What should I pack for a liveaboard trip?

Dive gear, exposure suit, computer plus backup, two swimsuits, warm layer for evenings, reef-safe sunscreen, medication, adapters, dry bag and a soft-sided luggage bag.

Pack light, pack soft, and pack redundant. Space in cabins is limited, and hard-shell suitcases are a problem because there is nowhere to store them once emptied — soft duffel bags fold flat under the bunk, which is why almost every operator asks for them.

Dive essentials: mask plus a spare, fins, exposure suit appropriate to the water temperature, dive computer plus a backup computer or at least a watch and depth gauge, SMB and reel, a torch even if you skip night dives, spare mask strap and fin straps, a small save-a-dive kit with o-rings and cable ties, and your certification cards and logbook.

Topside: two or three swimsuits so one is always dry, quick-dry t-shirts, one warm layer and a windproof for sunset crossings, flip-flops, sun hat, polarised sunglasses, reef-safe sunscreen, lip balm with SPF, and a light rain shell for tender rides.

Easy to forget but important: seasickness medication, personal first aid and any prescriptions in original packaging, a universal power adapter and a multi-plug strip, a dry bag for tender transfers, ear-drying drops, and a refillable water bottle. Leave behind: hairdryers, heavy books, formal clothes and anything you would be upset to see corroded by salt.