Sunrise Divers - Dive Blog

The NEW White Manta liveaboard

2011-02-23T17:23:00.002+07:00

The Thailand liveaboard scene will have a new member starting November 2011. The White Manta is going to be one of the best quality boats on the west coast, with trips to the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock from November to April. White Manta is currently under construction in Phuket. We already have a schedule online and bookings are open ...

• White Manta Thailand Liveaboard Schedule 2011-2012

And here's the latest photo of the White Manta :

Queen Scuba Liveaboard Special 21 - 25 February

2011-02-17T12:04:00.002+07:00

February is a great month for diving here around Phuket and at the Similan islands. Many trips are full since a lot of divers know this is maybe the best month, but we do have a few specials available (see Latest Special Offers).

Queen Scuba has a 4 day/4 night trip coming up soon with space available in various cabin types. She takes up to 21 divers with double or twin VIP cabins on the main deck (with en suite bathrooms) and standard shared cabins on the lower deck. Queen Scuba is a big boat, lots of space to relax, a huge dive deck too. if you want a trip in the next week or so, look no further:

Special 20% discount for 21 - 25 February 2011:

VIP Double or Twin Cabins - ~~37,000 Baht~~ - Now only 29,600 Baht per person
Standard 3 Bed Cabin - ~~30,500 Baht~~ - Now only 24,400 Baht per person
Standard 4 Bed Cabin - ~~29,000 Baht~~ - Now only 23,200 Baht per person

• Queen Scuba - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Mobile Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

Manta Ray Research Trips on MV Jazz

2011-02-01T14:18:00.003+07:00

A couple of very special trips coming up in March 2011. Andrea Marshall, the foremost expert on Manta research and founder of the Marine Megafauna Foundation, will be diving on the MV Jazz liveaboard during March. The 4 day/4 night trips departing on the 11th & 16th of March will be special Manta research trips diving around Koh Bon, Koh Ta Chai & Richelieu Rock. These are open to the public at the usual price. Andrea will entertain and enlighten anyone that is interested by doing lectures during the evening. Mantas have been around all season, but March is normally the best month and this trip is dedicated to finding them! Of course you'll see lots of other marine life too!

• MV Jazz - Full Liveaboard Information
• MV Jazz - Photo Gallery
• MV Jazz - Schedule

Similan Islands Last Minute Liveaboards

2010-11-26T13:58:00.002+07:00

High season is underway now, and though some boats are pretty full, others are offering last minute prices on trips in the next month. Our Last Minute page keeps you updated on all the best late booking deals, if there are any! Booking last minute is good if you are flexible.. your first choice may not be available, you may need to compromise on boat, date or cabin type. We recommend advance booking if your dates are fixed or you have your eye on a particular cabin... many boats have different cabins, some with double beds, some twin, some shared, some with en suite bathrooms, some on the main deck, some on the lower deck... If you know exactly what you want, book it well in advance :)

For all the latest special offers, bookmark this page: Sunrise Divers Liveaboards - Last Minutes and Specials

Happy Diving!

Mermaid 1 Burma Liveaboard Discounts

2010-09-03T14:19:00.002+07:00

Mermaid 1 is offering 10% discount on pre-Christmas trips to Burma. The Mermaid 1 runs 9 night cruises starting and ending in Phuket which include some diving at the Similan islands and Richelieu Rock and at least 5 full days in the Mergui Archipelago. The following trips are now available at 10% discount:

22 November - 1 December
2 - 11 December
12 - 21 December

Savings for a couple up to 499 Euro! And if you are a return guest of Sunrise Divers you can add our return discount, another 10% off!

Burma dive/entry fee (US$ 230) and Thai park fees (1800 Baht) not included.

• Mermaid 1 - Full Liveaboard Information
• Mermaid 1 Schedule
• Mermaid 1 - Photo Gallery

Booking and Reservations

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646, or our office 076 398 040, or send a reservation request through the website.

Write a Review of Sunrise Divers

2010-08-18T11:09:00.005+07:00

If you have booked diving with Sunrise Divers before, whether for a day trip, a liveaboard, a PADI course or anything else, we do like to get feedback. Many customers we see personally at our dive shop, and we like to hear about your diving experiences. Some customers, especially for liveaboards, we don't see in person - if someone has booked online and is getting a transfer from their hotel, we might not get a chance to say hello "in the flesh", but do hope to get some comments after the trip by email. Many returning customers book with us again for liveaboards, and can't be just for the 10% discount, I hope we're doing something right too!

Now we are finally listed on TripAdvisor, which is quite a big website for getting reviews from previous customers. The site is big on hotels, but also has sections for tours and attractions where customers can leave reviews. We are now listed in the Phuket, Thailand section so we hope that if you've booked with us before you might be able to find a few minutes to leave a review. Hopefully a nice one! You can also upload photos, which would be nice to see. Or you can just click the little Facebook "Like" button.. a very quick way to tell us that you like us!

Review Sunrise Divers

Write Review

• Sunrise Divers listing on TripAdvisor

We wish you happy Diving!

Thai plugs and plug sockets

2010-08-02T16:09:00.003+07:00

A question we get asked quite often is "what kind of plus sockets are used in Thailand?"... If you are bringing electrical equipment like a laptop or battery charger for your camera or torch, you better have the right plug! The photo below shows typical plug sockets - those shown have 3 pins - some sockets have just 2 pins. Your plugs should ideally be 2 pin - either round pins or flat pins. You can buy adaptors at any airport, best to have them before you get here, although most hardware shops will sell them for a few dollars.

Book before August 31st and Save!

2010-07-29T13:00:00.002+07:00

The Thailand liveaboard season runs from the end of October until early May. The start of the season is still 3 months away, you might not think it's time to be booking a trip, but booking early gives you some advantages. Firstly - if you want a nice boat in the middle of high season, booking early ensures you get the dates and cabin of your choice on the boat that you want. And secondly - many liveaboards have advance booking offers for trips to the Similan Islands and Burma.

The following liveaboards have special advance booking deals - click on the boat names for full information and schedules.

MV Nautica - save 20% if booking before August 31st
MV Jazz - 10% discount if booking before August 31st
Black Manta - 10% off when booking before August 31st
Pawara - 10% discount if booking before August 31st
The Junk - 10% discount if booking more than 2 months in advance

Also, the Queen Scuba offers free Nitrox fills if you book and pay in full more than 3 months before a trip.

For more information, enquiries, questions, reservations.... email Sunrise Divers - info@sunrise-divers.com, or call our mobile 084 626 4646 (that will be +66 84 626 4646 if calling from overseas). Check our website for full contact information.

Flying After Scuba Diving

2010-07-21T11:37:00.003+07:00

We get asked quite often about flying after diving guidelines. What are the rules? How long do you have to wait? Can you dive after flying? All the answers on a new page added to our website this week:

• Flying after Diving Guidelines

Newsletter July 2010

2010-07-21T11:33:00.002+07:00

We sent a newsletter last week with information on early bird booking offers for several Thaiand liveaboards. Most offers expire at the end of August, and savings can be substantial. To see our latest Newsletter, check the link below:

• Sunrise Divers Newsletter July 2010

10% Discount for Returning Sunrise Divers Guests

2010-07-06T11:14:00.002+07:00

If you have booked a liveaboard before with Sunrise Divers and are thinking of another Thailand liveaboard trip, here's some good news for you...

Until now we have been offering a 5% discount for returning guests, but starting right now you can get a 10% discount on any Thailand liveaboard if you have booked a liveaboard with Sunrise Divers at any time in the past. This offer is valid from today (July 6th 2010). Valid for all of the following boats.

• Black Manta
• Colona 6
• Dive Race
• Dolphin Queen
• Giamani
• Le Mahe
• MV Jazz
• Nautica
• Pawara
• Queen Scuba
• South Siam 3
• South Siam 4
• The Junk
• West Coast Explorer

Get a full overview of Thailand liveaboards here:

• Thailand Liveaboards

For more information see the links above or email us (info@sunrise-divers.com) or call our office 076 398 040 during office hours 9am - 5pm, or mobile 08 4626 4646.

Hope to see you here again!

Famous photographers on Mermaid 1

2010-05-13T11:26:00.001+07:00

We are delighted to have Stephen Wong and Takako Uno on board with us again in Komodo. Stephen and Takako regularly join us on Mermaid and offer our guests complimentary photography advice and shows of their photography from all around the world.

Stephen and Takako are delightful people and good friends - your guests can join us on board Mermaid I June 20-29 and June 29-July 8 2010 cruises - maybe other dates as their schedules allow.

• Mermaid 1 - Full Information

Here's a brief biography on these remarkable globally recognised Marine Photojournalists :-

A Joint Profile of
Stephen WONG & Takako UNO

Based in Hong Kong, full time husband and wife marine photojournalists since 1997, Stephen & Takako are crisscrossing the oceans from the Arctic to the tip of Argentina.

Stephen & Takako's works have been published in over 20 countries and 100 individual journals & publications, including National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Nature's Best, Unterwasser & GEO. Their works have appeared in more than 40 photo exhibitions.

Their images have received dozens of awards in international photo competitions, including four times in the renowned BBC Wildlife Photo Contests. Stephen has been awarded as Hong Kong Underwater Photographer of the Year in both 1997 & 1998 by HK Underwater Association. The couple often serves as photo contest judges worldwide.

Takako has discovered four new species of Nudibranchs, with one species now common-English named as Takako's Trapania and another species as Uno's Trapania. Her Manatee image has been selected by PADI to be used on its homepage. The duo has also photographed new species of Snapping Shrimp & Octopuses and also has 30 species of Cetacean (whales and dolphins) images in their collection.

Their recent achievements:
Both Stephen & Takako's images have been exhibited at the prestigious Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC of USA; Takako's Seahorse images are currently exhibiting at Monterey Bay Aquarium (Monterey Bay, California, USA) till 2013; furthermore, 3 of Takako's Pygmy Seahorses have been featured in National Geographic (Sea Life: New Pygmy Seahorses found); and in 2009, both Stephen & Takako have been inducted as members of the prestigious Ocean Artists Society, founded by Wyland & Talbot.

