By Liveaboard Explorer · Published
Thailand liveaboards: compare boats, Similan routes and departure piers
Compare Marco Polo’s four-night programme with six-night Similan and Surin trips on The Junk and The Phinisi. Check the season, actual pier, cabin sharing and diver requirements before booking.
Start with trip length and the actual pier
For Thailand liveaboard diving, a useful first comparison is Sea Bees’ four-day/four-night Marco Polo programme against the six-night Similan & Surin programme sold for The Junk and The Phinisi. Both cover the Similan area, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock, but the longer programme also explicitly includes Surin. They are not simply different cabins on the same cruise.[6][7] Khao Lak and Phuket are not interchangeable embarkation points. Marco Polo’s published four-day programme boards at Tap Lamu near Khao Lak. The Junk Liveaboards’ six-night page lists both Thap Lamu round trips and sailings between Chalong and Thap Lamu, in either direction. Get the pier pair for your named sailing before arranging hotels and transfers.[6][7]
Shorter cruise or six nights aboard?
Scroll sideways to compare every column.
| Compare | Marco Polo: four days/four nights | The Junk / The Phinisi: six nights |
|---|---|---|
| Published route | Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock.[6] | Similan & Surin Islands, including Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock.[7] |
| Embarkation | Tap Lamu near Khao Lak; first evening aboard before the first full diving day.[6] | Thap Lamu round trip or Chalong–Thap Lamu, including reverse direction; departure-specific.[7] |
| Cabin distinction | Six air-conditioned en-suite cabins; advertised for 12 guests.[6] | The Junk: six en-suite cabins including twin/double, three-berth and four-berth layouts. The Phinisi: seven air-conditioned en-suite cabins.[7] |
| Nitrox | Listed as included in the four-day offer; training is a separate consideration.[6] | Available at extra cost in the standard facilities list; do not assume a promotion applies to every trip.[7] |
| Participation information | SSI Nitrox and Advanced Adventurer courses advertised; no country-wide acceptance rule follows from this.[6] | Programme header lists Open Water+ and 10+ logged dives.[7] |
When can you go?
The published programmes are seasonal. Sea Bees describes its Marco Polo four-day operation as mid-October to mid-May, while The Junk’s six-night Similan & Surin programme is advertised October–May. Do not book a summer Similan trip using a general statement that diving is available somewhere in Thailand all year.[6][7] A seasonal operating window is not confirmation that a particular marine park, dive site or sailing will run on your date. Sea Bees’ page still contains a Sunday-departure description for 2025/26, but its newer notice says dates for the following season vary. Use the dated booking confirmation, not the old weekly pattern, to fix your flights and hotel nights.[6]
[6] Sea Bees: Marco Polo four-day programmeMarco Polo: a smaller guest count and an evening start
Sea Bees describes Marco Polo as a 23-metre boat with six air-conditioned en-suite cabins for 12 guests. Its four-day sample begins with boarding near Khao Lak in the evening, then an overnight passage to the Similans. The route continues north through Koh Bon and Koh Tachai to Richelieu Rock before returning to Tap Lamu.[6] This suits a shortlist where four nights at sea and a smaller advertised guest count matter. Do not read “four days” as four hotel nights on land plus the cruise: the first evening onboard is part of the four-night product. The operator says cabin and trip availability require email reconfirmation. Its sample dive stops and timings should not be treated as guaranteed calls.[6]
Sea Bees: Marco Polo route, cabins and booking detailsThe Junk or The Phinisi: compare the berth you are buying
The six-night Similan & Surin page presents both vessels. The Junk is described as accommodating 18 divers in six cabins: two twin/doubles, two three-berth cabins that can also be booked as twin/doubles, and two four-berth cabins. All are air-conditioned and en-suite. The Phinisi has seven air-conditioned en-suite cabins.[7] That makes occupancy a material part of the fare comparison. A berth in a four-person cabin is not equivalent to a twin cabin for two people, even if both booking results say “en-suite”. Ask for the cabin type and sharing arrangement on the quote, not just the vessel name.[7] The programme advertises approximately 19 dives over six nights. Treat that as the operator’s programme description, not a dive guarantee or a reason to join dives beyond your training and conditions experience.[7]
[7] The Junk: six-night Similan and Surin programmeDoes Open Water certification meet the requirements?
The Junk’s six-night programme lists Open Water+ and at least 10 logged dives. That is a published participation threshold for this programme, not a statement that every dive on every Thai boat is suitable for a new diver. Its own site descriptions distinguish current-affected sites such as Koh Bon’s West Ridge from gentler reef options.[7] Sea Bees advertises SSI Nitrox and Advanced Adventurer training onboard Marco Polo. Course availability does not establish that a particular course can be completed on your sailing, or replace the operator’s assessment of your recent diving and skills. Send your certification, dive count, last-dive date and relevant current experience before paying. Neither guide nor cabin staff can provide personal medical clearance through a booking description.[6]
Read certification and liveaboard experience requirementsInclusions: why two fares can differ
Marco Polo’s four-day offer lists meals, water, soft drinks, tank, weights, guiding and free Nitrox as included. It excludes rental diving equipment and national park fees. Budget those separately, and establish the training required before using Nitrox.[6] The Junk/Phinisi facilities list includes standard 12-litre tanks, weights and belt; larger tanks, rental equipment, Nitrox and courses carry charges. The six-night page advertises free transfers, but the actual pier and pickup arrangement still need to match the departure you choose. Do not extend a standard inclusion or a date-specific free-Nitrox offer to all sailings.[7] Compare the same cabin occupancy, nights, equipment needs and mandatory fees. This guide does not quote a live cabin price or reproduce fluctuating spaces-left counters.
Compare liveaboard inclusions and extra feesKeep a diving trip separate from a boat-safety assessment
Cabin counts, onboard courses and a published minimum dive count are not proof of vessel safety or personal suitability. Establish the emergency briefing, cabin escape arrangements, emergency oxygen and evacuation procedures with the operator, and ensure your insurance covers the diving you intend to do. This comparison does not inspect or certify vessels. Before booking, keep one written record of vessel name, dates, embarkation/disembarkation piers, cabin occupancy, acceptance conditions and itemised extras. Official operator sources reviewed on 24 October 2026. Wildlife sightings and specific dive sites are not guaranteed.
Use the whole-trip liveaboard planning guide