Liveaboard Burma Diving Season

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a liveaboard diving cruise?

Burma liveaboards provide diving facilities and living accommodation for divers. The boat becomes your home and you eat, sleep and dive from it! Liveaboard boats stay at sea for the duration of the cruise and therefore can explore more remote destinations. This type of diving opens up a whole new world of top class scuba opportunities that would simply not be available on a regular daytrip boat.

How many dives will I make per day?

Generally you can make four dives a day. A typical liveaboard cruise day in Myanmar starts at 07:00 hrs with the first dive, and the last being either a sunset or night dive. You have about three hours between dives at your leisure.

When is the best time to visit?

The Burma dive season runs from November to May. The weather and Andaman Sea are at their calmest during the months of February to early May, and this is when visibility is at its best. This time of year is also manta ray and whale shark season.

What scuba license do I need?

A open water diving license is acceptable for diving in Burma provided you have an intermediate level of experience. Although there are some deep and exposed sites, there are enough easy dive sites and enough divemasters on board so that you will never need to dive beyond your limits.

To make the most of your Burma liveaboard diving adventure and to extend your scuba training you may wish to take your PADI Advanced Open Water Diver license on board. Certification is normally discounted to about half price. See the "Facilities and Food" information tab of each boat for course prices on board.

Are there any strong currents?

Some of the Burma dive sites visited by liveaboards can have strong currents. This depends on the site, time of month and time of day. Your divemaster will advise you in your dive briefings. Generally, there is never an occasion when you need to swim against a strong current.

I don't have my diving license with me, can I still visit?

If you have a PADI certification, we can check your details direct with PADI. Please provide your name as it appears on your card and your date of birth. If you contact the dive centre where you were certified, they can help you obtain a new card before you travel.

How far in advance do I need to book?

Due to the very limited number of reliable boat operators running liveaboards in Burma, you must try to book several months in advance to ensure availability.

Can I dive on my own?

Liveaboards in Myanmar are recreational diving boats, and as such follow recreational scuba guidelines. This means you'll be expected to dive with a buddy to a maximum depth of 40 metres and observe safe diving time limits. If you prefer to dive without a guide, then this is not a problem provided you have all the equipment necessary to conduct dives unassisted i.e. dive computer or timing device, safety balloon, compass and dive knife.

Do I need a wetsuit?

Although the Andaman Sea is very warm at 27 to 30°C, you will get chilled making four dives every day. We recommend at least a 3mm wetsuit shortie, or more if you are susceptible to heat loss. A wetsuit also provides protection from jellyfish and poor buoyancy control.

Can I recharge my strobes and batteries?

Usually this is not a problem on board Myanmar diving charters. Please review the "Safety and Specs" information tab for details of the power sources provided on each boat.

What type of tanks and valves are on the boats?

Nearly all the boats carry 12 litre aluminium tanks with yoke or A-clamp international valves as standard. If you have a DIN regulator, you should bring an adaptor, or you can rent (US$ 3 per day) or buy one here. 10 or 15 litre tanks are also available for rent in advance at a similar price. Enriched air nitrox is available on some boats. See the "Facilities and Food" information tab of each boat for more details.

Can I rent an underwater camera?

We have digital cameras (US$ 31 per day) available for rent. Please request these in advance to ensure availability.

What kind of food is served?

Please review the "Facilities and Food" information tab for details of food served on each of the liveaboards. Generally, the standard of cuisine is excellent throughout the industry here.

Can I request vegetarian food?

Please review the "Facilities and Food" information tab for details of dietary requirements that can be met on each of the safaris. Please do tell us your requirements at the time you make your booking, so that we can meet your request.

Can I bring alcohol onboard?

You can bring what you like on board Myanmar liveaboards. If you have a favourite tipple or taste, feel free to bring it along. We even had one diver bring a blow-up doll and inflatable sheep ... anyway, enough about that Nigel.

Where can you pick me up from?

We can arrange transfers to your liveaboard from your hotel, from our dive centre or from the airport if you arrive just before your boat departure. Please advise us of your preferred transfer point before you arrive.

Where can I find Dive The World?

Our dive centre and office is located in Patong Beach, Phuket, on a side street called Soi Hat Patong. We suggest you look at the map below and print a copy for your reference.

• Map of Patong Beach

Can you arrange accommodation for me in Burma?

Our affiliated hotel reservation agents Agoda.com have a wide range of accommodations in Thailand, which is where you'll need to be to join one of these cruises. Browse their website full of choices, use their live chat to ask your questions, then simply use your credit card to make your reservation.

From top-of-the range international beach resorts to low-price guesthouses, there's something to suit everyone's taste and pocket. And you can be sure that whatever option you go for, it will be backed up with their 'Low Price Guarantee' so you will always get top-dollar value for money.

What should I bring on board?

All your personal diving equipment (except tanks, weights and weight belts), a bathing suit, towel, toiletries, T-shirts, shorts, and sun cream. You may also want to bring something a little warmer for the evenings.

Where can I leave my excess baggage when I go on a cruise?

If your hotel can not help you store your baggage, then we are more than willing to help. You can store your bags and valuables at our centre for the duration of your Burma liveaboard trip. Just don't leave any open boxes of chocolates lying around!

Will I get sea sick?

All the liveaboards in the Mergui Archipelago use mooring points to over-night at the islands visited on the cruise. These mooring points are located in the island's bays, sheltered away from any open sea swells.

If you are particularly susceptible to motion sickness, then you should consider joining a cruise in February to April, when the seas are very calm.

Is dive insurance for customers included in the cruise price?

Some Myanmar boat operators provide insurance. For details please review the "Safety and Specs" information tab for each boat. Phuket now has two (expensive) recompression chambers. We recommend you have your own personal diving insurance, for your own peace of mind.

Is Malaria a problem?

The Myanmar liveaboard scuba destinations are free of Malaria.

Can a non-diver go on a liveaboard?

Non-divers and snorkellers are welcome on all our Burma dive liveaboard safaris. Most of the dive sites visited offer good snorkeling too. Do bear in mind though that the cruises are designed for diving, not snorkelling. Prices for non-divers are usually discounted 10%, sometimes more, but please ask for exact details. Although this sounds quite a small discount, boat operators will tell you that if you are not diving, then you will be on the boat eating all the food! Anyway, you are taking the space that would otherwise be available to a diver.

Do I have to share a cabin?

As space is the ultimate premium on all liveaboards, single cabins are extremely rare and expensive. Unless we manage to book you a single cabin, you will be expected to share. It may be, if the boat is not full, that you can have your own cabin but this situation can not be guaranteed. The only way to guarantee a cabin for yourself is to pay for two beds! Please review the main information tab of each boat for more details on the types of cabin available.

Can I explore the beaches at the islands?

You have three hours surface interval between each dive, so as long as your liveaboard is not travelling between sites, you are free to do want you want. Please do advise the tour leader before and each time you disembark from the boat. Note, Burma Banks does not have any beaches!

What about tipping?

Tipping in Thailand is entirely a matter of choice. If your Burma diving liveaboard charter met or exceeded your expectations, you may wish to leave a tip of up to 10% of your cruise price. Smaller tips are welcome too!

Will I see sharks?

We certainly hope so! Leopard sharks and white-tip reef sharks are the most common and seen on all trips. Nurse sharks and silver-tip sharks can be seen quite commonly on Burma Banks liveaboards. Whale sharks sightings also occur every year — keep your fingers crossed!

Manta rays sightings have been very common in recent years, and you will always see blue-spotted sting rays, marble rays, and fantail rays.

For more adventures on diving liveaboards, visit our website:
• Dive The World - scuba liveaboards

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