TOP MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard

Smiling Seahorse Newly built for 2018, the Smiling Seahorse liveaboard offers fantastic dive trips to Thailand and Myanmar. The 3-night 'Best of Thailand' trip showcases some of the best dive areas in the Andaman Sea, including the Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock, Koh Tahcai & Koh Bon. The Myanmar dive trips are a fantastic way to explore this newly opened dive area and to get up close with manta rays, eagle rays, mobula rays, leopard sharks and cool macro critters such as frogfish, seahorses, and pipefish. The spacious dive deck at the back of the boat allows ample room for kitting up and gear storage and a dedicated photography room.

The Smiling Seahorse is 25m long and accommodates 16 divers over 4 decks. On the upper deck are 2 standard cabins with one double or two single beds and shared bathrooms. The 4 deluxe and 2 master cabins on the main deck have en-suite bathrooms, and all cabins feature air-conditioning. There is also an open-air dining room, a huge sun deck, and a camera station for photographers.

The experienced and professional crew of the Smiling Seahorse liveaboard offers a warm welcome. Book online today to reserve your space.

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Included: VAT, Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Tea & Coffee, Beach BBQ, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Kayaks, Cabin Towels, Deck Towels.

Required Extras: National Park Fees (30-300 USD per trip).

Optional Extras: Gratuities (1,000 THB per day), Airport Transfer, Hotel Transfer, Alcoholic Beverages, Nitrox, Nitrox Course, Private Dive Guide (3,500 THB per day), Rental Gear (600 THB per day), Scuba Diving Courses, Land Excursions, Snorkel Gear.

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard
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MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard
Accommodation

Master Cabins

1 double bed
Aircon with control
Ensuite Bathroom
Max 2 guests

2 cabins located on the main floor, with private bathrooms with hot shower. Master cabins have a double bed only and are larger, with a nice panoramic window and more storage. There is AirCon in all cabins and doors which open toward the outside to enjoy the ocean breeze and the sea-view!

Deluxe Cabins

1 double or 2 single beds (amenable twin)
Aircon with control
Ensuite Bathroom
Max 2 guests

4 cabins located on the main deck, with private bathrooms & hot showers. Each cabin can be set up with a double bed or two bunk beds. AirCon in all cabins and doors which open toward the outside to enjoy the ocean breeze and the sea-view!

Standard Cabins

1 double or 2 single beds (amenable twin)
Aircon with control
Shared Bathroom
Max 2 guests

2 cabins located on the upper deck. Each cabin can be set up with a double bed or two bunk beds. AirCon in all cabins and doors which open toward the outside to enjoy the ocean breeze and the sea-view!

MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard 9D/8N 21 Dive
Trip 9N8N: Mergui Archipelago & Burma Banks
(Ranong - Ranong) INQUIRY Start - B 82,500

Early bird 10%

DAY 1 (DEPARTURE DAY)

Meet at our dive center headquarters between 9:00 am and 12 pm.
At 2 pm we will head to the immigration office to get the necessary exit stamps from Thailand and then make our way to board the magnificent MV Smiling Seahorse. Upon crossing the border into Myanmar, immigration officers will board Kawthaung and do the necessary border crossing screening. Once the paperwork is completed, we will head out to sea!
At sunset, we will hold a ceremony to launch our voyage. Then it will be time for your first scrumptious meal before being rocked to sleep by the waves.
We will be back in Ranong around 3 pm.

DAY 2

KNOCK KNOCK, Dive briefing! Wake up to the friendly call of the ocean (and your eager dive guide) as we start the cruise with a day at South Twin Island. Sitting on the outskirts of the Mergui Archipelago, this dive site is quite scenic with consistent crystal visibility and the topography of huge granite boulders. We have even been lucky enough to 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, and frogfish! We end the first day of diving with a night dive searching for pygmy squid, candy crabs, cowries, and nudibranchs!

