Open Water+
10+ Logged dives
Blackwater dive
Nitrox available
Please ensure your passport allows you to enter Thailand without a visa by land. If not, you must arrange the necessary visa or re-entry permit for Thailand in advance.
Our itinerary takes us through some of the most spectacular and remote dive sites in the Mergui Archipelago and Burma Banks. The exact route and number of dives at each site may vary depending on weather, sea conditions and currents.
Located on the outskirts of the Mergui Archipelago, South Twin Island is a spectacular site to begin our adventure.
The underwater landscape is dominated by huge granite boulders, surrounded by hard coral reefs and large schools of fish.
If we are lucky, this may be the first place where we encounter a majestic manta ray. Even without these magnificent animals, South Twin is a fantastic introduction to the diving in the Mergui Archipelago..
Shark Cave is one of our favourite dive sites in the area.
In the afternoon, we may have the opportunity to visit a beautiful beach, where we can get some sand between our toes. We may also pass by a traditional local fishermen’s village.
Underwater, the site offers plenty of marine life to discover, including eagle rays, grey reef sharks, nurse sharks resting in their cave, blotched stingrays, frogfish, leaffish, spearer mantis shrimps, and many other fascinating creatures.
The beautiful coral formations also make Shark Cave a particularly colourful dive site.
Our night dive here is always a special experience, with opportunities to find seahorses, fascinating crustaceans, and colourful nudibranchs.
+ Night dive (to check that everyone is comfortable diving at night)
Following a night crossing, we will arrive at Black Rock, a small rock formation rising from the open sea.
Because Black Rock is located far out in the open sea, away from any other reef or island, this site attracts a wide variety of marine life. Acting as a fish magnet, it is a real ecosystem on its own. From the tiniest critters to the large pelagic, everything can potentially be spotted there, making this place one of the highlights of the Mergui archipelago dive sites.
+ Blackwater dive
(The cruise director, Franck Fogarolo, will give a thorough presentation and briefing on Blackwater diving so everyone knows what to expect and what to do. This is also an opportunity to ask questions about Blackwater diving, as well as camera setup and settings.
If you’re into photography, Franck can also provide a daily photo review to help you improve your shots.)
We will take it one step further west towards the Burma Banks for some exploratory dives.
This remote area offers the chance to enjoy exceptional diving in rarely visited waters. Depending on the conditions, you may even be among the first divers to explore some of these sites!
Day 4: 1 Blackwater dive
Day 5: 1 Blackwater dive
Day 5: 1 Blackwater dive at 7pm and a second one at 10pm
The name says it all: Seafan Forest is a spectacular underwater landscape mostly made of limestone; it is filled with cracks and impressive sea fans.
These formations attract a wide variety of marine life. You may frequently see schools of barracudas and batfish above the site, as well as tuna hunting schools of fusiliers as well as seahorses, frogfish, stonefish, and harlequin shrimp.
Keep an eye out in the blue, as whale sharks and manta are not a rare encounter there. We have even been lucky enough to encounter three whale sharks on a single dive here!
In the afternoon, we will make 2 more dives at Western Rocky before getting ready for our famous BBQ night.
Western Rocky is one of the most famous dive destinations in Myanmar. It offers 4 different dive sites, including a spectacular underwater tunnel at around 20 metres, which passes right through the island.
Inside and around the rocks, you may find lobsters hiding in dark corners, slipper lobsters, and many different types of crabs, including sponge crabs, spider crabs, and anemone crabs.
We have also encountered bowmouth guitarfish, whale sharks, various shark species, harlequin shrimp, frogfish, and seahorses in this area.
Western Rocky is also a fantastic place for a night dive, when many fascinating creatures become active.
+ Night dive
On the last day of the trip, conditions permitting, we may explore a submerged pinnacle rising to around 18 metres below the surface.
This isolated underwater formation is exceptionally rich in marine life and offers one final opportunity to discover the incredible biodiversity of Myanmar’s waters.
With a little luck, larger pelagic species may also pass by during the dive, providing a spectacular finale to our adventure.
All cruises aboard the MV Smiling Seahorse, weather permitting, offer the opportunity to experience the incredible Blackwater Diving in the Andaman Sea.
If you’ve never experienced this unique style of offshore night diving, don’t worry! Before your first Blackwater dive, our team will give you a full presentation and safety briefing to explain what to expect and how to enjoy this unforgettable experience safely.
✈️ 24-hour no-fly period
Please remember that you must allow at least 24 hours between your last dive and your flight. Our final dive usually finishes around 9:00 am.
