Fewer Burma Liveaboards this season

As well as there being fewer Similan liveaboards for this coming season there are also far fewer boats planning to dive Burma. Mermaid 1 has moved onto Indonesia. Saimai, FahYai and Giamani all plan to stay in Thai waters (except for private charters). So that leaves us with just MV Jazz (low budget Burma liveaboard) and Nautica (high budget Burma liveaboard) with set schedules for Burma next year.

The reputation of Burma diving has suffered in recent years. Burma used to be a destination for big sharks but most of those have been fished out now. Marketers selling Burma liveaboards on the promise of shark diving are deceiving their customers but that isn’t to say that Burma diving is no good. Burma diving is excellent with amazing critter life, probably just as good as Indonesia diving. And it’s not all small stuff. There are still a few sharks around, plus manta rays and if you are lucky squadrons of mobula rays. Plus on a Burma liveaboard that departs from Phuket you also get to dive the best of the Similans, Richelieu Rock and Koh Bon along the way.

One of the great things about Burma diving is that you are almost alone among the thousands of islands of the Mergui Archipelago. That will be even more true this season.