The best way is without doubt by liveaboard. The best scuba diving in Burma is found in the Mergui Archipelago which includes more than 300 islands, and around Burma Banks which requires a minimum 7 night trip. Most of the best diving involves distances well beyond the scope of regular resort daytrips.

In some areas there are indeed similarities. However, the more exposed and remote sites in Burma tend to be subject to currents that can be strong, making it more common to see pelagic fish and oceanic sharks. One distinct difference is that in Myanmar it is not common to see too many other liveaboards in the water, since it is a much larger area and there is less boat competition than in the Similans.

Some areas such as Burma Banks can provide quite challenging dives, especially when the current is flowing. We recommend you take your advanced and deep diver specialty courses before going on the trip. Advanced courses are also available on each boat. Use of a dive computer and surface marker buoy are also strongly recommended. Also keep in mind that Myanmar is remote and evacuation can take up to 1 day, so please dive well within your limits and always within no decompression limits. Please also arrange your own diving insurance.

Burma is a tropical country and the weather is affected by monsoons. The dry and cooler season is from November to March, then hot from March to May. Rain is common between June and October.

The diving season is limited from November to the end of April, the tropical dry season, so it is likely that you will enjoy sunny skies, especially from mid-January to mid-April. Between November and mid-January thermoclines are common and visibility ranges from 15-20 metres, due to the high concentration of plankton that also attract mantas and whale sharks. Around this time the water temperature drops and is normally between 24-28°C.

Following this, conditions improve again to their optimum in February with visibility over 25-30 metres and water temperatures between 27-30°C. Currents can be strong during Full and New Moon.

The tourist season follows the diving season from November to the end of April. Remember that you will be returning to the west coast of Thailand and it is also Peak Season there too.

Not all the boats go to the Burma Banks, only the longer cruises, so please check the itinerary to see if the trip you are interested in includes Burma Banks. The boats which depart from Phuket or Khao Lak will include a combination of diving around the Similan Islands and the Mergui Archipelago. Those that depart from Ranong usually dive only in Burma. See the specific itineraries for more details.

All Myanmar liveaboard operators have their pick-up points in Thailand; usually either Khao Lak or Ranong. For departures from Khao Lak you should fly into Phuket and take the operator-provided transfer to the boat. For departures from Ranong, you can either fly to Ranong or fly to Phuket and arrange your own land transfer to Ranong. If you are already in Myanmar, you can meet your liveaboard in Kawthaung.

Yes there is a fee that varies from USD 200-250, depending on the cruise length. It is a combination of border, diving and entry fee and must be paid in cash to Burmese authorities in new US dollar bills. We will inform you of the exact amount before you travel.

Please note that at the entry point to Myanmar it is not possible to buy US dollars or to change money. The fee must be handed over to the authorities before entering Burmese waters, so please arrive prepared.

Apart from a short stop in Kawthaung for immigration control, all of your time will be spent around the waters of the amazing Mergui Archipelago. The terms of your entry permit are restricted to just visiting and diving this region.

No, you cannot do so under the entry permit granted for the diving Burma cruise. At the end of the trip you will return to Thailand. If you wish to visit Myanmar you must apply for a visa at the Burmese Embassy in your country or in Bangkok. There are also specialist travel agencies that can help you arrange this.

Non-divers are welcome on all liveaboard cruises. For those who enjoy boat life it is an unforgettable experience, cruising in the Mergui Archipelago. There are untouched islands with wild sandy beaches, clear water with great marine life and plenty of good snorkelling opportunities. However, do not expect too many island visits or islands with lots of activities. Most of the islands are deserted and overgrown.

You don't need to apply for a tourist visa beforehand when visiting Burma on a liveaboard safari from Thailand. However, we will need to assist you to obtain an entry permit to visit Mergui. This takes at least 14-21 days. Please e-mail us a copy of the main (photograph) page of your passport. This permit allows you to enjoy your liveaboard and to stay in the Kaw Thuang area for a combined period of 14 days. This is not a visa to travel elsewhere in Myanmar. You will also need to bring with you your passport, 3 colour passport-size passport size photographs, and entry fee (in crisp new US dollar bills of large denomination e.g. 100s and 50s), at embarkation.

When guests re-enter Thailand after a cruise they will be issued a 15 day tourist visa for Thailand.

General tourists in Burma are granted a 28 day visa on arrival. However, things can and do change so you should contact a local Myanmar embassy or consulate for details.

Yes, it might be a problem. You will leave Thailand and your passport will be stamped on exit and re-entry. If you are from a country that is granted a visa on arrival then this is no problem.