Stephen and Takako's images have appeared in over 70 books, including co-authorship of Sipadan-Mabul Islands,Celebrate the Sea & Gorontalo Hidden Paradise. The couple's signature publication, An Ocean Odyssey- a 240-page wide blue pictorial anthology, has received broad international acclaims. Stephen & Takako's images also appear in Bernando Sambra's Oceans; in Andrea & Antonella Ferrari's Art of Underwater Photography; and in Max Ammer & Conservation International's Raja Ampat - through the lens of underwater photographers.

For more of Stephen & Takako's detailed profiles and works, please visit their websites, www.stephenwong.com & www.takakouno.com.

Mermaid 1 Liveaboard - More Improvements

2010-05-13T09:13:00.002+07:00

As from now, the excellent Mermaid 1 liveaboard has some new improvements, ready for the Komodo diving season June - October.

1. Membrane System
We are delighted to announce our nitrox membrane system. Filling at 600 litres a minute equals fast turn arounds and unlimited nitrox available for all divers - no matter our destination or tank size - 12 litres or 15 litres - guest's choice ! Nitrox is euros 6 per fill or for an "all your dives on nitrox" package 20% off !

2. More Camera Tables !
The membrane system means lots of extra deck space so more good news - we have added 2 extra camera tables and fresh water rinse containers...masses of room for all photographers on board. Plus we added shelving for guest's to keep their small items close to hand on the deck...

3. Warm deck towels !
Towels straight out of the dryer after each dive - just heaven !

4. Kayaks !
For those who want to relax on the quiet waterways around Komodo and Burma we have also added some kayaks for your spirit of adventure

5. How do you like your eggs ?
Cooked to your guest's specification in the saloon and served piping hot - as one would expect from any 5 star service !

Mermaid 1 - More Infomation

• Mermaid 1 Burma/Thailand cruises (November - April)
• Mermaid 1 Komodo cruises (June - October)

South Siam 3 - Similan Islands on a budget

2010-01-12T15:56:00.002+07:00

Sunrise Divers aims to offer liveaboards to suit every budget and every schedule, but at the same time we are selective about what boats to include in our listings. When looking for lower budget boats, it's important that the boat is not simply cheap, but still gives good service and is a safe boat.

South Siam 3 is actually a very nice boat - spacious, good size cabins, well designed.. in fact it should be more expensive, BUT this boat is one of several who offer flexible scheduling so you can start and end a trip any day in high season (November - April). This means that although the boat sleeps maximum 28 guests, there can be more during the day if the boat is full - we make sure people are aware of this. The diving is still great of course!

You can join a trip to the Similan Islands for as little as 12,900 Baht (2 days/1 night/7 dives) with South Siam 3. The prices are very reasonable...

2 days/1 night (7 dives) 12,900 Baht
3 days/2 nights (11 dives) 16,900 Baht
4 days/3 nights (15 dives) 20,900 Baht
5 days/4 nights (19 dives) 24,900 Baht

Plus Similan national park entry fee 400 baht and diving fee (200 baht/day).

The boat moves around the Similan Islands with dives at Koh Bon on Wednesdays and Sundays. Start any day! Ideal if you have fixed dates and no other boat has a schedule to match, ideal if you want low budget.

• South Siam 3 - Full Information
• South Siam 3 - Send an Enquiry

For more information see the links above or email us (info@sunrise-divers.com) or call our office 076 398 040 during office hours 9am - 6pm.

Early Booking Deals on The Junk

2009-09-21T11:14:00.003+07:00

The June Hong Chian Lee, better known here simply as "The Junk", has been running liveaboards in this area for over 10 years. While other boats come and go, The Junk remains popular. Why? I mean, there are fancier option, newer boats, but if you are in the Similan Islands on board The Junk, you can guarantee other people on other boats will be looking at you and thinking "Wow, that's a nice looking boat". Nice, yes, but mainly it is the unique appeal of diving from a converted Chinese Junk that attracts divers to The Junk.

For this season starting November 2009, you can get a good discount on the price for early booking. The further ahead you book, the more discount you receive :)

The full price on a 6 night cruise is 1,750 US$ per person with accommodation in private double or twin cabin; or 1,250 US$ per person with accommodation in shared 4 bed cabin. All cabins are airconditioned and have bathrooms.

Book more than 2 months in advance - 15% discount
Book more than 1 month in advance - 10% discount

• The Junk - full information
• The Junk - schedule 2009 / 2010
• The Junk - photo gallery

Contact Sunrise Divers by email (info@sunrise-divers.com) for more information, requests and reservations.

Happy Diving :)

Free Bali Hotel with Komodo Dancer liveaboard

2009-08-18T11:25:00.002+07:00

Free Hotel Nights on Select Komodo Dancer Departures!

That's right. On the following departures, we'll pay the pre and/or post cruise hotel nights for you! Each person receives 2 FREE nights at the Puri Santrian, Mecure Resort Sanur or equivalent resort. Hotel nights may be pre or post charter or may be split one pre and one post. You can choose 2 nights with single hotel room occupancy OR two guests traveling together can combine their reward to have 4 hotel nights based on double occupancy!

This special is valid on the following select departures:

October 10, 2009 (Bali-Komodo)
November 3, 2009 (Alor Islands)
November 15, 2009 (Alor Islands)
December 9, 2009 (Komodo-Bali)

To qualify for this offer, booking must be made by November 15, 2009.

• Komodo Dancer - Full Information

Komodo Liveaboards Special Offers in July

2009-07-01T10:03:00.002+07:00

Let’s start with some deals coming up in the near future. The excellent Mermaid 1 and Mermaid 2 liveaboards have now been heading to Bali for several years, running trips from June to October to the amazing Komodo National Park. Trips run for 7 nights on the Mermaid 2 and 9 nights on the luxury Mermaid 1. If you are looking for a great dive experience in the next 6 weeks, look no further. Both boats have big discounts on all trips in July 2009. On Mermaid 1 you can save up to 460 Euro (640 US$) per person! For boat details, trip dates and discounted prices, check the links below. Happy Diving!

• Mermaid 1 Liveaboard – Full Information
• Mermaid 1 Liveaboard – Komodo Schedule 2009
• Mermaid 2 Liveaboard – Full Information
• Mermaid 2 Liveaboard – Komodo Schedule 2009

There are also last minute savings on trips with the Moana – a traditional Indonesian sailing boat offering 5 and 6 night dive cruises around Komodo. Trips are discounted 10% during July, making a very affordable short dive trip with prices from just 765 Euro per person.

• Moana Liveaboard – Full Information
• Moana Liveaboard – Schedule 2009

So if you are stuck for something to do in July - contact Sunrise Divers!

Sunrise Divers - 5 Star PADI Dive Resort

2009-06-12T12:13:00.003+07:00

Sunrise Divers are moving on up. We are happy to announce that as from today we are a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort. The 5 Star rating is something we have wanted to achieve for some time and our commitment to quality PADI Diver training has been rewarded. Our dive center has everything you need for a professional and fun dive course - airconditioned classroom, specially designed training pool just a few minutes from our door, experienced instructors.. we have what you need! There is a huge range of accommodation within 5 minutes walk of our shop, everything from backpackers dorms up to 5 star resorts such as the Hilton.

We offer PADI courses year round - click the links below for details :

• Open Water Diver
• Advanced Open Water
• Rescue Diver
• Enriched Air Nitrox

We welcome beginners with open arms. Diving is fun! You may not think it's for you, but come on, try! We offer day trips every day for a Discover diving experience. Jump in with an instructor in shallow water and we think you'll love it!

• Discover Scuba Diving

We hope to see you very soon in Phuket. If you want to take a dive course, just drop us an email, call us, or come to our shop! There are many ways to contact us:

• Sunrise Divers - Contact us!

Summer Season Diving in Phuket

2009-05-04T12:05:00.002+07:00

As the "high" season is just about over now in early May, and our most popular dive sites - the Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock, Burma - are either closed or too far for long boat rides in changeable weather, we look forward to a 5 month summer season from May - October. Contrary to what some may think, we do not close our shop - Sunrise Divers will be open just about every day during the summer.

What diving options do I have in the summer in Phuket?

Plenty! We offer day trips to dive sites such as Racha Yai island, Shark Point, the King Cruiser Wreck, Phi Phi Islands, Racha Noi Island, Anemone Reef... There are day trips every day and we can make up packages for you for 2 - 5 days diving with lots of variety. Diving the local sites in the summer is sometimes better than high season! Why? Well, for one - less divers in the water. Also, the prevailing west winds mean we can always dive the nicer east coast of Racha Yai which is not always possible in the high season.

Day Trip Information:

• Day Trip Packages
• Day Trip Dive Sites

We also offer the twice weekly Phi Phi Island Overnight trip - probably the best summer option - 7 dives and a night in a hotel in Phi Phi, all for just 9900 Baht!

• Phi Phi Overnight Dive Tour

Got a group of divers, or want some privacy? We offer speedboat charters to all local sites, and also for snorkeling and sightseeing tours. The Offspray is a custom speedboat for up to 10 divers, while the new Sky Water is a top class powerboat for small groups of 2 - 4 people offering private tours of the amazing scenery of Phang Nga Bay to the east of Phuket.

• Offspray Speedboat Dive Charters
• Sky Water Private Sightseeing Tours

Enough diving to keep you busy? We think so!

The weather in Phuket during the summer is of course a worry for some people. We cannot promise 24 hour sunshine, but over the years we have collected weather reports and have tried to show what the weather is really like here in the summer. Some rainy days, some grey days and LOTS of sunny days! You can find some reports from 2004 - 2007 on our website here, and from 2006 up to now on Jamies Phuket Weather Blog.

The summer season in Phuket is a great time to come - sure, if you want a liveaboard to the Similan Islands you will have to wait until at least mid October, but we are here and ready to dive year round.

One more bonus... hotel prices are really low in the summer. Take Advantage! Check the Phuket Hotels on Agoda.com for online bookings.

See you in Phuket soon!

