International Trips - Myanmar

  Start the trip with us as we take in some of the amazing sights that Thailand has to offer. We are going to spend the first four days exploring Thailand as we visit Phuket, airplane beach, the Bug Budha, viewpoints you won't want to miss, the famous James Bond Island, a monkey temple, elephant sanctuary, caves, lakes and more! You definitely don't want to miss this!

Scroll down for tour photos!

Inclusions:

• Beautiful resorts nightly
• 4 nights of accommodations
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Transport
• All tours and activities listed
• Tour guide

Exclusion:

• Flights to/from Phuket Airport
• Additional transfers
• Alcoholic drinks
• Sodas / Fizzy Drinks
• Breakfast
• Guide’s gratuities
• Trip Insurance (highly recommended)

DAY ONE – OCTOBER 10

ARRIVAL

· Complementary shuttle to the hotel is provided

DAY TWO – OCTOBER 11

 Begin your trip by being picked up from the hotel in Phuket, heading towards Phang Nga Province. Your first stop will be at Sarasin Bridge, which connects Phuket Island to the mainland. After that, continue to Khao Lak Beach and then to Khao Sok Safari. Here, we will stop for Elephant feeding and bathing. After your adventures, check in at Caligo Resort, a private oasis nestled in nature near Ratchaphruek Dam. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner served at the resort.  

DAY THREE – OCTOBER 12

 Join us for an exciting day exploring the lake!  Early Bird – Morning Safari Program: Start your day with a scenic ride on a traditional longtail boat.  We'll cruise to the dam, searching for wild animals along the stunning limestone cliffs and through the jungle. We will also visit the "Guilin of Thailand."  Next, take a jungle walk to discover Pakaipet Cave, also known as Diamond Cave, which is over 100 years old and features fascinating limestone formations.  Lunch - Enjoy a delicious lunch at the Raft House.  Depart to Beyond Skywalk at Nang She to experience breathtaking views during sunset and stay in the Forest Tent. Experience the thrill of the glass and steel skywalk, the newest attraction, where you can capture postcard-worthy moments of the Andaman Sea and Samet Nang She Dinner - End the day with dinner at the hotel. 

DAY FOUR – OCTOBER 13

 5:45 AM: Enjoy a beautiful sunrise with a cup of coffee and a biscuit while collecting your wonderful souvenir from the stunning view of Phang Nga Bay.  After breakfast, prepare to check out and depart for the Phang Nga Bay trip.  First, we will visit the Monkey Cave Temple, a famous site in Phang Nga Province that should not be missed.  Next, take a traditional Thai longtail boat as we head towards the mangrove area and explore the caves. Once you are on the sea canoe, you'll witness the breathtaking limestone caves, lagoons,  hongs, and stunning cliffs.  We will then head to James Bond Island, the iconic filming location for "The Man with the Golden Gun." Enjoy a seafood lunch at Panyee Island, a Muslim village where you can stroll around the floating village and experience their way of life.  End of program heading to Phuket, check in at Dewa Phuket Hotel at Nai Yang Beach.  Dinner on the beach with leisure 

DAY FIVE – OCTOBER 14

 Breakfast and Check-Out Preparation. First, visit the Airplane Landing Beach at Khao Beach. Enjoy a ride on a three-wheeled motorcycle to take in the viewpoint and capture some memorable photos with an aero plan.  Shopping in Phuket Old Town. Next, depart for Phuket Old Town, where you can enjoy some shopping and leisure time (lunch is not included).  Afterward, head to Chalong Temple and the Big Buddha Viewpoint. Finally, drop off at Chalong Pier to start diving!

Join Texas Scuba Adventures in Thailand, as we sail on the beautiful, Phinisi! The Phinisi is a traditional Indonesian sailing yacht and comfortably accommodates 18 divers / passengers. It also has a spacious deck with plenty of storage for everyone’s dive gear, and an outdoor dining area at the stern, that is covered and shaded so you can enjoy the breathtaking views while you eat.

Scroll down for more boat and dive photos!

The Diving:

The Mergui Archipelago encompasses over 800 islands in an area of 12,000 km2 of crystalline waters. Burmese waters were closed off until 1997 and, since they were re-opened, only a few boats have ventured out there meaning they remain relatively unexplored and undiscovered.

The islands remain almost entirely uninhabited save for the odd Burmese sea gypsies. This off-the-beaten-track diving destination is made mostly from limestone (ensuring there are plenty of caves and tunnels) and a few granite pinnacles circled by a wide diversity of corals of beautiful color

.

