MV Oktavia

MV Oktavia is a Khao Lak based dive boat which offers wonderful liveaboard tours for divers as well as non-divers and even children. She is almost 30 metres in length and offers comfortable and spacious diving cruise trips at very competitive prices. The Swedish owners run a small professional team and ensure that every trip to the Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock is as safe and comfortable as possible. Although the boat is designed for up to thirty three guests, each trip is normally limited to just twenty in order to maximize the comfort and convenience for all on board. Nitrox fills are available. MV Oktavia has large and spacious master cabins as well as double and twin standard cabins, a large dive platform and a sun deck. There are hot water showers throughout, with the master cabins enjoying private en suite bathrooms. All passengers will enjoy air-conditioning and privacy at night, with somewhere to relax alone or socialize between dives and in the evenings. As well as offering the best diving experiences possible, the staff and crew appreciate the need for guests to visit beaches, take walks on the islands and snorkel in the warm and crystal-clear shallows. There’s always something to do and see for those who don’t dive, as well as those who want to do as much as possible between dives.

The best Similan diving liveaboard trips can be difficult to choose due to trip lengths and schedules. However, MV Oktavia has a novel solution. Most of the cruises are five days and five nights in length, but there is an option to only go out for two or three days. This is simply done by speedboat transfer to or from the ship which stays out at sea for the full five. One option is to sail out on MV Oktavia at the beginning of the dive cruise and return on a speedboat after two days and nights at the Similan Islands. The alternative is to take the speedboat out for the second half of the cruise, which visits Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Boonsung Wreck on a 3D/2N 10-dive itinerary. The speedboat journey is usually 1.5 hours. Those who are lucky enough to enjoy the complete 5D/5N cruise visit all the locations and get to dive 19 times. At the beginning and end of the season, Oktavia offers 4D/4N 15 dive trips which are comparable to most other liveaboard trips offered on our other boats.

A couple of other things which make Oktavia standout among its competitors are the itinerary beginning and the equipment storage. Firstly, the start of most liveaboard diving trips involves being taken to, or meeting at, the dive centre to complete paperwork and fit equipment. This can be a frustrating time for those who just want to get onto the boat and set sail. It also means that most boats which do this sail late into the night. Oktavia guests are taken straight to the boat and she sets sail earlier than most others, meaning that by the time most guests are settling down for their first night'ssleep on board, the ship has already reached its destination and there is less noise and movement to disrupt sleep. “What about the equipment?” some may ask. Well, due to Oktavia’s large size and small number of guests on each trip, there is plenty of space aboard in their equipment room to keep everything on the ship, ensuring that there’s no wasted time and always a spares available in the right size, just in case. Guests who need to pay the trip balance by credit card or have any other special circumstances will need to visit the dive centre in Khao Lak, and there are also those who will actually want to visit, but it’s not necessary.

The Oktavia staff and management pride themselves on being absolutely honest and efficient in every piece of information they give customers, both before and after a booking is complete. Unlike many other boats in the region, Oktavia guarantee that each trip (Nov-Apr) will depart, regardless of how many guests have booked to join. This is especially comforting for those who want to book far in advance. It is not unheard of for customers on other boats to have their trip cancelled by the dive centre because not enough paying guests booked to make the trip financially feasible. That doesn't happen on Oktavia.