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
        • 4D Thailand from Ranong 5pm-7pm
        • 5D Thailand: Surin and Similan
        • 6D Thailand: Surin and Similan end to Ranong
        • 7D North Andaman: Surin and Similan from Ranong
        • 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
        • 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
    • 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
    • Accommodation in Ranong
    • SHA+ hotels in Phuket
    • Bungalows in Koh Phayam
    • 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
    • Whale shark expedition - 4 Feb 2023 - North and South
    • Manta rays expedition - 19 Mar 2023
    • Photo clinic + Blackwater 23 Jan 2024
    • UW Photo clinic North Andaman 31 Jan 2024
    • Manta rays expedition - 18 Feb 2024
    • Whale Shark Special - 19 Mar 2024 - North and South
  • gallery
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  • CONTACT
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Burmese reefs so alive...

20/1/2019

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Mergui Archipelago cruise full of life...

Mergui Archipelago cruise full of life...

This last trip as been a non-stop fish soup all around the Mergui Archipelago!
Schools of fishes worthy of world class diving...

Lucky ones on board: Emilie, Alexandre, Annick and Jean-Luc from France; Wouter and Aart from Netherlands; Janel and Oliver from the USA; Alex from the Philippines; and Bernhard and Martina from Austria.
a non-stop fish soup all around the Mergui Archipelago!

Life on the reefs was unbelievable, you didn't know where to look at!
Stonefish looking glassfish school...
Yellowtail fish in Seafan forest

Incredible schools of jacks! Thousands... hundreds... who can tell?!
Incredible schools of jacks! Thousands... hundreds... who can tell?!

​Barracudas ...
Barracudas school in Burmese waters

​Rainbow runners, snappers, batfishes ...
Rainbow runner fishes
Batfishes

​Beautiful corals of all types ...
Wonderful seafan and other coral
Scorpionfish and colorful soft coral
Seafan and mushroom coral

It has been macro photo week ;)
​A bunch of photographers with huge cameras, happy with our great room just for them!
A bunch of photographers with huge cameras

​Spending hours exchanging tips, advices, infos, pictures ... and so much more!
Spending hours exchanging tips, advices, infos, pictures

Their objective = everything smaller than 1 centimeter!
Here are some of them!
This yellow sea snail is less than 1 cm big!...
A tiny sea crab, less than 1 cm...
Less than 1 cm but so beautiful...

And a little bit bigger ;)
Crab or shrimp? Can you guess...
A shrimp made of glass...

Some awesome new creatures found this week!
​A giant frogfish :)
Black giant frogfish

​And a pinecone one !!!
Pineapple fish
  
And among all these, our sweet sweet juveniles trying to hide!
Sweet sweet juvenile seahorse trying to hide!
Juvenile ghost pipefish
Juvenile frogfish

Our favorite psychedelic nudis and flat worms...
Our favorite psychedelic nudis and flat worms...

Manti shrimp with it's crazy eyes!
Manti shrimp with it's crazy eyes!

​The ones who are never never happy to see us!
Can you see what is hiding here?
A stonefish, red and bad humor...

And some other very nice encounters...

​Nurse shark again in our secret spot!
​Nurse shark again in our secret spot!

​Spanish dancers ...
This Spanish dancer take a rest...

​Seahorses and ghost pipefishes ...
So uncommon ghost pipefish...
Beautiful tiger tail seahorse

​A turtle ...
A curious sea turtle look at us...

A gigantic lobster... and so much more !!!
A gigantic lobster...

So much beauty in every little thing down there!
So much beauty in every little thing down there!

​And also above the surface ...
Mergui Archipelago, beautiful up and down...

​All of this explains the smiles on everybody's face!
So happy after so many wonderful dives!

​And let's finish with the wonders of Mother Nature ...
Mergui Archipelago wonder view...

