The Junk, Thailand
- from US$ 133 / day
- 9.1 Superb
- 47 Verified Reviews 47 Verified Reviews
- Nitrox available
The Junk - June Hong Chian Lee Liveaboard was part of a small merchant fleet that traded up and down the coastline from Burma to Malaysia from the 1960’s - 80’s. In 1997 The Junk underwent a complete renovation and this 33m authentic sailing vessel was turned in to an amazing dive liveaboard adventure. The Junk has her own claim to fame and has been used in several films, including James Bond’s ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’ and the ‘Swiss Family Robinson’. Now fitted with 6 air-conditioned cabins all with en-suite bathrooms.
Aboard the Junk meal times are taken very seriously, and the Junk have madw it their mission for you to experience as many different dishes as possible within the week. The chefs of The Junk - June Hong Chian Lee aim to never let you go hungry whilst aboard their vessel, and even do breakfast twice! The air-conditioned salon has a fully kitted out entertainment system, and is a great place to relax, or alternatively there is the shaded sun-deck which offers amazing views.
The Junk Liveaboard offers dive trips between November and May each year and is a fantastic choice for scuba diving the Andaman Sea Thailand, or the un-explored waters of Myanmar (Burma). The experienced dive guides will give extenstive briefings and de-briefings, to give you amazng local insights to the marine life. Diving from the Junk is done via dhingy, to ensure you easilly get to the best dive sites.
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Included: VAT, Airport Transfer, Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Tea & Coffee, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Kayaks, Land Excursions, Cabin Towels, Deck Towels.
Required Extras: National Park Fees, Port Fees (35-65 USD per trip).
Optional Extras: Gratuities, Local Flights, Alcoholic Beverages, Nitrox, Nitrox Course (100 USD), Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses (250 USD), Snorkel Gear.
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
Food & Drinks
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
The crew speaks English and Japanese.
Gear Rental
There is diving gear available on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. See below for further details on inclusions and pricing. Show prices.
Drawings & Vessel Layouts
Boat Specifications
- Year built 1962
- Year renovated 1997
- Length 33m
- Beam 8.5m
- Top speed 10 knots
- Cruising speed 8 knots
- Engines 1 x Hino 380Hp
- Max guests 18
- Number of cabins 6
- Number of bathrooms 7
- Tenders 1 x 40 hp 4.20 meters 1 x 60 hp 5.80 meters
- Water capacity 8000 ltr
- Fuel capacity 10000 ltr
- Freshwater maker 6000 ltr/per day
Boat Navigation and Safety
The Junk Reviews
- 9.1 Superb
- 47 Verified Reviews
- Vessel 8.1
- Crew 9.7
- Food 9.6
- Diving 9.0
- Value 9.1
- 8.0 Very good
- olivier L
Switzerland
Great Boat
The 10 dives, just perfect with great dive master!!
- Recommended for
- 1. Captain was top, 2: Food was great, just perfect. 3: all the staff, friendly, helpful!!
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Wei Zhen T
Singapore
Came for the dive, stayed for the food.
The friendliness and service level of the crew exceeded expectations! I'm sure every review before has talked about the food, so I'm just gonna skip that. Great value for money.
- Recommended for
- Food, variety of marine life, service.
- 8.8 Fabulous
- Richard K
United Kingdom
Excellent trip, well planned, comfortable, friendly staff and affordable
Saw two sea turtles together in one reef, knowledgable and friendly staff.
- Recommended for
- Diving, food and good company
- 10 Exceptional
- Fynn Joshua C
Germany
Allrounder
Sharks and turtles!
- Recommended for
- Marine Life, People on board (including staff) and food!
- 10 Exceptional
- John P
United States
Unforgettable trip!
Darren and Sharkey were amazing guides; safe, professional and adventurous!
- Recommended for
- The Junk is an experience you will never forget, great people diving and food.
- 9.2 Superb
- Jessica C
New Zealand
Amazingly organised and put-together; perfect for all capabilities and personality types of divers
The night dive and ship wreck dive were my favourites
- Recommended for
- My guide was patient, helpful and gave lots of tips on how to spot marine life. The crew were awesome. The leader of the trip went to great lengths to ensure we went to the best dive spots, despite the weather
- 6.0 Review score
- Anne G
Spain
Not beginners-friendly
We booked the trip because it said it was beginners’ friendly but several groups experienced problems like loosing the guide due to bad visibility or during the night dive. Also, I’d like to point out the beginners means advanced certificate divers. The guides don’t seem to worry about the group too much Food is amazing I have to say. The boat is beautiful but not too comfortable (we saw cockroaches almost everyday in our room)
- Recommended for
- Food, English speakers
- 7.2 Good
- Tatiana M
- Germany
Adventure Trip
Wrack diving, Island excursion
- Recommended for
- Food, food, food
- 10 Exceptional
- Chun Kong L
China
my first liveaboard, and i believe it is the best in my live
the whole trip
- Recommended for
- boat, staff and food
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Chris T
Canada
Top Notch, all of the crew are excellent!
