When booking a liveaboard diving trip anywhere in the world, including here in Thailand, there will always be some kind of compromise that needs to be made. Nearly all of the diving safari boats set sail from piers in Phuket and Khao Lak in the evening and arrive at the dive sites during the night. The most popular cruise length is 4D/4N, but there are plenty of longer and shorter trips, too. However, in most cases, guests need to board the boat at the pier and can’t return to land until the end of the trip. For most people, this is fine. They get away from it all, and get to join a group of like-minded others for a few days & nights aboard a nice big boat with private cabins and buffet meals. However, some people can’t find a schedule to suits their specific needs. For them, MV Camic is the answer.
MV CamicDiving safaris aboard MV Camic are available every day of the diving season (mid-October to mid-May). Guests can choose which day they join and depart (subject to availability). The most common trip lengths are 2D/1N & 3D/2N, but 4D/3N is popular too, and guests can add days on top at reasonable rates. Non-diving guests are welcome for a substantial discount, too.
Diver at Richeleiu Rock Photo by Ola WelinJoining MV Camic diving trips to The Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock involves a 60-80 minute speedboat trip from Tab Lamu Pier in Khao Lak. Guests will have already been collected (free of charge) from local hotels. The speedboat leaves at 8am, which gives everyone enough time to wake up and sort themselves out, as well as enjoy three dives before dinner and bed. Every full day aboard MV Camic offers each diver four dives, which are up to an hour in length during the day and slightly shorter and shallower at night. The ship sails around the best diving sites in Thailand. Early in the week, MV Camic guests enjoy Similan Islands 4, 5 & 6, then the ship works its way north to Islands 8 & 9. The luckiest guests get to visit Koh Bon, Koh Tachai & Richelieu Rock over the weekend, before doing more dives at Koh Bon on Mondays. Every day the speedboat brings divers and snorkellers out to the liveaboard boat between dives 1 & 2, then returns after dive 3.
Double Bed Cabin Onboard MV CamicThere really is so much flexibility for those who don’t want to compromise any of their vacation time, or have to change flights. MV Camic is very popular and often fully booked, but with advance notice, it’s usually easy enough to secure the cabin of your choice. There are four types of cabins to choose from, each of which has air-conditioning. The pride of the ship is the master cabin, which has a double bed and en suite bathroom. There are two sizes of twin-bed cabin and also four-bunk cabins, which are extremely good value.
Great food is served fresh throughout the day, and the crew and diving staff take pride in the service to all guests. Safety always comes first, but everyone on board understands that passengers are on vacation, and therefore need to relax as well as have some fun. Finally, PADI diving courses can be conducted during diving safaris aboard MV Camic, and the prices are among the lowest of any Similan Islands liveaboard.