Myanmar diving liveaboards
Check out our schedule for the best diving Burma liveaboards.
Pick the Myanmar diving cruise that fits you best: we have a mix of itineraries to fit every budget.
​

Our Liveaboard trips
  • Thailand 5 days: Thailand: Surin Island, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon and Richelieu Rock..
  • Burma 6 days: Myanmar: Western Rocky, Seafan Forrest, Shark Point, Bird Cave...
  • Burma 7 days: High Rock, Shark Cave, North Twin, Macleod Island, Western Rocky, Seafan Forrest
  • Burma 8 days: all of this + Black Rock
  • Burma 9 days: All of this + a day of exploration of the north + Burma banks
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New Year's reviews...

8/1/2019

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" Dive ... Eat ... Sleep: the best way! "
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"What a good trip! Thank you so much to all the team..."
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" It was my second trip, but my first with the new boat. All was perfect .... "
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" A really nice cruise on a great boat, with an amazing staff, and a very original New Year's Eve! "
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" Great Celebration and fireworks at New Year's night & day. We will definitely comeback ... "
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​" ... many, many thanks to you for the wonderful week of diving in Burma. It went out so good and safe for us just because of you! "
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" I can't say anything else than it's worth every penny and we need to come back. "
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Our Liveaboard trips
  • Thailand 5 days: Thailand: Surin Island, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon and Richelieu Rock..
  • Burma 6 days: Myanmar: Western Rocky, Seafan Forrest, Shark Point, Bird Cave...
  • Burma 7 days: High Rock, Shark Cave, North Twin, Macleod Island, Western Rocky, Seafan Forrest
  • Burma 8 days: all of this + Black Rock
  • Burma 9 days: All of this + a day of exploration of the north + Burma banks
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Best New Year ever !!!

5/1/2019

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New year 2019 in Mergui Archipelago...

New year 2019 in Mergui Archipelago...

Happy New Year everyone!!!

The Smiling Seahorse team wishes you all the best for 2019...

​We had a fantastic celebration for this New Year's eve with a funny group of people: Nina, Alexander and Ashley from USA; Serge, Anne-Claire, Conny and Kurt from Belgium; Ken, Dixon and Mick from Hong-Kong; Marianne, Claire, Bruno and Jean from France; Kamal from Germany and Sofia from Sweden.
The Smiling Seahorse team wishes you all the best for 2019...

We had a delicious barbecue cooked with love by our chef Chewi and his help Youb!
We had a delicious barbecue cooked with love by our chef Chewi

​While the customers were enjoying the last 2018 sunset...
While the customers were enjoying the last 2018 sunset...

We were preparing the cocktails...
We were preparing the cocktails...

​... that satisfied all of the us ;)
Delicious cocktails and happy new year...

It was just a warming up, everybody was already in the mood!!!
It was just a warming up, everybody was already in the mood!!!
In the mood for a funky new year party...

​Even Sharky had a great party ;)
​Even Sharky had a great party

It was followed by amazing fireworks at midnight in the middle of the Mergui Archipelago, that were so astonishing that everybody was too busy watching, instead of taking pictures of it :) !!! Unforgettable experience ...

But let's go back to the beginning of the cruise !
Nice weather ...
Nice weather on Mergui Archipelago...

Perfect to chill on the sun deck, relax in the hammocks, read or nap on the sofa...
Perfect to chill on the sun deck
Relax on the sofa of the MV Smiling Seahorse upper deck
So sweet Sharky!

And down there, it was a delight ...
​Life everywhere ...
Scorpion fish on coral reef in Burma
Cuttlefish and colorful coral in Burmese waters
Lion fish in Burmese waters

So many schools of different fishes...
​Batfishes, jacks, barracudas, rainbow runners...
​Look at that!
Ghostly batfishes in deep waters
Jackfish and pink soft coral
A barracuda is a large, predatory ray-finned fish known for its fearsome appearance and ferocious behaviour.

Corals, shells ... so much perfection and beauty!
Yellow Sun Coral
So beautiful shell in the Andaman Sea...

​From big ones ...
Big blotched stingray in Burma
Jellyfish on coral reef in Burma
Asian chest fish

​To the smaller ones ...
Colorful chest fish in Myanmar
doesn't this fish look like a feather?

