The Junk Overview
The Junk is a very strange name for a very special boat. She is officially called June Hong Chian Lee and is a completely refurbished cargo vessel which was first built in Malaysia. This is the same boat used in the James Bond movie, The Man With the Golden Gun. Nowadays, the boat takes diving guests on liveaboard diving cruises around the best diving sites of Thailand. Although her age and appearance suggest traditional sailing and far from luxurious living conditions, the opposite is true of this remarkable yacht. She has facilities befitting the best diving and pleasure craft in the Andaman Sea and can comfortably take up to 18 passengers in air-conditioned comfort.
There are several cabin types on The Junk. The double cabins can be made into twins, and the triple cabins can be made into a double, with a single bunk. In total, there are two cabins for two guests (we call them doubles), two cabins that take three guests (triple), and two four-bunk cabins. All of them are cosy, have air-conditioning and a private en-suite bathroom with proper toilets and showers. The air-conditioned lounge saloon has AV entertainment and a comprehensive library of books, but guests usually choose to be out on deck looking at the view, topping up a tan, or enjoying the sea breeze.
At 33m long and 8.5m wide, The Junk is the perfect size for passengers to enjoy stability and space on board. The traditional design and materials give an intangible feeling of being part of something very special, while modern comforts make sure that the happiness lasts throughout the journey. Two Bauer compressors, two motorized tender dinghies and up-to-date safety & communication features are standard.
Those lucky enough to take a cruise on The Junk will enjoy the delicious food, comfortable cabins and communal areas, and can spend hours enjoying the views, reading a novel, sharing dive experiences, or learning about the history of this very special boat. In addition to the famous James Bond classic, The Junk has featured in several movies.
From late October to May The Junk has trips to Thailand's Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock. All of these trips depart in the evening, either from Khao Lak or Phuket. The 4D/4N trips return mid-afternoon, and the 5D/6N trips give you an extra day diving and two extra nights on board. You disembark in the morning after breakfast. During the low season (May-September) The Junk has short trips from Phuket to the best dive sites around Koh Phi Phi & Phuket. These trips are excellent value and very popular. Departure is usually in the morning, and return late in the afternoon two or three days later.
Recently the local authorities in Thailand made a new regulation that all diving has to be done from dinghies, not from the rear diving deck of purpose-built dive boats. So, now all those dive boats have to use dinghies. However, The Junk team have always been doing it this way, and the crew and facilities are already well set up and experienced.
Two more things that make diving from The Junk so attractive are the incredibly-well-organised team and the special offers. The organisation is thorough from the beginning of the booking process, through to leading up to the departure day, and then everything on board runs like clockwork. And for people who book early, or leave it to the last minute, there are often special offer discounts to be had.
The Junk Facilities, Layout & Specifications
The Junk Specifications | |
Length. | 33m. |
Beam. | 8.5m. |
Speed. | 8 knots motor sailing, 1 main engine 380 Hp and 2 generators 50 kW each. |
Tenders. | 1x 4.2m 40hp & 1x 5.8m 60hp. |
Compressors. | 2x Bauer. |
Scuba Tanks. | 40. |
Electronics. | Satellite navigation system, 3 VHF radios, 2 CB radios and video depth sounder. |
Water - maker. | (6.000 litres/p.day). |
Range. | 10.000 litres of diesel (range unlimited if there is wind). |
Safety. | Patient area with 2 large oxygen tanks, 40 life jackets & life rafts for 25 people. |
Surface. | 2 recreational areas totaling 150 square meters. |
Capacity. | 18 passengers, crew of 10, 6 cabins & 8 hot-water showers with toilet. |
The Junk Courses
Taking part in a PADI diving course is an exciting experience, and best enjoyed while aboard a luxury diving yacht such as the Junk. There is a range of PADI courses available for those diving on The Junk.
The most popular diving courses are AOWD and Nitrox, but please contact us to ask about any other diving education on The Junk.
Courses | |
---|---|
Courses | Prices |
PADI:
Specialty courses
|
N/A
Contact us
|
PADI:
Nitrox (EANx)
(2 Dives)
Including: Certification & manual
|
6,500
THB |
PADI:
Advanced Open Water
(5 Dives)
Including: Certification & manual
|
9,000
THB |
The Junk Itinerary
*The 5D/6N trips can be found elsewhere on the internet as 7D/6N, but the first day is just a few hours in the evening with no diving, and on the final day you disembark immediately after breakfast. Therefore, we prefer to show them as 5D/6N.
*The 4-night trips are also advertised elsewhere on the internet at 5D/4N, but the first day is just a few hours in the evening with no diving. Therefore, we prefer to show them as 4D/4N because they're less tahn 96 hours in length.
Please select the itinerary below that matches your chosen trip in the schedule. Or you can normally go to the 'schedule page' and click on 'Show Itinerary'.
The itineraries below are the most-common for each trip, but these can sometimes be changed for a number of reasons. Small changes are made due to weather & sea conditions, special marine life sightings, overcrowded dive sites, local-authorities' instructions, and the needs & requests of the paying guests. The safety & comfort of all guests is most important at all times.