Komodo Special - Mermaid Liveaboards

2009-03-31T14:33:00.002+07:00

This is one of those BOOK NOW! moments... From now until April 10th we can offer a special 10% discount on trips with the Mermaid 1 and Mermaid 2 liveaboards in Indonesia this summer. Trips run from June to October starting and ending in Bali. A 10% discount can make quite a saving - up to 459 Euro for a couple on Mermaid 1. We hate to rush, but this is a time limited offer to coincide with the Indonesia Dive Show. Bookings must be confirmed by April 10th.

For full boat information and schedules, check our website:

• Mermaid 1 - Diving in Komodo
• Mermaid 2 - Diving in Komodo

For reservations or questions, send us an email: info@sunrise-divers.com

Mermaid 2 Liveaboard - Early Booking Offer

2009-02-20T16:06:00.002+07:00

Mermaid 2 is one of the largest and most comfortable liveaboards operating in Thailand - not a luxury boat, but a high standard and very good value for money. Mermaid 2 has been running trips in Thailand and Indonesia since 2001 and offers a mix of 2,4 and 6 day trips to all the best dive sites in the Andaman Sea from Hin Daeng to the Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock to Elephant Rock.

Schedules for nest season starting November 2009 are now online, and if you book before July 31st, there's a 10% discount for you on Mermaid 2!

• Mermaid 2 - Full Liveaboard Information
• Mermaid 2 - Photo Gallery
• Mermaid 2 - Schedule

Booking and Reservations

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646.

Sunrise DASH Divers

2009-02-09T14:52:00.003+07:00

Sunrise Divers has been in Phuket for just about 10 years now, and one of the biggest changes over the years has been on the internet. Physically we have moved only one time, from a small office in Karon Beach to a larger one where we are now with a spacious equipment room, main office, back office and airconditioned classroom.

• Map of our shop location

But on the web, changes have been huge. Our first websites in 2000 - 2002 were, to put it mildly.. poorly designed.. but on the other hand most dive centers were similarly bad! We realised in 2002 that the internet was changing and over the years have continually tried to improve our website, adding more information, easy browsing, trying to make it easier for people to find exactly what they need. We hope that our current design is good for you! Always happy to hear if anyone has any suggestions.

• Check old Sunrise Divers webdesign at Archive.org

Now back then we were not so web savvy, and so we chose the web address www.sunrise-divers.com.. with a dash, minus, hyphen, whatever you wish to call it. There was no thought to domain name protection or the chance that someone might copy our name. A few years later we thought it might be wise to also own the domain name without the dash, minus, hyphen, thing. BUT some clever nerd somewhere had bought it, was not using it, just holding it. We asked to buy the domain and were given a crazy price. A few years later the price had come down a notch, but was still way too much.

Last week we finally obtained the web address www.sunrisedivers.com. Seems whoever owned it had finally given up on us parting with huge sums of money. So finally we can be Sunrise DASH Divers and also just plain Sunrise Divers with no dash, minus, hyphen. I am so glad we don't have to have to say "dash, minus, hyphen" again! If you click on www.sunrisedivers.com it will automatically take you to www.sunrise-divers.com. See you there!

Mermaid 1 Liveaboard - 2 For 1 Last Minute Offer

2008-12-09T15:16:00.003+07:00

Christmas has come early at Sunrise Divers! Last Minute offers don't get much better than this! The Mermaid 1 departs on the 14th December for a 9 day/9 night cruise in Thailand and Burma - there are a couple of cabins remaining, and you can join this trip at an incredible discount with a 2 for 1 offer - if you are 2 divers, you pay for only 1! The ultimate pre Christmas sale!

We can also accept single bookings at 20% discount on the regular price but would prefer to get bookings to fill the cabins.

Normal price is 1990 Euro per person (deluxe cabin) or 1700 Euro per person (budget cabin) - so you have the chance of a 9 day trip for as little as 850 Euro!

Burma dive fee (US$ 230) and Similan park fees (1800 Baht) not included.

• Mermaid 1 - Full Liveaboard Information
• Mermaid 1 - Photo Gallery

Booking and Reservations

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646, or our office 076 398 040.

Burma Liveaboard - Extra Special Offer

2008-12-07T13:12:00.002+07:00

The MV Jazz has a great offer for a Burma dive trip from 18th - 23rd December - thats a 5 night trip with 4 days diving and 14 dives in Burma. The Jazz cruises around the Mergui Archipelago and among the 14 dives the cruise directors always try to fit in an exploration dive on a new site or new stretch of reef. The diving in Burma is still new and exciting with very few dive boats making trips - you may not see another liveaboard during your trip.

• Read more about Diving in Burma

Special Offer on this trip.

Normal price US$ 1,190 per person

Special Offer US$ 952 per person

Burma dive fee and transfers not included.

• MV Jazz - Full Liveaboard Information
• MV Jazz - Photo Gallery

Booking and Reservations

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646.

Last Minute Liveaboards for the Similan Islands

2008-11-20T10:29:00.002+07:00

The high season is up and running, all boats have now started operating on a wide variety of itineraries from 2 - 9 days, heading for the Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock, Burma, Hin Daeng, Phi Phi and more.

There are a lot of boats out there, and finding just the right one for you can be hard work... we can help. Sunrise Divers is Thailand's leading independent liveaboard specialist. Every year we match hundreds of divers with the right trip to suit their needs based on budget, comfort and travel dates. We offer everything from low budget "backpacker" boats up to luxury liveaboards. We listen to what YOU want, we don't try to sell you something expensive just to make money. Your needs come first.

Looking for a liveaboard in Thailand? Start here:

• Thailand Liveaboards - Overview

We receommend advance booking to ensure you get the boat you want and the dates you want, but if your plans are not fixed, or you suddenly get a last minute chance to dive, there are often last minute prices to be found. As soon as we hear of a special offer, you can find it on our website. The following link is well worth bookmarking!

• Last Minute Liveaboards - Similan Islands

At peak season (end of December/early January) you'll be lucky to find space in the pool, let alone on a lievaboard, but now at the start of the season there are quite a lot of special offers available.

For last minute deals, contact us!

Mobile Hotline : 08 4626 4646
Email : info@sunrise-divers.com
Skype : sunrisedivers

Or come to our dive center in Karon Beach, Phuket:

• Sunrise Divers Location Map

Hope to see you soon!

Liveaboard High Season is HERE!

2008-10-16T15:48:00.002+07:00

Yes, despite doomsayers predictions that no boats would be allowed into the Similan Islands national park, liveaboards have started for the season. The rules do seem to be rather flexible in Thailand, and while some boat operators have decided they can't run trips, others are out there right now! Sunrise Divers first liveaboard guests for this high season left 2 days ago on the Queen Scuba liveaboard for 4 days and 4 nights. Weather is perfect, seas are calm and we can't wait to hear how their trip was! Queen Scuba has a few more trips in October too. If you want to dive, ask us!

• Thailand Liveaboards - Full Overview of Boats

The low budget South Siam 3 left from Thap Lamu port to the Similans yesterday and we have some customers booked for this week already... this boat is ideal for short trips of 2 or 3 days, not a luxury boat, but large and comfortable and early season it won't be fully booked either so you'll have lots of space...

• South Siam 3 - Start any day!

Another low budget liveaboard, the Dolphin Queen, has her first trip starting tomorrow and is fully booked! You see, we do recommend advance booking for any trip, as if you just turn up, you can't predict what will be available. Dolphin Queen is a popular boat - the best of the "Khao Lak Cheapies" - well run, and with owners who have been diving here for years and years - cheap but professional. We always get good comments about this boat...

• Dolphin Queen - Backpackers Bargain!

If you're looking for a liveaboard - please do contact us by email, phone, Skype, or come to see us in Karon beach (Phuket).

• Thailand Diving - Sunrise Divers - Contact Information

Happy Diving!

MV Jazz - Dive Burma - 10% Discount!

2008-09-23T10:46:00.002+07:00

The MV Jazz has a great offer for Burma trips during the 2008 - 2009 season. Burma is still the "last frontier" of diving in this area. Compared to the Similan Islands, very few boats head into the Mergui Archipelago, and the Jazz still does exploration dives on almost all trips, sometimes discovering great new dive sites. The Burma trips have that adventure feel to them. Many times you won't see another dive boat for days. If you like to explore - Burma is for you!

• Read more about Diving in Burma

As a special Burma promotion, we are offering a special on the MV Jazz liveaboard - if you book any Burma trip this season and pay in full before December 31st, there's a 10% discount for you.

• MV Jazz - Full Liveaboard Information
• MV Jazz - Photo Gallery
• MV Jazz - Schedule

Booking and Reservations

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646.

MV Nautica - Special Offer - 10% Discount

2008-09-15T16:55:00.003+07:00

The MV Nautica is one of the very few liveaboards that offer a small group experience. The tendency now is to have boats taking 16,18,20 or more divers on large boats. Nautica is not a small boat, there is loads of space to relax, cabins are very comfortable, service is top quality and the boat takes only 12 customers if fully booked. Sure this means the price is a little higher, but many people are looking for that little extra service and privacy which is what Nautica offers.

As a special kick off to the liveaboard season, you can receive a 10% discount on any trip on MV Nautica if booked and paid in full before October 15th. We hope to hear from you soon!

• Nautica - Full Liveaboard Information
• Nautica - Photo Gallery
• Nautica - Schedule

Booking and Reservations

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com, call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646 or contact us through the website.

Phuket Airport is Open. See you soon!

2008-09-01T09:06:00.002+07:00

We are sure you must have noticed the news over the weekend... On Friday, a large group of protesters took over Phuket Airport as part of a wider protest against the government. We will not comment on the politics, but the occupation of the airport here in Phuket took many by surprise. Politics normally stays in Bangkok and has no effect on tourism. The airports at Krabi and Hat Yai were also occupied, effectively crippling any flights into southern Thailand.

On Friday when Jamie got home, there was all kinds of news flying around. The Bangkok protests, complete with pop singers and tear gas, were live on TV. People said the occupation of Phuket Airport would only last an afternoon and flights would start on Saturday. Jamie blogged "live" updates over the weekend:

• Phuket Airport Occupation on Jamie's Phuket blog

The Phuket Wan website did a very good job at keeping the situation updated. At all times the protest was peaceful. Police did not try to clear the airport of protesters... We think Thailand is very wary of past events where police were heavy handed. So now things are handled with velvet gloves... A coup in 1996 where soldiers were given flowers by Bangkok locals, a now week long protest in Bangkok, where aside from some tear gas being fired on Friday night as people tried to take over the police HQ, there has been extreme tolerence.

