Reefs are teeming with fish; shark numbers have been managed and increased and Thailand’s National Parks have been taking the shutdown very seriously to enhance the balance of the ecosystems they are entrusted to manage.
As we approach a high tourist season, it will be a slimmer version of what it once was, the numbers of visitors will be a fraction of what they were pre-pandemic, though operators are quietly pleased with the prospect of still having quiet dive sites and small dive groups.
Sea Bees, Phuket’s longest-serving dive company, has been helping the local community during the quiet times with a medical support drive and preparing the business side to accommodate a different type of visitor to Thailand.
Holger Schwab, Managing Director of Sea Bees Diving, says visitors are becoming more mature, and they have a little more disposable income to enjoy life experiences such as diving. Therefore, Sea Bees has tailored some packages and courses to this demographic, as well as completely renovating our liveaboard boat, the MV Marco Polo.
The newly revamped liveaboard vessel can accommodate a maximum of 12 passengers in six luxurious, air-conditioned double cabins, each with a private rain shower and en suite bathroom. Having fewer guests allows Sea Bees to provide divers with a more individualized experience with a more relaxed schedule, plenty of space on the dive deck area, and better opportunities for guests who are not travelling together to get to know one another and form lifelong travel relationships.
Some things remain the same, however, such as the delicious Thai cuisine with a healthy dose of European flair served every meal, making the cliché mantra of ‘Dive, Eat, Sleep’ a comfortable fact of life. Aside from tanning on the sunny deck, sunseekers can also read, relax, and, of course, snooze!
Divers can now dive the Andaman Sea in the warmest of hospitality and on a modern boat with the highest dive standards. Overnight dive expeditions to the Similan Islands and the world-class Richelieu Rock are offered by Sea Bees for either 3 days and 2 nights onboard, or 4 days and 4 nights. Price ranges for scuba diving trips range from Thai Baht 29,000 (US$885) to Thai Baht 42,000 (US$1,280) including national park fees.
