DiveRACE Class X | South Andaman Sea, Similan Islands

DiveRACE Class X is a new 35-metre by 9-metre steel liveaboard created for dive safaris in Thailand's Andaman Sea. Its published layout spreads guest and working areas over four levels and limits capacity to 20 guests, supported by 12 boat crew and six dive crew. A broad beam, an 18-person operating team and two dedicated tenders are intended to keep dive preparation, meals and surface intervals organised without turning the vessel into a high-capacity cruise ship.

The vessel is specified with an SS400 steel hull, a cruising speed of about 10 knots, two 120 kW generators and a solar-energy installation intended to reduce generator load. The operator also lists an onboard watermaker, four life rafts, fire alarm and detection systems, and a night-watch arrangement. These are useful design indicators, but final statutory certification, flag, inspection record, medical oxygen inventory and commissioning status should be requested when those details matter to a club, charterer or insurer.

Indoor social life centres on an air-conditioned dining room where meals are individually plated. Snacks and coffee are advertised throughout the day. The published design also includes indoor lounge space, a library and movie or games options. Outside, guests are promised open and shaded seating, a rooftop bar and a sun deck with a 360-degree outlook. A jacuzzi and massage service appear in the operator's guest information. All leisure facilities remain subject to final completion, operating conditions and availability; a rooftop bar does not mean alcohol is complimentary.

The dive deck is supported by two custom HDPE tenders, each approximately 4.6 metres by 2.3 metres with a 50 hp Yamaha outboard. Their design includes a removable side opening and a heavy-duty folding ladder to simplify water entry and pickup. A membrane Nitrox system is planned onboard. Published environmental and service choices include reusable water arrangements and solar assistance, although neither eliminates normal liveaboard fuel use.

Class X is a purpose-built diving vessel rather than a general leisure cruise. Non-divers can still enjoy meals, decks, movies, games, permitted snorkelling and occasional beach visits, but there is no promise of a separate tender, private guide or parallel excursion programme. Marine-park rules, minimum water depth over coral, route timing and sea conditions determine which companion activities are possible.

Cabin

DiveRACE Class X has exactly 11 guest cabins and 20 berths in its current sales inventory. The categories reconcile as follows:

• 2 Upper Deck Premium Double Cabins — 15 m² each, maximum 2 guests: each has one fixed king-size bed and a private ensuite bathroom with both a shower and a bathtub. These are not twin-share rooms and should be booked only by guests who will share the king bed.
• 5 Upper Deck Double/Twin Cabins — 12 m² each, maximum 2 guests: each can be prepared either with one double bed or two separate single beds and has a private ensuite wet/dry washroom. The required layout must be requested before departure rather than assumed onboard.
• 2 Lower Deck Double/Twin Cabins — 11 m² each, maximum 2 guests: each converts between a double and two separate singles and has a private washroom. These provide the same two-person flexibility on the lower level in a slightly smaller published floor area.
• 2 Lower Deck Single Cabins — 7 m² each, maximum 1 guest: each contains one fixed single bed and a private washroom. They account for two genuine single-occupancy berths and should not be marketed as double cabins or assumed capable of taking a second guest.

The arithmetic is important: 2 premium doubles × 2 guests, 5 upper double/twins × 2, 2 lower double/twins × 2 and 2 lower singles × 1 equals 20 guests. Some older deck drawings and reseller pages do not align cleanly with this current category summary. The copy above follows the operator's present cabin dimensions and current live booking inventory; the assigned deck, cabin number and bed setup should still appear on the final confirmation.

All 11 rooms are marketed with private bathrooms, hotel-grade 10-inch mattresses, hotel-quality bed linen, a safe and indoor and outdoor towels. Operator material also describes the cabins as air-conditioned. Premium bathrooms specifically include a bathtub as well as a shower; a bathtub should not be promised in the nine other cabins. Exact mattress width, bathroom floor plan, storage volume, window or porthole type, hairdryer, toiletries, USB ports, voltage at each socket and whether temperature can be individually controlled are not all published consistently.

