30 reviews between Oct 23, 2021 and Apr 27, 2023.
Sea Dragon Dive Center offers a fantastic liveaboard experience in Thailand's Similan and Surin Islands. The staff is friendly and helpful, the diving is excellent, and the boat is comfortable. The food is delicious, and the guides are knowledgeable. The MV Andaman provides ensuite cabins and high-quality equipment. Overall, it is a great value for money and highly recommended.
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30 reviews between Oct 23, 2021 and Apr 27, 2023.
Sea Dragon was recommended to us and we communicated via email to book a 4 day/night live aboard around the Similan Islands. Communication was great and we easily booked via email and paid via transfer. On arrival at the Centre we were greeted warmly by the staff and instructed what to do with our bags etc and what would be happening. The diving was amazing, the guides and boat staff were phenomenal: nothing was too much trouble at all. The food was nothing short of high end restaurant quality all prepared in her small kitchen. Dive briefs were informative and filled with humour Jong was just a perfect supervisor. And the dive brief boards were masterpieces. Special thanks to our guide Tony who was so patient with me being not such an experienced diver. Book with Sea Dragon and you WILL NOT be disappointed. Looking forward to diving with you again.
Fiona and her team of local Thai dive instructors are amazing. I love that Sea Dragon supports the hiring of locally trained divers that were part of the Tsunami recovery project. We forget how much people lost in 2004 and how many lives were forever changed. To top that, Fiona was amazing in helping my 14 yr old son to complete his certification with a referral dives for his 3rd and 4th dive. She made sure all the paperwork and certifications were correct and helped me get the documents I needed. The dive at the wreck was great! Millions of fish and a very interesting site to see. Lots of rays, barracudas, porcupine and box fish, several giant grouper and many eels too. Lots of nudibranchs and other macro stuff too. We’ll be back for the liveaboard experience next time! Many thanks.
Highly recommend.Went onboard for the 4 day Similan Trip. All the crews were nice and friendly. The boat was exceptionally clean too! Meals were nice, especially the snacks everyday.All the guides were great, briefings were one of the best part. They would chat and joke with us during free time and were open to sharing and conversations. Shout out to our dive guide Job, who was very helpful and caring to our group. I mentioned about hoping to see turtles and the guides keep it deep in mind. Although there wasn’t a turtle encounter during the dives, when a turtle was nearby the boat the guides would tell me immediately for me to hop into the water for snorkeling just for the turtle. Had my first and super close turtle encounter during this trip!My friend did her AOW onboard and had a real great experience too. They had to separate us since she was attending her course, but after she was certified they allowed us to dive together during the last dive. Can’t ask for more! Hoping to join them again in the future :)
We did a 3+4 day liveaboard to the Similans and Richelieu Rock with Sea Dragon Dive Center on MV Andaman. We have visited them before and came back since we have been happy with the service and price.Also this trip turned out great, with a nice friendly and helpful crew (especially Stephan!), simple but good boat, and of course excellent diving. We would like to give special praise to Jong, our guide, who was one of the best guides we ever have had. He was super in communicating with the divers and picking routes and sights based on our interests. If you want to see the macro stuff that noone else can find, he's your guy.The diving is quite simple (no tech, no nitrox, and averaging three dives per day) but that is perfect for relaxed holiday diving.
Absolutely outstanding ! My third liveaboard and the best yetReally good briefings, fantastic food ( & no shortage of it)Great boat crew and wonderful host, Thanks FionaEverything from my initial email contact was handled quickly efficiently & my whole trip airport to airport was seamlessThank you so much for a truly wonderful tripI would happily book again tomorrow
EXCELLENT, 1st CLASS Dive Centre…I cannot rate these guys & gals highly enough… the scale doesn’t allow me to.I don’t know where to begin… I had the luck and privilege of getting onto a liveaboard at the last minute, thanks to Fiona’s quick thinking. I literally left 4 hours after booking.The boat (MV Andaman) was fantastic and comfortably handles 20 divers plus crew. Incidentally all the staff were amazing. The vibe on the boat was just superb.And the diving… well what’s not to love; Koh Tachai, Surin Islands including Richelieu Rock, I’m blown away!! Still speechless and the first time I ever cried absolute tears of joy underwater.To top it off we were treated on the last night to a BBQ, did I mention already that the food is superb!! I’ve probably done over 20+liveaboards worldwide and this has to be the best one so far…Thank you so much Sea Dragon Divers, I will return so look forward to seeing you all again in the future.
