Merdeka 1 Liveaboard, Thailand

8.8 Fabulous

Jacuzzi / Hot Tub
Naturalist Guide
En-Suite bathrooms
Family Cabins
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers

Check dates

“Small-group cruise, good food and services, diving without too many people”
JULIETTE P, Netherlands

Highlights

Peaceful journey with no engine noise
Up close with manta rays, turtles, and leopard sharks
Delicious Thai meals prepared and served

The Merdeka 1 liveaboard is a traditional Indonesian phinisi built in South Sulawesi and made of traditional teak and ironwood. She is now based in Thailand and offers fantastic 4-night dive and adventure cruises from Phuket. Itineraries sail around the beautiful Islands of Phi Phi, Koh Bida, Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, and Koh Racha Noi. Divers can get up close with manta rays, turtles, and leopard sharks, and there are ample opportunities for snorkellers to enjoy the underwater beauty and fish life. Each day allows plenty of time for relaxation, whether massages, beach walks, or sunbathing. Enjoy the sunset with a cocktail or two, delicious Thai food, and even the chance to enjoy the nightlife on Phi Phi during the evening.

Topside, the Merdeka 1 boat accommodates just 8 guests in 4 cabins. Each cabin features an en-suite bathroom with hot water, all pillows, linen and towels, and a fan. Relax on the large open deck with mattresses, ideal for dozing in the afternoon sun or enjoying a traditional massage. Delicious Thai meals are freshly prepared and served family-style at the large dining table.

The Merdeka 1 liveaboard offers the perfect combination of diving, snorkeling, and relaxation. Book online today to book your Thai cruise.

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This liveaboard does not currently have availability online. Please contact us to check availability and rates or browse other liveaboards worldwide

2026

2027

2028

Included: VAT, Port Fees, Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Tea & Coffee, Beach BBQ, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Extra Dives, Fishing, Kayaks, Land Excursions, Naturalist Guide, Snorkel Gear, Snorkeling Guide, Stand Up Paddleboard, Beach Towels, Cabin Towels, Complimentary Toiletries, Deck Towels, Massage.

Required Extras: National Park Fees (600 THB per day).

Optional Extras: Gratuities, Airport Transfer, Hotel Transfer, Alcoholic Beverages, Private Dive Guide (3,000 THB per day), Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses (66-325 EUR).

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

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Boat features

Jacuzzi / Hot Tub
Naturalist Guide
En-Suite bathrooms
Family Cabins
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers
Massage
Sun Deck
Camera Station
Nearly 1:1 Crew-to-Guest Ratio
Kayaks On-Board
Seaview Cabins
Naturalist Itineraries
Non-Smoking Rooms
Charging stations
Outdoor Dining
Audio & video entertainment
Observation Deck
Fishing
Available for Charter
Local & International Crew
Separate Rinse for u/w Camera
Outside Showers
Leisure Deck
Daily housekeeping
Bar

Food & Drinks

Vegan Options
Vegetarian Options
Free Soft Drinks
Beer available
Wine Available
Beach BBQ
Snacks All Day
Buffet style
Western Food
Local Food
Set Menu Dinner

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.

Diving

Shaded Diving Area
DIN Adaptors
Tech diving
Rinse Hoses
Tenders for diving

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English.

Gear Rental

Equipment is available for rent on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. If the rental gear is not included in the price, you will need to pay for it on board the boat. Show prices

Cabin Types

Boat Specifications

Year built: 1997

Year renovated: 2018

Length: 25 meters

Beam: 6 meters

Top speed: 8 knots

Cruising speed: 6 knots

Engines: 350hp Nissan

Max guests: 12

Number of cabins: 6

Number of bathrooms: 7

Tenders: 1

Water capacity: 5000 liters

Fuel capacity: 3000 liters

Freshwater maker: no

Boat navigation and safety

Depth Sounder
GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
Emergency Rafts
Life Vests
Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
Oxygen
First Aid Kits
Satellite & mobile phones
Crew trained in first aid
Emergency flares

Merdeka 1 Reviews

8.8 Fabulous
19 Verified Reviews

Vessel

7.6
Crew

8.9
Food

9.6
Diving

8.9
Value

8.8

10 Exceptional
Trent K
United States

Highlight of our trip
The last dive of our trip, visibility was outstanding and the sun came out, it was amazing!
Recommended for
Crew, great weather, dive conditions
15 Nov, 2022

10 Exceptional
Michael E
Germany

Unique!
Great dives and all requests were catered for.
Recommended for
The professional divemaster, massage on board, very nice staff
28 Mar, 2024

Translated from German

8.4 Very good
Kim R
Norway

An experience to remember!
John and our group made this a nice trip.
Recommended for
Jon was an excellent diving guide. Very nice group of people on the boat. Nice sites.
30 Oct, 2024

8.0 Very good
Emanuele G
Italy

Cozy trip
+ tanks and gear easy to access and seamless get in and out of the water. Staff helpful + excellent food and onboard massage! + nice cosy and spacious cabins - boat engine on all night to keep the (necessary) AC on… very disturbing
Recommended for
Diving experience, food, massage
11 May, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Yinghua S
China

