Diving liveaboard in Thailand and Myanmar
  • When & Where
    • Schedule and Prices
    • Destinations >
      • North Andaman Thailand >
        • Similan Islands
        • Surin Islands >
          • Richelieu rock
        • The essential Underwater photo Guide to diving Thailand
      • South Andaman Thailand
      • Mergui Archipelago >
        • Marine life in the Andaman Sea
        • Burma's best dive sites
        • The Ultimate Underwater photo Guide to diving Burma
  • ABOUT
    • Our Boat >
      • DELICIOUS FOOD
    • Guest Book
    • Diving in Thailand in 2022-2023 >
      • Ranong Departures >
        • 3D Thailand: Surin National Park
        • 4D3N North Andaman Ranong-Khao Lak
        • 5D Thailand: Surin and Similan
        • 5D North Andaman Ranong-Khao Lak
        • 6D Thailand: Surin and Similan end to Ranong
        • 7D Thailand: All of Surin and Similan
        • 8D Thailand: North & South
        • Alternative itineraries for full charter >
          • 4D4N Evening to morning - Surin Similan
      • Khao Lak Departures >
        • 5D North Andaman from Khao Lak to Phuket
        • 5D North Andaman: All of Surin and Similan
        • 5D North Andaman Khaolak - Ranong
        • 6D North Andaman: All of Surin and Similan
        • 6D North Andaman: From Khao Lak to Ranong
        • 7D North Andaman: All of Surin and Similan
        • 7D North Khao Lak to Khao Lak
        • 8D North & South Andaman Thailand
      • Phuket departures >
        • 5D North Andaman from Phuket
        • 5D South Andaman: Lanta and Tarutao National Parks
        • 6D North Andaman: Phuket to Khao Lak
        • 8D Thailand: South & North
        • 8D Andaman South & North Phuket-Ranong
    • Blackwater diving in Thailand
    • Marine life in Thailand's Andaman Sea
    • Diving in Myanmar | Burma dive cruises >
      • 6D Burma : South Mergui Archipelago
      • 7D Burma: dive Black Rock
      • 8D Burma: Undiscovered Mergui
      • 9D Burma: Exploration trip
    • Dive Courses >
      • Learn to Dive
      • Continue diving education
      • Rescue diver
      • Professional Dive Courses
      • Hone your dive skills with a PADI specialty course
      • Photo coaching in Thailand on the Smiling Seahorse
    • FAQ
  • Plan your trip
    • Our hotels recommendations
    • Khao Sok National Park
    • Taxi services >
      • Taxi services to and from Ranong
      • Taxi services to and from Phuket
      • Taxi services to Tap Lamu and Khao Lak
    • 10 things to do around Ranong
    • Covid-19 news & infos >
      • COVID-19 update travel to Thailand
      • Covid-19 protection on-board
  • PROMO
    • HOT DEALS
    • Manta rays expedition - 19 Mar 2023
    • Ultimate Underwater photo combo expeditions
    • Blackwater expedition 23 Jan 2024
    • UW Photo clinic North Andaman 31 Jan 2024
    • Special Marine Biology - 18 Feb 2024
    • Whale Shark Special - 19 Mar 2024 - North and South
    • Manta rays expedition - 20 April 2024
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A cruise focused on learning new UW photo skills and daily Blackwater diving in Surin and Similan islands

Blackwater diving is an extraordinary new way of night diving!

What is Blackwater diving?

Blackwater diving is an extraordinary new way of night diving!
You will dive on top of very deep water with no other reference than a downline fitted with powerful lights. 
Blackwater dives give us the opportunity to encounter marine life never seen on usual dives, such as all types of larvae and baby fish, crabs or shrimps still floating mid-water until they are strong enough to settled down on the reef or deep sea creatures who will never visit a reef such as this Paper Nautilus we encountered last March!

How will this cruise work?

We will plan 3 day dives and 1 Blackwater dives per day!
The days will be something like this:
7am, wake up, coffee, briefing
8am 1st day dive
09:00 substantial breakfast
12:00 2nd day dive 
13:00 lunch
16:00 3rd day dive 
17:00 Snack and watch the sun go down 
20:00 4th dive, Blackwater 
21pm Dinner.
juvenile sailfish on a black water dive
You will see all kind of baby fish such as this juvenile Sailfish

Picture
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 Itinerary: North Andaman
​
Day 1: Embark on The Smiling Seahorse at 4pm in Tian Sin Pier (Phuket) and wake up on the dive site the next morning! 
​Day 2 to 6th: 3 day 
dives per day in the North Andaman best national parks: Surin, Similan + 1 blackwater dive every night
7th day: 2 dives and back in Khao Lak around 4pm.
(last dive on the last day at 11:00)
​

We will take advantage of this special "blackwater" cruise to go diving at the edge of the continental plate, a few hours west of the Similan Islands and we will have the opportunity to dive above hundreds of meters of water.
Baby bannerfish
Baby bannerfish

What can we see during the day dives?

