A diving cruise in the islands of the Mergui archipelago, in Burma, will make you discover a region still unexplored by divers.

Attached to the Tanintharyi region, these some 800 islands dot the Andaman Sea, in the extreme south of Burma and off the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. As the local word for Malaysians is “pashu,” the islands are sometimes referred to as Pashu Islands.

A diving cruise in Burma is an unparalleled opportunity to explore pristine reefs, populated with spectacular life, aboard yachts and vessels dedicated to diving.

Imagine yourself sailing, diving and admiring the sumptuous scenery offered by these islands ...

 

It is not only the magnificent terrestrial and underwater panoramas that make the archipelago such a fascinating destination.

A diving safari in the Mergui archipelago will take you to meet the Moken people.

Also called nomads of the sea, ’this ethnic minority is one of the most unique in Burma.

This nomadic people live on the water, in a traditional way.

Their fishing and boat building techniques have been the same for centuries.

Evolving on the water for a long time, they have tamed this element and are extraordinary freedivers, able to accommodate their sight underwater and to hold their breath for a very long time.

They live on their boats during the dry season, and on land during the rainy season. Their mythology says that the islands were detached from the mainland by a huge flood ...

 

In 1997, the region opened up to foreign tourists, after lengthy negotiations between the Burmese government and Thailand's diving cruise operators.

This still discreet and uncrowded destination will not remain so for long: do not wait to leave!

He Mergui Archipelago is a real paradise for divers.

Compared to those in neighboring Thailand, the sites of the Mergui Islands are pristine, and there is little chance that you will come across another dive boat during your stay.

 

 

FAUNA AND FLORA OF THE MERGUI ARCHIPELAGO

 

All divers know it: the smallest things are often the most fascinating.

The diversity you will encounter beneath the surface of the Mergui Archipelago is breathtaking.

Sharks, of course, but also shrimps, crabs and other crustaceans of all shapes and colors imaginable, accompanied by toad fish, pharaoh cuttlefish, and ghost fish, living in harmony in the incomparable setting of Burmese waters!

 

 

Can you spot ribbon morays, pipefish and other sponge crabs, to name just a few?

 

Every dive is a chance for a new discovery, and many compare the quality of macro diving in Burma to that in Indonesia.

With all these paradisiacal islands to explore, the map of dive sites is endless, each more extraordinary than the next.

A diving cruise in the Mergui Archipelago is the best, if not the only, option to discover this pristine region of the world.

 

THE DIVING SITES OF THE ARCHIPELAGO MERGUI

 

One of Southeast Asia's most famous diving areas are the huge Burma Banks, which includes Silvertip, Rainbow, Roe, Coral and Heckford Banks.

These dive sites are found on the western part of the Archipelago, where the continental plate plunges down to the ocean floor.

Open water dives in this region provide experienced divers with thrills and the virtual guarantee of seeing sharks.

More than 150 km north of Kawthaung is Black Rock, often a favorite with divers who visit the archipelago aboard a cruise ship: its steep rocky drop offs attract a lot of marine life.

You will notably encounter black tip and white tip sharks, as well as manta rays and stingrays.

 

One of the most memorable sites on your cruise will undoubtedly be Western Rocky.

The island itself is small, and you can walk through it through a tunnel that barely penetrates daylight.

This is also the time when your diving cruise in Myanmar will allow you to approach 3m nurse sharks, and observe other species of sharks, including the largest of all: the whale shark! Without forgetting guitar rays, harlequin shrimps, toad fish and seahorses, while the drop offs covered with encrusting anemones provide shelter for crabs and lobsters.

The four remote islands are worth a dive on their own.

Their walls are covered with colorful bivalves and sponges, while the surroundings, barracudas and cuttlefish go about their business.

When planning your itinerary, do not miss the night dive on the southern drop off of the island: the red and orange corals blaze spectacularly under the beam of lamps!

 

ADVICE FOR DIVERS

 

Are you looking for a world class diving destination without the crowds?

Burma diving cruise might just be the perfect option. There, you will find yourself at the border of a still unexplored world, about to embark on the adventure of a cruise like only Burma can offer.

 

We rather encourage medium to experienced divers than beginners to dive on the Mergui Archipelago because the surface conditions can be rough, and the current quite strong.

Visibility can reach 50 m and the waters of the Andaman Sea have a temperature varying from 25 to 28 ° C.

 

In short, excellent diving conditions!

Burma cruises usually start from Ranong, Thailand, and the cruise operator will take care of all the formalities to stay in Burma.

The MV Smiling seahorse took its maiden voyage in November 2018. We broke the mold choosing to build a specialized boat designed by and for divers instead of converting a fishing vessel as is very common in this region. Its Steel hull is much more suited to easily cut through waves than a wooden hull and its 2 superior engines allow the MV Smiling Seahorse to venture further into the unknown. Although the boat is larger than its predecessor, measuring 25m long and 6.4m wide, its 8 cabins and bathrooms spread over 4 decks still cater to a maximum of 16 guests. More space for the same number of people definitely ups the ante of comfort and freedom during your cruise.