shark Fin Reef or Boulder City for its Leopard Sharks, maybe mantas !, napoleon wrasse, lion fish in big numbers hunting the myriad of glass fish around the gorgonians…what a wonderful way to end your cruise. Then the crew help rinse and pack your gear and you cruise back to Phuket arriving in Patong at approx 16:00 hours…time to plan your next dive holiday with Mermaid Liveaboards
Burma, Komodo, Hin Daeng or just more of the wonderful Similans, you will be most welcome back on board either Mermaid I or Mermaid II !
PS. You can also do 8 days/9 nights by starting off with our Hin Daeng weekend on the Friday night and continuing through to the following Sunday – 30 dives seeing all the treasures of the Andaman Sea !
TOTAL DIVES for SIMILANS and SURIN - 22
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