The Junk

The Junk is a three-masted Chinese junk launched in 1962 at a yard in Penang, Malaysia. For twenty years she carried charcoal along the coast between Burma and Malaysia; in the eighties she took guests on day boat trips around Phi Phi; and in 1997–1998 she was rebuilt from the keel up as a diving liveaboard. The refit used more than 60 tonnes of teak and was led by an old Chinese shipwright who came out of retirement for the job. She has taken divers since 1999. No other working vessel of her age and heritage sails the Andaman Sea, and she has a film career too — including the James Bond film “The Man with the Golden Gun”.

The hull is takien tong teak, 33 metres including the bowsprit, with three masts and about 330 square metres of russet sails on bamboo battens. She sails on passages when the wind allows; otherwise a 380 hp Hino diesel moves her at a service speed of 8 knots.

Cabins. Eighteen guests share six cabins on the lower deck: two Double/Twin cabins with convertible beds, two triples and two quads with bunks. Every cabin has its own air-conditioning control and an en-suite bathroom with a hot shower. The cabins are compact, about 10 m², — this is a boat for people who come to dive and spend the day on deck. A triple can be booked by two guests at the Double/Twin rate when the doubles are gone. The quads are the most affordable option for solo travellers: berths are sold individually and the operator tries to keep them single-sex, without a guarantee.

Deck and food. The bow has a sundeck with loungers, midships there is a covered dining area under an awning, and aft is the saloon with air-conditioning and fans, a 42-inch TV, films, books and board games. Meals are buffet style: Thai cooking and Western dishes, fruit and snacks all day, vegetarian and vegan options on request in advance. Beer and wine are sold on board once the last dive of the day is done.

Diving. The dive deck is shaded, every guest has a set-up station and a storage crate, and two rigid inflatable tenders take divers to the sites. There are up to four dives a day — three day dives plus a sunset or night dive: about 14 on a four-night trip and 19 on a six-night trip. Tank with air, weights and an SMB are included; nitrox, a 15-litre tank and Aqualung rental gear are extra. A dive computer is mandatory for every diver, and the maximum depth on all itineraries is 30 m. For underwater photography the national parks require Advanced Open Water or at least 40 logged dives — a park rule, not the boat’s. The practical part of the PADI Advanced Open Water and Enriched Air Nitrox courses can be done on board.

Where she goes. The Junk runs a single itinerary — the Similan and Surin Islands, 4 or 6 nights from Thap Lamu in Khao Lak. This is the northern Andaman Sea: granite boulders and swim-throughs in the Similans, pelagics at Koh Bon and Koh Tachai, hard corals around the Surin Islands and Richelieu Rock, the best-known dive site in Thailand. Open Water and 10 logged dives are enough to join, so the trip works both for a first liveaboard and for experienced divers coming back for the mantas.

Season. The national park is open to divers from mid-October to mid-May; the rest of the year the boat does not sail. Water is 28–30 °C, visibility in season is good, at times 40–50 m. The chances of mantas and whale sharks are best from December to April. Late-December dates sell out first.

Good to know. Marine park and fuel surcharges are paid on board on top of the price: $80 and $60 for six nights, $65 and $40 for four. Travel and diving insurance are mandatory. Transfers from Phuket airport or hotels in Phuket and Khao Lak are included; the airport pick-up is usually around 5 pm, so arriving the day before is wise. Allow at least 24 hours between the last dive and your flight. Children are welcome from age 8, with an adult.