The operator's current images of completed cabins and public rooms are design renders rather than evidence of a finished interior. Cabin finishes, colours and loose furniture can change between the drawings and the commissioned vessel. Request current dated photographs if an exact aesthetic or bathroom arrangement is material to the booking.

Sharing guests should choose one of the seven convertible double/twin cabins and obtain written confirmation of two separated beds. The two fixed king cabins are unsuitable for strangers sharing, while the two singles are the only published rooms designed for one person without a roommate. Single supplements or sole occupancy of a two-person cabin depend on the quotation and should not be inferred from the cabin inventory.

Movement between decks appears to require stairs. No lift, wheelchair-adapted cabin or accessible bathroom is advertised. Guests with reduced mobility, a CPAP machine, refrigerated medication, a service animal or another specific need should request a written suitability assessment and power-continuity plan before paying.

Diving

The core Class X season covers the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, the Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock, with some routes extending south to Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Koh Haa and Phi Phi. Standard programmes advertise up to 14 dives on 5 days / 4 nights, 18 dives on 6 days / 5 nights, or 22 dives on 7 days / 6 nights. Those totals are operational ceilings, not guarantees: weather, park permission, moorings, currents, group experience, illness, equipment or vessel issues can reduce or change the plan without a per-dive refund.

Open Water certification is the published minimum. Advanced Open Water is strongly recommended for the seven-day expedition and recommended on the shorter northern routes. Under the operator's terms, an Open Water diver without a recognised deep qualification remains limited to 18 metres; every guest is also restricted by the maximum depth and conditions allowed by their own certification. The guide and captain may decline a site or profile even when a card technically permits it.

Groups are normally organised by experience, with a published maximum of five divers per guide and an average closer to four. A private guide may be reserved in advance, currently listed at THB 2,500 per day, subject to availability. The regular safari product is recreational no-decompression diving. The vessel design may support different equipment configurations, but a formal rebreather or technical-diving programme is not currently advertised and must not be assumed.

A standard 11-litre aluminium cylinder, air fills, weights and weight belt are included in normal dive operations. Cylinders use DIN valves with yoke inserts. Limited 15-litre aluminium cylinders can be prebooked at a current rate of THB 300 per day. Nitrox around 32% is optional and paid: current published prices are THB 200 per 11-litre fill, THB 2,500 for 14 fills or THB 3,200 for 18 fills; 15-litre Nitrox is THB 300 per fill, THB 3,600 for 14 or THB 4,500 for 18. A valid Nitrox certification is required. Availability, fill count and price must be reconfirmed for the selected date.

Every diver must carry a surface marker buoy. Guests can bring one or rent one, currently THB 100 per day. The current equipment list prices a XDeep backplate BCD and a Scubapro regulator at THB 400 per item per day; a mask at THB 100; a 3 mm full wetsuit, full-foot fins, Suunto Zoop computer and torch at THB 300 each per day. Sizes and quantities are limited, full-foot fins do not include open-heel fins or booties, and loss or damage fees apply. Prebook every required item and record sizes on the guest form.

Optional onboard training is advertised through RAID. Current examples include Explorer 30 at THB 8,500, Nitrox at THB 7,500 including instruction, learning material, certification and two fills, and a two-day DPV course at THB 20,000 subject to equipment and a minimum of two students. Course completion, dive count and price depend on prerequisites, instructor availability and conditions.

Thai marine-park camera rules deserve special attention. The operator advises that a diver may use an underwater camera in the Similan and Surin parks only when holding Advanced certification or showing at least 40 verified logged dives. Cameras are not used during training dives unless a dedicated photographer is assigned. Each diver should also carry proof of certification, recent experience and insurance.

Personal travel and dive insurance is mandatory under the operator's terms. It must cover the planned diving plus medical treatment, evacuation, personal liability, travel interruption and cancellation; English-language proof including evacuation and recompression coverage may be requested. The operator's passenger insurance attached to the national-park ticket is not a replacement for this personal cover.

