M/V Mermaid II Itinerary

SIMILAN ISLANDS/RICHELIEU ROCK - 4 days/4 nights

HIN DAENG/MUANG & PHI PHI - 2 days/3 nights

Monday

Tuesday - 4 dives

Wake up call at 7am in paradise ! After a continental breakfast, 1st dive around 8am at the spectacular East of Eden on Island no. 7 followed by a full western breakfast. Dive #2 at Elephant Head Rock between islands #7 & 8 to enjoy coral encrusted swim throughs, sharks, giant trevally and mostly large fish action at this remarkable site. Macro enthusiasts should look out for specials like dragonets, whiskered pipefish, nudibrancs, peacock mantis shrimp and more ! Then we cruise north to Koh Bon to see if the Mantas are dancing off West Ridge.The night dive will feature crustaceans, sea stars, morays, lion fish plus more. Dinner is served then its time to relax with our new friends over a cold beer
on the party deck.

Wednesday - 4 dives

Early morning the captain sails us quietly to Koh Tachai to dive the fabulous "Plateau" - leopard sharks sleep around 25 metres while over head masses of barracuda, big eye trevally and a wonderful school of resident batfish wait the keen diver - maybe even a chance for an angler fish hiding among the cabbage corals on the dome. Whale sharks frequent this dive site as are mantas !!! Next we cruise north for 2 hours to the world famous Richelieu Rock for a minimum of 2 dives - sea horse, frog fish, harlequin shrimp, ornate ghost pipefish plus more will delight the macro enthusiast with loads of fish action for everyone - rivers of fusiliers, big schools of jacks, chevron barracuda, yellow stripped snapper swim in the blue around "the Rock" with giant garoupa standing sentinel at the many coral heads just off the Rock - dripping with yellow, purple and pink soft corals. A sunset dive at Richelieu Rock is a treat if conditions allow otherwise its off to Koh Tachai for a good night dive where we shelter in a quiet bay for the night.

Thursday - 4 dives

Early morning, another chance for the pelagic action of Koh Tachai and then its back to Koh Bon for more shark and manta action off the West Ridge or a deep dive on the Pinnacle for advanced divers ! Relax over lunch as we cruise back to the Similans for an island adventure to enjoy the white sand beaches and awesome granite boulder formations. Then Dive #3 in the warm blue waters of Anita's Reef Island #5 - wow - are your camera's fully charged ? Night diving at Honeymoon Bay or the Hideaway will give you the chance to see loads of big and small crabs, lobster, shells and more - maybe a twin spot lion fish, a Spanish dancer ?

Friday - 2 dives

Today 2 morning dives around the southern Similan Islands - Boulder City and Shark Reef often feature on the itinerary developed each trip to suit all divers on board. These sites are washed by light to moderate currents bringing swarms of bait fish attracting pelagic and reef fishes galore. Loads of gorgonian fans dot the sea floor providing homes for creatures big and small and plenty of photo opportunities. Look around the many huge granite boulders for leopard sharks, napoleon wrasse, oriental, sweet lips, jaw fish and more.

Your Similans/Richelieu adventure comes to an end as we cruise back to Patong Phuket arriving around 16:00 hours - all part of the service on board MV Mermaid II - relax over a yummy lunch while the crew wash your equipment and ready the boat for arrival. On shore you are met by Mermaid shore crew who assist your every need transferring you to your hotel or next destination.

Here we say good bye till next time to those leaving the boat. Those continuing on their Andaman Safari adventure have a chance to stretch their legs on shore, do a little shopping, have a massage or simply stay on board and relax for a couple of hours while we restock. All aboard by 19:00 hours !

TOTAL DIVES - SIMILAN ISLANDS/RICHELIEU ROCK - 14

Friday Con't

Guests are transferred to Sea World Dive Team in Patong for 18:00 to check in and transfer to MV Mermaid for 19:00 - more fireworks and we get underway for Hin Daeng/Muang in the south cruising about 6 hours over night.

Saturday - 4 dives

Good morning call for 7am and a continental breakfast. Dive 1, 2 and 3 give you plenty of opportunity to enjoy the wonders of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang. Famous for stunning purple soft corals and one of the best places for the chance to spot whale sharks. Mantas spend hours on the cleaning stations here as do divers ! Couple this with a "fish soup" of rainbow runners, yellow tail and chevron barracuda, fusiliers and millions of reef fish and you have one awesome dive location ! We head north to Koh Haa - a cluster of 5 scenic islands for a wonderful night dive alive with colour, decorator crabs, shrimps, spiny lobster, red whip corals plus more.

