The Smiling Seahorse

DAY 1

You will need to overnight in Ranong as you will need to rendezvous at their dive headquarters between 9:00 am & noon. (170 Ruangrat Rd, Tambon khao nivet, Mueang Ranong District, Ranong 85000). Rental equipment & paperwork will be checked. At 14:00 pm head to the immigration office to get the necessary exit stamps from Thailand and then over to board the Smiling Seahorse. Upon crossing the border into Myanmar, immigration officers will board the boat in Kawthaung & do the necessary border crossing screening. Once the paperwork is completed, head out to sea! At sunset, a ceremony to launch the voyage & introduce the crew will be held then time for your first scrumptious meal. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.

DAY 2

Wake up to the friendly call of the ocean to start the cruise at 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. Some trips have 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 & frogfish! We end the first day of diving with a night dive searching for pygmy squid, candy crabs, cowries & nudibranchs. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.

DAY 3

4 dives around the very special Shark Cave. Here there are chances to see eagle rays, grey reef sharks, nurse sharks sleeping in their cave, blotched stingrays, frogfish, leaf fish, Spearing Mantis Shrimp & more. In the afternoon visit sandy beach & visit a local fishermen village if time allows. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.

DAY 4

After a night of cruising, you will reach Black Rock, a small rock out in the 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 the "Manta Festival" with Manta rays coming in dozens from everywhere. 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. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.

DAY 5

Staying offshore near the site North Twin & its pinnacle you may have a chance to see Manta Rays & sometimes eagle rays. This area also has Giant Sea Fans which hides little ones. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.

DAY 6

Visit the Seafan forest in the morning, where its many boulders & Sea Fans attract many kinds of fish. You will often see schools of Barracudas or batfish on top of the site as well as tuna hunting schools of fusiliers. In the afternoon head over to Western rocky for 2 more dives there. Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.

DAY 7

This is the day that sets apart this cruise from the others as you will have a whole day to do 4 dives in the bountiful Western Rocky neighbourhood. This is by far one of the most famous dive sites in Burma! One of the highlights is a tunnel (cave) at 20 meters depth that goes all the way through the island. You will see lobsters hiding in dark corners & many types of crabs (sponge crab, spider crab, anemone crab). Spotted Bowmouth Guitarfish, Whale Shark, Various shark species Harlequin Shrimp, Frogfish & Seahorses, just to name a few, have been seen here. The perfect spot for a night diving! Breakfast, lunch & dinner included.

DAY 8

The last day of diving with the last dive entering into an extinct volcano where a group of blacktip sharks likes to hang around, also a special space to find seahorse, rare tropical fish like the comet longfin, the shaded batfish or the pineapple fish.After the last dive, you will head back to Kawthoung where there will be an opportunity for some souvenir shopping & a refreshing local beer.After passport control from the Myanmar (Burmese) authorities, you will head back to Thailand where you will get a new entry stamp. 30 days for G8 countries passport holders, 14 days for the others getting visa on arrival. Recommend staying at Ranong for one night before transferring to other parts of Thailand. Breakfast included.