Thailand Liveaboards- Phuket Scuba Diving - FAQ
How do I get to Phuket?
Phuket, Thailand has an international airport with direct flights to/from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong. Between November and April there are charter flights from many European cities as well. Most international flights arrive via Bangkok. Thai Airways offers 10-12 daily direct flights from Bangkok. There are also flights from Koh Samui. Buses in Thailand are pretty good and there are regular services to Phuket from all major towns.
Travel to Phuket - Flights, Buses, Ferries and More Information
Do I need a visa for Thailand?
Visitors from most Western Countries including Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand are granted a 30 day stay on arrival. Other nationals are required to produce a tourist visa and should contact a local Thai consulate for details. Visa regulations for long stay visitors change regularly. For more detailed visa information try the Thai Visa web site.
Slide Show - Views of Phuket
Transportation from the airport?
Phuket International Airport is located about 45 min North of the major Beach centres (Karon, Kata, Patong and Kamala). There is a minibus service operating for about 4 US$ per person or a private taxi for about 15 US$ per car. Your hotel may also have a transfer service. On request, Sunrise Divers can arrange a private taxi from the airport to our office or your hotel for 600 Baht (max 3 people), or if you have a group we can arrange a minibus for 700 Baht.
Where is Sunrise Divers?
Our new office is located at Karon Plaza, a quiet square close to Karon Beach, and also just a few minutes walk from Kata beach. Use the links below to find maps showing our location. Our high season opening hours are from 10am to 7pm (almost) every day. From June - October, we open until 5pm and will sometimes close on Sundays.
Map of New office Location in Karon Beach
How to find us... Instructions in Thai for your taxi driver
Map of Phuket Island
(Links open in new windows)
How do I contact Sunrise Divers?
The best way to contact us is by email at
- we check incoming mail regularly and promise to respond as quickly as possible. To check availability for any Thai liveaboards, you can use our quick availability query form. You can also telephone our office during normal working hours, just remember that Thailand time is GMT + 7 hours. If you must send us anything by post, please use the mailing address at the bottom of the page.
Sunrise Divers - Full Contact Information
Where can I change money?
Thailand's currency is the Thai Baht and can be exchanged on arrival at Phuket airport. The exchange rate towards the US$ is approx. 33 Baht but can change quickly. Banks, currency exchanges, ATM machines and major hotels provide currency exchange services at Phuket's major beach centers. Credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in Thailand.
Thai Baht - Latest Thai Baht Exchange Rates
Where can I stay in Phuket?
If you are diving during the day and coming back to Phuket for your night's entertainment and rest, there are many different types of accommodation to choose from, ranging from basic fan bungalows and guesthouses for 300-400 Baht (approx. US$ 8-10), through air-con guesthouse/hotels for 700-1,500 Baht (US$15-40) up to resort hotels for 3,000+ (US$ 70+). Prices can change dramatically with the season.
Hotels in Karon Beach close to Sunrise Divers
What about the weather?
From November to May is Phuket's dry season and Sunrise Divers runs a full program of liveaboards, PADI courses and day trips. You can expect an average water temperature of 29C/85F, sunny weather and calm seas during most of this time. In the "low" season, June - October, we run a full program of PADI Courses and Daytrips, and there are occasional liveaboards.
Latest Phuket Weather Reports
There are many sunny days in the "low" season and showers can last a day or two, but normally little more than 2-3 hours. Expect temperatures like in the dry season, but occasional rough seas during this time.
Should I worry about my health?
You should take the normal precautions, like on any other journey. Malaria prophylaxis is not necessary. Phuket has 3 excellent International hospitals and 3 recompression chambers in case you should need medical help.
Effective August 2003, Sunrise Divers now has insurance to cover all our customers while on diving or snorkeling trips in Thailand. The insurance covers all diving accidents including recompression treatment, and also non diving accidents which may happen during the course of a dive trip up to a limit of 200,000 Baht.
More Information about Health for Diving & Phuket Medical Services
Nevertheless, if you are thinking of diving during your stay in Thailand, check that your travel insurance covers scuba diving. We also highly recommend that every diver has travel and cancellation insurance. We recommend World Nomads insurance - see the link below:
More Information about Travel and Diving Insurance
Where can I leave excess luggage when I go on a liveaboard?
We are happy to look after luggage or valuables for you, or you can ask at your hotel. You don't need to carry too much on a liveaboard - cabins are not the same size as a hotel room! We are also happy to look after your diving equipment if you are travelling after your Phuket scuba diving trip. We can also arrange equipment service.
