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 On the day of departure of all dive Thailand diving liveaboard
scuba diving Thailand diving vacations liveaboard trips we congregate at
Santana's scuba diving center Thailand Phuket Patong Beach head
office around 17:00. You will be taken to the MV Discovery dive Thailand
diving liveaboard, off Patong Beach, where you will be shown to your
air-conditioned cabin, and then receive an introduction to the boat and
crew, and a boat briefing for your diving Thailand dive liveaboard scuba
diving holidays adventure. Thereafter the first of many liveaboard
Thailand diving cooked meals is served as we head out towards the diving
safari dive sites.
Similans Liveaboard Itinerary:
Waking up in the Similans the next morning, you will receive a briefing
about dive safety and your first dive site (see below).
From our initial base in Donald Duck Bay at island number 8, the tour
leader and captain plan the day's diving, taking into account weather
conditions and the variable currents often experienced in this area.
There should be a maximum of 16 divers (including students) per
trip, who are subdivided into smaller groups, cared for by their
own highly-qualified dive safari Divemaster (or instructor if
appropriate).
Regular stops in the Similans include Boulder City (Similan island No.3),
Shark Fin Reef (Similan island No.3), Honeymoon Bay (Similan island
No.4), Barracuda Point (from Similan island No.5 to Similan island No.6),
East of Eden (Similan island No.7), Princess Bay (Similan island No.4),
Deep Six (Similan island No.7), Gorilla Bay (Similan island No.9),
Atlantis Wreck (Similan island No.8), Elephant Head (Similan island
No.8), Christmas Point & Corner (Similan island No.9), Snapper Alley
(Similan island No. 9) etc. and of course some great night dives.
In the middle of your scuba diving Thailand diving trip MV Discovery
heads off to the north-east, stopping at Koh Bon, Ko Tachai and Richelieu
Rock, the most northern point. From here we work our way back over Koh
Bon, Ko Tachai, Koh Bon and do a couple more dives at the Similans before
heading back to Phuket.
After breakfast on board we come ashore at Patong at about 10am and take
you back to your hotel. You are normally back in your hotel around 11am
and an aprés-dive gathering is held in the evening for those interested.
Burma Banks Safari Itinerary:
We will make one dive in the Similans (often at East of Eden), then the
2nd at Koh Bon and the 3rd at Koh Tachai.
After the border procedures are completed at Kaw Tong (formerly Victoria
Point), MV Discovery heads out to explore Burmese waters.
Shark Cave, Hin Taleh and Western Rocky Island are regulars, as are the
Burma Banks out west and Black Rock up north. The remaining time will be
spent at other sites such as Moving Wall, North and South Twin, Klaus
Reef, Pinnacle Arch, or trying new sites.
Night dives are offered on most evenings.
After passing back through the border we make 2 afternoon dives at
Richelieu Rock and then a night dive on the Boonsung wreck of Khao Lak on
our way back to Phuet.
After breakfast on board we come ashore at Patong at about 10am and take
you back to your hotel. You are normally back in your hotel around 11am
and an aprés-dive gathering is held in the evening for those interested.
Hin Daeng Safari Itinerary:
MV Discovery heads out from Patong beach towards the southern islands at
around 18:00. After settling in and setting up your equipment you may
make a night dive at one of the sheltered bays on the west coast of
Phuket scuba dive Racha Yai.
The majority of the dives over the following days are normally at the
neighbouring sites of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. Each evening we anchor for
the night at the shelter of Koh Ha where we make a night dive.
During the three days we also make a couple of day dives at Koh Ha. On
the return to Phuket we may also dive at Phuket diving dive Phi Phi Islands.
We arrive back at Chalong in Phuket at around 19:00 on the final day,
from where you will be taken to your hotel in time for dinner.
In total 12 dives are offered on the scuba diving vacations Hin Daeng
diving safaris liveaboard tour.
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MV Discovery Specifications
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Length
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26m
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Beam
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6m
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Draught
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2.5m
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Divers
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16 maximum
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Fuel Capacity
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6000 liters
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Water Capacity
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12000 liters
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2 x Main Engine
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340 hp
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Max Speed
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12 knots/hour
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Power Supplies
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24V, 220V, 380V
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Tanks
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15 x 12 liter, 7 x 15 liter
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Tank Pillar Valves
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International "A" clamp
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Compressors
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2 x Hamworthy BP10
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Emergency Oxygen
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2 x 50 liter tanks
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First Aid
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Full kit available
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Navigation Equipment
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GPS, depth sounder
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Communications
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VHF & UHF radios, Satellite telephone
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Safety
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1 X Dinghy, 1 X Life-Raft
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Life Jackets
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30
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For the perfect scuba diving vacations souvenir of your liveaboard dive
safari, order yourself a personalised scuba diving Thailand diving underwater video from our
resident videographers, Bubble Vision.