Finally, after Saturday passed with no flights in or out of Phuket, news arrived around midday on Sunday that flights would resume. First flight in arrived 3:30pm, firt one out left at 4:20pm.

We know of several of our customers who have been affected by this protest, either unable to leave or unable to get here. The "backlog" should be cleared today. It seems the airport authorities are working very hard.

But we are concerned about Phuket's image. Even the PAD - the protest group who has been organising these demonstrations, even they have been split over the Phuket airport occupation. Tourists do not play politics. You should not play politics with tourists. Phuket now relies heavily on tourism. Sunrise Divers relies 100% on tourism! If you have any questions about the events of the last week, please do email us. We hope to see you soon!

Dive Komodo with Stephen Wong and Takako Uno!

2008-08-25T10:53:00.003+07:00

Great news for October. The Mermaid II liveaboard has added one special trip to the schedule, a 6 day/7 night cruise from Bali - Komodo and back from October 18th - 25th. And this trip has something extra - world famous underwater photographers Stephen Wong and Takako Uno will be joining the trip. Want to improve your photo skills? This is the trip for you!

Mermaid II, 18th - 25th October

1,200 Euro per person (deluxe cabin); 1,080 Euro per person (budget cabin)

• Mermaid 2 Boat Details
• Mermaid 2 Komodo Schedule 2008 - 2009
• Website Enquiry, Mermaid 2 18 - 25 October 2008

Bookings or more Information, contact Sunrise Divers. Email info@sunrise-divers.com or make an enquiry from the website about this trip (see link above).

Photographers Websites

• Stephen Wong
• Takako Uno

MV Jazz Liveaboard - Book Now for 10% Discount!

2008-08-12T15:18:00.002+07:00

The MV Jazz is well established as one of the best mid price liveaboards for diving in Thailand and Burma and was one of our best sellers last season. Through the season from October 2008 to May 2009, the Jazz has a mix of Thailand and Burma safaris and if you book before August 31st, there's a 10% discount for you.

• MV Jazz - Full Liveaboard Information
• MV Jazz - Photo Gallery
• MV Jazz - Schedule

Booking and Reservations

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646.

Whaleshark at Phi Phi

2008-07-11T13:04:00.002+07:00

Normally the whaleshark season is about February - April, though whalesharks are rare and nobody should go diving in Thailand and expect to see one. The best dive sites are Richelieu Rock or Hin Daeng, both open water rocky pinnacles out in the ocean and both great dive sites!

But sometimes you get lucky... A customer was diving at Phi Phi just a couple of weeks ago on a rather wet day, diving was OK, better than a day at the office, and then...

Oh yes, MUCH better than a day at the office!

• More about Whalesharks
• Richelieu Rock
• Hin Daeng and Hin Muang
• Phi Phi Dive Sites

Dolphins Rescued in Phuket

2008-07-08T10:01:00.002+07:00

Three rough-toothed dolphins were rescued after they were found stranded on mud flats created by the receding tide at Ao Makham (Cape Panwa) on Saturday.

The rescue comes one week after the carcass of a female striped dolphin was discovered washed ashore at Baan Dan in Thalang and nine days after a pod of false killer whales beached at Koh Racha.

The dolphins, two females and one male, were found by fishermen who, together with local villagers, helped keep the dolphins’ heads and skin wet.

They also informed the nearby Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC), whose marine biologists came to give basic treatment to the dolphins before taking them by boat back to the sea.

According to PMBC experts who rushed to the scene, the dolphins were more than 20 years old, weighed more than 100 kilograms and were more than two meters in length.

However, they were puzzled as to why the dolphins were found in the mangrove as they were in good health and this species of dolphin is rare in Phuket waters.

One theory put forward was that they were fleeing a disturbance, possibly something man-made.

Story from the Phuket Gazette

False Killer Whales Beach at Racha Yai Island

2008-07-01T14:48:00.002+07:00

KOH RACHA YAI: Researchers at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) are today examining the remains of a False Killer Whale that was one of some 20 that beached on Koh Racha Yai, some 25 kilometers south of Phuket, late yesterday afternoon.

Local hotel staff and tourists rescued another 10 beached animals that could not make their way back to deeper water on their own.

False Killer Whales are large “open-ocean dolphins” known to attack and kill other cetaceans with their distinctive array of 44 teeth.

PMBC biologist Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong told the Gazette that about 40 dolphins were spotted about 5 pm in the shallow waters off Ao Paktok, where 11 of them later beached.

“Almost all the whales that came ashore were three to four meters long. The longest was 4.2m,” K. Kongkiat said.

As most of the whales appeared healthy, it was very unlikely that the mass beaching was the result of illness, he added.

“They are social animals that live in large groups and all members obediently follow their leader, so if the leader beaches the others follow,” he said.

The animal that died was a 2.8m female, probably about 10 years old, he added.

“The animal went into shock and we couldn’t save her. There were no visible signs of illness. We will do an autopsy this afternoon,” he said earlier today.

K. Kongkiat said the leader may have become confused trying to negotiate a narrow channel and found itself unable to return to deeper water due to big waves and strong onshore currents.

The 10 stranded dolphins were taken by truck to the relatively calm waters of Ao Teua on the other side of the island, where they were given injections to prevent infection and released around midnight.

“After their release they seemed to gain strength. That was the last time we saw them, though we continued to patrol the shoreline by boat,” K. Kongkiat said.

Original Story : Phuket Gazette

New Artificial Reef for Phuket

2008-04-24T12:12:00.002+07:00

Looks like we'll have something new to offer for next season.... If dive trips start to these sunken aircraft, the news will be right here!

Amidst great fanfare, a convoy of 15 flatbed trucks loaded with the remains of 10 decommissioned military aircraft arrived at the Tah Chat Chai checkpoint at 2 pm on Sunday after a three-day overland journey that began in Lopburi.

The convoy departed from Koke Krathiem Air Force Base in Lopburi with the partly disassembled aircraft on Friday.

The arrival of the four Douglas C-47 Dakota Skytrain military transport aircraft and six Sikorsky S-58T helicopters marks the penultimate leg of their final journey before they are sunk in the waters off Bang Tao.

On May 5, the aircraft skeletons are to be dropped into the sea about a kilometer off Bang Tao Beach to create an artificial reef in the hope that it will attract marine life and become a popular new dive site.

The aging aircraft, which have been dubbed the “Coral Reef Squadron”, are US-built and served in the Vietnam and Korean Wars, during which Thailand was used as a strategic base for operations during its Cold War fight against communism.

There to meet the convoy Tah Chat Chai checkpoint were Phuket Vice-Governor Worapoj Ratthasima, Tourism Authority of Thailand South Region 4 Office Director Suwalai Pinpradub, and representatives of the various groups and agencies that are working together on the project: The Royal Thai Air Force, the Phuket provincial government, the Thalang District Office, the For Sea Foundation, the Thai Dive Association (TDA), the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, and the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization, which provided 4 million baht for the project.

Once safely past the checkpoint, the convoy continued on to the Phuket Deep Sea Port at Ao Makham, where the aircraft will be cleaned, reassembled and otherwise prepared for their new role, which has been described as providing “apartments for fish”.

At a depth of about 15 to 20 meters, the aircraft will be arranged in a concentric pattern with two helicopters in the middle. These will be surrounded by an alternating circle of airplane and helicopter fuselages.

The wings of the aircraft were clipped at about mid-length and the rotors removed from the helicopters. All dangerous and/or toxic components of the mostly-aluminum remains were removed at the air base before being transported.

The entire arrangement, to cover about 2,500 square meters, will sit near an abandoned offshore tin-mining sledge.

TDA member Jens Hofacker told the Gazette that the sinking operation will be conducted with the help of both the Royal Thai Navy and National Parks Department.

The plan is to fix the aircraft to the seabed using huge concrete blocks. Upon completion, the entire site will be surrounded with a circular barrier of concrete blocks to prevent any migration of the structures across the sea floor, he said.

The TAT says that upon completion the project it is expected to attract about 200 divers daily and generate 140 million baht in income per year.

Source : Phuket Gazette

Sailing and Diving from Phuket to Koh Tao

2008-04-07T17:37:00.005+07:00

It's here. The dive trip of a lifetime aboard the SY Sampai Jumpa, leaving Phuket on May 15 arriving in Koh Tao on June 5. On this trip we take in the West coast of Thailand including Hin Daeng, Hin Muang and Koh Lipe. We then proceed to Langkawi for some shopping, Penang for the nightlife and the Raffles marina in Singapore.

We hit the town in Singapore, starting at the Raffles hotel for a Singapore sling. After this, we dive the whole east coast of Malaysia including Palau Aur, Redang, Tioman, Tengol and the Perentian islands before heading back into Thailand.

Back in Thailand, we dive such spots as Koh Losin, Sail Rock, South West Pinnacle and finish with sunrise diving with the Reef sharks and the chance of a Whale Shark on Chumphon Pinnacle.

• View Map in Pop Up Window

In total, up to 45 dives in 3 weeks of sailing, relaxing, partying and shopping.

Now that we have your attention:

The asking price for this dive adventure of a lifetime is just 1900 Euro.

Looking for something special? Something you'll always remember? This is it.

Booking Information

For more trip information or to book this incredible 3 week cruise, you can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon Beach.

A trip to Thap Lamu and Khao Lak

2007-12-11T16:50:00.000+07:00

We like to adopt a hands on approach to liveaboards - we make sure that we inspect every boat that we offer to our customers, plus we rely on customer feedback to ensure that boats are running well throughout the season. There are a lot of liveaboards running trips to the Similan Islands; we take a look at our selection every year and make changes - some boats we decide not to offer any more, while often there are newer boats being launched. We check the boats and the prices and decide which offer the best value for money in every price range from backpacker to luxury.

A couple of weeks ago we took a trip to Khao Lak and the nearby port of Thap Lamu. We wanted to meet a few people, since some boats have their operations offices in Khao Lak, and we wanted to check a few boats.