This is my 1st LOB, basically we Dive, Eat, Sleep, Repeat in an awesome and relaxing way. Thanks to Sea Dragon Khao Lak and the mighty 'MV Andaman' to bring us to this journey to explore the beauty of Andaman sea.The boat crew and dive leads are friendly, strong, helpful and keeps us feel so at home throughout the whole trip. During a chat, i heard a friend told me ' you are lucky, you have chosen the right LOB for your 1st time' and he is a returned customer for couple of times. I agree with him and im blessed to have made a right choice. We get a detailed and fun dive briefing everyday with a beautiful hand drawing on each dive sites, really appreciate their efforts in making our dives so colourful and meaningful.They plan the whole trip so smoothly. Sometimes we barely notice that we are actually on board. We dont have fancy bed or cocktails but we do have a comfy bed with nice boat ride throughout the night that can let us rest calmly before our next early morning dive. Only 1 little suggestion that i may think of is to have some chips or snacks serve/sell on board, although i know the pineapples biscuits is the most popular one that we can have it all the time.Thanks for the awesome voyage and till we meet again 💙
We met Fiona and her team and they were very helpful and supportive!We didn't experience a liveaboard this time around but Fiona organised for us to join a different trip with Sea-Bees to the Similan Islands (my partner is a diver and I snorkel as I am asthmatic and don't have medical clearance to dive yet).Both companies were fantastic and we are hoping to get my PADI and join a Sea Dragon liveaboard next year.Thank you Fiona!
Everything about the entire Sea Dragon crew is nothing but exceptional. I was a very nervous new diver and everyone at Sea Dragon took me under their scuba wings and taught me well!From my initial emails, I spoke with Fiona and Stephan that both answered a million of my questions and concerns. Even scheduling me a taxi from Krabi airport because I was supposed be to go to Phi Phi island but changed my entire trip to this dive trip instead.My dive instructor’s Arm and Tao were AMAZING!! They taught me how to be comfortable in the water and were so patient.The liveaboard crew was more than expected!From Lucinda, the dive leader that had everything timed perfectly, she always informed us of the daily schedule. She gave us the cutest waking every morning, “Wakey, Wakey”. She was always laughing and making us laugh with her humorous jokes!Huge shoutout to our amazing Thai chef, Pi yo? (Sorry for the spelling) that we could smell the food cooking as we arrived from our first dive and every dive after. The food was so fresh and scrumptious!To our amazing boat crew that never stopped working to always assist us in and out of the boats, caring for our safety. Plus always cleaning up after every meal! Top notch crew!! Also, the dive masters were amazing as well, Tao, Karlos, Gun, Tan, Lucinda, and Tom! You all deserve the world!! I hope I didn’t forget anyone! To EVERYONE on the Sea Dragon crew thank you for such an INCREDIBLE birthday! The best birthday a lady could ask for!! Btw, Volka one day I will see you again for my scuba payback 😂Thank you for making this the most amazing experience in the world! I am forever changed by this experience and all of your kindness! Xx
3D/3N spent aboard the MV Andaman in the first week of December 2022 for a total of 9 dives, including one night dive. Went to Richelieu Rock, Surin islands and Similan Islands with Koh Bon and Ko Ta Chai. Up to 20 people with several who extended their trips (back to back) and one who had been a diver on something like his 12th trip with the same company (repeat visitors get a discount!). Most travelers were European (German) but several others from Asia or US. We split into groups of 4 divers + 1 dive master which never felt crowded- we only ran into other groups a handful of times. Range of experience levels from beginner (5-15 dives) to advanced underwater photographers. Very accommodating, relaxed atmosphere with emphasis on safe diving and many books about marine life for identification. Adjusted groups based on needs (skills, unforeseen medical issues, etc) and also brought backup equipment. Despite simple accommodations, very “luxurious” experience including assistance with all setup and gear and food with veggie options, and even a fresh espresso maker (pods) and wine fridge. High pressure hot showers and extremely clean boat, but ceiling is a bit low if you are over 2 meters tall. Group community formed around shared appreciation of diving and relaxation in the quiet of the open seas. Up top open area for napping with hammocks, bean bags and two areas for sun bathing. Everyone was respectful and nice. Friendly, English speaking staff with knowledgeable guides who were very well experienced. Lucinda was group leader along with dive masters Kwan, karlos, jong and tan. Guides pointed out a lot of wildlife and ensured we adhered to our safety stops, often checking in on remaining air and if we were okay. I was a big beginnner with only 5 dives and I added on the deep dive certification which they guide you through for the exam and additional skills (maybe 2 hours additional time max). This was a better option for a short trip so I could spend more time diving but I may eventually pursue advanced certification. Cannot wait to return to dive with sea dragon again!