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Dive, eat, sleep... That just about sums it up, and
in-between fill in your logbook with the aid of MV Discovery's library of
dive Thailand diving reef guides, read your book, or just lie back in
Discovery's unique "chill-out zone" and gaze at another beautiful Andaman
sunset aboard of Santana's scuba diving Thailand diving vacations
liveaboard MV Discovery.
In fact we are completely nuts about diving in Thailand
and Myanmar, so whereas other dive operators might be more interested in
wearing the right colour t-shirt on the right day, or leaving the right
flavour sweetie on your pillow, our idea of service is to give you the
best and most exciting dive Thailand diving holidays we can. It is never
MV Disccovery's fuel cost that dictates our dive Thailand diving
itinerary, and there are no 45-minute restrictions either... Santana's MV
Discovery dive times are limited to at least 60 minutes aboard a dive
Thailand diving Phuket liveaboard dive vacation. And heavy breathers will
be pleased to learn that we keep 8 x 15 liter tanks on the boat, as well
as 12 liter tanks.
All those calories spent diving aboard MV Discovery's
dive Thailand scuba diving vacation Phuket liveaboard need replacing
somehow, and dining on board MV Discovery is excellent. Scotch pancakes
are served first thing in the morning, breakfast is served after the
first dive, lunch after the second, banana cake and fruit after the
third, and dinner after the night dive. We serve a variety of western and
Thai dishes to suit most tastes, and it just keeps coming! At each meal
there is plenty of choice and plenty to eat. MV Discovery's chefs are
happy to cater for vegetarians too to ensure the best scuba diving
holidays you ever experienced. Chilled Chang beer, Bacardi Breezer, and a
variety of soft drinks is available from the bar.
For your scuba diving Thailand diving holidays MV
Discovery offers 3-day/4-night and 4-day/5-night liveaboard cruises to
the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock.
Alternatively Discovery operates scuba diving in Thailand diving and
Burma safaris with 7-day/8-night diving holiday liveaboards to all those
destinations plus the Burma Banks and the Mergui Archipelago (including
Black Rock). We also offer 3-day/3-night MV Discovery liveaboards diving
safaris to the "Southern Islands" of Hin Daeng, Hin Muang and Koh Ha.
The Similan Islands are 128 square kilometres in area and
are located about 100km north-west of Phuket in the clear waters of the
Andaman Sea. Since 1982 they have been declared a National Park and are
now a top destination for divers worldwide. Without doubt they are one of
the best diving areas in South East Asia for your diving Thaiand scuba
diving vacations.
The islands
are characterized by a dramatic landscape of enormous boulders which
continue down beneath the water on the west side. On the east side one
can see pristine reefs of hard and soft coral which has thrived since
fishing was banned. Fantastic white beaches join the tropical jungle to
the crystal-clear turquoise water.
In 1997 the Mergui Archipelago in the south of Myanmar (formerly
known as Burma) was opened up to foreign divers for the first time in
over fifty years. For decades the area had been largely untouched and
Santana has been at the forefront of exploring this mysterious region for
your scuba diving vacations. Scuba diving holiday safari liveaboard
expeditions here certainly have a pioneering feel, with visitors being
amongst the first foreign faces ever seen by the local nomadic Moken
people. Naturally MV Discovery's scuba diving in Thailand diving and
Burma safari visits a handful of locations such as Shark Cave and Black
Rock which have already revealed themselves as World-class dive sites,
but with numerous islands remaining unexplored, we are always seeking to
discover new spots for your dive Thailand diving and Mergui scuba diving
holidays aboard Santana's MV Discovery.
"Big stuff" is the name of the game in Burma, and the
reason many enjoy the diving Thailand dive safaris including Mergui is
for the range of sharks, rays and other large pelagics on display,
especially at open ocean sites such as Black Rock and the Burma Banks.
But look beyond the sharks and a trove of smaller treasures opens up.
From the tiniest nudibranch to the horniest cuttlefish, the finest
anemone to the largest gorgonian fan, Burma has something for all tastes
of diving Thailand and dive Myanmar scuba diving vacations aboard
Santana's MV Discovery. Above the waves the Mergui Archipelago is a
fascinating place too. Wildlife is profuse. Monkeys gather on the
pristine white beaches, monitor lizards lurk in the bushes, bats hang out
in the caves, and eagles circle above. One of our favourite spots to take
the dinghy ashore is to explore the eerie mud flats of the Lampi Island
River. Time really did forget this land. The silence is almost deafening.
The "southern islands" of Hin Daeng, Hin Muang and Koh
Ha are a welcome re-addition to Santana's dive Thailand diving scuba
diving holiday diving safaris liveaboard schedule in the months of
November to May.
Similan Islands
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