The Mergui (or Myeik) Archipelago
is an area of 14.000 sq miles that includes over 800 islands. Much of the area is still unexplored or still off limits to tourists. It is a largely untouched piece of paradise ideal for diving, sailing and kayaking.
In 1997 the Myanmar military government opened certain areas to Thailand’s liveaboard boats which started exploring the islands. They found some of the best diving in Asia including some high adrenaline shark dives. Although sharks aren’t as prevalent these days as they were, Burma diving is still superb and there are many more sites still to be discovered.
One of the best things about taking a liveaboard cruise in Burma’s Mergui archipelago is that you will hardly encounter another boat but will instead have dive sites to yourself. This makes a pleasant change to divers used to the busier reefs in neighboring Thailand.
Mergui archipelago islands are a mixture of granite boulder islands and limestone islands. Many have dense jungle vegetation and miles of white sand beaches. Most islands are uninhabited save for some communities of Moken (sea gypsies).
Due to the large area and the distance between dive sites (many of the best sites are in open ocean, miles from land) virtually all Burma diving is done from liveaboard safari boats. These liveaboard trips all depart from Thailand.
Frustratingly although Burmese waters are just a few miles north of Surin islands, it is necessary for the liveaboard boats to sail around 540 nautical miles to Ranong / Kawthaung to get passports stamped and then sail another 50 or so miles to the nearest dive site.
These formalities are fairly straight forward but your crew will take care of it for you.