In particular, we had to see Le Mahe which has been a top seller over the last few years, but during the summer had been in the shipyard undergoing a major refit. Many people has asked about booking Le Mahe, but we preferred not to book any customers until we had inspected the "new" Le Mahe! More about this boat later...

Thap Lamu is a large port where many Similan Islands liveaboards depart from, as well as being a fishing port and a naval base. There's not a big town here, but the port is busy. We found the Dolphin Queen liveaboard getting ready to depart, and some of the speedboats that run day trips to the Similans were sitting in the port too...

Le Mahe was parked behind the fishing boats with a small army of workers finishing the boat.. she is now (mid December) running as scheduled. We had to walk the plank to reach the boat... You won't have to do this if you take a trip on Le Mahe!

Le Mahe now looks very different to before. She was 20m long, now 26m. Inside, the downstairs twin cabins are gone, and all cabins now have large windows, TV, DVD, minibar.. sounds almost luxury - we should point out that its still a "mid price" boat, nothing too fancy but with several nice touches.

Inspection visits like this are important to us. Seeing the boat is the only way to be sure that what we are offering our customers is good quality and good value for money. Now Le Mahe is open for bookings again.

• Le Mahe - Full Boat Information

We finished the trip with a drive round Khao Lak.. not too much to see there, really. There are many nice hotels on the beach, it's very quiet, we promise no loud bars or Mc Donalds! We visited the offices for the MV Jazz and Dolphin Queen liveaboards and ate a late lunch at the "Happy Lagoon" restaurant before heading back to Phuket.

Christmas in Komodo with Moana - Special Offer

2007-11-29T10:51:00.002+07:00

Moana is a classic 24m Indonesian Phinisi Schooner, able to take up to 14 passengers for diving or cruising in Bali and Komodo. All cabins have airconditioning and en suite bathrooms. Although built in a traditional style, Moana is a modern vessel, launched in 2004 with all the comforts of a new boat.

We have a special on a 9 day cruise at Christmas time departing from Bali and ending in Komodo. Moana also makes regular 4 night trips around the Komodo National Park departing from Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores. All you have to do is get to Bali and we'll arrange the internal flights to Flores, making a 5 day package of diving, cruising and a land excursion to see the Komodo Dragons.

Special US$ 285 discount for Christmas trip from 18 - 27 December:

Trip Price - US$ 2280 - Now only US$ 1995 per person plus park fees and flight Labuan Bajo - Bali.

OR

Special US$ 100 discount for Christmas trip from 23 - 27 December:

Trip Price - US$ 998 - Now only US$ 898 per person plus park fees and return flight Bali - Labuan Bajo - Bali.

• Moana - Full Liveaboard Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646.

Last Minute Liveaboard Offers

2007-11-29T10:15:00.000+07:00

During the high season for liveaboards here in Thailand (November - May) there are often last minute places available on some boats. We certainly receommend advance booking if your schedule is tight or you have your heart sent on a particular boat, but if you are flexible and just looking for a "good deal", some last minute offers can be very sweet.

We were trying to update last minute offers on our website and this blog, but now we are into high season and things are busy around here, so all last minute offers will be on this page on our website... bookmark it!

• Last Minute Liveaboards - Special Offers

Or you can Contact Us to see what's coming up. Most last minute prices are only given a few days before departure, so if you are in the area, please do call us!

Giamani Liveaboard - Last Minute 30 November - 4 December

2007-11-08T16:25:00.001+07:00

Giamani is starting her first season in Thailand. Some trips are already fully booked, but there are places available on the next trip leaving soon!

Special 20% discount for 30 November - 4 December:

Deluxe Twin Cabins - US$ 872 - Now only US$ 698 per person
Deluxe Triple Cabins - US$ 768 - Now only US$ 614 per person
Deluxe Twin Cabins - US$ 728 - Now only US$ 582 per person

• Giamani - Full Liveaboard Information

Booking Information:

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

• Click Here for More Last Minute Offers

Colona 6 - Last Minute 9 - 15 November

2007-11-08T15:26:00.001+07:00

High season is underway, slowly... Some spaces available... The Colona 6 liveaboard has a 6 day/6 night trip from 9 - 15 November covering the Similan islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock and the Surin Islands - Hope to see you here very soon!

Special 20% discount for 9 - 15 November:

Twin En Suite Cabins - US$ 1188 - Now only US$ 950 per person

• Colona VI - Full Liveaboard Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map
• Sunrise Divers on Google Earth

Manta Rays at Hin Daeng - White Manta Last Minute

2007-11-05T14:58:00.002+07:00

White Manta has a special offer 10% discount on remaining places for the 3 day/2 night liveaboard trip to Hin Daeng, Hin Muang and Phi Phi from 7 - 10 November and the Manta Rays are here! We have had reports from 2 boats in the last 2 days of dives with Mantas cruising around the pinnacles - some very happy divers returning!

It's leaving in 2 days, so get your skates on!

Special Offer for 7 - 10 November (3 days/2 nights)

Deluxe Cabin - US$ 490 - Now only US$ 440 per person
Superior Cabin - US$ 460 - Now only US$ 415 per person
Standard Cabin - US$ 390 - Now only US$ 350 per person

• White Manta - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

MV Giamani - Last Minute 4 - 10 November

2007-10-29T16:39:00.001+07:00

Giamani is a new liveaboard for 2007, and is already proving popular. The trip from 4 - 10 November, 6 days in the Similan and Surin Islands, is almost full. We have a last minute offer for places in Standard twin cabins. Hope to see you soon!

Special 20% discount for 4 - 10 November:

Standard Cabin - US$ 1,092 - Now only US$ 874 per person - Save US$ 218!

• Giamani - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

MV Sai Mai - Special Offers in November and December

2007-10-23T13:18:00.001+07:00

Sai Mai is better known for Burma trips, but has some Similan Islands cruises coming up in the next 2 months at a special price. Sai Mai takes just 8 divers, so you are guaranteed a small group and space to relax.

Special Offer on the following trips - all 4 days / 5 nights:

6 - 11 November
1 - 6 December
6 - 11 December

Double Cabin - 970 US$ - Now only 749 US$ per person
Twin Cabin - 910 US$ - Now only 690 US$ per person

• Sai Mai - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

Pawara Liveaboard - Last Minute Offers

2007-10-22T16:35:00.001+07:00

Pawara is a new boat - just starting her second season of Thailand liveaboard trips. Loads of space and a very arty (some call it "Zen") feeling, Pawara is a top mid price choice for trips ranging from 2 - 8 days in duration.

Special Offer for 27 - 31 October

Deluxe Cabin - 1,060 US$ - Now only 859 US$ per person
Standard Cabin - 1,009 US$ - Now only 799 US$ per person

Special Offer for 16 - 22 November

Deluxe Cabin - 1,360 US$ - Now only 1,210 US$ per person
Standard Cabin - 1,285 US$ - Now only 1,120 US$ per person

• Pawara - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

West Coast Explorer - Last Minute Prices

2007-10-22T16:13:00.001+07:00

The West Coast Exlorer has always given a good value trip - twin cabins, maximum 16 guests and friendly staff - we can guarantee you'll enjoy a great trip to the Similan islands and Richelieu Rock. Next trip has some space available at a last minute price...

Special Offer for 8 - 12 November

Twin Cabin - 22,000 Baht - Now only 17,500 Baht per person

• West Coast Explorer - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

Last Minute - 2 - 8 November on Colona 6

2007-10-21T16:42:00.001+07:00

As high season gets underway we have some last minute prices for trips early in the season. The Colona 6 liveaboard has a 6 day/6 night trip from 2 - 8 November covering the Similan islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock and the Surin Islands - Hope to see you here soon!

Special 20% discount for 2 - 8 November:

Master Cabin - US$ 1248 - Now only US$ 998 per person
Twin Cabins - US$ 1188 - Now only US$ 950 per person

• Colona 6 - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

Last Minute - Queen Scuba

2007-10-16T17:52:00.001+07:00

High Season is certainly here in Phuket and Similan Islands trips have started. We have reports back from the first few trips of great visibility, big fish and flat seas - excellent! Bookings on many boats are quite full for November - December, but right now we have a few specials available (see also Latest Special Offers).

Queen Scuba has a 4 day/4 night trip coming up soon - Queen Scuba has returned to action after a low season facelift looking very nice indeed, including a whole new upper deck with a shaded seating area and a sundeck. This is one spacious boat!

Special 20% discount for 6 - 10 November:

VIP Double Cabins - 37,000 Baht - Now only 29,600 Baht per person
Standard 3 or 4 Bed Cabin - 32,000 Baht - Now only 25,600 Baht per person

• Queen Scuba - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

Last Minute - The Junk 13 - 19 October 2007

2007-10-11T17:11:00.001+07:00

High Season is here in Phuket and Similan Islands trips are starting up. Bookings on many boats are quite full for November - December, but right now we have a few specials in October (see also Latest Special Offers).

The Junk has a 5 day/6 night trip coming up in a couple of days - get on The Junk while you can! This is a great boat, totally unique and with a very experienced crew. Departure on the 13th in the evening from Phuket. Contact us now!

Special 20% discount for 13 - 19 October:

Double Cabin - US$ 1,650 - Now only US$ 1,320 per person
Shared Cabins - US$ 1,190 - Now only US$ 952 per person

• The Junk - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

Rental Diving Equipment

2007-09-24T14:28:00.000+07:00

We are in the process of servicing all our rental equipment. We do a full service on all gear every year and perform regular maintenance throughout the year at our dive center. We like to ensure that our customers have trouble-free diving with top quality, well serviced equipment. We have more than 25 full sets of equipment, with wetsuits to fit the small to the tall and fins for everyone from ballet dancers to the invisible snowman. We invest heavily in our equipment because we believe that good equipment is an important part of happy diving.

One whole floor of our dive center is devoted to equipment. We keep the area spotless and all gear is carefully washed after every use. Mouthpieces on regulators are changed often, we add new neoprene masks straps on our masks every year and often buy new masks, snorkels and fins to replace old gear.

