Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar – Dive Sites
North of the Thai border in the Andaman Sea, lie the largely undisturbed waters of Myanmar. Explore with us the Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar – Dive Sites.
Black Rock
Experience: * | |
Current: *** | |
Visibility: 15 - 25 meter | |
Depth: 5 - 30 meter | |
Snorkel Condition: good |
Black Rock is a tremendously exciting dive site, with frequent possibilities of spotting sharks of different sizes and species. The western side offers an extraordinary overgrowing wall, underlined with small boulders. This is the place to observe larger apex predators such as scalloped hammerheads, bull, grey reef and white tips. The sharks patrol the waters away from the rocky mass, passing through and round patch reefs and boulders that have settled to from wide U-shaped gullies on the seabed.
The eastern side features a slowly sloping corals reef and large rocky outcrops with numerous nudibranchs, hard and soft corals. There are more fantastic small critters to be seen such as golden wenteltrap snails, saron shrimps just to name a few but often it is hard to concentrate on these due watching out for sharks, rays and school of jacks. It's also likely to see black and white tip reef sharks, gray sharks, rays and mantas. Other treats are several types of hermit crabs seldom seen anywhere else.
Large barracudas provide a wake-up call for any divers thinking of investigating the rocks in the deeper waters. Reef fish are prolific all around this open ocean site as are minute reef creatures such nudibranchs, shrimps and crabs. The rarely seen Rhinopia, or lacy scorpionfish has been seen along the northern slopes of this site.
Shark Cave
Western Rock
Experience: **/*** | |
Current: *** | |
Visibility: 5 - 25 meter | |
Depth: 5 - 30+ meter | |
Snorkel Condition: notsuitable | |
There is no dive site quite like Western Rocky in either Thailand or Myanmar. Situated in open sea, the island has a long sloping reef on the northeast side. The other side offer wall diving. The sand bottom starts at 30 to 35 meters and is dotted with boulders and coral heads that are covered with large fans and colorful soft corals. Just east of the island for pinnacles break the surface, while a number of submerged pinnacles are found off the south side. Western Rocky’s unique feature is a large tunnel that runs right through the middle of the island. Inside this tunnel you can see often a number of sleepy nurse sharks and scores of lobsters. But Western Rocky is most liked for its fabulous macro life, a lot of soft corals and sea fans, a perfect place for underwater photographers. It's also a very good spot for night dives. You can expect many species of nudibranchs, crabs and shrimps as well as mollusks like cowries and murex shells. Possible even rarifies like harlequin shrimps an frogfish. Chances for meeting black tip and white tip sharks as well as the gray reef shark are possible. All in all a true world-class dive site! |
Three Islets
Experience: * | |
Current: *** | |
Visibility: 5 - 20 meter | |
Depth: 5 - 30 meter | |
Snorkel Condition: good | |
Three Islets consists of one small island and two large rocks, all of which rise above the surface. Each could be considered a separate site; there is no way to see them all on a single dive, or even a full day of diving. All three are perfectly suited for multilevel profiles, with thriving marine life from the bottom to the surface. Underwater, the combination of unusual topography and a tremendous variety of creatures makes this one of the best dive sites in the Mergui Archipelago. Nearly every square meter is riddled with crevices that provide shelter and holdfasts for an enormous volume of fish an invertebrate life. At the east side you have got the possibility to dive along a wall, which is overgrown with gorgonian. Also a nice site for night diving. At the west side you find a coral reef softly sloping down. Lots of hard- and soft corals. It's a place for under water photographers, who are looking for snakes and the rare frog fish. Aside from the marine life, another outstanding feature is a large canyon on the north end of the main island where you can encounter semi resident grey reef sharks. Past the canyon on the right you will find an opening to a tunnel that runs completely through the island and exits on the east side at about 15 m. Be sure not to disturb the several huge tawny nurse sharks that sometimes rest within the crevices as you pass through. |
Twins Island (South Twin and Nord Twin)
North Twin Plateau
Experience: *** | |
Current: **** | |
Visibility: 15 - 25 meter | |
Depth: 15 - 25 meter | |
Snorkel Condition: not suitable |
There are larger table corals and porite mounds dotted with multicolored plume worms, and below the mound’s crayfish concealed in darker overhangs, Parrotfish, spiny foot and dog-faced pufferfish have taken up residency.
Little Torres Island
Experience: ** | |
Current: *** | |
Visibility: 15 - 25 meter | |
Depth: 5 - 30 meter | |
Snorkel Condition: sometimes |
High Rock
Experience: ** | |
Current: ** | |
Visibility: 5 - 10 meter | |
Depth: 5 - 20 meter | |
Snorkel Condition: restricted |
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