Bunmee 4 — a practical Andaman liveaboard built around the diving

Bunmee 4 suits divers who want Thailand's Andaman sites without giving the boat more importance than the water. Its layout is made for repeated dives: equipment stays organised at the stern, entries are close at hand, and the tender follows divers during drift dives and water exits. Above, there is enough room to eat, watch footage and get out of the way of the next kit change. The strongest reason to choose it is the combination of northern and southern routes. A short cruise can focus on the Similan Islands, Koh Bon or Koh Tachai; a longer safari links the Khao Lak sites with Phuket's southern islands. The crew's ratings are notably stronger than the boat's, with crew, food and diving scoring 8.8, 9.4 and 8.8. That says something useful: the vessel is a working platform, while the people and the diving carry the trip.

Bunmee 4 makes the right first impression for a dive boat: a steel hull, a stern arranged for equipment, and living spaces separated from the working end. The 2023 renovation matters because the boat's character is practical rather than glossy. Divers move from cabin to dive deck without crossing a hotel-style maze, and the upper deck gives the group a place to eat and look ahead while the crew handles the boat. The engines sit at the back, away from the cabins, with the generator positioned farther aft for quieter nights. That separation is worth more than another decorative lounge on a multi-day cruise. The boat serves individual divers and small groups, with routes departing from both Khao Lak and Phuket.

The atmosphere is warm without being formal. Passengers describe a crew that stays close to the practical details—helping with kit, calming nervous divers and keeping the boat running—rather than performing hospitality from a distance. Thai crew members work alongside an international team, and English, French, Russian and Italian are spoken. By the second day, the repeated pattern of briefings, dives, meals and photo reviews gives a mixed group plenty to talk about. In the evening, the large screen turns sightings into a shared record: a manta, a macro subject or a reef scene can return to the conversation before the next day's first dive. The food scores highest, but the crew and diving score almost as strongly. Bunmee 4 is best for divers who value people who notice what needs doing.

The northern routes are the reason to board from Khao Lak. The Similan Islands combine coral reefs with granite boulders; Elephant Head Rock reaches a maximum of -60m, with arches, tunnels, caverns and reef sharks, while West of Eden reaches -40m through granite canyons covered in soft corals and gorgonians. North Point drops to -35m around coral-covered pinnacles, and Anita's Reef slopes gently through coral gardens to a sandy floor, reaching -35m. Koh Bon is a wall and cleaning station where manta rays may glide in with pelagic fish; Koh Tachai's submerged pinnacles reach -40m and Koh Bon's neighbouring route can include the open-water encounters of Racha Noi. Boonsung Wreck is an old tin dredger transformed into an artificial reef, with a maximum depth of -18m and fish dense enough to hide the surface. Koh Doc Mai is a limestone wall to -32m, full of macro life, corals and caves. Surin Islands offer hard-coral gardens and granite outcrops to -25m. Koh Waeo is a protected, shallow reef to -12m with a local tin-mine wreck. South Tip reaches -70m, where converging currents meet a soft-coral reef. Listed cruises last from 4 days/3 nights to 9 days/8 nights, with 5- or 6-day Similan and Richelieu routes between Khao Lak and Phuket.

Similan Islands →

Max. depth · 40 m

Elephant Head Rock →

Max. depth · 60 m

West of Eden →

Max. depth · 40 m

North Point →

Max. depth · 35 m

Anita's Reef →

Max. depth · 35 m

Koh Bon →

Koh Tachai →

Max. depth · 40 m

Racha Noi →

Boonsung Wreck →

Max. depth · 18 m

Koh Doc Mai →

Max. depth · 32 m

Surin Islands →

Max. depth · 25 m

Koh Waeo →

Max. depth · 12 m

South Tip →

Max. depth · 70 m

Barracuda, nudibranchs, trevally, giant morays and fusiliers form the recurring background of this route. White-tip reef sharks, leopard sharks, whale sharks, sea turtles and reef sharks are recorded across much of it, while manta rays appear at several sites rather than belonging to one single encounter. The sites change the kind of attention needed. At Koh Bon, the cleaning station gives manta rays a reason to pass close to the wall. At South Tip, converging currents can draw pelagic animals over soft coral, including manta rays, and the reef also offers macro subjects. Koh Doc Mai is the place to look carefully for a bamboo shark among the limestone and caves. Boonsung Wreck shelters stonefish and porcupinefish among the wreck structure. Koh Tachai is the specific site for a gorgonian sighting and, on the right dive, a hawksbill turtle. Surin Islands are where the humphead parrotfish is recorded. Racha Noi is the only listed site for grey reef sharks and garden eels. None of these animals is guaranteed; the route rewards both patient looking and watching the blue.

