Thailand 2010 Liveaboard
|
What: Where: When: Price: Info: |
NCRD'S Thailand Liveaboard Package has SOLD OUT, and trip registration is closed.
If you would like to add your name to the waiting list for an off-chance that a confirmed participant
may drop out, please email
the Trip Leaders.
This eight-day trip on one of the best, most experienced, most affordable dive boats in the rarely accessed and amazing Mergui Archipelago offers 12 lucky divers the superb gay-friendly experience of diving not only the renowned Similan islands but also one of the last unspoiled dive areas in the world. Three different cabin types offer a range of affordable prices for diving, departing from and returning to Phuket, Thailand. Diving highlights in the area are a huge diversity of fish and small creatures, soft corals, and chances to see lots of big things like reef sharks, giant mantas, large schools of big fish, and often even whale sharks. Most diving in this area is suitable for advanced beginner, intermediate and experienced divers . Maximum depth is 30 meters and currents are variable and occasionally strong. A deposit of $500 opens your way to a dive adventure of a lifetime! Spend Thanksgiving of 2010 in the tropics, with the chance of whale shark sightings!
The trip sails from Tap Lamu, north of Phuket, the evening of November 23, and returns to Tap Lamu December 1, in the late afternoon. Participants may arrive Phuket International Airport on departure day, but should plan to arrive the 22nd to provide a cushion and to adjust to the time change. Return can be arranged as early as Dec 2, in the afternoon or evening. Phuket, Krabi, and Phi Phi Island are all nearby for those wishing to extend the trip prior to or after the cruise. Phuket International can be reached in one stop on Korean Air, China Air, and Cathay Pacific. All other airlines will involve connections in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, or Singapore. The trip is scheduled over the Thanksgiving holiday, which will give some participants an extra two "free" vacation days.
The Similans, including the Surin Islands, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon, and Richilieu Rock are among the most popular dive sites in the world. Great visibility and an abundance of small and big critters! The Season lasts from early November to early May. Our trip is scheduled near the beginning of the season which usually is a good time for smooth sailing and dry weather.
The Mergui Archipelago in the south of Myanmar (Burma) remains one of the world's last completely unspoiled and almost unexplored tourist destinations. There are over 800 Islands, islets and outcrops and plenty of coral reefs with an abundance of wildlife waiting to be discovered. After being off limits to any foreign visitors for over 50 years, only since 1997 the Mergui Archipelago has been slowly opened for mild eco-tourism, allowing only a very few local and foreign liveaboard and adventure tour operators to enter with their guests for short visits.
During this trip you can dive sites in Myanmar such as Shark Cave, Black Rock, North Twin, Western Rocky, and the Burma Banks. With a large range of dive sites there is a great mixture of hard and soft coral reefs, pinnacles, small islets with several large and spacious cavern type swimthroughs. Though marine life in Myanmar has previously suffered through unchecked fishing practices, this now seems to be under control, leaving many undisturbed sites. On the dive sites within Myanmar you can see snappers, surgeon fish, goat fish, barracuda, bat fish and many more. The macro life here is excellent too, with a large variety of nudibranchs as well as seahorses, ghost pipefish, cowries and shrimp in every crack and crevice. Shark numbers in Myanmar seem to be on the rise too. During the last few seasons guests have observed whale sharks, manta rays, white tip reef sharks, gray reef sharks, nurse sharks as well as eagle rays and marbled whip rays.
 |
 |
 |
Aboard Nautica we dive 4 dives per day, except on the day of Myanmar entry, which will typically be 3 dives, and on the last day, which is a 2 dive day. 29 dives is typical for the 8 day trip, but the actual number of dives will depend on conditions. Most diving in this area is suitable for advanced beginner, intermediate and experienced. Maximum depth is 30 meters and currents are variable and sometimes strong. Dive sites will be chosen by the cruise director to suit the experience level of the group. Visibility is typically excellent and water temperatures are warm, typically 27C. A 3 mm shorty or full suit is sufficient. Nitrox fills are available aboard Nautica.