DAY 3

4 dives around the very special "Shark Cave", with 3 dive sites to explore one of my favorites. In the afternoon we explore a paradise beach or a small fishermen's settlement. In shark cave, you can expect to see nurse sharks or big blotched sting rays, a lot of Mantis Shrimp, and crustaceans of all types. The coral around makes it a very colorful dive site. For the night dive, you'll have the choice and can go to the site you prefer from the 3 you saw. All I can say is, this is a night dive you certainly shouldn't miss!

DAY 4

After a night of crossing, we 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 (no guarantee of course, but they are pretty common). 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.

DAY 5

We stay offshore with North Twin and its pinnacle where you will have more chances to cross Manta Rays and sometimes eagle rays. Because there are many patches of sand between the boulders making the particularity of this dive site, we also sighted Leopard Sharks sleeping quite regularly. Giant Sea Fans are also often hiding magnificent macro critters so look thoroughly!

DAY 6

We will take it one step further West toward the Burma Banks for some exploratory dives we hope to have some exceptional dives and you may be the first divers to explore some of these dive sites...

DAY 7

The first 2 dives will be around Seafan Forest a gorgeous site with a giant Sea Fan like nowhere else on one side and purple vibrant soft coral on the overs. We can see up to 4 whale sharks at the same time on this site! We will do the next 2 dives around Western Rocky which is also absolutely amazing.

DAY 8

The Western Rocky area is one of the Highlights of the entire Mergui Archipelago with its tunnel that goes all the way through the island inhabited by many lobsters. We will do 3 dives here but the first one will be on a submerged pinnacle for spectacular scenery and schooling fish action! We have spotted here various shark species (Bowmouth Guitarfish, Whale Shark, Reef Sharks) and often see resident Harlequin Shrimp, frogfish, Seahorses, and lots of crustaceans and nudibranchs.

DAY 9

The last dive goes into a volcano where a group of Black Tip Sharks likes to hang around, it is also a site rich in macro life. Here the question is not if you will see a seahorse, the question is how many? Up to 10 per dive if you have good eyes as well as rare species such as shaded Batfish, Comet Long Fins, or Pineapple Fish.
After the last dive, we will head back toward Kawthoung where you can visit the local market or enjoy The Smiling Seahorse's hospitality with a refreshing beer at the local pub.
Once we get our passports back from the Burmese authorities, we will head back to Thailand where we will get a new visa (30 or 14 days for visa on arrival).

(*) itinerary description provided by the boat operator.

Marine Life: Manta rays, sharks, Pipefish, ghost pipefish, Pineapple Fish, Frogfish, Sea Horses, and many different species of Nudibranchs, Spanish dancers.

The last dive will be on the final day of the trip. Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.

Sample itineraries and maps are for illustrative purposes only. The exact route and sites visited are subject to change based on local regulations, guest experience, weather, and logistics and are at the Captain's discretion.

MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard 8D/7N 22 Dive
Trip 8D7N: Undiscovered Mergui Archipelago
(Ranong - Ranong) INQUIRY

Day 1 (departure day)
Before we get started, you are invited to rendezvous at Smiling Seahorse dive center headquarters between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm. Here we will take care of rental equipment fitting for those who require it and dot the i’s and cross the t’s before departure. At 2:00 pm we will head to the immigration office to get the necessary exit stamps from Thailand and then make our way to board the magnificent MV Smiling Seahorse. Upon crossing the border into Myanmar, immigration officers will board the boat in Kawthaung and do the necessary border crossing screening. Once the boring paperwork is completed, we will head out to sea! At sunset, we will hold a ceremony to launch our voyage and introduce the crew. Then it will be time for your first scrumptious meal before being rocked to sleep by the waves.

Day 2
KNOCK KNOCK, Dive briefing! Wake up to the friendly call of the ocean (and your eager dive guide) as we start the cruise with a day at South Twin Island. Sitting in the outskirts of the Mergui Archipelago, this dive site is quite scenic with consistent crystal visibility and the topography of huge granite boulders. We have even 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, and frogfish! We end the first day of diving with a night dive searching for pygmy squid, candy crabs, cowries, and nudibranchs!