Other Information

Prices and benefits vary by duration, cabin type, sales channel and departure. The dated invoice and booking terms control the transaction. The following separation uses the operator's current itinerary, FAQ and price list and avoids treating an optional service as a standard inclusion.

Normally included in the published safari price:

• Accommodation in the confirmed cabin for the stated cruise duration
• Individually plated meals, plus routine snacks and coffee throughout the day; advise dietary or religious needs in advance
• Planned recreational dives with a group guide, subject to certification, conditions, park rules and the advertised route ceiling
• Standard 11-litre aluminium cylinder, air fills, weights and weight belt
• Use of the two purpose-built dive tenders when required by the dive plan
• Bed linen, hotel-style mattress, indoor towel and outdoor towel
• Scheduled shared pickup and drop-off shown on the selected programme for the stated Phuket or Khao Lak zones; exact hotel, airport, time and any out-of-zone surcharge must be confirmed
• Safety, vessel and dive briefings

Mandatory, not included in the base safari fare unless the invoice expressly says otherwise:

• National-park, boat, pier and passenger-insurance ticket, payable onboard. Current published totals are THB 2,300 per diver / THB 1,200 per non-diver on the 5D4N route; THB 2,700 / THB 1,500 on 6D5N; and THB 3,100 / THB 1,800 on the 7D6N Koh Lanta–Similan–Surin expedition. These government-linked amounts can change.
• Personal dive and travel insurance meeting the operator's required scope
• Valid passport, entry permission and any immigration or arrival costs applicable to the traveller

Optional or normally payable separately:

• Nitrox, 15-litre cylinders, rental equipment, SMB rental, private guide, training and DPV services
• Massage, currently advertised at THB 600 per hour and subject to therapist availability
• Soft drinks, beer, wine, alcohol and personal onboard purchases; the current list gives examples of THB 40 per canned soft drink, THB 80 per beer and THB 1,200 per bottle of wine
• Flights, hotels before or after the safari, private or off-schedule transfers, excess baggage, visa services and other personal transport
• Crew gratuities; no fixed tip is published, so any amount remains voluntary unless the booking contract states otherwise
• Costs caused by missed departure, late arrival, medical treatment, evacuation, trip interruption, lost equipment or damage

DiveRACE Class X is marketed for liveaboard routes along Thailand's Andaman coast. The principal northern circuit visits the Similan and Surin archipelagos, while selected seven-day expeditions connect those parks with Koh Lanta's offshore pinnacles, Koh Haa and Phi Phi. The programmes below are newly written from the operator's published schedules. They describe the planned sequence, not a guaranteed list: site order, dive count, night dives, beach access and the embarkation pier can change with park instructions, sea state, visibility, currents, moorings and diver ability.

No dive is normally planned on embarkation evening. Full diving days may include four sessions, while the final day is deliberately shortened before the afternoon return. “Up to” means a ceiling, and marine encounters—including manta rays, whale sharks, turtles or schooling fish—remain possibilities rather than promises.

Similan, Surin and Richelieu Express — Representative 5 Days / 4 Nights, up to 14 dives

This compact route covers the northern Andaman highlights at an energetic pace. It suits qualified divers who can comfortably repeat dives and make tender entries; Advanced training and recent experience are recommended even though Open Water is the published entry-level minimum.

Day 1 — Phuket or Khao Lak transfer and embarkation
Join the scheduled pickup within the confirmed zone and travel to Krachang Restaurant Pier. Boarding is normally arranged from around 18:00. Crew introductions, cabin allocation, equipment preparation, vessel safety information and dive procedures are followed by dinner. There is no planned dive, and the boat sails overnight toward the Similan Islands after clearance.

Day 2 — Similan Islands: West of Eden, Elephant Head Rock and northern reefs
Begin with the check dive at West of Eden, where the guide evaluates weighting, buoyancy and group pace among granite formations and reef life. Elephant Head Rock adds swim-through scenery and more exposed water. The third dive is selected from Three Trees or North Point according to conditions. A night dive is proposed at Hideaway Bay when park rules, timing and sea state allow.