Sunday - 4 dives

Special treats today ! Dive 1 at Koh Haa I for sea horse, great chimneys and swimthroughs. Dive 2 - "Twin Cathedrals" of Koh Haa - a safe but awesome open cavern dive with limestone stalactites . Outside this spot is nudibranc city - you can't fail to spot rare and interesting macro delights here. Then it's off to dive Bida Nok and Bida Nai at Phi Phi for 2 dives featuring leopard sharks, bamboo sharks, ornate ghost pipe fish, turtles …. After diving, there is the chance to go on shore at Phi Phi to shop for souvenirs, have a few beers at one of the many trendy bars or simply enjoy a romantic stroll along
the moonlit beach. All aboard by 11pm to cruise back to Patong Phuket.

Monday

A hearty breakfast for all while the boat crew transfer your luggage ashore. Then we bid
farewell to our guests transferring ashore by 9:00 hours. Those staying on to continue
their Andaman Safari to the Similans have the day to relax on the beach, enjoy
a massage, go for an elephant trek, or relax by our pool at Phawadee Resort and Spa
till boarding time at 18:00 hours.

TOTAL DIVES for HIN DAENG/ PHI PHI - 8

TOTAL DIVES FOR ANDAMAN SAFARI - 22

NOTE: Your Andaman Safari can start on either Fridays or Mondays for 6 days/7 nights seeing much of the splendor of the Andaman Seas

BALI - KOMODO - BALI - 6DAYS/7NIGHTS

Saturday

Check-in on board MV Mermaid I between 14:00-16:00 hours in Benoa Harbour Bali. After the boat and safety briefing, we'll set up equipment and you can settle into your cabin. Dinner will be served approx 19:00 hours as we cruise into the sunset on overnight journey to Moyo Island, north west Sumbawa.

Sunday - 3 dives

Start your adventure with a great dive in the calm, clear waters of Angel Reef at Moyo Island. Massive elephant ear and barrel sponges, schools of long fin banner fish and red tooth triggers. In their hundreds, frog fish, nudibrancs, eels, surgeon fish, snapper, dog tooth tuna checking out what is for lunch ! Visit the local village then its lunch for us ! Next is a great dive at Panjang Reef – are the pygmy seahorses around ? Then we cruise 2 hours to Satonda Island for a world class night dive after watching a million bats fly at sunset. After a great dive and dinner we cruise overnight to Sangeang Island, off the north coats of Sumbawa.

Monday - 4 dives

2 dives at Sangeang Island for rare nudibrancs, pygmy seahorse and underwater hot springs that support this very unique marine life. Cruise to Gili Banta for exhilarating dives at Tanduk Rusa for big fish and amazing corals or GPS Point, famous for its sharks and pelagics. Then we enter the Komodo National Park and night dive at Gili Darat South Passage - sleeping turtles, colourful reef stone fish, Spanish dancers – calm sea- a great place to stay the night.

Tuesday - 4 dives

If the tide is right we hunt grey reef shark and dolphin at Taka Toko Gili Lawalaut. Dive 2 is a fast drift with pelagics and manta at Lighthouse Reef or the Old Passage. Then Crystal Rock awesome soft corals and the chance for sharks, turtles, giant Maori wrasse, a ‘fish soup” dive with a high chance of eagle rays too ! Then we cruise south for fascinating night dive at Pink Beach near the entrance to the Komodo National Park.

Wednesday - 3 dives

Start your day with an exciting visit to Komodo National Park to walk with the dragons !
Then relax as we cruise 2 hours south to Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island. Spectacular
diving awaits at the world famous site Cannibal Rock – rare nudibrancs, frogfish, spectacular corals, sponges, ascidians, huge black coral bushes, turtles, cuttlefish, loads of reef fish too ! Watch dragons on the beach, monkey, deer, wild pigs along the shore, go beach combing…. Maybe even a chance to follow whales and dolphin feeding in the calm bay. We overnight at this peaceful place, night diving at one of the many fabulous spots

Thursday - 4 dives

The Three Sisters call us to Padar Island for sharks and nudibrancs, surgeon fish and devil
Rays. Manta Alley or Takat Makasar follows for the chance for a manta aggregation – WOW ! Batu Bolung aka “Current City” is the home for large Napolean Wrasse, turtles, blue fin trevally Or maybe a dive at Tatawa Kecil – we check out the currents first to make sure the dive will be cool for everyone on board ! Then we say goodbye to Komodo National Park with a fabulous Night dive at Gili Banta with Coral Cta Shark and more then we cruise west enjoying a post dinner night dive along the way. Overnight we cruise to Satonda Island

Friday - 2 dives

We enjoy two fantastic dives at Satonda and Moyo Islands for more chances for ghost
pipe fish, ribbon eels, turtle, cuttlefish and more before we cruise overnight to Benoa in the south of Bali.

Saturday

After breakfast we transfer you ashore at 9am to continue your vacation…or its time to head home to start planning your next Mermaid cruise !

TOTAL DIVES - BALI/KOMODO/BALI - 20