Daranee, December, 1994. "I called SIAM diving in Phuket and to join them on a four day live-aboard. We boarded and headed for Phi Phi Island with a dive at Shark Point en route. The boat is not luxurious, but the food was great, people helpful, and divers could set their own profiles. It was nice to drag the mattress on deck for sleeping under the stars. . . . . We would motor from island to island in the Andaman Sea south of Phuket. We spotted a whale shark at Him Muang and several leopard sharks at Hin Daeng. I have never seen so many anemones. The reefs were carpeted with them. Morays were abundant as were urchin and a bright blue and magenta crown of thorns. On a night dive a Spanish Dancer performed for us. The diving was beautiful with huge sea fans, sponges, soft corals, and reef fish of every kind. We also found many cuttlefish and several schools of barracuda and squid. It was excellent for the money: just over $300. Some people complained because the head was always plugged and the boat boy did not pamper them. I didn't see any problems that a few vigorous pumps on the plunger wouldn't fix. And the gear man was always there to hand me my camera. . . . I would definitely dive with them again. I liked the rapport among the 10 paying customers and the crew. It made for an interesting and fun trip. I also experienced my 500th dive and they gave me a little present for this. . . . I did make on day dive to Racha Yai and Racha Noi with the Sea Bees. There were probably 30 divers on the boat, but they divided us into three or four groups. They were also good about bottom time. I could stay down as long as I had air and could find a buddy with extra air. Racha Noi had the best visibility while Racha Yai had an endless supply of staghorn coral. Both were nice dives but I prefer live-aboards to day trips. The ride the long boats was also an experience. The diving around Phuket was definitely better than that around Langkawi in Malaysia." Marilyn Koukol, Kinawa, Japan

MV Fantasea, November, 1994. "The diving might be too aggressive and challenging for the beginner; otherwise, three stars ­­ Due to the strong currents occasionally. Most dives were well over 60' but this was offset by 86° water and exceptional visibility. Crew was great and the divemaster and expedition leader Nigel Richards and Mark Strickland were truly exceptional; both professionally and personally." Steve Forbes, Los Angeles, CA

Wanderlust, November, 1994. "Similian Islands. Incredible pristine, unspoiled and beautiful group of islands. Unlittered white sand beaches, with clear turquoise water. Marine sanctuary with excellent attention to the environment. Sea life was fantastic. Huge fans, diverse corals, millions of fish. Every site was different. Bad: No air-conditioning on the boat. Limited showers and 12 people sharing one toilet with the boat not fully booked up. Divemaster was excellent but had a nasty personality. Too much ego and not a good diplomat." Anon.

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