If you dive with us and need rental gear you can be sure of getting quality rental equipment. And best of all - we charge just 20 US$ per day for a full set (BCD, regulator with octopus, shorty wetsuit, fins, mask and snorkel).

Hope to see you here diving in Thailand soon!

Special Offers and Last Minute Deals - Thailand Liveaboards

2007-09-21T15:05:00.000+07:00

Now that the high season is underway, there will be occasional last minute prices and special deals floating around. We aim to concentrate all these offers on this blog with links to full information on our web site. Since this a blog, you'll find the latest offers on top of the page, but in order to make life easier you should bookmark THIS page where we will link to all the lastest special offers on liveaboards in Thailand, Burma and even Indonesia...

For more details on any offer, for bookings or questions - contact Sunrise Divers by email - info@sunrise-divers.com or call our dive shop 076 398 040, or mobile 08 4626 4646.

Latest Thailand Liveaboard Offers

• West Coast Explorer 8 - 12 November
• Queen Scuba 6 - 10 November, 20% Off
• Pawara 16-22 November
• Giamani 4 - 10 November
• The Junk - 20% Off for Early Bookings

Latest Burma Liveaboard Offers

• Faah Yai - Pay for 2 Divers, Get One FREE!

You can also find last minute offers on our website:

• Last Minute Liveaboard Offers - Similan Islands

Latest Indonesia Liveaboard Deals

• Komodo Dancer - Save 300 US$ in December 2007

Philkade Luxury Liveaboard - Save 20% in October

2007-09-20T17:24:00.001+07:00

If someone asks us "which liveaboard is most luxurious", the answer is simple - Philkade, if you have deep pockets. The Philkade is a former private yacht converted into a 13 berth liveaboard. This is a big boat for just 13 guests, and it's not just big... everything is made from top quality materials. Philkade oozes class.

Of course, luxury is not free of charge! Philkade is also the most expensive boat that we offer, but for the month of October 2007 you can get luxury at a discount. A special early season offer has been announced - you can save 20% on the Philkade for the following 6 night trips to the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock.

21st - 27th October
27th October - 2nd November

Normal price per pax:
Deluxe Cabin ~~US$ 1,980 per person~~ - Special Price US$ 1,584 per person
Standard Cabin ~~US$ 1,680 per person~~ - Special Price US$ 1,344 per person

Philkade - Web Links

Philkade - Full Information
Philkade - Schedule 2007 - 2008

If you want a slice of luxury this is a great option for October.

For bookings or more information, email Sunrise Divers - info@sunrise-divers.com, or call our Hotline 08 4626 4646.

Thailand Liveaboard Season - Ready for Kick Off

2007-09-19T14:41:00.001+07:00

The start of the "high season" for diving in Phuket and liveaboards to the Similan Islands is just over the horizon. The main season is November to April, but you can get some great liveaboard diving at the extremities of the season in October or May. The very first departures of the season will be 1st October. The MV Jazz has confirmed trips from 1 - 5 October and 6 - 10 October, while the South Siam 3 will be heading to the Similans on the 1st ready for daily transfers by speedboat.

• MV Jazz
• South Siam 3

Save 200 US$ on the Mermaid II

Other boats will start trips later in the month. The Mermaid II has just released a special offer for new bookings received for trips on 21 - 25 October and 25 - 29 October. Normal trip price is US$ 999 per person, but you can book now for just US$ 799.

• Mermaid II

If you are looking for liveaboards in Thailand and Burma - ask us! We have been one of Thailand's leading liveaboard specialists since 1999. We know the boats, we know the dive sites, and our aim is to match you to the right boat. We select only the best boats in their price range, unlike some agents who it seems will "sell anything that floats"! We personally inspect all boats and every year we offer new liveaboards and drop old boats or boats that we no longer consider good value.

• Thailand Liveaboards
• Burma Liveaboards

For more information, try any of the links on this page, or contact us by email - info@sunrise-divers.com.

Burma Liveaboards - Diving in Myanmar

2007-09-13T14:55:00.002+07:00

The Mergui Archipelago only opened up to divers about 10 years ago, mainly because of the military regime in Myanmar who refused entry to tourists. There are stil ethical questions of course - should you go? Up to you - if you want great diving you can get it in Thailand, but if you have dived the Similans already and want something new, something off the beaten track, something remote... Burma (yeh, OK, Myanmar) is for you.

There are rumours of dive centers starting to exists inside Myanmar, but for the last 10 years the only way to dive north of the border has been by liveaboard boat. Liveaboards depart from Ranong (on the border), Thap Lamu (near Khao Lak) or Phuket. The boats departing from Thailand will include some dives in Thailand. The few that depart from Ranong do all the dives in the Mergui Archipelago.

The diving is not all easy - some currents and deep water, the trips tend to be longer, at least 5 days in duration, but your reward is to dive and cruise an almost uninhabited and not fully explored part of the world. Over the last few years, fishing and dynamiting caused damage to fish populations, but last year there was a serious crack down by the Burmese and the Faah Yai liveaboard (which runs Burma deicated trips) reported NO dynamite all of last season from November 2006 - April 2007.

Gilbert took a trip in April on the Sai Mai for 10 days - great trip. Marine life ranging from seahorses to whalesharks! It's all out there.

Burma Diving Links

• Burma Liveaboards
• Burma Dive Sites

Burma Photo Gallery

The photos on this page were taken by either Gilbert Redmann, Bernard Austermann or are courtesy of the Faah Yai Liveaboard.

Burma Liveaboards - Boat Information

• Sai Mai
• Mermaid 1
• MV Jazz
• Giamani
• Nautica
• Philkade

For more information about diving in the Mergui Archipelago, please contact Sunrise Divers - info@sunrise-divers.com or call our Phuket dive center on 076 398 040.

September Special on The Junk

2007-09-10T12:47:00.001+07:00

The Junk is one of Phuket's best known liveaboard boats. She has been cruising these waters for a fair number of years and is a unique boat - people on other boats stand and stare and wonder "wow, I wonder how much a trip costs...". The high season price is not cheap (But you can take advantage of a 20% early booking discount).

In the "low season", The Junk runs occasional cruises around Phi Phi and the Racha Islands at a very nice price... There is a confirmed trip for 4 days/5 nights from 15th - 20th September with up to 16 dives at Racha Yai, Racha Noi and the Phi Phi Islands. If you're heading this way soon, The Junk gets you to all the best local dive sites in comfort...

15th - 20th September (4 days diving / 5 nights on board)

Deluxe Double bed cabin: US$ 699 per person
Shared 3 or 4 bed cabin: US$ 549 per person

The Junk - More Information Online

• The Junk - Full Information
• The Junk Schedule 2007 - 2008 (Similan/Surin Islands)

For Bookings, please email Sunrise Divers - info@sunrise-divers.com, or call our dive center in Karon beach, Phuket on 076 398 040.

More Useful Links

• Dive Sites - Phi Phi Islands
• Dive Sites - Phuket (includes Racha Islands)
• Thailand Liveaboards - Full Listing

Mermaid 2 - Getting Better All The Time

2007-09-05T15:55:00.001+07:00

The Mermaid 2 liveaboard has been running since December 2000. Sunrise Divers very own Jamie was on the very first trip! The boat has been one of the most popular in Phuket ever since, which means 2 things - Mermaid 2 provides great service and has a great reputation and it's almost always fully booked - so if you want to book Mermaid 2, you better let us know early!

There have been a couple of important new improvements made during the summer, meaning Mermaid 2 is better than ever and ready to start trips at the end of next month...

NEW! The aircon was a bit of an achilles heel for the Mermaid 2, she always had a central unit feeding all cabins - now every cabin has it's own individually controllable aircon until. Some like it hot, some like it cold - you choose!

NEW! Liveaboard boats carry a large supply of water, but you may hear the tour leader asking people not to take 5 showers per day... on Mermaid 2 you can take 10 showers per day if you want as she now has a watermaker on board!

Also, the saloon, party deck and dining room have been improved with some beautiful timber decking, the galley has been expanded and the boat is all painted anew for the new season. We hope to have some brand new photos soon!

Mermaid 2 Web Links

• Mermaid 2 - Full Information
• Mermaid 2 - Schedule
• Mermaid 2 - Bali and Komodo Schedule

• Phuket Liveaboards - Full Listing

For Bookings or Information, contact Sunrise Divers - email info@sunrise-divers.com or call our dive center +66 (0)76 398 040.

MV Faah Yai - Friends Dive For Free! Special Offer for Burma Liveaboards

2007-09-03T16:10:00.001+07:00

The MV Faah Yai is probably the most experienced "Burma boat" you can dive with. Tour leader Alain has been diving the Mergui Archipelago for 10 years and loves the remote feel of the islands. His wife Sunan is the cook on board Faah Yai and makes some amazing dishes from her floating kitchen. Faah Yai ONLY dives in Burma and is based in Ranong, on the border about 4-5 hours drive North of Phuket. The Northerly departure point means more diving in the Mergui islands and a chance to cruise further North than other boats.

SPECIAL OFFER - Pay for 2 divers and a 3rd travels FREE! (Yes, we mean FREE, the trip price for diver 3 is ZERO). Of course there are a few bits of smallprint - valid for bookings of groups of 3, all 3 divers must share 1 cabin with a double and single bed, valid for any trip but must be booked and paid before November 30th 2007, and the 3rd (FREE) diver must pay Burma fee (US$ 200) same as any other diver.

Anyhow, no matter which way you look at it, this is a very good deal (if you are a group of 3!)

• Burma Liveaboards

For bookings, contact Sunrise Divers by email (info@sunrise-divers.com) or call the dive center (+66 (0)76 398 040) or Mobile "Hotline" (+66 (0)8 4626 4646).

Luxury Diving in Komodo - Save US$ 300 in December!

2007-08-30T11:17:00.001+07:00

Looking for a December Dive trip? Want to experience diving at a world heritage site? Like to be pampered on your liveaboards? We have the answer!

The Komodo Dancer liveaboard, one of the famous "Peter Hughes" fleet, has just announced some special offers for December 2007. You can save 300 US$ per person on the following trips:

2 - 9 December
10 - 17 December
19 - 30 December

Komodo Dancer offers the highest standards of service and the price is all inclusive - fine dining, wine and top notch divemasters complement the amazing diving to be had around the Komodo National Park.