What is included in the Liveaboard prices you quote?
The prices as quoted on the individual boat pages are not all inclusive. If you have any doubts as to what you are paying for, please ask! We assure you there are no hidden costs waiting for you. Note that some prices may change due to exchange rate fluctuations between the Baht and US dollar. You pay the price quoted when you book even if we later increase the dollar price.
What is Included?
Thai Liveaboards - Info Sheets for Guests
Can I rent diving equipment?
All our prices for Thai liveaboards and day trips are quoted not including rental equipment, since many divers have their own dive gear. A full set of well maintained diving equipment (including BCD, regulator, shorty wet suit, mask, snorkel and full foot fins) can be rented from our office on Karon Beach at 700 Baht per day. Please let us know your sizes, or preferably, come to try the equipment before your cruise. Dive computers can also be rented at 250 Baht/day.
• Our Rental Equipment (Sunrise Divers Blog)
What type of tanks and valves are on the boats?
All boats carry 12 litre aluminium tanks with yoke type k-valves. If you have a DIN regulator, you should bring an adaptor, or you can rent/buy one here. We can provide 15 liter tanks on request. Nitrox is available on some boats.
 
What thickness wet suit should I bring?
The water temperature varies during the year from 26-30 Celsius. It's not cold. Most divers here use a 3mm suit, and our rental suits are all 3mm shorties. For some divers a lycra body suit may be enough, while a 5mm suit is also fine - just don't get too hot in the sun.
Can I charge torch/camera batteries on board?
All boats have plenty of electric outlets (220V) for charging camera and torch batteries. Note that dive lights are included in all trip prices, but you are welcome to bring your own. You can also ask us about underwater cameras for rent.
I am booking as a single diver - do I have to share a cabin?
The short answer is Yes. All prices are based on shared cabins. If you want a private cabin for one person, you must pay a higher price. The exact charge varies from boat to boat, but is often not much less than double price. You can ask us for details if you want a private cabin for yourself. Also, if you are a single female diver, there is not always a guarantee that we can find another single female to share a cabin with you.
Can a non diver go on a Thai diving liveaboard?
Non divers/snorkelers can go on any liveaboard, but remember that these are dive boats and so will not always visit the best snorkeling spots. Price for a non diver is usually the diver price less 10%, but some boats such as the Explorer and South Siam have special rates for snorkelers. The South Siam liveaboard is the best bet for snorkeling, as it stays in the Similan Islands, and snorkelers are specifically catered for, but this is a low budget boat.
I've lost/forgotten my certification card - can I still dive?
If you have a PADI certification, we can look up your details on the PADI web site. All we need is your name and birthday. If you contact the dive center where you were certified, they can help you obtain a new card before you travel.
What else can I do in Phuket?
There are many options for day trips and adventure tours. You can take a canoe trip, snorkel tour, tour the spectacular Phang Nga Bay, try a Bungy Jump or Go Kart Racing, explore Phuket Town, trek the jungles of Khao Sok, do some more diving, visit the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project, have a sauna or Thai massage, play a round of golf, relax on the beach, rent a motorbike... Phuket can keep you busy and keep you coming back for more!
Phuket Photo Gallery - Unseen Phuket
How's the food in Phuket?
Few places in the world can provide the quality and variety of food available here in Phuket. You can choose between local Thai restaurants (Phuket is famous for its seafood) and all kinds of Western restaurants. Whatever you want to eat, you can certainly find it here in Phuket. If you have any special food needs (vegetarian or allergies) please let us know when booking a diving trip or liveaboard.
What languages do people speak in Phuket?
The Thai language is not easy to learn, but people always appreciate your effort if you learn a few simple phrases. Phuket is an international centre and in hotels and restaurants the staff will speak English, and in more up market hotels, there may be staff who are multilingual. For diving courses, we can provide instructors to suit your language - English, German, Spanish, Swedish and others.
Our new office was right next door to Phuket Language School, but unfortunately they have now moved to Chalong. There is also a branch in Patong. You can take Thai lessons right here in Phuket!
Where can I find more travel information about Thailand?
There are many good sources available on line. Try searching with Google or look at A Guide to Thailand and the Thailand Travel Forum. Another recommended site is Travels in Paradise with some great photos from all areas of Thailand from Chiang Mai to the Similan Islands. You may also want to try the Lonely Planet Thorntree for travel hints.
Any other Questions?
Please Contact us if you need any further information about Phuket scuba diving, liveaboards, snorkeling, hotels, or life in general. We will answer you as soon as possible. We hope to see you in Thailand soon!
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