NauticaTablamu

The MV Nautica is a 24m (78ft) steel yacht and was constructed in 2004 as a purpose-built dive vessel that operates 4 & 6 day Andaman Sea cruises to the dive sites of the beautiful Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock along with an exciting 8 day Myanmar (Burma) Expedition.

The cruise program commences at 4pm on Day 1 with a bus transfer from Phuket to the small port of Tablamu near Khao Lak. The vessel departs at 6 pm, returning into port at 3pm on the last day of the cruise. Transfers are done by minibus and the transfer time between Phuket and Tablamu is approx. 2 hours one way.

This well designed vessel offers plenty of room for a maximum of 12 divers in 6 cabins. All cabins of are tastefully decorated, featuring teak wood floors and wall panelling offering maximum privacy and comfort with bathrooms, hot/cold shower, individual air-conditioning, panoramic windows, plenty of storage space and a mini-bar.

Each cabin has 24 hour 220V power supply to charge your underwater diving cameras or digital cameras and other electric equipment. Large panoramic windows bring plenty of fresh air and light into the cabins.
The Master Cabin is located on the upper deck level behind the wheel house and includes a Queen size bed, extra desk space and an ensuite bathroom with shower. All other guest cabins are located on the main deck. Each of the four Twin/double Bed Cabins features an adjustable twin/double bed, shower and toilet. The Bunk Bed Cabin does not have the luxury of shower and toilet inside the cabin.

On the Relaxation Area & Sundeck you can lay back and relax in between dives on the shaded 20sqm large mattress area located on the upper deck at the stern of the boat. Read a good book, listen to music from the on-board CD/DVD collection or just start thinking about that next dive! Alternatively warm up in the tropical sun or enjoy a well-deserved après-dive "sundowner" on top of the wheelhouse on the sundeck.

The spacious open-air buffet & dining area is located on the upper deck and serves also as the main gathering place for dive 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 are available for purchase at the bar.

In the wheelhouse, the vessel is equipped with the most up to date technology for the safety and comfort of all on board. There is also dinghy for island visits.

The spacious dive deck is designed to make your 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.

M/V Nautica is also equipped with weights, weight belts, 20 x 80 cu. ft. (10.7 litres) aluminium tanks with INT valves for use with standard yoke regulators, as well as a Nitrox blending station. Divers with DIN connection regulator fittings will need to bring their own adaptors.

The diving is conducted in small guided groups, or for those experienced divers who like a little underwater independence, as a buddy-team. Also available is the rental of scuba diving equipment, digital underwater cameras, dive computers, DIN adapters and 100 cu. ft. (15 litres) tanks. Onboard PADI Nitrox training and other PADI diving courses are also available from the fully qualified dive instructors on board.

The nine uninhabited Similan Islands offer beautiful white sand beaches and are located upstream of the Phuket's west coast. The diving environment of the underwater national park differs according to whether you are on the East or West side of the islands. To the West, almost all the islands are bordered by huge granite blocks that make the resulting shaped passages, caves and ravine ideal dive sites. To the eastern side of the islands are gently sloping reefs with a wide variety of hard and soft coral formations. The Similan Islands are home to some 200 species of hard coral, 350 species of coral and hundreds of fish species. If all this isn't enough, highlights often include encounters with leopard sharks & manta rays!

Richelieu Rock is the best dive site around the Andaman Sea it is 45 km (28 miles) northeast of Koh Tachai. This stand-alone rock, rises only at low tide and is completely covered with various kinds of soft corals. Due to its proximity, Richelieu Rock serves as a cleaning station for many marine species and is renowned for its unique abundance of fish such as pipefish, ghost pipefish, scorpion fish, batfish, barracuda, large groupers, mackerels and sting rays. This site is also good for whale shark encounters. The dive sites of Koh Bon and Ko Tachai are known for their Manta Ray encounters.

The dive sites of the Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar (Burma) are among the best dive sites in Southeast Asia. They offer good coral growth, encounters with grey and nurse sharks, large tuna, eagle rays, manta rays, barracuda and even whale sharks sightings are possible. Underwater visibility at these sites can vary greatly according to the prevailing weather conditions.

The Nautica is a comfortable and friendly dive vessel. If you like the personalised feeling of diving in small groups and exploring the best sites that Thailand has to offer, then the MV Nautica is a very good choice!