Blue Guru Diving

Terms & Conditions

This website has been built and is operated by Blue Guru Conservation.

Blue Guru Conservation is a Thai Limited company with full membership of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT no. 33/03986). Blue Guru is also a member of the Thai Diving Association. Blue Guru's diving instructors are fully qualified and insured PADI professionals.

Below we outline the terms and conditions that apply when booking your liveaboard or holiday with Blue Guru Conservation. These provide you with information on the following:

  • What you need to do to secure your booking.
  • When full payment is required.
  • What happens if you need to cancel your booking.What happens if we, in those rare circumstances, need to change a booked trip / tour / course.

What you need to know

All Blue Guru Conservation liveaboard, accommodation & holiday bookings are sold subject to the following conditions:

Making a booking

  • Please provide all information requested to help us manage your reservation and booking as quickly as possible.
  • Please book as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
  • Some Koh Phra Thong accommodation bookings must be made with boat transfers from Khuraburi pier to prevent logistical complications arising from independent transfer arrangements (accommodation supplier dependent)

Our prices

  • All of our prices are quoted in Thai Baht.
  • • All deposit amounts to be paid in advance are subject to a supplemental 10% Service Fee (this covers payment administration charges and currency conversion) unless stated otherwise. There is no service fee added to liveaboard bookings paid for by bank transfer.
  • Prices for advance payments may be quoted in your preferred currency for your convenience.
  • Liveaboard bookings, including trip prices, courses and insurance are subject to 7% VAT.

Paying for your holiday

  • For all liveaboard bookings: Full payment required by bank transfer at least 2 months before trip date or upon booking, if less than 2 months before trip. Equipment rental can be paid for in Thai Baht cash upon arrival in Khao Lak at check in.
  • For all diving insurance, private taxis and accommodation bookings: Full booking value to be paid in advance unless stated otherwise
  • There are three ways to make payments in advance. We can send you a secure link to pay by Credit Card or via PayPal, subject to 10% service fee. Payment can be made by bank transfer in Thai Baht with no service fee.
  • Payment by credit card or PayPal is in your preferred currency converted from Thai Baht at the current xe.com mid rate.
  • For bank transfers, all bank fees of both the sending and receiving bank must be covered by the sender to ensure the amount received matches the amount invoices.

If you need to cancel or change your booking

For liveaboard bookings the following cancellation policy will apply:

  • Cancellation: No refund of payment
  • Change of booking: Made on a discretionary basis, subject to availability. No refunds for downsizing booking value via a change of booking.

    • For accommodation & holidays transfers provided by Blue Guru Conservation the following cancellation policy will apply:

    Deposit+Balance on arrival accommodation & holiday bookings

    • Cancellation: No refund of deposit payment
    • Change of booking: Made on a discretionary basis where available and at least one month before arrival date. 1 change accepted free of charge. Further changes applied at 15% of total booking value. No refunds of either deposit or balance available for downsizing booking value via a change of booking.

    FFully paid accommodation & holiday bookings

    • Cancellations: 30+ days before arrival. No refund of deposit.
    • Cancellations 14-30 days before arrival: refund 30% of booking value
    • Cancellations within 14 days before arrival: no refund.
    • Change of booking: Made on a discretionary basis where available. 1 change accepted free of charge and at least one month before arrival date. Further changes applied at 15% of total booking value. No refunds of either deposit or balance available for downsizing booking value via a change of booking.

    We recommend all guests take out a high quality travel insurance to cover the cost of cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances.

    What happens if we need to change your booking

    • Although every effort will be made to operate as advertised, Blue Guru Conservation reserves the right (at our sole discretion and without penalty) to make alternative arrangements as we see fit if caused by poor weather conditions, medical emergency, technical problems to vehicles, flight delay or other circumstances beyond our control
    • Where it is in the interest of a booking that an itinerary be shortened or altered, such alterations may be made without penalty to the company.

    Our liability

    • We act as an agent for liveaboard, hotel, and transport companies and assume no liability in connection with their services.
    • Where holidays are booked utilising the services of third party partners - Khao Lak Scuba Adventures, accommodation providers or transport suppliers - partners then their terms & conditions will also come into effect
    • Blue Guru Conservation will not be responsible for any act, omission, error or any injury, delay, irregularity, government regulations, theft or strikes over which we have no control.
    • All divers must bring and show their certification card to be able to dive. A photocopy is not acceptable. In the event that diver certification is not proved then we reserve the right to refuse individuals to dive. In this case no refund will be given.
    • All divers must sign a PADI Liability Release, in accordance with standard industry practice, to be allowed to dive. In the event that the PADI Liability release is not signed then we reserve the right to refuse individuals to dive. In this case no refund will be given.
    • Blue Guru Conservation are not responsible for nor can be held liable for damage or loss of customer equipment or other belongings.

    Diving and Conservation Permits

    Like with all great Natural Marine Parks around the globe, the local Governments and Authorities impose local permit charges to all visitors. Here in Thailand we have several marine parks of this type.
    The following charges will apply to all our guests and are included in all invoices.

    • Similan National Park entry 500Bt
    • Surin National Park entry 500Bt
    • Diving fee per day 200Bt

    Similan National Park now limits the number of divers in the marine park each day and diving permits need to be applied for in advance. All live aboard guests will therefore be required to provide their passport details in advance. If a customer does not provide the requested passport information in advance, Blue Guru cannot be held responsible if the limited diving permits have run out. If a customer cannot join a liveaboard trip because they have not supplied their passport details in advance and there are no National Park diving permits left, there can be no refund for the liveaboard trip.

    Fitness for scuba diving

    All divers are required to be fit to dive, for their own safety & for the safety of our staff & other customers. We reserve the right to refuse individuals to dive if they are not considered fit to dive. This includes being hungover or under the influence of drink/drugs, given the increased risks when diving in such a condition. In these circumstances, no refund would be given.

    We wish you an enjoyable and safe diving trip.