This cruise on M/V Nautica includes exploration dives at virgin dive sites and visits to unexplored islands in the Mergui Archipelago.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
M/V Nautica was built in 2004 to the specifications of the International Maritime Organization (I.M.O.), ensuring that she meets all modern safety standards throughout. Nautica is designed to comfortably accommodate small groups of up to 12 guests in 1 double bed Master Cabin, 4 twin/double bed Standard Cabins, and 1 twin bunk cabin. All cabins of M /V Nautica are tastefully decorated, featuring teak wood floors and wall paneling and offer maximum privacy and comfort with en-suite bathrooms, hot/cold shower, individual air-conditioning, panoramic windows, a wardrobe for your private belongings, bedside table for extra storage and mini-bar. Each cabin has 24 hour 220V power supply to charge your underwater diving cameras or digital cameras and other electric equipment. M/V Nautica has a 12000 liter freshwater tank and a 2000 liter a day water maker.
The big panoramic windows allow plenty of fresh air and light into the cabins. The Master Cabin on M/V Nautica is on the upper deck level behind the wheel house and includes a Queen size bed and extra desk space. All 4 Twin/Double Bed Cabins and 1 Bunk Bed Cabin of MV Nautica are on the main deck level. The main features of the 4 Twin/Double Bed Cabins are , the adjustable twin/double bed, shower and toilet. The Bunk Bed Cabin does not have the luxury of shower and toilet inside the cabin and shares facilities with the dive staff.
The spacious open-air buffet & Dining area is located on the upper deck and serves also as the main gathering place for briefings, diving courses, watching films and playing games. Meals are served 3 times a day in buffet-style with a variety of tasty Thai and European dishes to choose from. Fruit, snacks, tea, coffee and soft drinks are freely available throughout the trip. Beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages available for purchase at our MV Nautica bar counter.
The spacious scuba dive deck is designed to avoid clutter and make your scuba diving an easy and enjoyable experience. There are two freshwater showers, a separate bathroom, extra storage space for diving equipment, wetsuit drying racks, two water exit ladders and a rinse tank for your underwater cameras and scuba diving computers. M/V Nautica is also equipped with weights, weight belts, 20 x 80 cu. ft. (10.7 liters) aluminum tanks with INT valves for use with standard yoke regulators, as well as a Nitrox blending station. The scuba diving tanks are conveniently filled between dives using our 2 on-board Bauer Mariner 250E compressors and our oxygen clean system.
$500 deposit is required to hold a space on the trip. Only 12 spaces are available. Confirm availability on the trip before sending a check. Checks may be made payable to Northern California Rainbow Divers, and mailed to Tommy Todd, PO Box 640388, San Francisco CA 94164.
| Price | 1st deposit | 2/15/2010 | 5/15/2010 | 8/15/2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master cabin | $2200 |
$500 |
$500 |
$500 |
$700 |
| Standard cabin | $1995 |
$500 |
$500 |
$500 |
$495 |
| Bunk cabin | $1750 |
$500 |
$500 |
$500 |
$250 |
** Non-members add $500 to this pricing. Price is based on payment by check. Optionally PayPal may be used with a 3% add on fee.
Included:
- one space, double occupancy, on the M/V Nautica 8 day 8 night charter
- all meals and non-alcoholic beverages on board
- use of weights, weight belts and tanks
- transfers from local hotel
Not included:
- Mergui Archipelago fee (payable to Myanmar officials, $200 cash)
- Similan National Park Fees (2400 Thai Baht)
- Expenditures of personal nature, such as alcoholic beverages, souvenirs, tip for crew etc.
- Trip cancellation and medical insurance
- Rental scuba equipment
- Nitrox Fills
- Airfare and hotels
We enter Myanmar ( Burma ) under a license agreement from the Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. Passengers for these dive cruises do not need a visa, but are required to pay an entry free of $ 200. Fee is subject to change without prior notice.
