Since 2007, the imposing figure of the MV Giamani, an internationally-owned Phuket liveaboard, has been operating dive trips in Thailand and Myanmar.
Accommodating a maximum of 10 scuba divers, the high-bowed Giamani is very spacious and there is always plenty of room for the guests to find their own space. The cabins are all air conditioned with sea view windows and are comfortable and tastefully furnished. The 4 Deluxe cabins are en-suite and 1 Master double/twin cabin are all air-conditioned and have ensuite bathroom facilities.
You can choose to spend your relaxation time on Giamani in the air-con lounge which is fully equipped with all the entertainment facilities you could wish for including TV, DVD player, music system and library. If you prefer to hang out in the open air, cooled by the sea breezes, then you can either sit in the shade in the liveaboard's roomy outdoor dining area on the upper deck or head to the bow and catch some rays on the sundeck.
The dive deck is spacious and the boat features separate camera rinse tanks and a camera table, so it's ideal for serious underwater photographers. Firmly established as a leading light in the Phuket liveaboard scene, the steel hulled MV Giamani could be a great choice for you.
There are 4 Deluxe double/twin bunk cabins on the middle deck, and 1 Master double/twin cabin on the upper deck. All beds are 220 x 70 cm.
The spacious Master cabin is on the upper deck, has a sofa-bed to allow for twin sharing.
All the cabins have:
- Air-conditioning
- Ensuite bathrooms
- Small windows
- Ensuite Deluxe cabins have toilet, mirror, hot water shower, towels and hand basin
- Reading lights
- Mini fridge
- Twin flat prong mains outlet 220 volts - 24 hours per day
- Bedding and cabinet
- Life jackets
No. of bathrooms / showers - 5 / 5 - hot water
Phi Phi islands, Hin Daeng & Hin Muang (3 Days / 2 Nights - 7 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, manta rays, turtles
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Koh Ha, Phi Phi Islands, Shark Point and Koh Dok Mai
Day 1
The MV Giamani departs in the late afternoon from Chalong pier. A transfer from Phuket hotels to the yacht can be arranged for you. The liveaboard will leave port and head to Koh Ha while the guests are having dinner., which will be choices from local Thai cuisine and international favourites. The tour leader will give a briefing about the boat amenities, an overview of the diving safari, and introduce the professional crew that will do all in their power to deliver a great tour. Be assigned to your cabin and spend the rest of the evening getting to know everyone onboard. Diving will begin on the next day.
Core Days
Your diving experience begins with a check-out dive near Koh Ha, where 2 huge 2 huge open caves are the highlights. The eastern cave is the deepest, starting at 15m.
A substantial breakfast with cooked choices will be served while the boat cruises to Hin Daeng, which is another great dive spot. It is a submerged boulder pinnacle covered with healthy soft corals in various shades of red. A lot of fish action takes place here when the current attracts marine life to the rock, including manta rays and even whale sharks. Schools of reef fish seem to be everywhere, giving great opportunities for some amazing underwater pictures. Lunch is served buffet style on the upper deck and in large portions.
An afternoon dive is scheduled at Hin Muang, while the sunset dive could be a repetition of either Hin Daeng or Hin Muang. Hin Muang's main feature are the purple soft corals and anemones which cover most of the rock. You can discover a great variety of marine marvels in just one dive here, from reef sharks to tiny harlequin shrimps. A short cruise to the Phi Phi islands will follow as you are having dinner. The boat will moor in a secluded bay from where you can enjoy a sky filled with countless stars and the peace around you.
Day 3
Wake up on the final day to hot drinks and cookies before getting ready for an early morning dive at either Koh Bida Nok or Koh Bida Nai at Phi Phi. The next 2 dives will be on the way to Phuket. The boat will then cruise back to Chalong to disembark the guests in the afternoon.
Similan, Richelieu Rock & Khao Lak (5 Days / 4 Nights - 14 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, manta rays, turtles
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Khao Lak: Sea Chart Wreck. Premchai Wreck
Day 1
The MV Giamani sets off in the late afternoon from Chalong. The liveaboard will leave the harbour and travel overnight to the Similan islands while the guests are having dinner. The trip leader will give a briefing about the boat amenities, an overview of the diving trip, and introduce the crew. Be assigned to your berth and spend the rest of the evening getting to know everyone on board. Diving will begin the following day.
Core Days
The Similan National Park, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, and Richelieu Rock will be your dive sites for the next few days.
You should see whitetip reef sharks, leopard sharks, nurse sharks, turtles, and shoals of sweetlips, along with smaller marine life like Similan Islands jawfish and mantis shrimps. Diving at the Similan Islands offers 2 distinct and spectacular underwater environments. The eastern dive sites generally feature gently sloping coral reefs with vast gardens of hard corals and pure white, sandy bottoms. These areas are typically calmer, with moderate currents, making them excellent for all skill levels and for observing plentiful reef fish, turtles, and colourful invertebrate life.
In contrast, the western dive sites are characterised by dramatic topography. Here, gigantic granite boulders tumble down into the depths, creating an exciting maze of swim-throughs, caverns, and narrow passages. These deeper sites often have stronger currents, which attract large pelagic species.