Whale shark

Macro and wide angle...
... ​The Andaman Sea have it all! ​

We will visit some of the best dive sites in the Andaman Sea in Surin and Similan National Parks.

​Throughout the cruise, you will encounter beautiful underwater landscapes!

The biodiversity is phenomenal, fauna and flora, small and big everything is there whether you are macro enthusiasts or fish eyes pros you will find what you’re looking for.
Harlequin shrimp
moken on small boat in mergui archipelago
Spanish dancer
Macro photography...

What can we expect to see on the blackwater dives?

Underwater macro photography
Cephalopods
Wonderful ghosty jellyfish...
many cool jellyfish...
Picture
and alien-like creatures
paper nautilus in Thailand
including the Paper Nautilus
pelagic sea snake
you might even get lucky with a Pelagic sea snake

diving in burma

Daily free presentations about UW Photo By Alex Tyrrell !

​After years of experience as an underwater photographer, Alex set up his own underwater photo school in 2012 and is now a leading underwater photo instructor in Thailand.
Alex's images and technical articles have been published in numerous dive magazines and he regularly wins international photo competitions.

Optional private lessons: Learn new photo or editing skills with Alex Tyrrell

Alex Tyrrell will be exceptionally available on this cruise for one-on-one training you can choose 1 of these 2 options:

1. a course of 7 hours, 2-dives included for 8,000 THB
2. boat based theory sessions, dives non-included for:
2,000 THB for 1 hour
3,700 THB for 2 hours
​5,000 THB for 3 hours
Whether you shoot Jpg or RAW learning about photo editing will give your shots a massive boost.

Adapting to your very need, Alex can explain you the basics you need to know about softwares like “Photoshop” or “Lightroom” or go into much more detailed lecture.

He can also be your private guide and underwater photo coach for a dive (count 2h for an hour dive + 30 minutes briefing before the dive to set session objectives or look at your gear set up + 30 minutes debriefing for a short image review session).
photography of a manta ray

If you are a photographer, you will love our boat!

Designed by Camille and Franck Fogarolo (a seasoned underwater photographer) and built at the end of 2018, The MV Smiling Seahorse is perfectly fitted to match photographer's expectations.

Not only is it a very comfortable vessel to explore the Andaman Sea, but it is also the only liveaboard in Thailand with a camera room or offering photographer's coaching and blackwater diving!
mergui archipelago photographer
plenty of space and plugs for editing sessions
MV Smiling Seahorse photo corner
our camera room and dive deck

The exclusivity of a boat for only 16 guests

MV Smiling Seahorse liveaboard for photographers

Diving certification required

Because you need to be a diver prior to bring a camera down, we ask you to be certified up to 30 metres by any dive organisation like Padi, Naui, ssi, Cmas or similar, and you need good buoyancy skills. Nitrox is available for EAN certified divers.
Blackwater dives cannot be guided and are only suitable to divers able to dive safely as a buddy pair; it is essential to have a control over you buoyancy and air consumption.
Blackwater diving is an extraordinary new way of night diving!

BLACKWATER DIVING EXPEDITION

Date: from Phuket Tian Sin Pier
on the 23th Jan 2024 (4pm)
to Khao Lak, Tap Lamu
​on the 29th Jan 2024 (4pm)

7 days/ 6 night, 22 Dives
Price per Diver:
THB 51,500 in Standard Cabin
THB 56,500 in Deluxe Cabin
THB 60,500 in Master Cabin
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                               INCLUDED                                   
• Full accommodation and board 
(Breakfast, Lunch, afternoon bites, Dinner) 
•  All soft drinks, drinking water, fresh coffee & tea
•  Fresh fruits, yogurt & snacks all-day
•  12 L scuba tank, Weights & Weight Belt 
•  PADI Professional Dive Guide (for up to 4 divers)
•  up to 22 Dives
•  Towels, reef-friendly amenities
•  Sea kayak and hammock ​
NOT INCLUDED
•  Marine Park Fee* 2,600-THB / diver *subject to government's change
•  DIVING INSURANCE COMPULSORY 
•  Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes 
•  Equipment rental (600 THB/ day) 
•  Computer rental (300 THB/day) 
•  PADI Courses
•  ​Private guide 3000 THB/day 
• One one one photo courses by Alex Tyrrell (from 2000thb)​
•  Nitrox : 250 THB/tank or 4,500 THB for the whole cruise
•  Transfers to and from the boat on-demand (prices)
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Be careful, these special trips are rare and fill up quite quicky!!! book ahead of time
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Wanna dive a bit more?

