The Mergui Archipelago, the diving treasure of Myanmar
With its numerous unexplored sites and exceptional marine wealth, diving in Myanmar is a true paradise for divers. It offers an unforgettable adventure, showcasing spectacular underwater landscapes and encounters with abundant marine life.
The Incredible Experience of Diving in Myanmar, the Mergui Archipelago
Since 1997, when the archipelago opened to foreigners after 50 years, diving in Myanmar has gained popularity. In 2001, Andaman Scuba launched its first Mergui cruise aboard the Bunmee II, exploring many uncharted dive sites in the Mergui Archipelago.
Diving in Myanmar takes place in a vast marine area covering 36,000 km², housing approximately 800 granite and limestone islands. This region offers an impressive variety of dive sites, each with its unique environment and spectacular landscapes. The considerable distance between the different sites makes Mergui cruises the best way to discover them.
Diving in Myanmar stands out for its many unexplored sites, where marine life is incredibly rich. The underwater scenery is diverse, ranging from islets and pinnacles to canyons and plateaus, as well as fissures and tunnels. You will be amazed by the multitude of colorful hard and soft coral species, giant gorgonians, forests of sea fans, and sponges, where sedentary and pelagic fauna coexist harmoniously.
Each dive site, with its vibrant colors and fascinating shapes, reflects its own uniqueness, offering distinct experiences with every dive. As the only boat on-site, our Mergui cruise allows you to explore the details of the fixed fauna in complete privacy. You will have the chance to observe endemic species such as seahorses, pipefish, ghost crabs, comb and spider crabs, as well as frogfish and pineapple fish. In the blue waters, you will encounter schools of barracudas, batfish, various types of jacks, as well as tunas, rays, and even whale sharks during their migration period.
Join us on our Mergui cruise and dive into a world of exceptional underwater beauty, where each dive is an adventure in itself.
Explore the First Dive Site in Myanmar from Kawthaung, just 25 km away. This picturesque islet is distinguished by its unique tree. On the northwest, you’ll find a stunning wall adorned with orange and green hues, while the southwest boasts a vibrant coral reef.
Prepare to be amazed by the diverse marine life, including schools of perch and snapper, silver sprats, yellow and blue fusiliers, titan triggerfish, celestial groupers, sleeper sharks, seahorses, and a plethora of invertebrates and crustaceans. Although visibility may vary due to its proximity to the mainland, this spot is ideal to kickstart your Myanmar diving adventure.
Discover the Marvels of Diving in Myanmar with Rocky One, a must-visit site for passionate divers. Located north of High Rock, on the route to Three Islets and Shark Cave, Rocky One is renowned for being one of the largest anemone fields in the Mergui Archipelago and the entire Andaman Sea.
This vibrant site is a true spectacle of underwater life, where a multitude of creatures thrive and swirl in crystal-clear waters. Witness trevallies, barracudas, tunas, and a variety of reef-dwelling fauna. Diving at Rocky One promises memorable encounters with incredible biodiversity.
One of the highlights of all Mergui cruises: three small deserted islets rising from the surface contrast with the abundance of underwater life. The grand relief features numerous seamounts rising from 30m to 5m between the islets, all covered in soft corals and multicolored gorgonians. Huge schools of perch, snapper, and fusiliers swirl constantly.
This is one of the favorite dive sites in Myanmar. Ghost pipefish, yellow tiger seahorses, pipefish, nudibranchs, harlequin shrimp, and striped eel catfish… they are all here!
To the north of the central islet, there’s a large canyon leading to Shark Cave. This horseshoe-shaped canyon undoubtedly boasts one of the densest marine lives in the entire Mergui Archipelago.
Several dives will never be enough. You’ll encounter the small: frogfish, ghost pipefish, porcelain crabs, harlequin shrimp… and the big: trevallies, parrotfish, marbled whip rays, and occasionally gray sharks, all found at the canyon’s bottom, near the entrance of a twenty-meter long tunnel at a depth of 15 meters. From inside the tunnel, a lower cave is accessible, home to a group of nurse sharks, some reaching up to 4 meters in length.
Discover the incredible diving site of Black Rock during our Myanmar liveaboard diving trips. Located at the northern end of the Mergui Archipelago, this isolated rock is a true magnet for marine life.
Adorned with hard and soft corals, the walls offer a breathtaking spectacle, with depths ranging from 5 to 35 meters on the northeast face, and drop-offs and plateaus reaching over 50 meters on the southwest face.