All kinds of flat worms, nudis and spanish dancers ...
Elegant blue Spanish dancer...
So cute nudibranch!

​A multitude of different shrimps ...
Mantis shrimp
Look at this crazy looking shrimp!
Harlequin shrimp in Myanmar

​Ghost pipefishes ...
2 tiny ghost pipefishes...

​Lovely frogfishes ...
Lovely orange frogfish

And a lot of other stuff: cuttlefishes, cowries, stonefish ...
Zoom on cuttlefish
Cowry
Stonefish... Can you see it?

And our sweet little mascot ;)
Black seahorse in Myanmar

​Happy faces on the boat!
Happy face on MV Smiling Seahorse
Happy customer on MV Smiling Seahorse

​And under water ...
Happy diver in Myanmar
Happy divers in Seafan Forest

​For our pleasure, some nice shots of the outside surroundings ...
 Life on the sea in Burma
Local life in Myanmar

​And the breathtaking sunrises...
​And the breathtaking sunrises...

The Smiling Seahorse experience
Making your dream diving holidays comes true!
The Smiling Seahorse runs dive cruises since 2012 to the top rating dive sites around the Andaman sea.  We operate MV Smiling Seahorse, a brand new (November 2018), comfortable liveaboard conceived by and for divers for an ultimate experience.
Our Liveaboard trips
  • Thailand 5 days: Thailand: Surin Island, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon and Richelieu Rock..
  • Burma 6 days: Myanmar: Western Rocky, Seafan Forrest, Shark Point, Bird Cave...
  • Burma 7 days: High Rock, Shark Cave, North Twin, Macleod Island, Western Rocky, Seafan Forrest
  • Burma 8 days: all of this + Black Rock
  • Burma 9 days: All of this + a day of exploration of the north + Burma banks
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Christmas reviews...

4/1/2019

0 Comments

 
" Wonderful Burma diving trip on a lovely boat with lovely people for a couple of lovely days! " 
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My Finnish is not that good but I can guess they were happy from the " Thank you" and as it was their second time ;)
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" The Smiling Seahorse impresses again!"
Sofi is already missing you Jeff and can't wait to dive with you again very very soon! (Evil laugh!!!)
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Our Liveaboard trips
  • Thailand 5 days: Thailand: Surin Island, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon and Richelieu Rock..
  • Burma 6 days: Myanmar: Western Rocky, Seafan Forrest, Shark Point, Bird Cave...
  • Burma 7 days: High Rock, Shark Cave, North Twin, Macleod Island, Western Rocky, Seafan Forrest
  • Burma 8 days: all of this + Black Rock
  • Burma 9 days: All of this + a day of exploration of the north + Burma banks
0 Comments

    The Smiling Seahorse Diving Blog

    A blog about our diving adventures in Burma and Thailand. Diving trip reports, guest reviews, fishy stories, wildlife fun facts and much more...
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    ​The Smiling Seahorse has been running dive cruises from Ranong since 2012.
    Our team of instructors are reporting with a short blogpost after every trip.
    Camille, Franck and some guest writers also contribute during the off season writing on various topics.
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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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© 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
        • 4D Thailand from Ranong 5pm-7pm
        • 5D Thailand: Surin and Similan
        • 6D Thailand: Surin and Similan end to Ranong
        • 7D North Andaman: Surin and Similan from Ranong
        • 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
        • 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
    • 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
    • Accommodation in Ranong
    • SHA+ hotels in Phuket
    • Bungalows in Koh Phayam
    • 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
    • Whale shark expedition - 4 Feb 2023 - North and South
    • Manta rays expedition - 19 Mar 2023
    • Photo clinic + Blackwater 23 Jan 2024
    • UW Photo clinic North Andaman 31 Jan 2024
    • Manta rays expedition - 18 Feb 2024
    • Whale Shark Special - 19 Mar 2024 - North and South
  • gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • CONTACT
  • BLOG
    • Most popular posts