The Junk Transfer Details
For Similan trips The Junk's guests are offered free scheduled transfers from most of Phuket's & Khao Lak's hotels and resorts, including Phuket International Airport. The pickup/drop off time depends on the location of the guest and the pier from which The Junk is departing / returning. We will communicate with each guest prior to the trip.
For low-season Phi Phi trips, guests staying in Phuket can get free transfers.
The Junk Scheduled Transfers 4D / 4N Trips
|
|
---|---|
15:00 - 17:30 | Pick up from Phuket : Free |
18:00 - 18:30 | Pick up from Khao Lak : Free |
20:00 - 20:30 | Departure ( Tab Lamu Pier, Khao Lak ) |
15:00 | Return ( Tab Lamu Pier, Khao Lak ) |
15:00 | Drop off to Khao Lak : Free |
16:00 - 17:00 | Drop off to Phuket : Free |
The Junk Scheduled Transfers 5D / 6N Trips
|
|
---|---|
15:00 - 17:30 | Pick up from Phuket : Free |
18:00 - 18:30 | Pick up from Khao Lak : Free |
20:00 - 20:30 | Departure ( Tab Lamu Pier, Khao Lak ) |
15:00 | Return ( Tab Lamu Pier, Khao Lak ) |
15:00 | Drop off to Khao Lak : Free |
16:00 - 17:00 | Drop off to Phuket : Free |
The Junk Scheduled Transfers 3D / 2N Trips
|
|
---|---|
07:00 | Pick up from Phuket : Free |
08:00 | Departure ( Chalong Pier, Phuket ) |
17:00 | Return ( Chalong Pier, Phuket ) |
17:30 | Drop off to Phuket : Free |
For customers who would like a private taxi please see below for details.
(Click below for a rough guide to the rates you can expect to pay ‘per vehicle,’ not ‘per person’.)
The Junk Schedule & Prices
Destinations | Duration | Quad cabin | 3 Bed cabin | Double / Twin |
---|---|---|---|---|
Koh Phi Phi, Shark Point, Koh Doc Mai, Anemone Reef ( 11 dives) | 3D / 3N | Quad cabin 20,137 THB | 3 Bed cabin 24,574 THB | Double / Twin 30,376 THB |
Koh Haa, Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Koh Phi Phi, Phuket ( 14 dives) | 4D / 4N | Quad cabin 27,304 THB | 3 Bed cabin 34,130 THB | Double / Twin 42,663 THB |
Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck ( 14 dives) | 4D / 4N | Quad cabin 34,130 THB | 3 Bed cabin 42,321 THB | Double / Twin 54,471 THB |
Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck ( 19 dives) | 5D / 6N | Quad cabin 51,195 THB | 3 Bed cabin 66,554 THB | Double / Twin 81,707 THB |
The Junk Special Offers Coming Up | ||||
On Special! We have a lot of specials available for this boat. Please see the boat schedule for more details |
Do you have a large group and want to charter the whole boat?
click below to find out more |
7 Reasons to Book with us:
- Best-price guarantee, AND get FREE gifts.
- We don’t ask for any payment or your card details until you are ready to confirm your booking.
- For safety reasons, it’s impossible to complete a booking instantly online , as some other websites claim to offer. We always check first as each boat has a different criteria regarding diver details & experience .
- We offer each boat’s booking & payment policy (below). Some other websites have standardised terms, asking for full payment but many boats’ payment terms are a 20-30% deposit, and the balance paid on arrival.
- Our Thailand-based staff are experts about logistics, the dive sites & all the boats . Take a look at the reviews on our site & tripadvisor.
- Our team are always online to answer your questions. We always respond the same day , usually within a few minutes
- Customer service is everything!
For example, if a trip is cancelled, we will ensure you can choose between an alternative similar trip or a full & unconditional refund .
The booking process for The Junk is simple & convenient. Firstly, ask us to reserve a space in your chosen cabin on your preferred dates. This is comittment free. When you are ready to confirm, we ask for 30% of the cruise price as a deposit. This payment is most-commonly made via PayPal, and there are no fees at all for you, the customer. You don't even need a Paypal account, although PayPal do encourage you to open one. The PayPal invoice can be sent to any email address and payment can be made by anyone. Nowadays, most of our guests choose to pay via domestic direct bank transfer, getting the best exchange rate and without fees. This is possible because we have bank accounts in many currencies, including USD, GBP, EUR, AUD, NZD CAD, SGD & THB.
The 70% balance is due 60 days before departure. Again, this payment can be made via PayPal.
Extras, such as national marine park fees and maybe equipment hire or other items, can be paid when you arrive or on board the boat. Card payments incur 3-4% bank fees. Extras such as park fees, and equipment hire must be paid on arrival.
Cancellation policy:
Cancellation fees depend on the time and reason for cancelling. Since Covid-19, the team has become extremely flexible. The management of The Junk are both considerate & flexible whenever possible regarding customer cancellations. Often, customers can move their booked spaces to another Junk cruise, or sometimes its sister ship, The Phinisi.
The official cancellation policy is as follows:
60+ days before departure = 25% of the cruise price is forfeited
1-60 days before departure = 75% of the cruise price is forfeited
Most travel insurance policies can protect you from unforeseen cancellation penalties.
Call us: (+66 89 136 3121)
or fill out the form below