We were lucky enough to encounter a juvenile whale shark at Richelieu Rock. It even came back for a subsequent photo shoot.
- Recommended for
- The crew are just wonderful, helpful people that are excellent at what they do. The equipment was always prepared for the next dive. The dive guides definitely "knew their stuff"!
- 9.2 Superb
- Conor C
Ireland
The Junk - Unique
The Junk where to start ... Jonathan the Dive Leader thorough briefs informative and approachable ... the dive guides spot on I was their new year and lets just say we had a ball, the crew well one word Thai Hospitality ... the relationship they have amongst themselves translated directly to my experience A ++++++++++++++ B the front of house girl made every day a pleasure and Tiger well he would give John Travolota a run for his money ... Bum the cook best food in Thailand ... would I recommend this liveaboard... ud be mad to choose anything else x Love to the junk and all the other crew not mentioned Thanks Conor x
- Recommended for
- Hands down the best crew, competent and highly experienced dive masters and a sense of humour
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Jens L
- Germany
Amazing trip & friendly crew
Awesome sunrises and sunsets, island visit, diving at Richelieu Rock. Super nice crew, food all day and just overall an amazing experience!
- Recommended for
- Diving / Food / Crew
- 10 Exceptional
- bumkyoon C
South Korea
great
diving with shrimp during night dive
- Recommended for
- food weather people
- 9.2 Superb
- Alessio T
Italy
I’ll stay onboard again
Wonderful organisation of dive equipment on deck Nice dive sites Good food
- Recommended for
- Warm crew, awesome schedule
- 10 Exceptional
- Jackson C
- United States
Fantastic boat crew and dive guides, I’ll be back next year to do the Similan Islands with this outfit!
The whole trip was a great time
- Recommended for
- Our dive guide Brian, the size of each diving group, and the food
- 7.6 Good
- Vivek V
India
Amazing crew, amazing culture & an amazing ship
The crew. The culture. The dive masters
- Recommended for
- Great dive sites & dive masters
- 8.0 Very good
- Peter S
- Switzerland
Good experience
Walshark
- Recommended for
- Food, Stuff, Historie of the boat
- 8.0 Very good
- masato O
Japan
Whale sharks and schools of Baracuda.
We encountered with a whale sharks everyday. We encountered with two whale sharks and school of barracuda same time. We encountered 4 sea dragons 3 times.
- Recommended for
- An encounter with whale sharks, many colorful fish, school of barracudas.
- 9.6 Exceptional
- John M
- United Kingdom
Amazing diving, on an amazing boat with an amazing crew
The in-depth knowledge and wonderful dive briefings and dive leadership of Jonathan, the Boatmaster, made the whole trip much more enjoyable than it than it would otherwise have been. Even without that though the trip would have been incredible visiting some great dive sites across the Andeman Sea, but the absolute highlight was the four dives at Richelieu Rock, and the frequent sightings of Whale Sharks there. Another highlight of the diving for me was seeing and photographing a seahorse at 30m. I think Jonathan knew where he lived and led us straight to him! The Junk itself is a unique vessel with a fascinating history, and just being on board was a huge privilege. The kitchen team were fantastic, and kept producing a never ending variety of amazing food with great flavours from authentic Thai and European recipes. I can't complete this review without complimenting the whole crew on their friendliness, efficiency and professionalism. from the boat crews helping us in and out of the ribs, to the super reliable engineer in charge of managing and refilling the cylinders, and the lovely smiling lady offering refreshing juices after each dive. All of this made for a diving holiday that will be hard to beat.
- Recommended for
- The boat itself, the whole crew, the dive locations.
- 10 Exceptional
- Guillaume L
France
Soooo good: I think I became a junky :p
Amazing briefings by Jonathan Great thaï food by the boat crew Whale sharks at Richelieu Rock Giant trevallies hunting Ornate ghost pipefish Amazing visibility Schools of every snapper, fusiliers you can think of Lobsters hanging around
- Recommended for
- Wildlife / Boat atmosphere and character / Food
- 10 Exceptional
- Malgorzata N
Poland
amazing
Perfectly organized, amazing Staff, delicious food and DIVING, DIVING, DIVING
- Recommended for
- crew, food, diving
- 10 Exceptional
- Kerstin D
- Germany
Excellent
The Junk with all activities ans the crew
- Recommended for
- Diving, Crew, Food
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Sandra F
Austria
A trip you don't wanna miss in your entire life
Diving at these amazing spots, especially Richelieu Rock and having loads of lovely people around for sharing this epic moments!
