MV Koon9

MV Koon 9 is the largest Similan liveaboard at 52 metres long and 10.5 metres wide. It's is simply huge. Although its guest capcity is 30 divers, there is still plenty of room for everyone to relax on board, and to gear up on the vast dive deck before jumping into the crystal clear Andaman Sea. All cabins are en suite, have a large window, and most have a smart tv. The boat's range of itineraries also makes it the perfect choice for a Similan or Richelieu Rock scuba diving cruise.

There are four decks on MV Koon 9, three of which are for guests, and the lower deck is for crew & machinery. The three guest areas are the main, upper and top decks. On Koon 9's main deck there is a vast diving platform, which is well designed to enable everyone to have their own tank slot and space to gear up. There's also plenty of storage boxes, cubby holes and rinse tanks. Just in front of the diving platform you will find the communal bathrooms. These is the perfect place to take a post-dive shower, visit the toilet, or change into your wetsuit. Then we have a sliding door from here into the air-conditioned corridor that leads to all of the boat's cabins. There are eight twin cabins on each side, and at the front of this main deck there are four double-bed cabins. All the cabins are air conditioned, and have a private en suite bathroom. Yes, 16+4 x2 = 40, but in most cases the guest limit is 30, leaving some cabins for staff overflow or guests who need to stay alone. Plus, it keeps the total number of divers down to a sensible amount.

The upper deck of Koon 9 is where you spend most of your time relaxing indoors. There is a small outdoor seating area at the back of this deck, normally where guests might smoke or relax with a drink. But most of this upper deck is air-conditioned indoor communal areas for dining and enjoying the multimedia systems. Approximately 70% of this upper deck's indoor area is a huge restaurant dining room. Here you can enjoy fresh fruit & snacks all day & night, plus delicious meals served throughout the day. There's plenty of space to eat and the food is what you can expect from a master Thai chef! The remaining floor space is a large lounge saloon with comfortable sofas and armchairs, and a huge television with a games console. 

Finally, the top deck of Koon 9 is an exposed area where you can top up your tan, enjoy 360° views, gaze at the night sky, or just enjoy the breeze with a few drinks with friends. There are sun loungers, soft seating and some shaded space up here. Wherever you spend your time on Koon 9, you will have space and the opportunity to relax and enjoy a wonderful diving cruise.

And another thing that makes Koon 9 such a great boat to join is its choice of itineraries. You can choose to join for 2D/1N (overnight trips), 2D2N, 3D/2N, 3D/3N, 4D/3N or 4D/4N. Plus, you can start your trip on almost every day of the week, to suit your holiday schedule. How is this possible? Well, Koon 9 goes out to sea from Khao Lak every Wednesday evening, and guests on these trips stay for 2D/2N, 3D/3N or 4D/4N, and then return by speedboat transfer late in the afternoon of the final day. Guests for the 2D/1N, 3D/2N and 4D/3N trips start in the morning from Khao Lak by speedboat. You dive three times on the first day, and three times on the final day, before returning by speedboat. If you join for 3D/2N or 4D/3N you can dive up to four times on the middle day(s) of your trip.

Prices & Schedule

Koon 9 has lots of different itineraries, so please check carefully.

The longest trips are 4D/4N and 15 dives. These trips leave in the evening every Wednesday, and you come back on a Sunday afternoon by speedboat.

There are also several different shorter trips, which all start in the mornings. You join by speedboat transfer from Khao Lak, and arrive on Koon9 at 10.00am. Then you dive for two days & one night (2D/1N), three days & two nights (3D/2N) or four days and three nights (4D/3N). At the end of your trip, you come back to Khao Lak by speedboat.

Depending on the day of the week, your trip will visit different diving sites, and there are two different piers that the speedboats use. Therefore, please check carefully to make sure your chosen trip on the schedule matches the itinrary that you are looking at.