7 days dive in Burma Mergui Archipelago

Burma diving liveaboard, Mergui Archipelago in a week

Itinerary of our dive cruise: ​
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Day 1: Meeting at our dive center for check in between 10am and 12pm at 170 ruangrat road, in Ranong .  ​​​
At 2pm we will head to the immigration office to get the necessary exit stamps from Thailand and then make our way to MV Smiling Seahorse.

Upon crossing the border into Myanmar, immigration officers will board in Kawthoung and do the necessary border crossing screening. Once the paperwork is completed, we will head out to sea!

At sunset we will hold a ceremony to launch our voyage.
Then it will be time for your first scrumptious meal before being rocked to sleep by the waves.​
​We will make 4 dives per day and 1 or 2 dive for the last day, according to our itinerary.
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The last dive ends no later than 11:30
We will be back to Ranong around 5-6 pm.

Once we get our passports back from the Burmese authorities, we will head back to Thailand where we get a new entry stamp. 30 days for G8 countries passport holders, 14 days for the others getting visa on arrival. Please make sure your passeport allows visa free entry by land border or arrange a visa or re-entry permit for Thailand.

Some of the dive sites we will explore:

  • South Twin Island. Sitting in the outskirts of the Mergui Archipelago, this dive site is quite scenic with consistent crystal visibility and a topography of huge granite boulders. We have even been lucky enough the start the voyage off in style with a guest appearance from a majestic manta ray. Macro lovers will also be treated to chances of ghost pipefish, seahorses and frogfish! We end the first day of diving with a night dive searching for pygmy squid, candy crabs, cowries and nudibranchs!
  • Shark Cave, one of my favorites. In the afternoon we  will find a bounty beach where we can get some sand between our toes and we might also pass by a local fishermen village.
​Here there are chances to see eagle rays, grey reef sharks, nurse sharks sleeping in their cave, blotched sting rays, frog fish, leaf fish, Spearing Mantis Shrimp and many more. Beautiful coral also makes this a very colorful dive site.
  • Day 4: After a night of crossing, we will reach Black Rock, a small rock out in open sea. Here we are hoping for the big stuff like Sharks and Rays and whatever is passing… This is the place to go for "Manta Festival" with Manta rays coming in dozens from everywhere (no guarantee of course, but they are pretty common). The conditions this far in the open sea are a bit more challenging and currents make it a different style of diving to other areas of Mergui. This is probably the best dive site in Myanmar and is still seldom visited by divers.
Or depending on the weather, we will take it one step further West toward the Burma Banks. Divers who venture into the Burma Banks are rewarded with exceptional visibility over massive underwater seamounts, which rise from depths of 300 meters to just 15 meters below the surface. This unique topography sets the Burma Banks apart from the diving experiences in Thailand and the Mergui Archipelago, offering a more remote and adventurous atmosphere. Additionally, the deeper waters increase the likelihood of encountering larger, more elusive deep-sea species. The Burma Banks are considered the best spot in the region for shark encounters, with frequent sightings of nurse sharks, as well as rarer species such as tiger sharks and silvertip sharks.
  • North Twin for more chances to cross paths with larger pelagic fish and megafauna. We love this dive site for the massive schools of tuna, barracuda and trevally out in the blue, as well as the wealth of tiny critters hiding among the giant sea fans and soft corals. There is also a sand patch where we can sometimes find sleeping zebra sharks! ​​
  • Western Rocky. The first two dives of the day will be spent exploring the scenery of Seafan forest. The magnificent corals attract many schools of fish and the shelter of the topography is a favourite pace of ours to search for stonefish. The last two dives of the day will be in around the main island and islets of Western Rocky. Here we will also have a night dive where we can see a vibrant mosaic of yellow soft coral polyps blooming in the darkness. Spanish dancers and all types of crustaceans can be observed here.  
  • The last dive usually goes into a beautiful heart shaped lagoon where a group of black tip reef sharks likes to hang out…  this is also a special site where we can find seahorses and rare tropical fish like the longfin comet, the shaded batfish or the pineapple fish.
​Return flights to Bangkok:
AirAsia: 1:25 p.m. - 2:35 p.m. (first flight you can safely take)
(Don't forget your 24 hours without flight time after the last dive...)

Bus: You can also return to Bangkok by bus in one of the VIP buses with fully reclining seats for around 700 thb arriving in Bangkok around 5am.
Two manta rays together at Black Rock
Two manta rays together at Black Rock
Aerial view of North Twin
Aerial view of North Twin
A nurse shark in it's cave
Nurse shark
Read more about Burma's dive sites

Black Rock or Burma Banks, High Rock, Shark Cave, North Twin, Western Rocky, Seafan Forest, Volcano...

7 days/6 nights, 21 dives  
From Ranong 2pm
​to Ranong 5-6 pm
​
Price per Diver from January 2025
THB 69,300 in Standard cabin
THB 72,600 in Deluxe cabin
THB 75,900 in Master cabin
 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 
​-  Free 1 Blackwater dive
•  PADI Professional Dive Guide (for up to 4 divers)
•  up to 21 dives according to our itinerary
•  Towels, reef-friendly amenities
• Sunbeds and Thai seats​​
NOT INCLUDED:

* You will have to apply for an E-visa for Myanmar, cost: 50$, port of entry: Kawthaung, link to apply
*  Burmese entry and diving Fees 240 USD / Pers (to be confirmed) 
​
. COMPULSORY IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR OWN:
- PERSONAL INSURANCE 
(General Travel insurance is highly recommended)
-  Computer rental 300 THB/day
​​- Equipment rental 600 THB/ day​
. OPTIONS:
-  Nitrox : 250 THB/tank or 4,500 THB for the whole cruise
- 15L Tank 300 THB / day or 1,800 THB for the whole cruise
-  Private guide 4,000 THB/day ​​
​​1000 THB/ Extra blackwater dive
. COURSES:
-  PADI Courses
-  Photographer private coaching

​. Transfers to and from the boat on-demand
​. Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes 
. Gratuity/ tips (1000 THB / day /pers is common practice)​
Note: This itinerary is provided as sample itinerary and can be modified by The Smiling Seahorse based on weather forecast, dive conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.

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