Day 3 — Koh Bon and Koh Tachai
The schedule moves north to Koh Bon Ridge, where current direction controls the entry and manta rays are a hoped-for visitor, never a certainty. A second session may investigate Koh Bon Pinnacle if conditions and diver experience permit. Later dives focus on Koh Tachai, using the Dome or Pinnacle and a reef or sunset profile. Stronger currents and blue-water entries are possible, so site participation rests with the dive team.

Day 4 — Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock
Start with a reef dive in the Surin Islands before devoting as many as three sessions to Richelieu Rock. Repeated dives allow different sides and depth bands of this submerged pinnacle to be explored as current and boat traffic change. Soft coral, schooling fish and macro subjects make the site varied, but no particular large animal is guaranteed. The operator's programme proposes an evening barbecue after the final session.

Day 5 — Boonsung Wreck and return
The closing dive is planned at Boonsung Wreck, a broken-up tin-dredger structure known for dense fish life and sometimes reduced visibility. After rinsing and packing equipment, guests have lunch during the run back to the pier. Arrival is commonly around 13:30, followed by scheduled drop-off to the confirmed area. Onward flights must allow for marine and road delays as well as the required no-fly interval.

Similan, Surin and Richelieu Complete — Representative 6 Days / 5 Nights, up to 18 dives

The extra night creates more time in the Similan group before travelling through Koh Bon and Koh Tachai to Surin and Richelieu. It offers broader site variety than the five-day version while retaining a four-dive rhythm on several days.

Day 1 — Transfer, Krachang Pier and overnight passage
Meet the scheduled vehicle at the confirmed Phuket or Khao Lak location. Boarding from around 18:00 is followed by registration, cabin and safety orientation, equipment setup, dive-group allocation and dinner. No dive is scheduled. Class X then heads toward the national park overnight.

Day 2 — Central Similans: Hideaway, West of Eden and Deep Six
The planned check dive at Hideaway Bay establishes weighting and comfort. West of Eden brings granite boulders, sand and reef scenery, while Deep Six offers more dramatic underwater topography. A night dive is listed at Honeymoon Bay, subject to authorisation and conditions.

Day 3 — Northern Similans: Elephant Head, Three Trees, Christmas Point and Turtle Rock
Four planned sessions move through some of the archipelago's best-known formations. Elephant Head Rock is the more complex topographic dive; Three Trees combines reef and sand; Christmas Point offers boulders and swim-through features; and Turtle Rock is the proposed night location. The guide may reorder or replace a site to avoid unsafe current or congestion.

Day 4 — Koh Bon and Koh Tachai
Up to four dives are shared between Koh Bon Ridge or Pinnacle and Koh Tachai Dome, Pinnacle or reef. These exposed sites can reward divers with pelagic activity, but they also demand close attention to the briefing, negative-entry instructions and pickup procedure. Less experienced guests may be placed on a more sheltered profile.

Day 5 — Surin reef and three Richelieu dives
Open among the Surin reefs, then continue to Richelieu Rock for as many as three differently planned circuits. The repeated visits are intended to sample different light, current and marine-life activity rather than repeat one identical course. A barbecue is proposed for the evening after diving.

Day 6 — Boonsung Wreck, lunch and disembarkation
Make the final planned dive at Boonsung Wreck. Equipment is then rinsed and accounts are settled while lunch is served on the return passage. The public schedule reaches Krachang Pier at roughly 13:30 and continues with the confirmed shared transfer. Keep the rest of the day flexible.

South-to-North Andaman Expedition — Representative 7 Days / 6 Nights, up to 22 dives

This longer route is the most geographically varied Class X programme. It begins with the offshore pinnacles south of Koh Lanta, passes through Koh Haa and Phi Phi, then crosses north to the Similan and Surin parks. Advanced certification is strongly recommended because the plan combines repetitive diving, exposed pinnacles, possible current and long overnight passages.