I did the 4 day trip with Sea Dragon and was amazed by my very first liveaboard! Not only have I visited some of Thailand‘s best dive sites, but I did so with the Sea Dragon Team, who were always there to help you with a smile on their faces. Big thank you to Stephan and all the other dive guides! They were highly professional and did a fantastic job explaining and pointing out marine life before, during and after the dives. They also put safety as their top priority, everyone gets their own dive computer and SMB included in the rental dive gear. While being professional the dive crew never fails to make everybody laugh with their jokes. I felt really comfortable and had so much fun during the whole trip. The MV Andaman is clean and has a lot of spots to either socialize or take a nap after diving. There was plenty of delicious food served by the cook. If you feel more comfortable with a german speaking dive guide, ask for Stephan and you’ll get a fantastic and fun guide/instructor. Can’t wait to come back!
Just got back from a 4 day liveaboard trip and could not recommend Sea Dragon and the MV Andaman more! Not only was the diving beautiful, but the crew were so friendly and helpful. Shout out to John for his endless patience and encouragement after I hadn't dived in 4 years. I felt really safe at all times and the dive masters shared lots of knowledge and tips as well as highlighting the marine life to look out for. There were lots of places on the boat to hang out and chat with everyone and despite it raining for the majority of the trip, it didn't matter at all! They also catered to me being gluten free. I can't wait to come back and do another trip :) Thank you Sea Dragon team!
Even though it rained and the seas were rough, basically the entire five days four nights, the staff and owner did everything humanly possible to make this trip amazing , not a complaint in the world on anything they had control over, all the dive instructors and guides were truly enthusiastic both about diving & making sure the customers were happy.The food was good in plentiful as were the drinks. I have been diving since the late 70s and a former PADI instructor.
I did a 4 day / 4 night liveaboard in the Surin and Similan Islands with Sea Dragon Dive Center in Khao Lak in February 2022.What didn't I like?- Boat is for small Thais.The boat MV Andaman is built only for small Thai people.That means the ceiling is way too low for Europeans.I'm 1.90 m tall and hit my head a lot.Once I had a bleeding wound on my head.- Koh Bon and Koh Tachai (between Surin and Similan Islands) are very disappointing.In January 2016 I already did a liveaboard in the Surin and Similan Islands.We saw a lot of coral, fish, and several huge manta rays about 2 m away (Koh Tachai).Now all I could see was rocks and dead coral.In the dive briefing, the instructor didn't even say the word manta.Instead, he said words like dynamite fishing and coral bleaching.- Pain in my right ear.At the end of a dive, the female dive master trainee pulled me down because she thought I was ascending too fast.After that I had pain in my right ear for several days.I am a PADI Rescue Diver.- My weight belt ripped.During a dive at a depth of about 10 m, I almost lost my weight belt because the belt had frayed or torn.My good instructor couldn't fix it underwater.So, he tied a knot in the band, and I had to hold the weight belt with my hand.Later on the boat, this weight belt was discarded.What did I like?- Friendly, helpful, capable, and multilingual dive instructors (English, French, German, Spanish, Thai).- No work, just divingWe didn't have to prepare the equipment, especially not to change the tanks after the first dive. This was done by the dive center staff.- 2 beautiful shore excursions in Surin and Similan Islands.- Good and sufficient food, last evening barbeque.- Friendly female manager from England.
Great trip, I could not have asked for more. The diving was great. The guides were helpful. I was allowed to dive how and where I liked. The boat crew was very accommodating. Fiona is a great manager and problem solver, always upbeat and smiling. The boat is nice and comfortable. The breakfast was very good. The lunch and dinner were ok for me. The BBQ party was fun. It is easy to socialize. The price was as good as you can get in the Similans. I will go with them again as soon as I can. I booked with No Troubles, Just bubbles-Jamie is also very helpful and thorough. Sea Dragon Dive Center-khao Lak. THANKS SO MUCH to all involved! See you soon.