For the latest flight schedules, check AirAsia.
🚌 Bus to Bangkok
You can also travel back to Bangkok by bus. The bus departs around 8:00 pm and arrives in Bangkok at approximately 5:00 am the following morning.
Please note: This itinerary is provided as a sample and may be modified by The Smiling Seahorse depending on the weather forecast, sea and diving conditions, or other unforeseen circumstances.
8 Days / 7 Nights / 25 Dives
Departure
22 November 2026
Ranong at 2:00 PM
Return
29 November 2026
Ranong around 5:00–6:00 PM
Rates valid from January 2026
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Standard
Air-conditioned | Shared bathroom | Twin or bunk bed
Deluxe
Air-conditioned | Ensuite bathroom | Twin or bunk bed
Master
Air-conditioned | Ensuite bathroom | Double bed
Myanmar E-Visa: You will need to apply for a Myanmar E-Visa. The cost is US$50.
Port of entry: Kawthaung — Apply for your E-Visa
Myanmar entry and diving fees: US$260 per person (subject to change without prior notice).
If you do not have your own:
Personal Insurance
General travel insurance is highly recommended.
Dive computer rental: 300 THB/day
Equipment rental: 600 THB/day
Extra Blackwater dive: 1,000 THB/person
Nitrox: 250 THB/tank or 4,800 THB for the whole cruise
15L tank: 300 THB/day or 2,100 THB for the whole cruise
Private guide: 4,000 THB/day
Transfers: Transfers to and from the boat are available on demand.
Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes.
Gratuities / tips: A tip of 1,000 THB/day/person is common practice.
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Meet at our dive center headquarters for check-in.
2:00 pm
We will head to the immigration office to complete the necessary Thailand departure formalities and obtain your exit stamps.
We will then make our way to the magnificent MV Smiling Seahorse and board for the start of your adventure.
After crossing the border into Myanmar, immigration officers will board the boat in Kawthaung to carry out the necessary border-crossing checks. Once all formalities are completed, we will head out to sea!
Shortly after sunset, we will hold a departure ceremony to officially launch our voyage.
Then it’s time to enjoy your first delicious meal on board before settling in for your first night at sea, gently rocked to sleep by the waves.
The adventure begins!
We will enjoy up to 4 dives per day around the Mergui Archipelago and Burma Banks, weather and sea conditions permitting.
After each dive, a meal or snack will be served so you can refuel and relax before your next underwater adventure.
Depending on the itinerary, we will make 1 or 2 dives on the final day.
Our last dive will finish no later than 9:00 am.
We will then return to Kawthaung, where the Burmese authorities will return our passports after completing the necessary departure formalities.
Once everything is completed, we will cross the border back into Thailand, where you will receive a new Thai entry stamp.
We expect to be back in Ranong around 4:00 pm.
Important – Re-entering Thailand: Please make sure your passport allows visa-free entry into Thailand by land border. If it does not, you will need to arrange the appropriate Thai visa or re-entry permit in advance.
Our itinerary takes us through some of the most spectacular dive sites in the Mergui Archipelago and Burma Banks, with opportunities to encounter pelagic species, fascinating macro life and incredible underwater landscapes.
The exact route and dive sites may vary depending on weather, sea conditions, currents and other unforeseen circumstances.
Located on the outskirts of the Mergui Archipelago, South Twin Island is a spectacular site to begin our adventure.
The underwater landscape is dominated by huge granite boulders, surrounded by hard coral reefs and large schools of fish.
If we are lucky, this may be the first place where we encounter a majestic manta ray. Even without these magnificent animals, South Twin is a fantastic introduction to the diving in the Mergui Archipelago.
We will finish our first day of diving with a night dive, searching for fascinating creatures such as pygmy squid, swimming morays, octopuses, candy crabs, cowries and nudibranchs.
+ Blackwater dive
North Twin and its Pinnacle offer further opportunities to encounter manta rays and, occasionally, eagle rays.
The site is characterised by numerous sandy patches between the granite boulders. These areas are also where we regularly find leopard sharks resting on the bottom.
The giant sea fans often hide fascinating marine life, so take your time and look carefully!
+ Blackwater dive
Following a night crossing, we will arrive at Black Rock, a small rock formation rising from the open sea.
This exposed site attracts a wide variety of marine life, and we will be keeping our eyes open for the big stuff, including sharks, rays and other pelagic species passing through the area.
