Merdeka 1 — an ironwood dive boat for small-group Similan cruising

Merdeka 1 suits divers looking for a small liveaboard with a straightforward, traditional character rather than a floating resort. The ironwood hull gives the boat a sense of history, while the limited passenger capacity keeps the group close enough that the crew knows who is entering the water and who is still on deck. The route reaches Thailand’s southern Similan sites, including Elephant Head Rock and Koh Bon, so the reason to board is clear: spend the trip close to the water, dive from a practical working boat, and return to a quieter deck instead of a crowded vessel. It is a good match for divers who value the people and the sites more than polished luxury.

The first impression is of an older working boat built around an ironwood hull, not a new yacht dressed to look nautical. That matters at sea: the boat has the character of a vessel with a past, while its size keeps the spaces personal rather than anonymous. Once aboard, movement is simple—down to the cabins, out to the dive deck, up to the sun deck or back into the indoor saloon when the heat becomes too much. The 1996 build date supports the boat’s established character, but the useful question is whether a diver wants that character. Merdeka 1 is for someone who enjoys a traditional liveaboard and a small group, not someone expecting the quiet insulation or finish of a new catamaran.

Merdeka 1 is built for a small group, and that changes the social temperature of a trip. With no more than 12 passengers, the same people appear at the breakfast table, on the dive deck and on the sun loungers, so the group becomes familiar quickly. The crew speaks English and handles the practical running of the boat, including navigation, meals, cleaning and safety. Evenings are more likely to gather people in the saloon or on deck than around a formal programme. The atmosphere is relaxed and uncomplicated: divers finish the day outdoors, share what they saw and turn in when the next dive matters more than staying up late.

The route reaches Thailand’s southern Similan sites, with Elephant Head Rock and Koh Bon named among the stops. Elephant Head Rock is the kind of site divers choose for its exposed rock formations and changing underwater relief; Koh Bon is known for the chance of encountering reef mantas and for the clear Similan water around its walls and pinnacles. No verified site depths, itinerary length or departure schedule are attached to this boat page, so those details should come from the confirmed cruise plan rather than being guessed. The attraction is the access: Merdeka 1 takes a small group to recognised Andaman dive sites from a traditional liveaboard base.

Elephant Head Rock →

Max. depth · 60 m

Koh Bon →

The crew language is English, and the boat lists full safety equipment. No guide-to-diver ratio, instructor roster, certification standard, logged-dive minimum, onboard courses, oxygen configuration or recall system is stated. Divers should therefore choose Merdeka 1 on the strength of its boat format and route, not on an advertised training or technical-diving programme.

The diving setup is functional: Merdeka 1 has a dedicated dive deck, a tender for diving and a 3.4-metre RIB used to move divers between the boat and the site. That means the working parts of a dive—kitting up, briefing, boarding the tender and getting back aboard—are kept separate from the cabins and saloon. Rental equipment is available for an additional charge, but the boat does not offer nitrox. It is also not intended for technical diving, so divers planning decompression work or specialised equipment should choose a different platform. Tank volume and material, valve type, compressor details, camera facilities, rinse tanks, hot-water arrangements and surface-marker equipment are not stated here; those details should not be assumed when packing or choosing rental gear.

Between dives, the natural place to settle is the sun deck, where sun loungers give the group room to dry off, read or watch the tender come back alongside. The indoor saloon offers the opposite kind of break when the heat builds: shade, a seat and a quieter place to wait for the next briefing. Merdeka 1 does not offer Wi-Fi, so the gaps between dives are better suited to conversation, a book or simply watching the islands and sea pass by. The boat’s appeal is the simplicity of that choice—sun, shade or sleep, with no need to fill every pause.

Meals are served buffet-style, with both Western and local food on the table. Dietary restrictions can be accommodated, so those needs should be given to the crew before boarding. The format fits a diving boat well: food can be set out for the group without turning every meal into a formal service, and divers can eat according to their own recovery needs between water time and sleep. The emphasis is practical rather than elaborate—fresh food, a shared table and enough choice to keep a mixed group fed across the trip.

The six cabins are on the lower deck. Four Bunk Bed Cabins use twin bunk-style beds and have fans; two Deluxe King Cabins have a double bed, fan, hot water and an attached bathroom. That gives the boat two distinct ways to sleep: a compact bunk cabin for divers who mainly need a place to recover between dives, or a private double cabin with more domestic comfort. There is no Wi-Fi, which suits the boat’s older, more self-contained character. Nights are shaped by the hum of the vessel and the fact that the cabins sit below the living areas, so light sleepers should choose their cabin with the boat’s working rhythm in mind rather than expecting a silent hotel room.

Boarding and return arrangements are centred on Chalong, Phuket. The wider cruise programme departs from Phuket and returns to Chalong Bay. Arriving in Phuket the night before is sensible, especially when travel delays could otherwise put the boat’s departure at risk.