Manta Ray →

Mobula birostris

Nudibranch →

Nudibranchia

Whale Shark →

Rhincodon typus

Hawksbill Turtle →

Eretmochelys imbricata

Briefings are detailed and educational, with the dive team explaining the site before divers enter rather than leaving the group to guess where the current or main feature will be. Instructors and guides hold CMAS, SSI or PADI qualifications, and the working languages are English, French, Russian and Italian. Courses can be taken on board, including Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox, deep diving, refresher training and professional-level Divemaster training. The Open Water course is suitable for beginners, while advanced and deep-diving training gives certified divers a way to build skills during the cruise. Group ratios and minimum logged-dive requirements are not stated, so the actual organisation depends on the itinerary, certification level and conditions. Safety equipment includes oxygen, first-aid kits, life rafts, life jackets, fire alarms and extinguishers, emergency beacons, marine and satellite communications, radar, GPS and sonar.

The aft dive deck is spacious and shaded, with room to set up without turning every cylinder change into a traffic problem. The platform is built for quick entries, and two ladders make exits straightforward; one semi-rigid tender remains available to monitor drift dives and collect divers at the surface. The boat uses aluminium 12-litre tanks with DIN-International fittings, and DIN adapters are available. Nitrox 32 is available, filled by two high-pressure compressors with a combined filling rate of 34 m³/h. Fifteen-litre tanks and nitrox are optional extras rather than standard inclusions. Separate rinse tanks are provided for cameras, alongside a dedicated camera-rinse area and charging stations. Sidemount diving is supported. Rental equipment can be arranged, but no brands are identified. Oxygen, first-aid kits and trained first-aid crew are carried on board.

Between dives, the upper deck is where the boat earns its keep. The dining area, mini-bar, multimedia space and forward observation area sit together, so a diver can follow the passage of the islands without retreating to a cabin. The large partly shaded sun deck gives cameras, books and wet gear some separation from the meal space. A dive library, games and video screenings fill the longer gaps, while the large screen is particularly useful when underwater photographs and video are reviewed in the evening. Stand-up paddle equipment and shore excursions add a change of scene when the itinerary allows. The boat also has a massage service, but the better use of an empty afternoon may simply be shade, a dry shirt and enough time to let the previous dive leave the body.

A day begins with breakfast, then a site briefing and the first dive. After the surface interval, food and water are followed by another descent, with later dives separated by the same practical cycle of rinsing, logging, eating and changing cylinders. The boat moves between sites when the route requires it, and the tender can follow divers during drift dives or meet them where they surface. The gaps are long enough for a nap in an air-conditioned cabin, a shaded seat on the upper deck or a review of photographs on the large screen. Lunch and dinner punctuate the diving rather than interrupting it. A night dive is included on the cruise, changing the same reef from a daytime landscape into a search for nocturnal life. After the final dive, equipment is secured, footage is shared and the boat settles into the next passage.

Breakfast is prepared to order, which is useful after a night dive or before the first descent when everyone wants something different. Lunch and dinner are buffet meals built around Thai food, with Western choices, fresh seafood, fish, vegetables and local fruit. Vegetarian and vegan options are available, and snacks are served through the day. Non-alcoholic drinks, tea, coffee and drinking water are included; beer and wine are available separately. Meals can be taken outside when conditions allow, while the upper-deck dining area keeps the group together when the boat is moving. On a four-dive day, that table becomes part of the dive operation: divers eat, compare sightings and get ready for the next briefing without leaving the boat or searching for a restaurant.

The cabins are on the main deck, with a bay window and individual air conditioning. Marina cabins have private shower-toilet facilities; the two Horizon double or twin cabins are on the upper deck and share a shower-toilet on the main deck. The distinction matters when a boat is full and everyone returns from a dive at once. Cabins are cleaned each morning, beds are made and towels are changed regularly. Engines and the generator are kept aft, away from the sleeping area, so the bunk is not directly beside the machinery. Above the living spaces, the partly shaded sun deck gives passengers somewhere to read or lie down between dives. At night, it becomes the place for open sky rather than another screen. Horizon Double/Twin, Marina Twin, Marina Double/Twin and Marina Double cabins cover the available arrangements.

Bunmee 4 departs from Khao Lak or Phuket, depending on the cruise, and returns to Khao Lak or Phuket according to the listed route. Transfers between hotels, the dive centre and the boat are included within the stated embarkation areas: Khao Lak for Khao Lak departures, and the Chalong, Kata, Karon or Patong area for Phuket routes. The transfer details are arranged with the booking information. Arriving the night before is the sensible choice, especially for a cruise beginning in Phuket or Khao Lak after dinner.