Perfect diving trip
The diving arrangements were excellent
Recommended for
Professional dive guides, plenty of activities, friendly crew
23 Jan, 2023

Translated from Chinese

10 Exceptional
Ricky W
United Kingdom

Outstanding value
Superb experience on board the Merdeka. Food was great, staff were awesome and the rooms were even better than expected on the top deck! Alex our dive instructor was also extremely considerate of what everyone on board wanted - he even managed to squeeze an extra dive in for us when the one before had tough currents. Couldnt have possibly asked for me…would definitely going back next time I’m in Thailand, highly recommend
Recommended for
Accommodation, value and dive guides
07 Dec, 2023

9.2 Superb
Val F
New Zealand

4 night charter experience.
The diving was the absolute highlight with knowledgeable and professional dive guides: The food was excellent as were the staff - and the massages.
Recommended for
The Diving. Flexible approach to itinerary. Staff.
24 Dec, 2024

8.4 Very good
Joelle M
Switzerland

Cruise
Magnificent dives
Recommended for
The dives. The dive master. The crew.
20 Nov, 2024

Translated from French

9.2 Superb
JULIETTE P
Netherlands

Superb experience, super nice staff, small group for those who don't like dive factories
Small-group cruise, good food and services, diving without too many people
Recommended for
Small-group cruise, good food and services, diving without too many people
28 Mar, 2024

Translated from French

9.6 Exceptional
Alain T
Australia

Rustic but very enjoyable liveaboard trip.
Boat crew and dive guides were very professional and very patient with newbie divers. Dive sites were good for new divers and there were lots of black tip reef sharks.
Recommended for
Boat and crew.. Great dive sites with plenty of life.. Food was plentiful and delicious..
13 May, 2025

19 reviews

Sort reviews by:

10 Exceptional
Caroline S
United States

Excellent dive master and crew, fantastic food and great value for money
I particularly like that Merdeka had a women dive master and we were the first to the best dive sites, including Koh Phi Phi's most famous, which is usually very crowded. The captain and the crew were very professional and kind. The food was excellent and the massage was the cherry on top!
Recommended for
First at the dive sites, excellent food and great massage
29 Mar, 2024

10 Exceptional
Dirk D
Germany

So nice and beautiful
All things are perfect the crew, the dive sides and the food. Thx a lot
Recommended for
Friendly staff, relaxed in the hammock and good dives
13 Feb, 2020

9.6 Exceptional
Kuba K
Poland

Great chillout trip with Eric and his team.
Only 4 guests on boat (inc. me and my girfriend), great diveguide and person - Eric, great Thai crew and dive, relax, dive, massage..
Recommended for
coziness, atmosphere and Eric
24 Feb, 2020

8.8 Fabulous
Axel S
Germany

Charming boat - blissful days
Upper deck cabins with a view/ lounging on the sun deck
Recommended for
Wooden charm / atmosphere / massages included
17 Mar, 2023

6.4 Review score
Michael H
United Kingdom

South from Chalong
Quite an old boat, Merdaeka 1 certainly has character but is in need of quite a bit of TLC. It is one of the few Thai liveaboards going south from Chalong, which is why we booked it (we = four members of Wirral Sub Aqua Club). And as there were only four of us we had plenty of room for kitting up
Recommended for
At last managed to do the southern Andaman itinerary. Quite laid back and relaxing. Alex (dive guide) looked after us well.
27 Nov, 2024

8.4 Very good
Victoria H
United States

Great time, excellent customer service and food!
May was so kind and took such great care of us! We had the boat to ourselves and they were great about taking us to every beach and dive site we wanted. The food was delicious, they were careful with my allergies and fed us plenty of snacks! Thanks for the great trip! Oh, and the massages were excellent. Note: the hot tub was not operational.
Recommended for
Food was delicious, staff was very courteous, islands and diving were beautiful!
30 Nov, 2019

8.0 Very good
Renee H
United States

Wonderful diving and great comfort on board!
The crew worked together to provide safe diving and non populated dive sites and comfortable nights of rest. The food, Massage, and professionalism provided a dive vacation of my dreams!
Recommended for
The Crew, Divemaster, and food!!
02 May, 2023

7.2 Good
Christopher J
United Kingdom

Diving/snorkelling were good but disappointing accommodation
Enjoyable experience overall but the state of the accommodation was poor and desperately needs refurbishment. The amazing variety of sea life was the highlight and the island cliffs were fantastic.
Recommended for
Only our group + one other onboard. Varied dive sites. Friendly helpful staff/crew and Good food.
13 Dec, 2024

6.0 Review score
Ben T
Austria

Nice boat, lazy diveguide
The boat was okay, and the dive sites were unexpectedly beautiful. Unfortunately, the entire experience was somewhat overshadowed by a very demotivated dive guide: one less dive than promised, no support in handling the equipment, absolutely unorganized, and massively delayed departure. It felt like one had to beg to get what was promised. With a different guide, the trip would have been fantastic.
Recommended for
Essen, Massagen, Meer
17 Feb, 2024