Koh Kon is a small, uninhabited limestone island, uniquely different from the main Similan archipelago. It is famed as the primary hotspot for manta ray sightings. Diving is centred on Koh Bon Ridge, a rock spine that slopes into the deep. This area is a crucial cleaning station where manta rays frequently gather. The typically moderate to strong currents here also attract other pelagic life, though divers can also expect to see leopard sharks and dense shoals of snapper and goatfish.
Koh Tachai is a premier, exposed dive site in the northern Similan National Park, a submerged granite feature called Koh Tachai Pinnacle. Divers can expect to see huge schools of barracuda and trevally, and it's a key location for potential sightings of manta rays and whale sharks.
Richelieu Rock is widely considered the best dive site in Thailand and is the northernmost point of the typical North Andaman Sea liveaboard route. It is famous for its exceptional biodiversity, offering world-class experiences for both macro and wide-angle photography. The site is full off magnificent purple and red soft corals, earning its name from Jacques Cousteau, who reportedly thought the colour resembled a cardinal's robe. The currents attract huge schools of pelagic fish like tuna and rainbow runners. It is the premier location in Thailand for sightings of both, the whale shark and manta rays, though macro life like seahorses, harlequin shrimp, and ghost pipefish are equally present.
The last night of the liveaboard safari will be spent cruising towards Khao Lak.
Day 5
You'll wake up to breakfast and prepare for another day of diving, with 2 more scheduled dives planned around Khao Lak. The wreck of the Sea Chart is now an excellent artificial reef, known for huge schools of yellow snapper and batfish, plus the occasional whale shark sighting. The Giamani will arrive back at Chalong in the late afternoon.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
All food onboard the MV Giamani liveaboard is served buffet style and in large portions in the open air dining area and the boat operator rates their dining as very important.
- Enjoy a mix of delicious Thai cuisine and familiar International dishes. Think curries, alongside options like fresh salads, pasta, and even steaks.
- All meals - a light breakfast, a full cooked breakfast, lunch, dinner, and afternoon snacks - are included in the trip price.
- You’ll have free-flowing access to drinking water, coffee, and tea. Soft drinks are often complimentary as well.
- Wine and beers are available for purchase onboard.
- The kitchen can cater to special dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, etc.) but you must inform the liveaboard boat well in advance.
A standard diving day with Giamani usually features up to 4 dives. The timing is designed to ensure you dive the best dive sites at the best time.
- 6:30 am - Wake-up call & light snack
- 7:30 am - Dive 1 (Morning dive)
- 9 am - Full cooked breakfast
- 11 am - Dive 2 (Mid-morning dive)
- 12:30 pm - Lunch
- 3 pm - Dive 3 (Afternoon dive)
- 4 pm - Snack time
- 6:30 pm - Dive 4 (Dusk/night dive) - this will be either a sunset dive or a later night dive (around 7 pm), depending on the itinerary.
- 8 pm - Dinner
"
Fantastic trip - loved every minute of it
Dive The World helped to find the correct experience, all good." -
Anthony DeCerce, Italy, 22 February 2023 ...
"
Fransecso and Alla were great dive masters, overall the trip was excellent!!! Great food & knowledgeable staff. No issues at all." -
Geoff Korinetz, Canada, 23 June 2018 ...
"
I have physical challenges and the dive and boat crew cheerfully assisted me so that I could dive and photograph underwater comfortably and safely. The crew director, Ricardo and my dive guide, Guido were especially kind and attentive to my needs." -
Howard Chew, USA, 1 January 2018 ...
"
We had an excellent crew and dive master (Ricardo) on this boat, everyone very friendly and helpful! The organization of the trip, food, diving, etc was admirable good. We had a cabin with own bathroom and this was very comfortable and clean. :)" -
Sien Van Liefferinge, Belgium, 20 April 2014 ...
"
Everything about the trip was beyond expectations. The liveaboard boat was safe and in excellent condition. The cabins were clean and comfortable. Food was excellent, especially considering the allergies. Staff was superb - Ricardo in particular was deserving of praise. On top of that, the diving was even better. Some tough current on a few of the dives, and one was cancelled due to the tsunami warning. But 2 manta rays on Koh Bon was worth it! Eagle ray following that ... but no whalesharks (Please speak with your boss about that)." -
Jeff Gepner, USA, 24 April 2012 ...
"
I had a great trip on board of the MV Giamani, really excellent! The staff (both Thai crew and dive staff) were extremely friendly and professional. The choices of the Phuket dive sites, the briefings, and the guides were all great. The food was good, but could maybe use a little bit less oil ... taste is great though. The boat was in very good condition, and the dive deck was tidy, spacious, and operated efficiently." -
Thierry Rakotoarivelo, Australia, 23 November 2010 ...
"
I wanted to let you know that I was very impressed with the crew and dive personnel on the Giamani. I had a great time and would give them a big Excellent." -
Daniel Stoughton, USA, 7 April 2010 ...
"
Staff were pleasant and helpful, food was good, simple, tasty. The boat is well laid out. The instructor was very knowledgeable about the Similan dive sites, and fastidious regarding safety, conservation and maintenance." -
Philip Harvey, Hong Kong, 3 January 2008 ...