Day 3

4 dives around the very special Shark Cave, one of my favorites. In the afternoon we will find a bounty beach where we can get some sand between our toes and we might also pass by a local fishermen's village.

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, and many more. Beautiful coral also makes this a very colorful dive site.

Day 4
After a night of crossing, we 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 (no guarantee of course, but they are pretty common). 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.

Day 5
We stay offshore with North Twin and its pinnacle where you will have more chances to cross Manta Rays and sometimes eagle rays. Because there are many patches of sand between the boulders making the particularity of this dive site, we also sighted Leopard Sharks sleeping quite regularly. Giant Sea Fans are also often hiding wonders so look thoroughly!

Day 6
We will visit the Seafan forest in the morning, its name says it all, many boulders and many 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. We have even had the lucky moment where 3 whale sharks came out to play with us on one dive here! In the afternoon we will go around Western rocky for 2 more dives there.

Day 7
This is the day that sets apart this cruise from the others as we have a whole day to do 4 dives in the bountiful Western Rocky neighborhood. This is by far one of the most famous dive sites in Burma although we still won't need to share it with other divers! 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 as well as sleeper lobster and many types of crabs (sponge crab, spider crab, anemone crab). We have also spotted Bowmouth Guitarfish, Whale Shark, Various shark species Harlequin Shrimp, Frogfish, and Seahorses… Also, be prepared for a real treat as this is the perfect night diving spot!

Day 8
The last dive goes into a volcano where a group of blacktip sharks likes to hang around… this is also a special space to find seahorse and rare tropical fish like the comet longfin, the shaded batfish, or the pineapple fish... Take some time to peer into the nooks and crannies of the reef to find some real hidden treasures.

After the last dive, we will go back to Kawthoung where there will be the opportunity for some souvenir shopping and a refreshing local beer.

Once we got our passports back from the Burmese authorities, we will head back to Thailand where we get a new entry stamp.

The last dive will be on the last day of the trip. Divers are recommended to wait for 24hours before flying after the last dive.

MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard 8D/7N 25 Dive
Trip 8D7N: South & North Andaman
(Phuket - Ranong) INQUIRY

Day 1 (departure day)
Embark on The Smiling Seahorse at 4 pm in Phuket and wake up on the dive site the next morning!

Day 2~day 7
We will plan 4 dives per day around Surin and Similan Islands.

Day 8

2 dives and back in Ranong in the evening.

We will start the cruise with the South Andaman.

We will visit Koh Lanta National park with dive sites like Koh Haa, Hin Daeng, and Hin Muang.

Koh Haa (number 5 in the Thai language) is a group of 5 islands sitting together between Hin Daeng and Phi Phi and is part of the Ko Lanta National Marine Park. We may dive Ko Haa Lagoon, Ko Haa Neua, and Ko Haa Yai where we may pass through more swim-throughs and encounter plenty of marine life from small to big: Seahorses and ornate ghost pipefish will make macro maniacs happy, morays eels, octopus, hawksbill turtles, and marble rays will entertain everyone and if you are lucky you might meet leopard sharks or an Oceanic Manta ray!

Hin Daeng & Hin Muang are two pinnacles in the open ocean, surrounded by deep waters. The visibility on these two sites is usually excellent and the dramatic underwater landscape makes a perfect setting for the many creatures we come to encounter here.

The main attraction here is pelagic sightings such as manta rays and whale sharks. The site still has plenty of things to see besides the gentle giants such as schools of barracudas, millions of fusiliers, cuttlefish, bluefins trevallies, snappers, and more.

And spend some time as well in Tarutao National Marine Park: of which Koh Lipe is the only inhabited island surrounded by white sand beaches and beautiful dive sites.

We will end the trip at the North of the Andaman Sea.

Richelieu Rock is always listed in the top 10 dive sites in the world! It can be described as a big aquarium. Here we find more or less everything … Richelieu Rock is one of the places in Thailand to see Whale sharks but also seahorses and plenty of kinky cuttlefish action.