​Why don't you join the following cruise focusing on Richelieu Rock? Also animated by Alex Tyrrell, you're sure to learn a few more tricks on this amazing dive site!

Combine both our photo clinics for the ultimate Photo clinic vacation!
Ultimate Photo clinic combo

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The Smiling Seahorse

170 Ruangrat Rd, Tambon khao nivet, Mueang Ranong District, Ranong 85000​
Phone: +66860110614​
​Mail: info@thesmilingseahorse.com

www.thesmilingseahorse.com/
​

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Responsible Manta Tourism Operator
TAT Licence number : 31/00935
© COPYRIGHT 2018-2020. The Smiling Seahorse ​
  • When & Where
    • Schedule and Prices
    • Destinations >
      • North Andaman Thailand >
        • Similan Islands
        • Surin Islands >
          • Richelieu rock
        • The essential Underwater photo Guide to diving Thailand
      • South Andaman Thailand
      • Mergui Archipelago >
        • Marine life in the Andaman Sea
        • Burma's best dive sites
        • The Ultimate Underwater photo Guide to diving Burma
  • ABOUT
    • Our Boat >
      • DELICIOUS FOOD
    • Guest Book
    • Diving in Thailand in 2022-2023 >
      • Ranong Departures >
        • 3D Thailand: Surin National Park
        • 4D3N North Andaman Ranong-Khao Lak
        • 5D Thailand: Surin and Similan
        • 5D North Andaman Ranong-Khao Lak
        • 6D Thailand: Surin and Similan end to Ranong
        • 7D Thailand: All of Surin and Similan
        • 8D Thailand: North & South
        • Alternative itineraries for full charter >
          • 4D4N Evening to morning - Surin Similan
      • Khao Lak Departures >
        • 5D North Andaman from Khao Lak to Phuket
        • 5D North Andaman: All of Surin and Similan
        • 5D North Andaman Khaolak - Ranong
        • 6D North Andaman: All of Surin and Similan
        • 6D North Andaman: From Khao Lak to Ranong
        • 7D North Andaman: All of Surin and Similan
        • 7D North Khao Lak to Khao Lak
        • 8D North & South Andaman Thailand
      • Phuket departures >
        • 5D North Andaman from Phuket
        • 5D South Andaman: Lanta and Tarutao National Parks
        • 6D North Andaman: Phuket to Khao Lak
        • 8D Thailand: South & North
        • 8D Andaman South & North Phuket-Ranong
    • Blackwater diving in Thailand
    • Marine life in Thailand's Andaman Sea
    • Diving in Myanmar | Burma dive cruises >
      • 6D Burma : South Mergui Archipelago
      • 7D Burma: dive Black Rock
      • 8D Burma: Undiscovered Mergui
      • 9D Burma: Exploration trip
    • Dive Courses >
      • Learn to Dive
      • Continue diving education
      • Rescue diver
      • Professional Dive Courses
      • Hone your dive skills with a PADI specialty course
      • Photo coaching in Thailand on the Smiling Seahorse
    • FAQ
  • Plan your trip
    • Our hotels recommendations
    • Khao Sok National Park
    • Taxi services >
      • Taxi services to and from Ranong
      • Taxi services to and from Phuket
      • Taxi services to Tap Lamu and Khao Lak
    • 10 things to do around Ranong
    • Covid-19 news & infos >
      • COVID-19 update travel to Thailand
      • Covid-19 protection on-board
  • PROMO
    • HOT DEALS
    • Manta rays expedition - 19 Mar 2023
    • Ultimate Underwater photo combo expeditions
    • Blackwater expedition 23 Jan 2024
    • UW Photo clinic North Andaman 31 Jan 2024
    • Special Marine Biology - 18 Feb 2024
    • Whale Shark Special - 19 Mar 2024 - North and South
    • Manta rays expedition - 20 April 2024
  • gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • CONTACT
  • BLOG
    • Most popular posts