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⭐ 2002–2005 —

Five Days and Nights in Paradise: Life Aboard Viking of the Orient

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Photo Gallery & Story

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Every cruise began right on the beach at Patong. As the sun set, our boatboys approached the shore in rubber dinghies, collecting guests who had just finished their equipment checks at our dive center. Excited divers climbed aboard, and as we moved through the calm evening water, the Viking came slowly into view — anchored further out in the bay, lights glowing from bow to mast to stern.
She always took their breath away.

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Onboard, the crew and I greeted every guest with handshakes, smiles, and helping hands — luggage carried to cabins, dive gear passed to the dive platform to be arranged by the team. When everyone had settled in, we gathered in the large briefing room for a welcome drink. I introduced each of the twenty Thai crew members and our Thai and Scandinavian dive staff, explaining the tasks each of them took care of. Then, around 9 p.m., the engines started. Guests moved up to the sundeck to watch Patong’s lights fade behind us, friendships forming already.
And every departure was marked with the boatboys’ spectacular — and slightly nerve-racking — fireworks in honor of our guests.

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At dawn the next morning, our guests woke to the sight of the Similan Islands shining through their panoramic windows. At 5 a.m., the first light breakfast was served — coffee, fruit, sandwiches — followed by the morning dive briefing. By 7 a.m., everyone was in the water, many experiencing the Similans’ underwater beauty for the very first time.

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Back on board, the big breakfast was waiting. Guests ordered omelettes, fried eggs, rice dishes — whatever they wished. The mood was always cheerful and relaxed, and within a day or two, every guest and crew member knew each other by name.

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Each day offered four dives:
• the early morning dive
• the late morning dive
• the afternoon dive
• and the always eagerly awaited night dive

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Before every dive, I gave a briefing for that specific site — and each site had its own special magic.

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We also taught many diving courses during our cruises. I loved teaching at the Similan Islands — the perfect classroom, the perfect inspiration.

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Some days were unforgettable.
At Richelieu Rock in the North, our enormous, gentle friend — the whale shark — would glide toward us as if welcoming old companions. Many cruises became known as our “Whale Shark Expeditions.”
At Koh Bon, the elegant manta rays often swept around us, circling playfully until we had emptied our tanks.

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In between dives, we brought guests to the world-famous beaches of the Similan Islands. Standing waist-deep in crystal water, I would gather the group for a playful announcement: “This is my office.” It always brought laughter — perhaps a bit of envy too.

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Meals were served buffet-style in the briefing room, with plenty for everyone. Evenings were spent aft or on the sundeck, under an endless sky. Many guests preferred to sleep outdoors, wrapped in warm ocean breezes, watching the stars.

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For five days and nights, this was life aboard Viking of the Orient: simple, joyful, peaceful — and never boring.

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When we returned to shore in the afternoon, I went straight home to Ann, Koh, and Cop, enjoying precious time with them until the next evening, when a new group of divers awaited their adventure.

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This rhythm defined our High Season, from October to May, when the Andaman Sea was at its best.
During the Low Season, we offered shorter trips to places like Phi Phi, giving me more time with my family — not just one full day every five.

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These were golden years — years of laughter, teamwork, new friendships, and the quiet pride of seeing our Thai crew shine. It was a time I will always carry in my heart.

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​When I look back today, it amazes even me to realise that, if I add up all the five-day cruises I made over the years — first on Daranee and later on Viking of the Orient — the total time I actually lived at the Similan Islands amounts to almost three full years.
Perhaps that is why I came to know every dive site by heart, every current, every ridge, every coral head — the Similans became, in many ways, a second home.

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And with that experience — nearly three years of my life spent living at the Similans — our cruises kept improving, season by season. Guests returned year after year, recommending us to friends and diving clubs in their home countries. What began as a single boat with a small, dedicated team had quietly grown into one of the most trusted liveaboard operations in the region.

 

By December 2004, we faced a rare and almost unbelievable challenge: business was simply too good. We no longer had enough capacity for the many diving clubs from around the world who wanted to charter the Viking exclusively for their groups. Week after week, we had to turn down full-boat bookings. To meet the demand, we had already begun constructing a second ship at the same yard — with the same loyal team led by Lek and based on the same trusted design. The hull was already taking shape, promising an exciting and expanding future for our diving adventures.

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Now, let the two videos and the photos tell their own story — of laughter, discovery, and friendship aboard Viking of the Orient. These were truly some of the finest years of my life at sea.

As you browse the full-size photos, you’ll first meet our Thai captain and chief engineer — the steady hands behind every safe journey. Then scenes from our traditional welcome evening, where I introduced each member of our ship’s crew and dive staff. You’ll also notice the extraordinary Thai craftsmanship that shaped every part of the Viking’s interior — a beautiful blend of strength, elegance, and the spirit of the sea.