At 26 metres in length and 5.5 metres wide, MV Andaman is well equipped to accommodate up to twenty guests in air-conditioned comfort. The boat is well-respected and extremely popular. The European team and German management ensure that everything runs smoothly and safely. This is complemented by Thai hospitality & friendliness, and of course great food on board. Msny trips are fully booked months in advance due to its popularity.
Based in Khao Lak, and running Similan diving safaris for longer than anyone else, Andaman’s team offers enjoyable cruises of 3, 7 or 11 nights to the best diving spots in Thailand. There are three cabin types, with something to suit almost every need and budget. Divers on a budget and families & friends normally stay in the 6-bunk cabins. And couples can choose from the double bed cabins, with or without private bathroom. All cabins have air conditioning and sea-view windows. There is a well-designed diving platform, which ensures every diver has space to sit, stand, and walk to the rear of the boat. There are also comfortable social areas, with lots of places to relax alone or in groups. Unlike most other diving liveaboards at this budget and size, MV Andaman has a steel hull, enabling it to sail more smoothly through waves.
There is a good choice of itinerary, too. There are the most-common 4-night trips, which visit the 'regular' Similan Islands as well as Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock & the Surin Islands. In addition, there are 3-night trips which only go to the northern areas, missing out the 'regular' Similans & Koh Bon. Quite a few of our Andaman guests choose to combine two trips and enjoy a whole week on board, getting a discount for 7 nights and up to 22 dives. And now, there's also the option of combining three trips to make an 11-night super cruise.
The Andaman team nurture young locals through their dive-professional education and encourage dive briefings to be shared, informative and fun. This organisation and experience is great for guests, who always enjoy the dive briefings almost as much as the dives.
No other Similan diving boat has this selection of trips, or a better-run team of staff and crew. To ensure that everyone on MV Andaman enjoys the best diving possible in Thailand, each diver needs to be certified to dive to 30m. If you are Open Water (18m.) you can take part in a great-value PADI AOW course. For those who don’t have the time or budget to complete this Advanced (AOW) course, you can take part in the Adventure Deep dive at price of about $65, enabling you to enjoy the rest of the trip properly. This deep dive is done on the trip, and it is a PADI certification dive.
Do you have a large group and want to charter the whole boat?
click below to find out more
MV Andaman Charter information
Possibly the best-value Similan liveaboard available for full charter is MV Andaman. The boat has a steel hull, and was purpose built for scuba diving in 1997. Sailing from Khao Lak from October to May, the trips visit The Similan Islands, Koh bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock & The Surin Islands. Trips are available in different lengths, from 3 days & nights to one week. The team are extremely experienced, being among the first to offer diving liveaboards to The Similan & Surin Islands.
MV Andaman is among the most-popular Similan liveaboards, mainly due to its reputation and great value. From October to May every season, the boat offers scheduled trips of 3D/3N, 4D/4N and 7D/7N. However, for groups of up to twenty guests, the whole boat can be booked for a private charter. The rates are very competitive, but the standard of service, food, equipment or diving does not suffer at all.
On the upper deck of MV Andaman there is a partially-shaded sun deck that
Included In The Price
Dive computer
Meals
Snacks
Tea / coffee
Drinking water
Soft drinks
Dive insurance
Night diving torch
Weights & weightbelts
Standard tanks
Dive master services
Towels
Soap & Shampoo
Luggage storage
Not Included In The Price
Transfers to & from the airport
Dive equipment
National park fees
Alcoholic drinks
Larger tanks
Tips / Gratuities
View More Available Months
Itinerary
At the beginning of each trip, there is a full boat and safety briefing. The first dive of each trip is a ‘check dive’ to enable the cruise leader to judge the ability of each guest underwater, then put divers into groups accordingly. Before each dive, a dive briefing prepares guests for what they are likely to experience underwater. This is a good time to make requests for particular fish or other species.
The boat comes back to port in Khao Lak in the late afternoon on the final day, and everyone is brought back to the dive centre. Most Andaman guests can then get a free lift back to a Khao Lak hotel or guesthouse.
Click below to read more-detailed information about Andman's trips.
Every 3-4 days on Andaman there are three day dives, and a BBQ is held on board instead of the night dive.
The itineraries below are the most-common for each trip, but these can sometimes be changed for a number of reasons. Small changes are made due to weather & sea conditions, special marine life sightings, overcrowded dive sites, local-authorities' instructions, and the needs & requests of the paying guests. The safety & comfort of all guests is most important at all times.
CB radio, life jackets, life rings, fully stocked medical kits, 100% oxygen kit ( demand valve, DAN system ).
Tender:
Rubber dinghy with 15HP outboard motor.
