Frequently Asked Questions

Here at Phuket Diving Safaris we want to ensure you have all the information you need so as to make stress free holiday plans and have a wonderful scuba vacation. If you don’t find the answer to your question here, email us

Quick info
Liveaboard departs at 5pm – returns at approx 4.30pm 4 days later.
Please arrive at Phuket Airport by 1.30pm on day of liveaboard departure. We can also pick you up from your Phuket hotel. Please email us with your flight details or Phuket hotel details so we can pick you up
Please arrive the day before the liveaboard departure if you’re doing the Open Water Liveaboard course.
If you’d like us to book you a cheap guesthouse room in Khao Lak for the night your liveaboard returns, just email us.
Follow these links if you want to book more luxurious Khao Lak hotels or Phuket hotels online

General Info:
How do I make a booking?
Please fill in our online booking form. We will send you confirmation that we have received it and then send you a PayPal Deposit Invoice so that you can pay your deposit online to secure your reservation. The deposit is roughly 20 per cent of the total liveaboard cost. You can then pay the balance when you arrive at our dive shop. We accept all major credit cards.

Where is your dive shop?
Our dive shop is located in Khao Lak, a small town about one hour’s drive up the coast from Phuket. It’s a very chilled out town with several bars and restaurants, a good range of hotels for all budgets, and a nice beach. We ca pick you up from Phuket Airport or any hotel in Phuket and bring you to our dive shop in Khao Lak for your liveaboard.

How much does a taxi cost?
A taxi costs 1200 Thai Baht from Phuket Airport to our shop in Khao Lak. It can be up to 1700 Thai Baht from a Phuket hotel to our shop in Khao Lak depending on its location. (Phuket is a big place!).

How will I recognise my taxi driver at Phuket airport or the hotel?
The taxi driver we send to collect you will have your name on a placard at the airport and will be waiting for you in Arrivals. For hotel pickups, we will arrange a time for our driver to come and collect you from hotel reception.

What time do I need to arrive on the day of my liveaboard if I am a qualified diver?
Please arrive at Phuket Airport by 1.30pm on the day of your liveaboard’s departure. If you are staying at a hotel in Phuket, we will pick you up from that hotel’s reception at 1 pm. (If you are learning to dive with us, please arrive the day before. See the next question for more info).

We will then drive you to our dive shop in Khao Lak – it’s about an hour’s journey. We will fit you with all your scuba gear and finalise paperwork, including the balance of payment. We will go to the liveaboard around 5pm.

You are very welcome to arrive any day before your liveaboard and be transferred to Khao Lak rather than staying in Phuket if you like. Just let us know.

What time do I need to arrive if I am learning to dive with you on the Open Water Liveaboard Package?
If you are learning to dive with us on the Open Water Course Liveaboard Package, please arrange to arrive the day before your liveaboard departs, preferably in the morning. Again, we can pick you up from Phuket Airport or any hotel you specify.

So, for example, if you were going on the liveaboard departing Monday 21st April, we would like you to pick you up at Phuket Airport on 20th April in the morning.

You will spend one night in Khao Lak while you are doing your PADI Open Water Diver course. We can help you with recommendations for cheap guesthouse accommodation. They are clean and basic rooms with an ensuite bathroom for around 700 Thai Baht a night with fan and 1200 Thai Baht a night with air-conditioning. You are not obliged to take the room we reserve for you if it is not to your taste.

If you would prefer something more luxurious, there are numerous hotels you can book online at the Khao Lak hotels page

Can I get a domestic flight from Bangkok to Phuket?
Yes, you can book tickets online with AirAsia.com and BangkokAir.com

What if I am delayed or miss my flight and/or my pickup time?
Call us on 089 5900588 (cellphone) to let us know the situation and we will try to work it out for you.

How long does the liveaboard last?
The liveaboard is for 4 days and 4 nights. The liveaboard departs at 5pm in the evening and travels through the night to the Similan Islands. Diving begins first thing in the morning, with four dives on the first three days and then 2 dives on the fourth day. You can read more about a typical liveaboard day on our Similans Liveaboards page.

What time do we get back?
We finish our last dive around 12pm and then arrive back at the dive shop in Khao Lak around 4.30pm. Please note we cannot guarantee our return arrival time due to weather conditions.

Where should I stay after the liveaboard?
Most of our guests prefer to stay in Khao Lak on the night they come back from the liveaboard and then transfer to Phuket Airport the following day. We can also arrange a taxi to transfer you into Phuket the evening you come back from the liveaboard – it’s up to you.

We recommend you have accommodation booked in advance for the night you come back from the liveaboard. We can help you with cheap guesthouse accommodation in Khao Lak. If you prefer something more luxurious, please see our Khao Lak hotels page. If you prefer to stay in Phuket when you return from the liveaboard, please see our Phuket hotels page.

When can I fly after the liveaboard?
The current recommendation for flying after diving is 18 hours after your last dive. We finish diving on the liveaboard by around 1pm on the last day. This means you can fly from 6am the next morning. It’s recommend you leave as much time as possible before flying after diving – 18 hours is the minimum guideline.

How do I get to Phuket Airport from Khao Lak?
We can arrange a taxi for you. It is a one hour drive from Khao Lak to Phuket Airport and costs 1200 baht.

What happens during the Open Water Course?
After we’ve picked you up, we’ll take you to our dive shop and get you sorted out with your accommodation for the night and let you relax a bit after your journey. Then we’ll do an orientation to how the course works, which involves watching a DVD and a little reading.

The next day, we’ll do some scuba training with you in the swimming pool so you can get used to the scuba equipment and have some fun with it. Then in the afternoon after lunch we’ll do some scuba theory, where we talk about how scuba works and what you need to know to really enjoy your dives.

In the evening we go onto the liveaboard and sail out to the Similans. The next morning you will go for your first dive in the amazing Similan Islands. Over the next couple of days, your instructor will lead you through four dives and also do a little more theory with you while you’re on the boat. Once you’ve completed the four dives, you will be a PADI Open Water Diver! Congratulations! Your instructor will remain with you as your dive guide for the rest of the trip, and by the end of the liveaboard you will have done some spectacular diving and also really built up your confidence underwater.

Do I need a medical before learning to dive?
No. You simply need to fill out a medical statement before diving, certifying you have no respiratory or other serious illnesses. If you are reasonably fit and healthy, you can dive. You can download a PDF version of the medical statement to read it for yourself. If in doubt, take the statement to your doctor and ensure he agrees you are fit to dive.

What else is around Khao Lak?
There is the amazing Khao Sok national park very near by to Khao Lak, where you can go elephant trekking and jungle walking – and even stay overnight in the jungle if you wish. We can help you arrange this when you get here to Khao Lak.

Who owns Phuket Diving Safaris?
Phuket Diving Safaris is a family run business. It’s owned by Joe and Nute Hue, with a lot of help from their three kids. There are also several experienced scuba diving instructors who have all worked with Joe and Nute for several years. All of them will be happy to help you in any way they can.

If you did not find the answer to your question, please email us – we’ll be happy to help.