Komodo Dancer Links

• Komodo Dancer - Full Information
• Komodo Dancer - Schedule

For Bookings and Reservations, contact Sunrise Divers by email:
info@sunrise-divers.com.

• Sunrise Divers - Full Contact Information

Black Manta Liveaboard - Top Choice for 2007 - 2008

2007-08-26T14:39:00.001+07:00

Every season, we at Sunrise Divers reassess the boats that we offer. As one of Thailand's leading liveaboard agents, our aim is to find the right boats for our guests. We don't just try to flog the most expensive thing we can find, and we won't sell "anything that floats" like some agents do. We try to select the best boats in their price range - everything from backpacker boats to top class luxury.

For this coming high season (November 2007 - April 2008), one of our top choices is the Black Manta, run by experienced people and with cabins designed by a professional interior decorator, the Black Manta is already selling fast. Some trips are already full or chartered for next season, so if you want to book - now is the time!

Although she will take up to 20 divers, the size of the boat and dive deck means that you won't feel crowded. There's a big indoor saloon (airconditioned), plus outdoor shaded seating and a spacious sundeck.

With 3 cabin types (Standard, Deluxe and Master), Black Manta is prices to suit various pockets. Since this is the first full season of operation for this boat, the prices are very attractive - double bed deluxe en suite cabins just US$ 890 per person for a 4 day/ 4 night trip to the Similan islands and Richelieu Rock, with the Master Cabin at US$ 990 per person and Standard cabin just US$ 730 per person.

Great Savings! You can book the Master or Deluxe cabins for 3 people and get them for just US$ 800 per person!

Black Manta - More Information

• Black Manta - Full Boat Information
• Black Manta - Schedule and Prices

For bookings or more details, contact Sunrise Divers by email (info@sunrise-divers.com) or call our mobile hotline +66 8 4626 4646.

• More Thailand Liveaboards
• Sunrise Divers - Thailand Diving Home Page

Similan Islands - Last Minute - Last Trip this summer!

2007-08-24T12:02:00.001+07:00

Sun is shining, weather is sweet. Makes you want to move your diving feet. This is a last minute call for the final summer trip on the Colona 6 liveaboard. This was the first summer that Colona 6 ran trips and we had some crackers! And with the weather looking very good, it's a chance not to be missed to experience the Similan islands in the off season - you will probably be the ONLY dive boat in the islands!

Special 20% discount for 26 - 30 August:

Master Cabin - US$ 760 - Now only US$ 608 per person. Save 152 US$!
Twin Cabins - US$ 720 - Now only US$ 576 per person. Save 144 US$!

Not only that, but we'll throw in all your rental gear for free too!

• Colona 6 - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

We hope to see you soon!

MV Giamani - ready for you!

2007-08-10T16:20:00.000+07:00

On Wednesday night we had a little launch party for the MV Giamani, a new liveaboard for the 2007 - 2008 season. The first trips on the boat are scheduled for early November. Jamie turned up early to get a few photos before dark. The boat is not typical of Thailand liveaboards. It is not locally built and has a very different look. Giamani is built to IMO standards and from the moment to step on board you get the idea that this is a very well built and safe boat. Maybe not as pretty as some others, maybe lacking sleek lines, but this is a dive boat, not a racing boat!

The dive deck is nice and large, with a folding dive platform that is raised when the boat is moving. The upper deck dining and seating area is spacious plus there is an indoor salon which will be equipped with TV and DVD, plus a computer for guests to use.

The standard cabins are on this upper deck - with 2 bunks, the lower one being almost a double bed (for 2 smaller people at least!) The 2 cabins share a bathroom.

On the main deck behind the dive deck you find 4 triple cabins which can be booked for 2 or 3 people. Beds are all bunk, and all cabins have a bathroom. If booking these cabins for 2 people you will find them nice and spacious. We'll wait a while for some nice cabin photos, as it was a bit dark and cloudy on Wednesday.

Giamani is not luxury, but is good quality. Importantly for us, the boat is being operated by the same group as the Colona 6, which has been providing good service since 2000. We are confident that the Giamani will be a success this season.

Giamani - More Information

• MV Giamani - Full Boat Information
• MV Giamani - Schedule and Prices 2007-2008

For bookings or more details, contact Sunrise Divers by email (info@sunrise-divers.com) or call our mobile hotline +66 8 4626 4646.

Dive Thailand - More ways to Contact Sunrise Divers

2007-08-07T15:46:00.000+07:00

We do admit to having a very nice web site and we do like you to spend time browsing and gathering information. In fact our site has so much information and handy features like our Liveaboard Search, that other dive companies sometimes use our site too!

All that info, all those dive trips to choose from.. we can help you make sense of it all. We want you to contact us! We are always here to help (unless we are sleeping, of course.. North Americans take note - New York is 12 hours behind Thailand, California is 15 hours behind - so if you call us at 2pm your time we are not going to pick up the phone!)

NEW! We have a new mobile hotline for bookings and information. We will keep this mobile turned on during "waking hours" - not 24 hours, but on average from 7am - 9pm every day. Our dive center is open 9am - 6pm at the moment, so the mobile gives you more time to contact us, and we do like to chat :)

Mobile Hotline: 08 4626 4646
Dive Center: 076 398 040

(International calls add 66 and remove the first zero, but you know that...)

LIVE CHAT! Well, a mobile is pretty live, but we also have SKYPE and WINDOWS LIVE MESSENGER on the computer at our dive center, so you can chat online.

Live Chat: sunrisedivers
Live Chat: Messenger

If all else fails, there is always "good old" email - just drop us a line and we will try to answer you within 1 working day.

Email: info@sunrise-divers.com

Finally, if you just want to read our web site and contact us when you arrive, live and in person at our dive shop, please see the links below...

Sunrise Divers Web Links

Location Map - Karon Beach
Instructions for your Taxi Driver (in Thai)
Sunrise Divers Home Page
Sunrise Divers Enquiry Form

We hope to hear from you soon!

The Junk - Diving in Thailand

2007-08-06T14:20:00.001+07:00

There's a huge choice of liveaboards here in Thailand. You can spend hours surfing the web and find a dozen boats that all seem to offer luxury service, the best dining, the most experienced staff... This is where Sunrise Divers can help. With many years of experience, we know what makes a good liveaboard. Every year we re-evaluate the boats that we offer, always looking only to offer the best selection of Thailand liveaboards.

The Junk (full name: June Hong Chian Lee) has been around for many years already, but despite her "age" is still a boat that we would not hesitate to recommend. This is something a little bit different.. I mean, you're going diving on a Chinese Junk!

The crew and dive staff really are experienced, the food really is great and you have Mr Chin to wake you in the morning with his rooster impressions. The deck is spacious, and the diving very well organised. The boat being so large, you will almost always dive from a dinghy (RIB) rather than directly from The Junk. RIB diving means your group all enters the water at the same time (back roll) and means you enter right on the spot where you wish to descend.

During high season (November - April), The Junk runs 5 day / 6 night cruises which include the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock PLUS at least a couple of dives in the Surin islands. The dive sites of the Surin islands are mostly overlooked, since you don't really have time to fit everything into a standard 4 day trip. The extra day of diving that you get on The Junk means you get to see more dive sites.

EARLY BOOKING!

If you book for the Similan / Surin Islands trips more than 3 months in advance, you qualify for a 15% discount!

Trip price is US$ 1,650 (double bed cabin) or US$ 1,190 (shared bunk cabin).

With the early booking offer you can book for US$ 1,320 / US$ 952!

Web Links

• The Junk - Full Boat Information
• The Junk - Schedule
• Thailand Liveaboards Overview

For Bookings or More Information, contact Sunrise Divers by email (info@sunrise-divers.com) or call our mobile hotline +66 8 4626 4646.

Last Minute - Colona 6 - Similan Islands 12 - 16 August

2007-07-31T12:37:00.001+07:00

This summer, Colona 6 decided to run a few Similan Islands cruises and it's been a very good decision for those guests who decided to come this summer. The next trip is coming up this week and we have space available. Book Now!

Special 20% discount for 12 - 16 August:

Master Cabin - US$ 760 - Now only US$ 608 per person
Twin Cabins - US$ 720 - Now only US$ 576 per person

• Colona 6 - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers Hotline 08 4626 4646. If you are already in Phuket, come and see us at our dive center in Karon:

• Sunrise Divers - Location Map

Phi Phi Islands Overnight Dive Trip - Special Offer for August and September

2007-07-22T13:35:00.001+07:00

One of our most popular trips from Phuket is the 7 dive Phi Phi Overnight special. These 2 day dive trips have been running for many years and became so popular that last season we started offering 2 trips per week! The trips now start on Friday or Monday, and for the next 2 months we have a special offer available!

Phi Phi Overnight - ~~9,900 Baht~~ - NOW 7,990 Baht per person!

Included: 7 dives, hotel transfers, all meals, hotel accommodation on Phi Phi at the Bayview, drinking water, tea, coffee, breakfast at the hotel, divemaster service, tanks and weights.

Extra: Rental dive equipment at 500 Baht per day, soft drinks and beers purchased at the hotel or on the boat.

Diving Information:

• Phi Phi Overnight Trips
• Phi Phi Dive Sites

Bookings and Enquiries

• Email: info@sunrise-divers.com

• Sunrise Divers - Full Contact Information

Photos of Mermaid 1 - Burma Liveaboard

2007-07-18T14:22:00.000+07:00

Back in March, Gilbert from Sunrise Divers took a cruise up in Burma for 10 days. We'll add some photos from the cruise sometime soon. He was actually diving on the Sai Mai, but had the chance to take some photos of the Mermaid 1 too. Both of these boats run Burma cruises from November - April. The cruises start and end in Thailand, so you have a couple of days in the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock as part of the cruise too. The dive sites in Burma are uncrowded - during Gilbert's 10 day trip he saw just 4 other dive boats!