Several airlines offer one stop service from San Francisco to Phuket. Others involve additional connections in Bangkok. For comparison and planning, airfare pricing of around $1100 round trip for travel November this year is available on Cathay Pacific with one stop in Hong Kong, China Air with one stop in Taipei, and Korean Air with one stop in Seoul. Four-star resort hotels in Khao Lak, near our port, are available for approximately $50 per person per night, double occupancy.
The trip sails from Tap Lamu, north of Phuket, the evening of November 23, and returns to Tap Lamu December 1, in the late afternoon. Participants may arrive Phuket International Airport on departure day, but should plan to arrive the 22nd to provide a cushion and to adjust to the time change. Return can be arranged as early as Dec 2, in the afternoon or evening. No formal trip extensions will be offered, though there are many options for spending additional days in Southeast Asia. Phuket, Krabi, and Phi Phi Island are all nearby for those wishing to extend the trip prior to or after the cruise. Travelers can easily book extensions to Bangkok, other parts of Thailand, Angkor Wat, Vietnam, Laos, or Malaysia.
You are strongly encouraged to purchase separate trip insurance to cover unforeseen events that may result in interruption or cancellation of your vacation.
We recommend getting insurance very early -- within a week of your first deposit for this trip -- in order to cover the widest possible range of risks. Read policy details carefully when buying trip insurance, and be aware that many policies require purchase at the time the trip is first booked.
We also recommend joining DAN, to assure that you have coverage for emergency transport to hyperbaric chamber treatment, which can be very expensive, and consider enhancing membership with the various options offered by DAN. The nearest hyperbaric chamber for this trip is in Phuket at the Bangkok Phuket Hospital.
We cannot predict the political stability of the countries to which we travel. You are encouraged to avail yourself of all pertinent information, including US State Department Travel Warnings, when deciding to travel overseas. You are strongly encouraged to purchase separate trip insurance.
Because we plan specialized dive trips for small groups, Northern California Rainbow Divers (NCRD) trips are not refundable. If you discover that you are unable to attend our trip, you may try to find a replacement for yourself who is willing to buy your spot from you. Alternatively, if the trip sells out, the Trip Leader may be able to refer a possible replacement for you from the trip waiting list. If you must cancel, or think you might have to cancel, notify the Trip Leader as soon as possible to improve your chances of finding a replacement. NCRD strongly encourages trip participants to purchase trip insurance to minimize the risk of financial loss in the event of an unforeseen cancellation or trip cessation.
Northern California Rainbow Divers (CST 2092387-40) is registered with the State of California as an authorized California Seller of Travel. California Sellers of Travel are required by the State to hold trip funds in escrow or to deposit trip payments into a trust account until all vendors have been paid.
California Sellers of Travel may be participants in the Travel Consumer Restitution Fund (TCRF). NCRD is a participant in the TCRF. In the event that you suffer a loss due to bankruptcy, cessation of operations, insolvency, or material failure of a registered Seller of Travel to provide the transportation or travel services contracted, you may be able to receive compensation from the Fund. Visit www.tcrcinfo.com for more information about the Fund, including how to make a claim.
NCRD makes every effort to contract travel services from reputable vendors. However, if these vendors are located outside of the United States and provide their services to you outside the U.S., they are not required to comply with the California Seller of Travel laws or to participate in the Travel Consumer Restitution Fund. If such a vendor ceases operations, you will not be entitled to file a claim with the TCRF. In this event, your claim would be directly with the vendor, and not with the TCRF or NCRD. You should evaluate the risks and possible consequences of vendor non-performance carefully before signing up for any trip outside the U.S. NCRD strongly encourages trip participants to purchase trip insurance if you are unwilling to accept these risks.
Email:
Contact the Thailand 2010 trip leader, Tom Todd at thailand2010@rainbowdivers.org