LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE
At a glance...
- Visits Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock
- Longest established liveaboard operator in Phuket
- Dive The World Gold Range product
- Popular with young budget-minded divers
- Cabins with large sliding windows
- Communal bathrooms
Click on an image to enlarge
Daranee is one of the best low budget scuba liveaboard options in Thailand. It is popular with young travellers from all over the world and this makes the Daranee a fun and laid back boat to dive on and to make new friends.
The Daranee's service encapsulates all that is best about Thai culture. Our customers repeatedly tell us that the crew is the friendliest around, always ready with a smile and a joke, and always available when help is required.
Being a Thai-owned liveaboard boat, the food on board is delicious and authentic Thai, and is served buffet style on the upper deck saloon area, where the crew sits and chats with their guests after a busy day's diving.
The large cabin size, together with the large sliding windows, lend a light and airy feel. You can have the cabin windows open if you like the fresh sea air, or you can close the windows and turn up the air conditioning to really cool down.
Scheduled departures, prices, destinations, durations...
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More Trip Details...
Dive experience: Participants are recommended to have PADI Advanced Open Water or Adventure Deep Dive certification to get the most from the trip. Open Water certified divers must have a minimum of 20 logged dives prior to cruise departure date.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, return transfers to the boat from hotels in Kata, Karon, Patong Beach and the airport in Phuket and from hotels in Khao Lak, dives (as detailed in the trips above), experienced English-speaking divemaster(s) (4-5 divers per DM), tanks, weights and weightbelts, torches, all taxes.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment (US$ 17 per day), dive insurance, Similan and Surin park fees at approximately US$ 6 per day, with an entry fee of US$ 14 per park. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash or credit card).
Optional extras: Soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, dive computer, torches, nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers (approx. US$ 11 per tank, must be ordered in advance), 15 litres tank available for rent (approx US$ 9 per day). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: Daranee's liveaboard cruises depart at 8 pm from Tap Lamu, Khao Lak in Phang Nga, or from Patong Beach in Phuket. Boarding is at 7 pm. A minibus service from all hotels in Phuket to and from the boat is provided (approximately 2 hours transfer to Khao Lak).
The last dive of the trip will be at around 11 am and the boat arrives back at the pier at 2 pm. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving. For more details, including airlines, see our Thailand travel information section.
Non-diver rate: approx.12% off the published price.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): Add 80% to published price.
Dive clubs and group discounts: See whole boat charter rate below.
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 16 divers and 2 additional persons can join the cruise in a Standard cabin free of charge (total 18 guests).
Cabins, Berths, Showers, Bathrooms...
There are 7 twin bunk cabins and 1 quad bunk bed cabin on the main deck.
All the cabins have:
- Individually-controlled air conditioning
- Bedding
- Sea-view windows
- Reading lamps
- Dressing table
- Mains outlet 220 Volts AC & 24 Volts DC - 24 hours per day
No. of bathrooms / showers - 3 / 3 - cold water - no hand basins installed
Crew, Facilities, Dive Courses...
The liveaboard crew comprises:
- 3 Divemasters
- Captain
- Cook
Motorised dinghy - comfortable dive deck - Video & music system on upper deck - Sundeck on top of captain's cabin without sun matresses
No saloon.
PADI certification courses available including Advanced Open Water Diver.
Menu, Cuisine Type...
- Thai main meal dishes and continental breakfast.
- Buffet-style service on upper deck - choose from 4 or 5 main dishes with soup and salad.
- Vegetarian requirements can be catered for.
- Dinner is also provided on the first evening of the cruise.
- Operator considers the food to be good value and of high importance.
- Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, water, fruits and biscuits are provided free of charge.
- Soft drinks and beer are available.
Technical Specifications...
- Built in year 1981, re-designed in 2000
- Size - 24m x 5m
- Top speed - 12 knots
- Cruising speed - 9 knots
- 2 x 380 HP Hino EK100 engines
- 2 x generators
- 2 x Bauer Mariner dive tank compressors
- Electricity 220V & 24V - 24 hours per day
- Water capacity - 9,000 litres
- Fuel capacity - 6,000 litres
Navigation, Safety Features...
- Motorised dinghy
- Ship to ship radio
- Global Positioning System (GPS)
- Sounder
- Mobile telephone
- Medic First Aid Box
- Oxygen - 8,000 litres
- Life jackets in bow
- Fire extinguishers
- No life rafts
Customer reviews:
"
They were very good. I felt that this boat was a great value for the money. The liveaboard boat was well maintained and clean. The food was abundant and good. The staff was friendly." -
Dee A Klein, South Africa, 5 January 2010 ...
"
Great hardworking crew, clean ship, excellent food and refreshments, great knowledgeable dive masters and an excellent atmosphere." -
Wolf Schmidt, United States of America, 2 January 2008 ...
"
The Thai dive boat crew were excellent, the service was excellent and they did everything to assist divers. The guides were also excellent, efficient and friendly." -
David Williams, Australia, 2 January 2007 ...
"
Awesome boat crew, divemasters who were knowledgeable and excited about diving. Great boat, excellent captain. Good food. All round good scuba diving." -
Thierry Gazagnes, France, 13 January 2006 ...
"
Staff and facilities were excellent, Warren Murray was our divemaster, very professional and very very helpful. Boat fantastic much larger than expected." -
Julie Green, United Kingdom, 13 January 2006 ...