Liveaboard Dive Safaris: A Beginner's Guide

A liveaboard (also called a dive safari or dive cruise) is a boat designed for diving, where you live for several days, usually 3 to 10 nights. The boat moves between sites that day boats can't reach, so you can dive remote reefs, famous wrecks and offshore pinnacles with far fewer divers around.

A typical liveaboard day

Time	Activity
06:00	Wake-up bell, coffee and a light snack; briefing
06:30	Dive 1 (early morning, often the best for big animals)
08:00	Full breakfast; boat moves to the next site
10:00	Dive 2
12:30	Lunch, rest, sunbathing
14:30	Dive 3
17:30	Dive 4: sunset or night dive
19:30	Dinner, logbooks, photos, early night

You don't have to do every dive. Skipping one to rest is common and sensible.

Pros and cons

Pros

Access to remote, pristine sites
Lots of diving: 3–5 dives a day
Fewer crowds at famous sites
Everything taken care of: food, tanks, briefings
Great social atmosphere with fellow divers
Often good value per dive

Cons

Seasickness risk
Limited space and privacy
Intense for new divers
Little for non-divers to do
Remote: far from medical help
Fixed itinerary

Are liveaboards suitable for beginners?

It depends on the route. Some liveaboards welcome newly certified Open Water divers and even run courses on board (for example some Red Sea northern routes, Thailand's Similans, parts of the Maldives). Others, like the Red Sea's Brothers/Daedalus/Elphinstone routes, the Galápagos, Socorro or Komodo's current-swept sites, require Advanced certification and a minimum number of logged dives (often 30–50+).

Before booking, check:

Required certification level and minimum logged dives
Typical conditions: current, depth, and whether dives are drift or open-water
Whether dives are guided
Whether you need an SMB, dive computer and nitrox certification

Good preparation: do 20–30 dives first, take the Advanced and Nitrox courses, and get comfortable with drift diving and SMB deployment.

Popular liveaboard destinations

Red Sea: wrecks (Thistlegorm) and offshore reefs; affordable
Maldives: mantas, whale sharks and channel dives
Thailand: Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock
Indonesia: Komodo and Raja Ampat
Philippines: Tubbataha (mid-March to mid-June)
Australia: Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole and Coral Sea
Galápagos and Socorro (Mexico): advanced big-animal trips

Costs

Roughly, per person per week: €800–1,500 in the Red Sea, US$1,500–3,500 in the Maldives, US$2,000–5,000+ in Indonesia, and US$5,000–9,000+ in the Galápagos. Extras often include park fees, nitrox, gear rental, drinks, fuel surcharges and crew tips (commonly 10% or more). See cost of diving.

How to choose a liveaboard

Route and season: check the best months. See our calendar.
Safety: oxygen, first aid, emergency plan, satellite communication, life rafts, and an experienced crew. Read recent reviews carefully. Fires and sinkings, although rare, have happened.
Group size and guide ratio: smaller groups mean better diving.
Cabin type: lower-deck cabins are cheaper but can feel more motion and engine noise; upper-deck cabins are brighter and often more stable for seasickness.
Diving style: are dives from the main boat or tenders (RIBs)? Are they guided? Is nitrox included?
Food and dietary needs

Tips for your first liveaboard

Bring seasickness medication (tested on land), and choose a mid-ship cabin if you're prone
Pack light and soft: bags are stored in cabins with limited space
Bring a thicker wetsuit than usual. Repeated dives cool you down
Label your gear and keep it in your assigned space
Stay hydrated, rest, and skip dives when tired
Get dive insurance with evacuation cover
Plan a 24-hour no-fly interval after the last dive. See flying after diving

Liveaboard etiquette

Be on time for briefings; the whole schedule depends on it
Keep your gear in your station, and don't use other divers' rinse tanks for cameras
Respect quiet hours and shared spaces
Follow the crew's safety instructions, including dive-deck rules and headcounts
Tip the crew at the end if you received good service; it's often pooled and shared

Frequently asked questions

Can Open Water divers go on a liveaboard?

Yes, on many beginner-friendly routes. Others require Advanced certification and a minimum number of logged dives. Always check the route's requirements before booking.

How many dives do you do on a liveaboard?

Usually three to five dives per day, depending on the route and your energy levels.