Burma Diving Links

• Mermaid 1 Liveaboard
• Sai Mai Liveaboard
• Burma Liveaboards Overview
• Burma Dive Sites

Mermaid 1 Photos - Diving in Burma

All photos © copyright Gilbert Redmann. Please do not reproduce.

Andaman Islands - Mermaid 1 dives the final frontier

2007-07-16T11:15:00.001+07:00

The Mermaid 1 liveaboard keeps pushing the boundaries. She started with Similan Islands cruises, expanded North into the Mergui Archipelago, has a summer schedule in the Komodo National Park and now has plans for something special...

The Andaman Islands are part of India, although are actually closer to Thailand. These remote islands are barely open to tourism and very few dive boats have ventured this way. The reefs are healthy and hardly touched by fishing, the waters are said to be like fish soup, and there are incredible underwater hot springs to be discovered. This is the chance of a lifetime!

There is just one exploratory trip planned for April 2008 (see dates below) and two trips in 2009. We suggest early booking to avoid disappointment.

Cruise Dates and Prices - 2008 and 2009

6 - 17 April 2008 - Special 11 night exploration cruise with up to 40 dives

Master or Single Cabins - 4,390 US$ per person
Deluxe Cabins - 3,990 US$ per person
Budget Cabins - 3,490 US$ per person

25 February - 7 March 2009 or 8 - 18 March 2009
9 Days diving / 10 Nights - up to 36 dives

Master or Single Cabins - 4,390 US$ per person
Deluxe Cabins - 3,990 US$ per person
Budget Cabins - 3,490 US$ per person

How To Get There...

These cruises will depart from Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. Flights are via Calcutta or Madras. There is a chance of Bangkok - Port Blair flights. There is even talk of Phuket - Port Blair flights. Stay tuned.

For the 2008 exploration cruise, all guests must be experienced Advanced Open Water certified divers. For 2009, the cruises will be open to all.

If you have a dive group and want the ultimate charter - consider Mermaid 1 in the Andaman Islands. The full charter rate for 10 nights for up to 15 divers is 59,050 US$ - approx 3,900 US$ per person.

Full Boat Information:
MV Mermaid I - Mermaid I Schedule 2007-2009

Bookings and Information: Email info@sunrise-divers.com

Sunrise Divers - Full Contact Information

Sick dolphin finds help at Karon Beach

2007-07-02T17:17:00.000+07:00

A baby dolphin found help from local people when it was found washing up on Karon Beach yesterday. It's not clear what was wrong but it seems the little 'un must have lost it's mum somehow. Local people tried to carry the 30kg dolphin back into deeper water but it did not seem to have energy for swimming. Eventually the dolphin was taken to the Phuket Marine Biological Center at Cape Panwa to be looked after.

News Source: Thairath.co.th

• Phuket Aquarium and Marine Biological Center

Update: a later story in the Phuket Gazette said that a second dolphin had been found in Phang Nga. It is not known what's wrong with them or if they will survive.

New Half Day Speedboat Dive Trips from Phuket

2007-07-01T16:46:00.002+07:00

UPDATE 2008 - SORRY THESE TRIPS ARE NO LONGER RUNNING

From now until September, the Reefseeker Speedboat will run half day dive trips to Koh He (aka Coral Island) every Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Ideal for those who like to wake up late, or want to dive on the day they arrive in Phuket. We often have guests asking for afternoon trips enabling them to fly in and get wet right away! Now you can!

Reefseeker takes small groups - maximum 10 divers and has plenty of space to relax too. It's not a normal speedboat, but has been specially designed for diving.

Reefseeker Speedboat - Coral Island Day Trips - Prices

Divers - 2,400 Baht (2 dives)
Snorkeling - 2,000 Baht

Pick up times around 12pm in Patong, 12:30pm in Karon / Kata Beaches. It's only 20 minutes to Coral Island, and the area is sheltered from the occasional low season winds, so seasickness is not a problem. You'll be back home around 5pm.

Included in the price: snack, fruits, drinking water, coffee & tea, dive guide (3-5 divers per guide), tanks, weights & weight belts, towels, transfer between boat & hotel (Patong, Karon, Kata, Chalong only)

Excluded in the price: lunch, soft drinks (30B a can), beers (60B a can), rental equipment (Full set 600 B)

Bookings: Call Sunrise Divers on 076 398 040 or email info@sunrise-divers.com

Colona 6 Liveaboard - Similan Islands in July - Special Offer

2007-06-22T09:40:00.002+07:00

The Colona 6 liveaboard has been operating Similan islands cruises since 2000, and is one of the best known and most respected boats in the area. She's not a luxury boat, but is a comfortable mid priced liveaboard designed by divers for divers, and always offers quality service with an experienced crew.

Normally, Colona 6 floats in the harbour all summer, but this year she is running 4 day/ 4 night cruises to the Similan Islands during July and August, and we now have a special offer available for all remaining places in July!

Special 20% discount for the following trips:

1 - 5 July
15 - 19 July
29 July - 2 August

Master Cabin - ~~US$ 760~~ - Now only US$ 608 per person
Twin Cabins - ~~US$ 720~~ - Now only US$ 576 per person

• Colona 6 - Full Boat Information

Booking Information

You can email to info@sunrise-divers.com or call Sunrise Divers - 076 398 040

Early Bird Booking offers for Thailand Liveaboards

2007-06-18T11:01:00.001+07:00

They do say that the early bird catches the worm... We don't wish to rush anyone's decision making, and we know that the "high season" for Thailand liveaboards is still more than 4 months away (November - May), but there are some early booking special offers on a few boats that we should tell you about.

<MV Jazz offers a good deal for a mid priced liveaboard, taking just 16 divers in comfortable twin or double bed cabins with en suite bathrooms. There are 4 day trips in the Similans or Burma; or you can combine the two into an 8 day cruise.

MV Jazz - Book Before August 1st for a 15% discount!

Similan Islands 4 days / 4 nights - ~~US$ 874~~ - Early Booking US$ 743
Burma 4 days / 5 nights - ~~US$ 1,080~~ - Early Booking US$ 918
Similan & Burma 8 days / 9 nights - ~~1,857~~ - Early Booking US$ 1,579

• MV Jazz - click here for full information

Pawara started trips just last year and quickly developed a good reputation. The price has gone up since last season, but until the end of August you can book Similan Islands, Hin Daeng or combination trips at last seasons price!

MV Pawara - Book Before August 31st and save!

Similan Islands 4 days / 4 nights
Standard Cabin ~~US$ 1,009~~ - Early Booking US$ 799
Deluxe Cabin ~~US$ 1,060~~ - Early Booking US$ 859

Similan & Hin Daeng 6 days / 7 nights
Standard Cabin ~~1,309~~ - Early Booking US$ 1,120
Deluxe Cabin ~~1,395~~ - Early Booking US$ 1,210

• MV Pawara - click here for full information

• Thailand Liveaboards - Full Listing

Komodo Liveaboards - Diving and Dragons

2007-06-15T14:34:00.001+07:00

A few years ago, the Mermaid 1 liveaboard started heading for Bali in the summer months looking for somewhere to dive while the Andaman Sea had it's low season. Bali is the start point for several liveaboard cruises heading for Komodo, land of the Komodo Dragons. Some other boats base themselves out of the island of Flores, just to the east of Komodo.

Sunrise Divers followed the Mermaid 1 down to Bali, and in 2005 Gilbert made a 6 day/ 7 night trip from Bali to Komodo and back. While in Bali, Gilbert checked out other liveaboards, looking for comfortable boats that offered year round diving in the area (since the Mermaid 1 is only there from June - October).

We now have a good selection of boats for diving the Komodo area with cruises ranging in length from 4 nights up to 11 nights. The Mermaid 1 just did her first trip of the year and reported seeing 20 mantas on 1 dive, rare Hippocampus denise (pygmy seahorses), dolphins, sharks in good numbers, loads of fish of all sizes, all the "usual" critters, 6 Komodo Dragons in the park and dragons on the beach in Rinca! Naturally the guests were all very happy.

The trips are very popular - Mermaid 1 is full on many trips already for 2007, but we have the 2008 schedule on line - now is the time to book! In addition, next year the Mermaid II will join her sister for a couple of months in Bali, so you'll have 2 Mermaids to choose from!

We have just added the Komodo Dancer liveaboard to our web site - the Komodo Dancer is part of the well known Peter Hughes Dancer fleet, offering top quality service and year round diving in Komodo.

Komodo Web Links

• Mermaid 1 - Full Information
• Komodo Dancer - Full Information
• Mona Lisa - Full Information
• Moana - Full Information

Introducing the MV Giamani - Thailand and Burma liveaboard cruises

2007-06-15T12:40:00.001+07:00

At Sunrise Divers we always keep our finger on the pulse of scuba diving in Thailand. And as liveaboard specialists we keep our eyes open for new boats that offer high standards and represent good value for money. There are a lot of liveaboards out there. Our job is to select the best to offer our customers. New liveaboard boats appear just about every year. This year we are happy to announce the arrival of the MV Giamani.

Run by the same team as the well known Colona 6, the MV Giamani promises excellent standards of service and has a schedule to suit divers looking for more than just a short 3 - 4 day trip. There are many 6 and 9 day trips covering the Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock and Burma.

Giamani will take up to 16 divers, although it is likely that the maximum will be more like 12 on most trips. Four of the deluxe cabins can be booked as double or triple share, so we imagine most of the time the cabins will be booked by couples or buddy teams rather than triples. It would be ideal for 3 friends or a couple with a junior diver child to share a triple.

MV Giamani Links

• Giamani - Full Information
• Giamani - Schedule and Prices

• Thailand Liveaboards - Full Listing by Sunrise Divers

Sunrise Divers Blog

2007-06-08T13:32:00.000+07:00

Welcome to Sunrise Divers Blog!

This will be the place to find dive news, special offers, photos, trip reports and more. We are based in Karon Beach, Phuket and offer liveaboards, PADI dive courses, day trips and more.

It might be a while before this blog gets going, so if you are looking for more information, the best place to start is our web site...

Sunrise Divers - Diving Thailand, Burma and Indonesia

If you're thinking of diving soon, please do drop us an email to info@sunrise-divers.com

Happy diving,

The Sunrise Divers Team