Diving in the Andaman Sea around Myanmar gives you the possibility to come face to face with species like whale sharks, manta rays, and barracudas. On the macro front there are: frogfish, many types of nudibranchs, crabs and shrimps, as well as seahorses. Different kinds of sharks also populate the area; with blacktip and nurse sharks often swim along divers.

With gorgeous underwater landscapes consisting of isolated pinnacles, caves, soft and hard corals, incredibly rich wildlife and exclusive dive sites, the Mergui Archipelago offers some truly breath-taking diving.

Inclusions:

• Return, shared transfer between Phuket Airport, or local hotel, and the liveaboard on embarkation and disembarkation days
• 7 nights full board accommodation (based on shared occupancy)
• Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and fresh fruit
• Unlimited tea, coffee, fruit juice, and soft drinks
• Up to 4 dives per day
• AL80 tanks with airfills
• Weights, weight belt and SMB
• Disembarkation transfer
• Embarkation transfer

Exclusion:

• Flights to/from Phuket Airport
• Additional transfers
• Alcoholic drinks
• Laundry
• Nitrox (Package price: $210 USD, per EAN certified diver)
• Crew and guide’s gratuities
• SCUBA courses
• Equipment rental (minus tanks and weights)

Required Items:

• Travel and dive insurance
• Marine Park and port fees. $280 USD, per person, to be paid on board

Itinerary:

 Day 1: Visit immigration in Ranong for Thailand exit formalities followed by embarkation, lunch, and orientation briefings. We then make the short crossing to Kawthung in Myanmar for immigration entry formalities before cruising into the archipelago.   There is no diving on embarkation day.  

Day 2-6 (7 night):   Your Cruise Director will schedule up to 4 dives per day; 3-day dives and, where possible, a sunset or night dive. 

A typical diving day is scheduled as follows:  

● Light Breakfast followed by a briefing and Dive 1  

● Full Breakfast, relaxation followed by briefing and Dive 2  

● Lunch, relaxation followed by briefing and Dive 3  

● Snack  

● Briefing for Dive 4  

● Dinner  

Day 7: We usually schedule 2 morning dives before cruising to Horseshoe Island for an afternoon beach visit and snacks before the vessel returns to Kawthaung.   

Disembarkation Day: Breakfast and Myanmar immigration clearance onboard followed by disembarkation between 08:30 and 09:00 a.m. and a visit to the Thai Immigration Office in Ranong to obtain your re-entry stamp before the transfer to Phuket Airport or your hotel. 

Dive Sites:

Rocky Island (High Rock)

A tiny islet topped with a lone tree, featuring steep rocky reefs, colorful corals, and a large anemone garden with schooling snappers. Granite boulders shelter octopus, cuttlefish, morays, and macro critters, while pelagics like tuna, wahoo, and barracuda cruise past. Challenging conditions, but very rewarding.

North Twin & South Twin

Strong currents attract barracuda, tuna, cuttlefish, and occasionally mantas. North Twin offers sloping reefs with huge coral-covered boulders, gorgonian fans, and rich reef life. South Twin features dramatic granite formations, caverns, swim-throughs, abundant morays, sweetlips, rays, and garden eels.

Black Rock

An isolated pinnacle famous for oceanic mantas, whale sharks, and other pelagics. Sloping reefs, walls, gorgonian fans, anemone fields, and vibrant soft corals support dense fish life and diverse invertebrates including mantis shrimp, lobsters, octopus, and cuttlefish.

Three Islets

A varied dive area of caves, canyons, walls, and slopes with abundant anemones, coral trees, and macro life. Frequent sightings include cuttlefish, ghost pipefish, seahorses, morays, scorpionfish, and reef sharks in Shark Cave.

Sea Fan Forest

A submerged pinnacle starting at 5m, renowned for massive, healthy gorgonian sea fans. Home to schooling fish, groupers, morays, scorpionfish, and eagle rays, with excellent biodiversity throughout.

Western Rocky

A limestone islet and pinnacles with arches, caverns, and coral-covered walls. Rich in macro life and larger species including ghost pipefish, seahorses, frogfish, barracuda, and sometimes guitar sharks at the nearby pinnacle.

Burma Banks

A remote chain of seamounts rising from deep water, known for dramatic topography, excellent visibility, vibrant reefs, and pelagic encounters. Conditions can be challenging, with daytime diving only, but dives here are among Myanmar’s most spectacular.

Moken Village Island Visit

An optional cultural visit to meet the indigenous Moken people, traditional sea nomads of the Andaman Sea who continue a sustainable hunter-gatherer lifestyle closely connected to nature.