In Similan islands we may visit:

Koh Bon & Koh Bon Pinnacle:

The main attraction here is Manta Rays but when they are not around, there is plenty of tropical fish to look at. There is also a very good chance for Whale Shark and Zebra Sharks. After playing with Manta’s we will go south to another dive site in Similan National Park. Your cruise director will choose from various dive sites in the Northern part of the Similan Islands. You will love the view from the boat on some idyllic islands with a lush green forest surrounded by white sand beaches. Here we dive for the usually great viz and hope to spot leopard sharks, blue-spotted stingray, school of snappers and fusiliers, emperor fish, clown triggerfish, and more tropical colorful fish as well Moray eels, turtles, and mantis shrimps living in the rocky areas.

In the South Similan Islands sites like Elephant Head, Donald Duck Bay, Deep six, west of Eden, Rocky Point, and Anita's reef

Good chances there to spot whale sharks, turtles, mantas, reef sharks, Napoleons... After the night dive, it's time for our infamous BBQ night...!

Koh Tachai Pinnacle where we usually have a very fishy dive with massive schools of barracudas, bluefin and giant trevally, sweetlips, batfish a very nice dive spot. This is also a good place to see whale sharks so keep your eyelids peeled!

The last dive will be on the last day of the trip. Divers are recommended to wait for 24hours before flying after the last dive.

Please note that the itineraries are examples only, We reserve the right to change the itinerary or specific agreed services, if force majeure, unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances require us to do so.

MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard 7D/6N 22 Dive
Trip 7D6N: South & North Andaman
(Phuket - Ranong) INQUIRY

Day 1 (departure day)
Before we get started, you are invited to rendezvous at Smiling Seahorse dive center headquarters between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm. Here we will take care of rental equipment fitting for those who require it and dot the i’s and cross the t’s before departure. At 2:00 pm we will head to the immigration office to get the necessary exit stamps from Thailand and then make our way to board the magnificent MV Smiling Seahorse. Upon crossing the border into Myanmar, immigration officers will board the boat in Kawthaung and do the necessary border crossing screening. Once the boring paperwork is completed, we will head out to sea! At sunset, we will hold a ceremony to launch our voyage and introduce the crew. Then it will be time for your first scrumptious meal before being rocked to sleep by the waves.

Day 2
KNOCK KNOCK, Dive briefing! Wake up to the friendly call of the ocean (and your eager dive guide) as we start the cruise with a day at South Twin Island. Sitting in the outskirts of the Mergui Archipelago, this dive site is quite scenic with consistent crystal visibility and the topography of huge granite boulders. We have even 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, and frogfish! We end the first day of diving with a night dive searching for pygmy squid, candy crabs, cowries, and nudibranchs!

Day 3

Day 4
After a night of crossing, we 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 (no guarantee of course, but they are pretty common). 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.

Day 5
We stay offshore with North Twin and its pinnacle where you will have more chances to cross Manta Rays and sometimes eagle rays. Because there are many patches of sand between the boulders making the particularity of this dive site, we also sighted Leopard Sharks sleeping quite regularly. Giant Sea Fans are also often hiding wonders so look thoroughly!

Day 6
We will visit the Seafan forest in the morning, its name says it all, many boulders and many 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. We have even had the lucky moment where 3 whale sharks came out to play with us on one dive here! In the afternoon we will go around Western rocky for 2 more dives there.

Day 7
This is the day that sets apart this cruise from the others as we have a whole day to do 4 dives in the bountiful Western Rocky neighborhood. This is by far one of the most famous dive sites in Burma although we still won't need to share it with other divers! 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 as well as sleeper lobster and many types of crabs (sponge crab, spider crab, anemone crab). We have also spotted Bowmouth Guitarfish, Whale Shark, Various shark species Harlequin Shrimp, Frogfish, and Seahorses… Also, be prepared for a real treat as this is the perfect night diving spot!

Day 8
The last dive goes into a volcano where a group of blacktip sharks likes to hang around… this is also a special space to find seahorse and rare tropical fish like the comet longfin, the shaded batfish, or the pineapple fish... Take some time to peer into the nooks and crannies of the reef to find some real hidden treasures.