Prepare to be mesmerized by the abundance and diversity of marine life, including giant trevallies, barracudas, platax, and fusiliers, as well as ghost pipefish, frogfish, harlequin shrimp, moray eels, and various crabs. Don’t miss the unique opportunities to spot leopard sharks, gray reef sharks, whitetip sharks, as well as manta rays and eagle rays that frequently visit this exceptional dive site.
Located northwest of the island, North Twin offers a captivating underwater landscape. Its rocky plateau, situated between 24 and 30 meters deep, is scattered with granite blocks, creating a diverse habitat for a variety of marine creatures.
You’ll be amazed by the forest of pink and orange giant gorgonians that sprawls across the white sand surrounding the plateau. North Twin is renowned for its abundant marine life, providing opportunities to observe majestic leopard sharks and whitetip sharks in the depths. With excellent visibility, divers can fully enjoy this underwater spectacle.
Moreover, North Twin is a regular passage for manta rays, adding a magical touch to your dive. Explore the large granite blocks adorned with corals and pink and purple sponges, and observe zebra moray eels, ghost pipefish, barracudas, trevallies, and tunas populating these waters. Diving at North Twin is an unforgettable experience that will transport you into a fascinating underwater world.
Plunge into the Exciting Underwater Exploration of South Twin, a picturesque granite island reminiscent of the famous Similan Islands in both geology and marine life.
Together with its twin sister, North Twin, this island offers an exceptional diving experience in Myanmar.
Beneath the crystalline surface, you’ll discover a spectacular terrain of rock formations creating captivating canyons and fissures. Coral tables and colorful anemone beds harbor an abundance of small marine creatures and sedentary fauna.
Prepare to encounter a wide variety of nudibranchs, ribbon eels, and witness the graceful passage of rainbow jacks and barracudas. Angelfish, emperor fish, parrotfish, and oriental sweetlips also animate these waters.
Additionally, South Twin provides an ideal setting for thrilling night dives, offering calm conditions and gentle currents.
Explore the Captivating Depths of Stewart Rock, an exceptional dive site in Myanmar.
Once submerged beneath the surface of this remarkable large pierced rock, you’ll be enchanted by a spectacular landscape of sponge-covered drop-offs all around the islet, providing numerous fissures, tunnels, and pools to explore.
Dive amidst schools of perch and fusiliers that add life to this stunning backdrop.
Stewart Rock is particularly intriguing for macrophotography, with the presence of juvenile nurse sharks hiding in the fissures, where you’ll also discover a variety of fascinating shrimps, including mantis and pistol shrimps.
At a depth of 25 meters, a backdrop of white sand offers a picturesque canvas, and it’s not uncommon to encounter marbled stingrays, as well as blacktip and whitetip sharks.
Let yourself be enchanted by the exploration of Stewart Rock and discover diverse marine fauna and magical moments underwater.
Discover the Underwater Splendor of Seafan Forest, one of the most vibrant sites during a Mergui cruise in Myanmar.
This enchanting site stands out for the abundance and density of giant orange and pink seafans that create a mesmerizing ballet for lionfish.
Explore a captivating underwater world where harlequin shrimps, seahorses, ghost pipefish, and yellow tiger seahorses thrive among majestic seafans.
Seafan Forest is also a sanctuary for marbled stingrays, leopard sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and gray reef sharks. During migration season, you might have the chance to encounter barracudas, trevallies, manta rays, and eagle rays, which frequent these waters diligently.
Plunge into the Enchanting Depths of Northern Rocky, an essential dive site during your underwater adventure in Myanmar.
Located west of MacLeod Island, this limestone rock formation evokes the graceful silhouette of a boat sail.
Dive into the crystalline waters that range from 5 to 35 meters deep and discover an underwater world immersed in captivating shades of orange.
Be amazed by the diversity of marine life, from parrotfish to angelfish, and elegant sweetlips. Majestic marbled stingrays and serene nurse sharks are also frequent encounters in these biodiversity-rich waters.
This diving site, located south of the archipelago, offers captivating underwater landscapes, ranging from dry rock formations to spectacular drop-offs, mysterious caves, and fascinating tunnels.
During your exploration, you’ll be enchanted by the diversity and abundance of marine life that inhabits these crystalline waters.
The site is famous for its tunnel, located at a depth of 20 meters, crossing the island and harboring numerous fascinating crustaceans. You’ll be amazed by the multitude of colorful creatures you’ll encounter during your dive: crabs, delicate shrimps, majestic lobsters, elusive squids and cuttlefish, graceful frogfish, and a variety of captivating lionfish.
You’ll also come across serpentine moray eels, elegant schools of small barracudas, vibrant angelfish, parrotfish, and impressive groupers.
Western Rocky is renowned for being a migratory route for majestic whale sharks, adding excitement and wonder to your dive.