- Recommended for
- The whole crew, delicious food and the junk for itself
- 7.6 Good
- Moises D
- Spain
Boat with personality and excellent crew, but much less marine life than said.
Huge Trevallies in the swim throughs at "Screaming Rocks". The turtles at turtle rock and Anita's Reef. Water 29°C most dives. We could not get to Richelieus Rock due to the wind. Pity. Missed the best diving spot in Thailand.
- Recommended for
- The instructor Jerome stayed with me till I finished my air when the rest of the divers had finished theirs. These extra 10/12' as buddy divemasters were always he best. Thai crew. Warm water.
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Matina P
Greece
I would definitely do it again!
The great food onboard
- Recommended for
- The boat, the dive spots, the crew
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Kali K
- United States
Incredible week aboard The Junk
Giant Manta Rays, Night Dives, and Richelieu Rock
- Recommended for
- Dive guides, boat, food
- 8.0 Very good
- Robert O
- Canada
Great Dive, and great tram.
Richelieu site, and other divers justice Nice...
- Recommended for
- Confortable, Dive orienter, and great fois.
- 9.6 Exceptional
- JAYEON C
- South Korea
fantastic and heart-warming experience with beautiful ship
see stars on the top of the ship at night vessel's masts look so great with the stars and dark sky. all staffs are nice and dive-guiding also nice and gentle.
- Recommended for
- delicious food, nice staffs, old and historic vessel
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Yann B
- France
A very friendly first liveaboard experience on a characterful boat + great dives
- Great boat crew, from Jonathan's briefings (detailed and funny), to attentive instructors (Brian and Jerome), to the boat captain + dinghy drivers + boat hands + Nitrox engineer + cook & cleaning crew - Great dive team and divers on board - Good balance of organisation pre & post dive + guiding us during dives (if wanted) and letting us enjoy the scenery / schools etc - Dives: Best were the 4 dives on Richelieu Rock - all with a different blend of ingredients - New things: watching gobies and shrimps working together; being "absorbed" by a school of yellow baracudas / fusiliers / etc; being a spectator to various amorous behaviours among fish, especially the large baracudas. - Nice hike up to rocks on Similan 9
- Recommended for
- 1) great people 2) great dives 3) Professionally run with humour
- 10 Exceptional
- THIERRY L
- France
Excellent!
Very well managed all the way from pick-up at aiport to drop-off after the cruise. Very friendly staff and dive guides. Excellent mix of Thai and western food (4 meals per day between each dives). 4 dives/day including 1 night dive and 2 dives on last day.
- Recommended for
- Boat & Crew - Food - Dive sites
- 8.4 Very good
- Bruno V
- Switzerland
good despite the bad weather
See barracuda schools and sharks.
- Recommended for
- very professional follow up after registration, good and friendly diving instructors,
- 8.8 Fabulous
- CHANGKYU C
- South Korea
Great crew and food and good diving
Sand bottom diving
- Recommended for
- Crew, food,
- 9.2 Superb
- minjung K
- South Korea
Great holiday
It's really classic boat. Good friends good food Sunny days I'm very relaxed holidays in junk.
- Recommended for
- System food classic
- 8.8 Fabulous
- Manfred K
- Germany
Incredible happy trip
Every day is wonderful
- Recommended for
- Very friendly crew, wonderful food! Very well Organised activities
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Monica M
- United States
A great way to experience one of the top dive spots
- spending a whole day on Richelieu Rock - My dive buddy group was very well organized by the dive staff - safety was a great concern and well executed by the Dive Team - thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I would go again!
- Recommended for
- 1) Dive Instructors and the way they broke up our groups. 2) Food and drinks on board - the chef is spectacular! 3) The schedule - enough time in between dives
- 8.8 Fabulous
- chee chyuan C
Malaysia
Dive in similan
Nice trip great dive no manta no shark whale Horse fish very cute nudibranches small is beautiful 4 dives a day may be to much but come before is exist.
- Recommended for
- Diving resting food
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Thomas R
- United States
This was a great experience and a wonderful value for the money
Diving was spectacular, and raising the sails was pretty cool too.
- Recommended for
- The Diving, The Crew, The Food
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Gabor M
- Germany
Awesome Experimente!
Sailing the Andaman Sea, meeting so many nice People, diving at Richelieu Rock, getting stuffed with delicious Food, being offline for a whole Week, Relax to the Max.....
- Recommended for
- The Ship, the Crew, the other Guys
- 8.0 Very good
- Ursula C
- Germany
The boat could offer more comfort on deck, choose of the diving sites could be better
weather conditions, big barracuda school never sawn before, atmosphere on the boat
- Recommended for
- Crew service, Food & atmosphere
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Henrik R
Denmark
Great experience
Perfect
- Recommended for
- Mantas, great crew & excellent diving