The staff were all excellent, from the initial contact from the UK by email, right through to the return journey from the boat. This is one of the smaller outfits and is keenly priced. They are also the longest established. Being smaller, you get a more personal experience and the atmosphere was friendly and enjoyable. The guides were extremely competent and excellent at finding interesting things to look at. The accommodation on board was basic but comfortable. The food was amazing! Equipment was good and everything is ready for you when it’s your turn to dive. Groups were small and only 20 divers on board. Lots of returning customers on my trip, which tells you all you need to know. The diving was fantastic. So lovely to finally see healthy reefs after diving on many bleached and damaged reefs around the world. These dive sites reminded me of when I first started diving 25 years ago. Stunning. I highly recommend going with Stephan and his team, you won’t be disappointed. Thank you for a fabulous experience. Nick
Excellent dives, food, guides and laughs!This is the second time we’ve dived aboard the MV Andaman with the crew of Sea Dragon based in Khao Lak. My boyfriend and I are scuba instructors working and diving regularly in Thailand, so when it comes to choosing a diving holiday, we can be a little picky! The staff at Sea Dragon are so highly organised, friendly, and always endeavour to make their divers comfortable - whether they be seasoned pros or new to the world of diving. Fiona, who is boatmaster on board, was very understanding of our unusual request to dive in a different configuration, and dive guide Pi Kwan was a legend in the water. The food is also delicious - with lots of options for veggies like myself! They usually throw a BBQ on the top deck of the Andaman on the last night of the trip, which is always great fun and perfect to break the ice for divers who might be travelling alone.Long story short - we had a great time! (And we saw a whale shark!!!)
This liveaboard experience was just supreme and priceless. My husband and I are fortunate enough to have such a kickass group (you guys know who you are) during our short but sweet liveaboard stay. What can I say, our first time experience is definitely hard to beat. Sea Dragon Divers know how to run a good show. They are organized and have an amazing team that is very attentive and flexible. The boat staff are so friendly and thoughtful. The cook on the boat is essentially Michelin 5 star of Thailand. The treatment we got from being on the Andamann boat was just top notch. We also loved all the sites we went! Richelieu Rock which is easily became our all time favorite was mind blowing. Our divemaster Natt was so pleasant, easy going, and funny. We definitely enjoyed ALL our dives and had a special bond going on during our entire stay. It was so tempting to do the full 8 days with this company but due to our travel plans we just couldn't. If you are thinking of doing a liveaboard, this is the dive center to go with. Everything you need in a liveaboard is all here.
Joined their three day liveaboard and went in with very little expectations. I didn’t expect much because I saw their price compared to others and it was a lot cheaper. I didn’t care about anything as long as I got to dive so I decided it would be fine. From the moment I sent my first email to the moment I departed the ship it’s been amazing. Customer service is fast, all the staff is fantastic, the dive equipment is safe and food quality, the food is amazing and the beds are good. My favorite part was the atmosphere and how everyone was so kind and caring and most of all how clear it was how much the crew and divemasters cares about the ocean. Their love and knowledge infected me and the others. It was great to be able to have such a fantastic experience.
I've just spent 4 days on the MV Andaman and I must say I can't fault the experience. They have a fantastic team who do a phenomenal job in and out of the water. I thoroughly enjoyed the diving, was introduced to sea creatures I'd never previously heard of, and felt confident even in the stronger currents. Julio, our diving instructor, had an exceptional ability to spot even the tiniest creatures which made dives even more enjoyable. On board, there were plenty of excellent dishes, I really don't know how Pee Oi does it. I stayed in one of the bunks and I slept very well; on future trips I would bring my own sleeping bag just for additional comfort. Their returners' discount is very enticing and I will certainly be making use of it in future. Next time I'll be booking a longer trip!
Fantastic experience on the liveaboard boat.The whole week was so much fun, including the food, entertainment, comfort, sunbathing, super friendly and caring staff and the diving!Thanks to Fiona, Carlos and the boat crew who were very attentive and helpful. Would recommend to anyone!
The food was so good and we ate a lot. Organization was fantastic and equipment of high quality. We enjoyed so much, thanks to Fiona and all the team. Our dive guide was a local guy who helped us to feel comfortable and safe. Everything was perfect.
The ensuite cabin on the M/V Andaman probably offers the best value for money in this region. The people are helpful, the food is great and the operation smooth. Our dive guide Billy offered my wife his camera, because our is limited to 18 m depth.
Stephanie is amazing owner of dive shop and master guide of Live-aboard, he is great care of all guest whoever Advanced or beginners. This shop have regular diving schedules and Live-aboard schedules even pandemic, because they have lots of returning guest who miss this live-aboard trip. So need booking in advance. The staff of live-aboard really nice and very helpful, food is great - of course Thailand food. Also snorkeler friendly.
We thoroughly enjoyed our recent 4 day dive trip with Sea Dragons to the Similan and Surin Islands. The staff are great, food is good, the diving was very good and we spotted lots of old favourites underwater. Visibility at the Similans was super - we'd forgotten how clear the waters are there. The boat is compact but has all the amenities you need (just make sure you bring your own towel as the boat's aren't too good at soaking up the water!!). For the dives the groups kit up separately on the lower deck so it's not too crowded. Stefan, Karlos and Julio were fun, helpful and knowledgeable and the dive briefings were fun, clear and informative. The last night turned into quite a party and the secret recipe cocktail and boat BBQ went down very well with all the guests. A fun evening was had by all. We had a great time and thoroughly recommend joining the team on one of their trips. We'll certainly be going back.
