Mergui Archipelago-Burma (Myanmar)
US$2399 (plus US$140 for Mergui archipelago entry fees/ Myanmar visa)

Pristine and stunningly beautiful, Myanmar’s Mergui archipelago in the Andaman sea (Burma), has over eight hundred tropical islands covering an area of over ten thousand square miles. It had been closed off to the outside world for over fifty years, until 1997. Consent was officially given to not only visit the now famous Mergui Archipelago and Burma Banks, but also the islands in Myanmar's inshore waters.

This truly is one of the very few remaining untouched areas on earth and an outstanding location for live-aboard scuba diving holidays.

Mergui Archipelago Myanmar

Due to its virtual isolation, the islands and surrounding seas are alive with an amazing diversity of wildlife great and small, together with soft and hard corals and huge barrel sponges. The ‘greats’ include various species of sharks, regular sightings of large numbers of manta rays, giant groupers and other schooling fish, with occasional sightings of whale sharks and bull sharks. Great macro life can be found. Sea horses, Ornate Ghost-pipe and Stone-fish are amongst the archipelago’s rare inhabitants. Most of the islands are covered in rain forest, whilst the incredible Myanmar beaches are devoid of humans; the only visitors are turtles and other, mostly nocturnal, wildlife. There will be opportunities to go ashore on the islands to explore or, just relax on the incredible Myanmar beaches, which are devoid of humans; the only visitors are turtles and other, mostly nocturnal, wildlife. Our diving cruise is on MV DIVEMASTER 2. She is a fully equipped live-aboard motor yacht, ninety-four feet in length, with accommodations for eighteen divers and a crew of five to ensure that our guests have the diving vacation of a lifetime.

 

Diving Itinerary (day 5-9)

This map will give you a brief overview of our travel routes. Please understand that this is only a guideline, which we try to keep, but that dive sites or destinations can be changed anytime without prior notice, due to weather conditions, technical or any other reasons.

DIVE SITES WE WILL VISIT*

Black Rock
This deeper dive site is privileged for his concentration of sharks, rays and schools of jack fishes. Along a granite wall with a maximum depth  of 60 meters on his East side, Grey reef shark, white tip, black tip and nurse are patrolling continuously between the reef and the coral boulders  that have settled to form wide U-shaped gullies on the seabed.  Many manta rays are seen there and big barracudas are hunting behind the rocks: no way to concentrate on the small fauna!
 

High Rock
Welcome to the macro-fauna universe! Through white sea fans discover ghost pipefish, sea horse, razor fish ... and much more ... Depth from 20 to 25 meters and visibility is around 25 to 35 meters.
 

Gorgonia Rock
A pinnacle from 3 to 40 meters deep. Sea fan diversity and a lot of micro fauna also
 

Ahtet Khyunn Ni
Shallow dives from 5 to 16 meters. Two canyons through  the granite rocks create an alternance of white sand, soft and hard corals.
 

3 Islets
Around 2 pinnacles located at the north, mackerel and jack fishes proliferate. With a systematic organization, the predators hunt continuously the school of small fishes ... Grey sharks and marbles rays intensify the wild side of this site. In the middle, Shark Cave in U-shape accommodated a school of grey sharks, during nurse sharks lied in the cave located in his center. It's also possible to encounter a whale shark. On south of this site, enormous  boulders looking like giants "dominos" of 35 meters large are the protected domain of an amazing concentration of juvenile fishes. During the moon phases the current can be strong.

North Twin Island
Between 24 to 40 meters this wide plateau  is the privileged site to encounter Manta Ray. Upper between 6 to 20 meters depth, large granite boulders, giant sea fans, gorgonias,  crinoids, soft and hard coral tables offer an excellent spot to observe the discreet micro fauna as the clown shrimp, multi-colored plume worms.
 

South Twin Island
Similar to North Twin this plateau, giant boulders with elk and stag horn corals offers an excellent habitat to the whole reef fauna with his Queen Triggerfish juvenile Moorish Idols and angel fish. Don't hesitate to look under the boulders to see spotted stingray and striped moray eels.  Away from these configurations, large schools of Mackerel can be seen passing by, along with jacks, tuna and trivially
 

Stewart Rock
With a depth of 15 to 25 meters, a chain formed by enormous "dominos" boulders creates two 10 sq. m arenas, witch are the theater of the small creatures and the micro corals fauna.
 

Little Torres Islands
Located in the far north area, this is another highly enjoyable dive, with a high diversity of marine life and good opportunities for encountering sharks and rays. On the East side lies an area of soft corals, brain corals, boulders, and sea & gorgonians. This is another great site for the rare species.

* Seabass Adventures reserves the right to change dive sites or destinations due to weather conditions, technical or any other reasons without prior notice.