After the last dive, we will go back to Kawthoung where there will be the opportunity for some souvenir shopping and a refreshing local beer.

Once we got our passports back from the Burmese authorities, we will head back to Thailand where we get a new entry stamp.

The last dive will be on the last day of the trip. Divers are recommended to wait for 24hours before flying after the last dive.

MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard 7D/6N 22 Dive
Trip 7D6N: Mergui Archipelago

(Ranong - Ranong) INQUIRY

Day 1 Meeting at our dive center headquarters between 9 am and 12 pm.

At 2 pm we will head to the immigration office to get the necessary exit stamps from Thailand and then make our way to board the magnificent MV Smiling Seahorse. Upon crossing the border into Myanmar, immigration officers will board Kawthaung and do the necessary border crossing screening. Once the paperwork is completed, we will head out to sea!
At sunset, we will hold a ceremony to launch our voyage. Then it will be time for your first scrumptious meal before being rocked to sleep by the waves.
We will be back to Ranong around 3 pm

Day 2 - KNOCK KNOCK, Dive briefing!
Wake up to the friendly call of the ocean (and your eager dive guide) as we start the cruise with a day at South Twin Island. Sitting on the outskirts of the Mergui Archipelago, this dive site is quite scenic with consistent crystal visibility and a topography of huge granite boulders. We have even been lucky enough to 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, and frogfish! We end the first day of diving with a night dive searching for pygmy squid, candy crabs, cowries, and nudibranchs!

Day 3 - 4 dives around the very special Shark Cave.

In the afternoon we will find a bounty beach where we can get some sand between our toes and we might also pass by a local fishermen's village.

Here there are chances to see eagle rays, grey reef sharks, nurse sharks sleeping in their cave, blotched sting rays, frogfish, leaf fish, Spearing Mantis Shrimp, and many more. Beautiful coral also makes this a very colorful dive site.

Day 4
After a night of crossing, we 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 "Manta Festival" with Manta rays coming in dozens from everywhere (no guarantee of course, but they are pretty common). 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.

Day 5
Still quite far offshore we will spend the fifth day of the cruise at North Twin for more chances to cross paths with larger pelagic fish and megafauna. We love this dive site for the massive schools of tuna, barracuda, and trevally out in the blue, as well as the wealth of tiny critters hiding among the giant sea fans and soft corals. There is also a sand patch where we can sometimes find sleeping zebra sharks!

Day 6

The sixth day will be spent in the neighborhood of Western Rocky. The first two dives of the day will be spent exploring the scenery of the Seafan forest. The magnificent corals attract many schools of fish and the shelter of the topography is a favorite place of ours to search for stonefish. The last two dives of the day will be around the main island and the islets of Western Rocky. Here we will also have a night dive where we can see a vibrant mosaic of yellow soft coral polyps blooming in the darkness. Spanish dancers and all types of crustaceans can be observed here.

Day 7

The last dive goes into a volcano where a group of black tip reef sharks likes to hang around… this is also a special site where we can find seahorses and rare tropical fish like the longfin comet, the shaded batfish, or the pineapple fish.

After the last dive, we will go back to Kawthoung where there will be an opportunity for some souvenir shopping and a refreshing local beer.

Dives: up to 22 dives.

(*) itinerary description provided by the boat operator.

The last dive of the trip will be on the final day. Divers are recommended to wait for 24hours before flying after the last dive.

MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard 6D/5N 18 Dive
Trip 6D5N: North Andaman
(Khao Lak - Ranong) INQUIRY

Dive sites we may visit in Surin Islands include:

Koh Chi in the north of Surin Island, Torinla in the South offers enjoyable drift dives, Surin Bay, Yellow Rock, and some nice night dives in the bays. There is an opportunity to see Jenkins Stingray, Napoleon fish, a lot of sweetlips, Barracudas, Humphead Parrotfish, Manta Ray, Eagle Ray, Reef Sharks, and giant morays...
Richelieu Rock is always listed in the top 10 dive sites in the world! It can be described as a big aquarium. Here we find more or less everything … Richelieu Rock is one of the places in Thailand to see Whale sharks but also seahorses and plenty of kinky cuttlefish action.
Koh Bon & Koh Bon Pinnacle:
The main attraction here is Manta Rays but when they are not around, there is plenty of tropical fish to look at. There is also a very good chance for Whale sharks and Zebra Sharks. After playing with Manta we will go south to another dive site in Similan National Park. Your cruise director will choose from various dive sites in the Northern part of the Similan Islands. You will love the view from the boat on some idyllic islands with lush green forests surrounded by white sand beaches. Here we dive for the usually great viz and hope to spot leopard sharks, blue spotted stingrays, school of snappers and fusiliers, emperor fish, clown triggerfish, and more tropical colorful fish as well as some Moray eels, turtles, and mantis shrimps living in the rocky areas.
In the South Similan Islands sites like Elephant Head, Donald Duck Bay, Deep Six, West of Eden, Rocky Point, and Anita's Reef. Good chances there to spot a whale shark, turtles, mantas, reef sharks, Napoleons... After the night dive, it's time for our infamous BBQ night...!
Koh Tachai Pinnacle where we usually have a very fishy dive with massive schools of barracudas, bluefin and giant trevally, sweetlips, and batfish a very nice dive spot. This is also a good place to see whale sharks so keep your eyelids peeled! On Koh Tachai you will have the choice between a sunset dive or a Black Water dive (optional extras) and then enjoy a fantastic Barbecue.

Day 1 (departure day)

Appointment at Khao Lak, Thap Lamu Pier from 12 pm to 2 pm.
Embark on The Smiling Seahorse at 4 pm in Thap Lamu Pier and wake up on the dive site the next morning!

Day 2~Day 5

We will plan 4 dives per day around Surin and Similan National Parks.

Day 6

The crew will plan 3 dives before returning to Ranong around 7 PM.
The journey through the underwater world, exploring sites that are teeming with marine life. At the Surin Islands, guests will have the opportunity to see a variety of macro life, including colorful nudibranchs, vibrant crustaceans, mysterious octopuses, vibrant fish, graceful manta rays, and majestic whale sharks.
Please note: The last dive will be on the last day of the trip. Sample itineraries and maps are for illustrative purposes only. The exact route and sites visited are subject to change based on local regulations, guest experience, weather, and logistics and are at the Captain’s discretion.

MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard
Deck Plans

Boat Specifications

Year built

2018

Length

25 m

Max guests

Number of cabins

Number of bathrooms

Boat navigation and safety

Depth Sounder
GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
E.P.I.R.B. Distress System
Emergency Rafts
Life Vests
Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
Oxygen
First Aid Kits
Fishfinder
Bilge pump alarm
Search light
Engine room CCTV

MV SMILING SEAHORSE Liveaboard
DETAIL

Established in the Thai border town of Ranong, this was an obvious choice for the headquarters of The Smiling Seahorse Dive Center. Setting up shop in this little known place allows us quick and easy access to the best dive sites in both Burma and Thailand.

Diving in Thailand is particularly exceptional, in the national parks of the Surin and Similan Islands where we only visit the best sites. We like to go to the Surin Islands, which are much less visited; as well as Koh Bon and Koh Tachai, the best dive sites north of the Similans.
In the part south of Phuket, we visit the national parks of Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta (Hin Daeng Hin Muang, Koh Ha), Taruato (including Koh Lipe, the most famous island of the park).

Diving in Burma, a new adventure...
Burma, now known as Myanmar, offers an off-the-beaten-track playground for adventure seekers.
One of the reasons why we love to dive there so much is the diversity of the underwater life in Myanmar as well as the Diversity of the dive sites of the Mergui Archipelago and the secrets of the Burma Banks on the edge of the continental shelf where you will not see. no other dive boat for days.
Are you curious about what other magnificent creatures you can find while diving in Burma? Check out our page dedicated to Diving in Burma

Thailand is a littoral country with 2,815 km of coastline, 1878 on the East coast (the Gulf of Thailand) and 937 on the West coast, on the Andaman Sea side.

