New Year 2018 with Manta Rays on the MV Smiling Seahorse
The smiles on everybody’s faces are the best reward for this incredible last trip of 2017!
We welcomed another wonderfully international group aboard the MV Smiling Seahorse: Boris and Elena from Russia; Christina from Brazil; Tommy from Germany; Jo Ong from Singapore; Jeff from the USA; Maria from Finland; and Benjamin, Pascaline, Coralie, Cyriaque, François, Elsa and Gilles from France.
And without a doubt, the highlight of this Myanmar diving cruise was our unforgettable encounters with manta rays at Black Rock.
Three entire dives surrounded by these majestic creatures, sometimes incredibly close to us… What more could we ask for?
Have a look!
Three unforgettable dives with manta rays at Black Rock
Magical, isn’t it?
Encounters like these are one of the reasons we love exploring the remote dive sites of the Mergui Archipelago. Black Rock is an isolated pinnacle surrounded by deep water, and its position makes it particularly exciting for encounters with large pelagic animals.
For divers, seeing a manta ray is always special. But the privilege comes with a responsibility: these are wild animals, and our behaviour should never interfere with theirs.
When we are lucky enough to have mantas with us, the best approach is to remain calm, keep a respectful distance, avoid chasing or blocking their path and let the animals decide how close they want to come. This is particularly important for photographers, because getting “the shot” should never take priority over the animal’s welfare.
If you love manta rays as much as we do, you can also discover our dedicated article about these extraordinary animals: everything you wanted to know about giant oceanic manta rays.
Our philosophy is simple: observe, don’t interfere.
As divers, we are guests in the underwater world. The most memorable encounters happen when we allow marine animals to behave naturally and simply enjoy being in their presence.
And then came the harlequin shrimp!
The second best news was finally meeting these little cuties again.
How lucky we were! Especially Gilles, whose dream came true when he managed to photograph these beautiful harlequin shrimps!
Ghost pipefish everywhere!
And as if that wasn’t enough, ghost pipefish were all over the place!
There were plenty of juveniles too, much to the delight of our macro photographers.
Can you see this one?
Beautiful underwater scenery in Myanmar
As usual, the underwater scenery was mind-blowing…
The Mergui Archipelago is not only about big animals. Its granite pinnacles, colourful reefs, sea fans and soft corals create spectacular underwater landscapes, while every corner can hide another tiny creature waiting to be discovered.
Plenty of fish everywhere!
Macro portraits and extraordinary patterns
Fancy portraits 😉
And extraordinary patterns…
From nurse sharks to mantis shrimp
We could see our favourite nurse shark resting peacefully in its cave…
Sponge crabs trying to hide. Well done, guys!
Mantis party in Shark Cave!
We also encountered plenty of seahorses, including juveniles.
The tiger-tail seahorse is one of the many tiny treasures that can make a dive in Myanmar so rewarding. Finding these well-camouflaged animals is one thing; spotting the tiny juveniles is another challenge altogether!
Nudibranchs, flatworms and tiny reef creatures
Colourful nudibranchs and flatworms…
For macro lovers, the Mergui Archipelago is an underwater treasure chest. Every dive can reveal something tiny and unexpected, from nudibranchs and flatworms to unusual shrimps and perfectly camouflaged fish.
You can discover more of the extraordinary small creatures found in the region in our guide to nudibranchs of Myanmar.
A pinky stonefish, not really happy to be discovered!
And a peacock-tail anemone shrimp…
Why we love exploring the Mergui Archipelago responsibly
Looking back at a trip like this, it is easy to focus on the spectacular encounters: manta rays at Black Rock, harlequin shrimps, juvenile ghost pipefish, seahorses, nurse sharks and all the colourful reef life.
But these encounters also remind us why responsible diving matters.
The reefs and marine animals of the Mergui Archipelago are part of an incredibly diverse ecosystem. As divers, we have the privilege of visiting it, but we should leave it as we found it.
That means excellent buoyancy, keeping fins away from coral, never touching marine life, keeping cameras and equipment from making contact with the reef, and allowing animals to choose whether they want to approach us.
Our guides encourage these simple reef-friendly diving habits throughout our cruises. We also support marine conservation, research and environmental initiatives in the region because we believe that enjoying extraordinary underwater encounters and protecting the places where they happen should go hand in hand.
See the wildlife, don’t disturb it.
For us, responsible diving is not about taking away from the experience. Quite the opposite: when you slow down, control your buoyancy and give animals space, you often get to witness much more natural and memorable behaviour.
Find out more about our marine conservation and sustainability commitments
Above the water: snorkeling, swimming and kayaking
There was plenty going on between dives too!
At the surface, our guests enjoyed snorkeling, swimming and kayaking, as well as exploring some of the remote islands of the Mergui Archipelago.
Meeting the locals
One of the great things about exploring the Mergui Archipelago is that the experience doesn’t stop at the dive sites.
Along the way, we also had the opportunity to meet local people and experience a little of life among these remote islands.
Leisure time aboard the MV Smiling Seahorse
And of course, there was plenty of leisure time on the boat…
It was full moon, and the views of the night sky were astonishing!
Celebrating New Year 2018 aboard the Smiling Seahorse
Even though we were all tired after our dives, we somehow managed to stay awake until midnight for the fireworks and the champagne!
The team was in the mood too!
Congratulations to our divers!
Congratulations to Jo Ong for completing her Deep Specialty certification!
And congratulations to Boris, who at just 12 years old saw his first manta rays and completed his first night dives!
Sunsets, sunrises and a perfect start to 2018
Let’s finish with the sunsets and sunrises, as always!
After incredible dives, island adventures, plenty of laughter and a very special New Year celebration, we couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish 2017 and welcome 2018.
Happy New Year everybody! We wish you all the best for 2018 and, most of all, health and happiness 😉
Western Rocky: another spectacular dive site in Myanmar
At the southwestern border of the Mergui Archipelago, Western Rocky might be the most well-known dive site in Myanmar.
One of the archipelago’s southernmost dive sites, Western Rocky is a small island with an extraordinary dive passage running right through its heart. The passage is just large enough to be lit by daylight all the way through, creating a spectacular underwater landscape to explore.
Western Rocky is also one of the places that illustrates perfectly why we love diving in the Mergui Archipelago: dramatic topography, healthy marine ecosystems and the possibility of encountering both large animals and fascinating macro life on the same cruise.
Want to discover more? Explore our Myanmar liveaboard diving itineraries and discover the remote reefs, pinnacles and islands of the Mergui Archipelago.
Discover more from The Smiling Seahorse
- Mergui Archipelago – explore this remote and spectacular diving destination.
- Best dive sites in Myanmar – discover Black Rock and other famous Mergui dive sites.
- Giant oceanic manta rays – learn more about these magnificent pelagic animals.
- Harlequin shrimp – discover one of the most spectacular little predators on the reef.
- Tiger-tail seahorses – learn more about one of the Mergui Archipelago’s favourite macro subjects.
- Nudibranchs of Myanmar – explore the incredible diversity of colourful sea slugs found on our reefs.
- Our marine conservation commitments – discover how The Smiling Seahorse works towards more responsible diving and marine tourism.
- Conservation projects in the Mergui Archipelago – learn more about marine research and conservation initiatives in the region.