Because Black Rock is located far out in the open sea, conditions can be more challenging than at other sites in the Mergui Archipelago. Currents can be stronger, making this a different style of diving and adding to the adventure.
+ Blackwater dive
Shark Cave is one of our favourite dive sites in the area.
In the afternoon, we may have the opportunity to visit a beautiful beach, where we can get some sand between our toes. We may also pass by a traditional local fishermen’s village.
Underwater, the site offers plenty of marine life to discover, including eagle rays, grey reef sharks, nurse sharks resting in their cave, blotched stingrays, frogfish, leaffish, spearer mantis shrimps and many other fascinating creatures.
The beautiful coral formations also make Shark Cave a particularly colourful dive site.
+ Night dive
Our night dive here is always a special experience, with opportunities to find seahorses, fascinating crustaceans and colourful nudibranchs.
We will take it one step further west towards the Burma Banks for some exploratory dives.
This remote area offers the chance to enjoy exceptional diving in rarely visited waters. Depending on the conditions, you may even be among the first divers to explore some of these sites!
+ Blackwater dive over very deep water
We will explore the Western Rocky area, one of the most famous dive destinations in Myanmar.
Despite its reputation, we may still have the site almost entirely to ourselves!
One of the highlights is a spectacular underwater tunnel at around 20 metres, which passes right through the island.
Inside and around the rocks, you may find lobsters hiding in dark corners, slipper lobsters and many different types of crabs, including sponge crabs, spider crabs and anemone crabs.
We have also encountered bowmouth guitarfish, whale sharks, various shark species, harlequin shrimp, frogfish and seahorses in this area.
Western Rocky is also a fantastic place for a night dive, when many fascinating creatures become active.
+ Blackwater dive or night dive
Both options offer excellent opportunities to discover unusual marine life.
The name says it all: Seafan Forest is a spectacular underwater landscape filled with huge boulders and impressive sea fans.
These formations attract a wide variety of marine life. You may frequently see schools of barracudas and batfish above the site, as well as tuna hunting schools of fusiliers.
We have even been lucky enough to encounter three whale sharks on a single dive here!
In the afternoon, we will make one final dive around Western Rocky before beginning our return journey.
After our final dive, we will return to Kawthaung, where there may be time for some souvenir shopping and a refreshing local beer.
Once we receive our passports back from the Burmese authorities, we will cross the border back into Thailand, where you will receive a new Thai entry stamp.
All cruises aboard the MV Smiling Seahorse, weather permitting, offer the opportunity to experience the incredible Blackwater Diving in the Andaman Sea.
If you’ve never experienced this unique style of offshore night diving, don’t worry! Before your first Blackwater dive, our team will give you a full presentation and safety briefing to explain what to expect and how to enjoy this unforgettable experience safely.
✈️ 24-hour no-fly period
Please remember that you must allow at least 24 hours between your last dive and your flight. Our final dive usually finishes around 9:00 am.
For the latest flight schedules, check AirAsia.
🚌 Bus to Bangkok
You can also travel back to Bangkok by bus. The bus departs around 8:00 pm and arrives in Bangkok at approximately 5:00 am the following morning.
Please note: This itinerary is provided as a sample and may be modified by The Smiling Seahorse depending on the weather forecast, sea and diving conditions, or other unforeseen circumstances.
8 Days / 7 Nights · 25 Dives
Departure: Ranong at 2:00 PM
Return: Ranong at approximately 5:00–6:00 PM
Prices valid from January 2026
Standard Cabin: THB 82,000
Deluxe Cabin: THB 84,200
Master Cabin: THB 87,500
Myanmar E-Visa: You will need to apply for a Myanmar E-Visa. The cost is US$50.
Port of entry: Kawthaung — Apply for your E-Visa
Myanmar entry and diving fees: US$260 per person (to be confirmed)
If you do not have your own:
Personal Insurance
General travel insurance is highly recommended.
Dive computer rental: 300 THB/day
Equipment rental: 600 THB/day
Extra Blackwater dive: 1,000 THB/person
Nitrox: 250 THB/tank or 4,800 THB for the whole cruise
15L tank: 300 THB/day or 2,100 THB for the whole cruise
Private guide: 4,000 THB/day
Transfers: Transfers to and from the boat are available on demand.
Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes: Not included.
Gratuities / tips: Not included. A tip of 1,000 THB/day/person is common practice.
Explore the Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock and the Similan Islands.
Prices in Thai baht (THB), per diver. The 10% discount is already applied.