Day 1 — Phuket transfer and Visit Panwa Pier embarkation
Use the scheduled Phuket transfer in the final joining instructions and board at Visit Panwa Pier from around 18:00. Complete safety and dive briefings, assemble equipment and have dinner onboard. There is no planned first-evening dive. The vessel travels south overnight.

Day 2 — Hin Daeng and Hin Muang
Up to four dives are allocated to the paired offshore formations. Hin Daeng's red soft coral and Hin Muang's deeper, purple-toned walls create strong photographic appeal, while current and open-water conditions can make the diving demanding. The guides choose the safer formation, depth and entry for each group. Mantas and whale sharks may visit, but neither is predictable.

Day 3 — Koh Haa and Phi Phi sector
Morning plans use Koh Haa sites such as the Cathedral, Lagoon or Chimney, with limestone caverns and sheltered reef topography selected according to conditions and qualifications. The route then works toward the Phi Phi area for sites such as Bida Nok or Bida Nai. A night dive is proposed around Palong where permitted. Site names are examples, not entitlements to enter every overhead feature.

Day 4 — Similan Islands
After the northbound passage, dive Elephant Head Rock and West of Eden before choosing Three Trees or North Point. The planned night dive is at Hideaway Bay. Crossing distance, park clearance and sea conditions may cause the captain to modify this ambitious day.

Day 5 — Koh Bon and Koh Tachai
Four planned dives divide between Koh Bon and Koh Tachai. Current windows determine whether the group uses the ridge, offshore pinnacle, dome or a reef profile. The two tenders provide flexible drops and pickups, but guests must stay within guide instructions and deploy an SMB when required.

Day 6 — Surin and Richelieu Rock
Make one planned Surin reef dive and up to three dives at Richelieu Rock. The day gives the route its northern climax, ranging from colourful close-focus life to schooling fish and potential pelagic visitors. End with the proposed onboard barbecue as Class X turns back toward the mainland.

Day 7 — Boonsung Wreck and Khao Lak return
Finish at Boonsung Wreck, then rinse gear, have lunch and prepare for disembarkation. The published model returns to Krachang Restaurant Pier around 13:30, with scheduled transport afterward. Travel plans must tolerate delays and preserve the required surface interval before flying.

North-to-South Andaman Expedition — Representative 7 Days / 6 Nights, up to 22 dives

Selected departures reverse the long expedition. They begin with the Similan, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Surin and Richelieu sector, then travel south through Phi Phi and Koh Haa to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang before disembarkation in Phuket. The reverse direction is useful for date and transfer planning, but it does not change the certification or insurance requirements.

The operator's public north-to-south page contains two legacy copy errors: it names the former Class E in its introduction and includes an overnight-direction line that conflicts with the following day's southern sites. Those errors should not be reproduced as navigation. The practical sequence is mainland embarkation; Similan diving; Koh Bon and Koh Tachai; Surin and Richelieu; the passage toward Phi Phi and Koh Haa; Hin Daeng and Hin Muang; then Phuket return. The final joining document is the only reliable source for the assigned pier, daily order and transfer.

Diving Style, Season and Route Choice

The five-day route is efficient for travellers prioritising the classic northern sites and willing to accept a compact schedule. The six-day route adds a fuller Similan day and is the most balanced northern-only option. The seven-day expedition offers the broadest geographic range and the highest advertised dive ceiling, but its offshore pinnacles, crossings and repetitive workload make recent experience especially valuable.

Thailand's Andaman liveaboard season normally centres on the drier months, but a calendar date never guarantees flat water or visibility. Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Hin Daeng and Hin Muang can be affected by current. Entries may be negative, pickups may occur away from the reef and some profiles may descend beyond the limit of an unqualified Open Water diver. Honest certification and recent logged experience help the operator assign a compatible group.

Non-divers and snorkellers should choose the route only after receiving written confirmation of activities and supervision. Snorkelling is controlled by marine-park rules and requires sufficient water over the reef; open pinnacles are not automatically suitable. Beach visits depend on park opening, weather and the dive timetable. The two tenders primarily support diving and are not promised as private sightseeing boats.