Courses
Open Water Divers joining a diving safari aboard MV Andaman have the following options
- PADI AOWC on board, for the unbeatable price of 5,500 THB
- PADI Adventure Deep Dive, for just 1,800 THB
Courses
Courses
Prices
PADI:
PADI Adventure Deep Dive
54
USD
PADI:
PADI Advanced Open Water
164
USD
Transfer details
Guests are requested to arrive at the dive centre in central Khao Lak during the afternoon (before 4pm) of departure day (or before) to complete final paperwork, pay the trip balance, and fit any equipment. You are then free to roam around the seaside town and return before 6pm to be driven to the pier and board the boat.
At the end of the cruise, everyone is brought back to the dive centre, then offered free-of-charge transfers to local hotels and resorts in the Khao Lak area.
We’ll check availability and usually reply within 2 hours.
STEP 3
We hold space
We can often hold space commitment-free.
STEP 4
Book when ready
Only book when you are happy to go ahead.
What happens next?
We normally reply within 2 hours. If your preferred cabin is available, we can reserve it for you before asking for any payment.
MV Andaman Reviews
Read real reviews from people who have dived with MV Andaman
David A
Nationality: Australian
Dived: 09 March 2026
Boat rating: 10/10
Well set out boat with excellent crew and dive guides, I would happily return for another trip. Thanks too all and to Jamie at NTJB!
Eva
Nationality: Hungarian
Dived: 06 February 2026
Boat rating: 10/10
Very helpful and professional diving staff, the food is delicious.
Dive sites are amazing with a good visibility.The tour was good organized and everthing went smoothly.
Shon
Nationality: Israeli
Dived: 29 January 2026
Boat rating: 10/10
Had a great 7-night trip on MV Andaman! The dives were beautiful with a huge biodiversity. The team was very professional and all the trip was highly organized. And the food was just superb!!! A great experience and awesome value for money! A special thanks to Instructor P’Ton for a wonderful time! (Don’t expect any big animals, though. Mantas and whale sharks are really uncommon)
Angelique
Nationality: Dutch
Dived: 22 February 2025
Boat rating: 10/10
Going on a trip with the MV Andaman was a great experience. When I boarded I was a newly diver, with my Padi just 1 day old. But after 3 days and 9 dives from the boat, I was completely hooked on diving.
Thanks to Mark who was my instructor and all other people from Sea Dragon who worked hard to give us this great experience. From the boatboys, the cook, whose food was great, to the dive Masters and instructors.
Thank you all!
Claudio
Nationality: Italian
Dived: 26 November 2024
Boat rating: 10/10
We had an amazing time on MV Andaman. The team was great, the boat very comfortable, the food exquisite and the diving amazing. The liveaboard was meticulously organised and everything worked out super smoothly. The boat is also not too big and you get to know your fellow divers, which is also something enjoyable. Truly highly recommended!
Elise and Romain
Nationality: French
Dived: 07 April 2024
Boat rating: 10/10
Great liveaboard, the crew and the divemasters are great, the service is perfect. We really enjoyed everything on the trip, we would sign for another one right away with no hesitation !
Perry
Nationality: American
Dived: 02 March 2024
Boat rating: 9/10
Sea Dragon and the MV Andaman were a great experience. Our dive guide, Lucinda, as well as the entire boat crew were so helpful, informative and super fun to be around. Lucinda took great care of us, showed us all the fun and interesting things on the reef as well as became a real friend during the trip. The food was varied and tasty and the boat crew always helpful and hardworking to insure a great trip. I would definitely recommend!!!!
Ryan
Nationality: American
Dived: 05 January 2024
Boat rating: 10/10
This was my first liveaboard trip, and it was one of the best experiences I have had diving. I also received my AOW certification while there. The dive staff was incredibly friendly, and made me feel safe and provided a ton of fun over the course of the trip. The boat staff was fantastic, and the food was absolutely amazing. If I had the option of going again, I certainly would.
Masami
Nationality: Japanese
Dived: 12 December 2023
Boat rating: 10/10
Very well organized during the whole tour. And on the boat, we had a good time, thanks to the boat staff. Diving groups with a full board members were assisted well trained guides.
Bryce
Nationality: Antiguans
Dived: 14 November 2023
Boat rating: 9/10
Great value. Great dives. Delicious food (yes it matters). Would highly recommend to any experienced diver or person looking to further thier diving skills. Super friendly environment. Would go again for the full 7 day trip next time.
Thailand
There is a good choice of itinerary, too. There are the most-common 4-night trips, which visit the 'regular' Similan Islands as well as Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock & the Surin Islands. In addition, there are 3-night trips which only go to the northern areas, missing out the 'regular' Similans & Koh Bon. Quite a few of our Andaman guests choose to combine two trips and enjoy a whole week on board, getting a discount for 7 nights and up to 22 dives. And now, there's also the option of combining three trips to make an 11-night super cruise.
