MV Jazz Liveaboard Itineraries

The MV Jazz will be doing 4-day/ 4-night liveaboard safaris (Trip A) and 5-day/5-night cruises (Trip B) from November to May.

The"A" trips will visit the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, and Richelieu Rock (14 dives) and the "B" trips will visit Mergui Archipelago in Burma (14 dives). These trips can also be combined into 8-day/ 9-night trips for about 28 dives.

The Mergui or Burma trips depart from Phuket or Khao Lak in the morning for a bus ride to Ranong where you board the boat. As of November 1, 2007, Air Asia is offering flights from Bangkok to Ranong. This will replace Phuket Air's service which was cancelled after the tsunami. The flights are three times per week and this should solve a lot of the headache which surrounded Burma-only trips.

That evening you cross into Burma, and spend the next 4-days diving in the Mergui Archipelago. After checking back into Thailand, you'll travel overnight to Thap Lamu, then back to Phuket or Khao Lak. Combining the two trips would include diving in Thailand and Mergui (Burma-Myanmar) for 8-days and 9-nights (about 28 dives total) for which you receive a reduced price.

Ground transfers are included in the price of the cruise via Khao Lak & Ranong. However, if you require pick up at the Phuket Airport or a Phuket hotel, the charge is then 500 THB per person.

Burma entry requires additional paperwork and diving fees. Burma fees are currently $200 US, and Thai National Park fees 400THB per entry and 200 THB per day for a diver (no usage fee for a non diver, but the entry fee applies). For a four-day Thailand trip, this is 1,600 THB (about $50 US).

Prices include tanks and weights, divemaster services, accommodation on boards, coffee, tea, and bottled water, hotel transfers, and all meals. For trip prices and dive gear rental fees, please go here. For 2008-2009, gear rental on Jazz will be 600 THB per day for a full set.

Note: We can take no responsibility for scheduling or itinerary changes due to changing weather, political situations, natural disasters or other events beyond our control. We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance for any kind of trip you do anywhere in the world. We also recommend that you have current DAN or other diving accident insurance in case of an unanticipated evacuation or other treatment that may not be covered by your regular insurance.

Mergui Archipelago Pictures on Flickr

Download Ethan Daniels' Mergui article from Fins Magazine, Jan 2008

Note on Jazz Thap Lamu and Ranong logistics:

Most of Jazz's trips leave from a port called Thap Lamu north of Phuket, so it may be more convenient to stay in Khao Lak rather than Phuket before and after your trip. Yes, Khao Lak suffered tsunami damage, but two years on they are firmly back on their feet and happy to accept visitors, it's just as pretty as it ever was.

As of November 1, 2007, Air Asia is offering flights from Bangkok to Ranong. This will replace Phuket Air's service which was cancelled after the tsunami. The flights are three times per week and this should solve a lot of the headache which surrounded Burma-only trips.

However, if you are flying into Phuket, we still provide transfers from Phuket or Khao Lak to Ranong to board Faah Yai. You'll need to us to drive you up to Ranong to meet the boat, but this is included in the price of the boat, so there are no extra costs involved. If you're only here a day or two before your departure, Khao Lak is a wise choice as it cuts about one and a half hours off the drive. Go here for Khao Lak Hotels.

For information on what to do in Ranong and where to stay, there are lots and lots of good guesthouses, but not many good hotels. The Royal Princess Ranong is the best value for money if you want more of a resort hotel. The other hotels are run down and dirty. The Guesthouses are OK, though, and Ranong is an interesting town.

For information on the sites around Ranong, and there are many, especially the beautiful town of Fahchi and the Isthmus Kra Road to Chumpon (not to be missed), visit this site.

Please remember that even though these are trips to Burma, they do not leave from Burma; they leave from Thailand since there are virtually no services in the southern area of the Mergui Archipelago. You cannot leave from the capital of Burma, Yangon (Rangoon is the old British name). Please do not confuse these two cities even though they sound similar; you leave from Thailand not Burma.

The current political troubles in Myanmar are located in the capital, almost 2,000km away. They do not effect our operations. For maps, go here.