Spectacular dive trip - we did a 4 night live aboard trip on the MC Andaman. Sea Dragon owns the MC Andaman (although we were unable to find the owner before we booked through another dive shop).It was our first live aboard experience, and everything exceeded expectations. The food, the dive sites and the accommodations were great. Being a smaller/lower budget live aboard, the sleeping accommodations were a bit cramped, but definitely enough for us.The dive masters were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic - it was a friendly, fun atmosphere and ended up being the highlight of our trip to Thailand. Can't wait to return to do another trip.
Great trip, great staff and fantastic dives on board of the MV Andaman with Sea Dragon. I definitely recommend this itinerary from Similans to Richelieu Rock !
My husband and I did our second 4day/4night live aboard trip with them on their first trip of the season and it was bliss! Staff were great as always and the dives were magical especially with so few people around. Spent the first night and day being terribly seasick, but once under the water, it was amazing. We were lucky enough to see turtles, a huge pod of dolphins, an octopus and several nudibranchs among other things. Dreaming of our next trip with them already!
Me and my husband just came back from 4 day/ 4 night Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock. We had an amazing time with all of the crews. Starting with Dive Master :Stephan, Liane, Karlos and Somkid. They are really great and professional, knowledgeable with dive site and also approachable with customers. Thai crew is super nice I can’t remember all of them but Captain P.Lek was friendly, P.Aoi The important person on the boat. Her food was amazing! Boat crew P.Bat, Lek and another two more. They are really helpful in every dive. Big thanks to them. The boat MV Andaman is well maintain, have big common area and chilling place at upper deck, bean bag and mattress bed to lay down. The diving was incredible, at the first day we saw sea turtles and sharks. We did couple of live aboard in Thailand and it is now for us the best .We highly recommend doing live aboard trip with Sea Dragon. If we come back to Khao Lak again, will definitely choose to dive with them !
Wow! I can only say WOW! This was my first liveaboard trip and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. One thing worth noting, everyone on board is required to take the Deep Dive adventure dive certification unless you already have it. This certification increases your maximum depth limit to 30 meters/100 feet. The reason for this requirement is because all of the dive sites we visited contain parts where they are best viewed from 20-28 meters (Open water certification only allows you to go to 18 meters/60 ft). The boat's facilities are basic, but all well functioning! There are 3 hot water showers and toilets on board as well as 3 different levels of cabins to choose from- 2 6-bed bunks, 4 doubles, and 1 master. The doubles are very cosy when sleeping 2 people. All cabins feature air conditioning that worked very well. The staff are very efficient when it comes to manning the dive deck as well as entering and exiting the water. The Thai boat staff were very attentive and fun to interact with! Rental gear was good quality and posed no issues! Dive computers and torches are provided free of charge for the dives which is a nice plus!Coming from the US where diving (and things in general) are very expensive, I was floored at how affordable this trip was! We were even able to swing taking the Advanced Open Water Course (AOW), too (all courses taught on this boat are PADI). MAJOR shoutout to my AOW instructor, Lianne! She was just incredible- awesome person, even better teacher! Very patient and knowledgable! Her immense knowledge allowed us to get nearly 40-50 minutes of dive time on EVERY dive! All the guides on this boat are very experienced and put safety ahead of everything else; yet the boat environment is very relaxed! All in, the 4d/3n trip (in a double cabin) including the advanced class, national park fees, food and alcoholic drinks (soft drinks are FREE) on board amounted to just under 800USD. The 4d/3n trip includes up to 13 dives, but you of course can do less if you want (you can't add more, though). The days are busy, but the crew never failed to wake us up and keep us awake during the day ;). On the last night, they treated us to their famous BBQ on the top deck and it was nothing short of amazing! The onboard chef has some SERIOUS skills, so prepared to be dazzled. Breakfast is provided after the first dive of the day, lunch after the 2nd and dinner after the 3rd/4th depending on the day. Additionally, light snacks and soft drinks + water are available all the time.I can't wait to go out with the MV Andaman crew again in the future! Their dive center, Sea Dragon offers all levels of PADI training from Open Water (beginner) all the way to Open Water Instructor, so don't worry if you need to get or update a certAmazing job Sea Dragon and thanks for having me on-baord! ❤️🌊
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