A part of the Indian Ocean, the Andaman Sea is a roughly 1,200 km long x 650 km wide, limited by the Gulf of Mataban in the north, the Malay Peninsula in the east, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the west and the northern tip of Sumatra in the south.

Being a peripheral ocean isolated from the bay of Bengal by the Andaman-Nicobar island bends, marine life has evolved a bit differently and the Andaman Sea has some endemic species.

Marine National parks in the South of Thailand

The Andaman Sea is a tropical haven very rich in Marine life. Thailand has seen early the importance of protecting its marine biodiversity and there are now 22 marine national parks in Thailand where fishes and reefs are protected from fisheries.
Marine life described below have been encountered in the 5 most beautiful Marine national parks of Thailand: Surin islands, Similan islands, Phi Phi Islands, Tarutao, and Koh Lanta national park all located in the Andaman Sea.

Myanmar has a large area of the Andaman Sea, made up by Mergui Archipelago and the Burma Banks is also very rich in Marine life.

We have been diving in Burma since 2012 and I wrote quite a few blogposts about the critters we encountered here.

I wanted to share on this page the Ultimate Marine Life guide to Mergui Archipelago linking to the articles we wrote about all these wonderful critters!

Marine life in the Andaman Sea is very rich, especially when diving in Myanmar where marine life is diversified and abundant and no coral has been broken like in other over crowded tourism spots. What set Mergui Archipelago and Burma Banks apart from other scuba diving destinations rich in Marine life is the fact you can be alone on every dive site and I'm sure that like us, you will LOVE IT!

Details MV SMILING SEAHORSE
Liveaboard

Rental Gear Prices

There is diving gear available on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. See below for further details on inclusions and pricing.

15L tanks250 THB per day
BCD250 THB per day
Dive Computer300 THB per day
Dive LightIncluded
Fins150 THB per day
Full Equipment (with: BCD, Fins, Mask, Regulator, Wetsuit)600 THB per day
Mask150 THB per day
Nitrox tank250 THB per tank
Regulator250 THB per day
SMBIncluded
Wetsuit150 THB per day

Boat navigation and safety

Depth Sounder
GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
E.P.I.R.B. Distress System
Emergency Rafts
Life Vests
Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
Oxygen
First Aid Kits
Fishfinder
Bilge pump alarm
Search light
Engine room CCTV

Boat features

Laundry Service
Camera Station
Daily housekeeping
Audio & video entertainment
Library
Aircon Cabins
Sun Deck
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers
Outdoor Dining
Camera room with table and charging point
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
En-Suite bathrooms
Non-Smoking Rooms
Family Cabins
Seaview Cabins
Rooms with Balcony
Kayaks On-Board
Separate Rinse for u/w Camera
Dedicated Local & International Crew
Nearly 1:1 Crew-to-Guest Ratio
Leisure Deck
Observation Deck
Bar
BBQ Area
Budget Friendly Cruise
Available for Charter

Included in the price
- cabin with air conditioning for two persons
- breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner
- soft drinks in bottles, drinking water, coffee and tea
- fresh fruits and snacks
- tanks, weights and lead belt
- professional dive guide
- towel, shower gel

Not included in the price
- National park fees for Similan and / or Surin
- Visa and Royalty fees for Myanmar
- ressure chamber insurance
- alcoholic drinks and cigarettes
- soft drinks in tin cans
- ice cream
- rental equipment
- 15l tank
- Nitrox
- continuing education courses
- transfers from/to Phuket

What to bring
- small luggage on board (small backpack usually is fine)
- camera (do not forget the charger)
- book, music
- 2-3 T-shirts and something long-sleeved
- swimsuit / bikini
- hat or headband (to protect the ears from the wind)
- hygiene products
- some money in THB for beer, ice cream or tip for the crew