If you are citizen of a country that isn't allowed a visa on arrival in Thailand then please make sure you have a visa that permits multiple entries into Thailand. We recommend you contact the Thai Embassy in your country to ensure you are in compliance with all necessary visa requirements. If you are in this category and have entered Thailand with a single entry visa or a standard tourist visa, you must apply for a re-entry permit. This cannot be done in Ranong so must be done in advance in Phuket or Bangkok. Note also that immigration offices are closed on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

You will need 2 copies of your passport front page and last entry stamp in Thailand or last valid visa, and 2 passport size photographs. We recommend you check all the latest prices, rules and requirements for yourself before your trip.

No, it is not generally necessary to take any vaccinations to visit Burma on a liveaboard, but you should always consult your own doctor before any such trip. The boats have a limited pharmacy and medic first aid kits on board. Wearing long sleeves and trousers at dawn and sunset can help to avoid mosquito bites. Keep in mind that Burma doesn't have a real medical system or hospitals. Serious cases need to be evacuated to Thailand and the journey could be long and expensive. Please come on board with your own medical, diving and travel insurance and be sure that they cover accidents that happen in Myanmar.

Myanmar is a malarial area. However, there have been no reported cases of guests ever contracting malaria from a liveaboard diving boat, so if you stay on your boat, it's highly unlikely you will catch malaria. Other health risks include cholera, hepatitis, rabies and typhoid. Common but avoidable health concerns are contaminated food, water and ice that can lead to diarrhoea, dehydration and hepatitis A or E. Make sure you drink only bottled drinking water. Fungal infections are also very common. Wear loose clothes, wash frequently, and dry yourself carefully.

It's recommended that you seek medical advice about immunisations at least 6 weeks before you travel. Discuss your Burma liveaboard trip with your doctor and set out your vaccination requirements. Self-diagnosis and treatment of any medical problem can be risky, so you should always seek medical help.

There is only 1 national time zone in Myanmar: +6.5 hrs UTC, or +11.5 hrs EST.

English is commonly spoken in Myanmar. The boat crew is from Thailand and the diving crew are usually from many different countries. If language is a problem for you, let us know and we will suggest you the boat that best matches your requirements.

The US dollar is the most common, along with the Thai Baht. Remember that the border/scuba/entry fee must be paid in new US dollars notes. During the brief time on Kawthaung, US dollars and Thai Baht can be used for shopping. We suggest to take sufficient cash with you since it will be very difficult change money and find an ATM once you have left Thailand.

Electricity is 230 volts AC at 50 cycles. Several different plugs and sockets are in use, so bring your own plug adapter kits. There are frequent blackouts and power variations, especially during rainy season. The Burma liveaboards in the Mergui Archipelago normally have flat or round 2 pin electrical sockets.

International telephone calls can be made from most major hotels. For international direct dialling use 01 + country code + area code + phone number. 95 is the international calling/country code for Myanmar.

There are very few internet cafes and only in the tourist locations and larger urban areas. Connection speeds are very slow. Due to the remoteness of the liveaboard safaris in Burma, most of the boats do not provide wi-fi service.

Post offices are open from 09:00 am until 3:30 pm, but services are unreliable. Important items can be sent by registered post. This is faster and safer but the cost is higher.

Burma doesn't have a proper mobile network and where mobile phones are used, the service is provided by Thailand providers. All boats have satellite phone and fax and radios to communicate. Internet is never available.

Tipping is not part of local culture and not expected. As the people of Myanmar are very poor, money isn't necessary - cigarettes, pens and foreign t-shirts will work miracles. Liveaboard boat crew however, are not Burmese and will expec a tip if you feel they did a good job.

For so long the pariah state of South East Asia, Myanmar has some outstanding historical and intriguing travel destinations for the intrepid explorer, such as Rangoon, Bagan, and Mandalay - names evocative of colonial times, empires and civilisations of yesteryear, and packed full of impressive monuments and ruins.

Yangon (formerly Rangoon)

Yangon lies in the Yangon River delta in southern Myanmar, about 30 km from the sea. This large city of 4 million people is crammed with trees and decayed colonial architectural charm. It is home to the gold-plated Shwedagon Paya, which dominates the city from its hilltop site. This mighty and magical monument was built in the 18th century and is surrounded by an incredible assortment of statues, temples, shrines, images and pavilions. Other sights include the colonial architecture of the legendary Strand Hotel, the colossal reclining Buddha in Chaukhtatgyi Paya and the peaceful Kandawgyi and Inya Lakes. Aung San Suu Kyi's residential house is also here.

Bagan

One of the truly great wonders of Asia, this is an amazing, deserted city of some 5,000 pagodas and temples on the banks of the Irrawaddy River. The Bagan period stretched from the 11th to the 13th centuries, and an enormous number of magnificent buildings were constructed here. The city was sacked in 1287 by the Tartars and never rebuilt.

Mandalay

This sprawling city is the cultural centre of Burma and was last capital of the country before the British took over and is the country's second-largest city. Highlights of Mandalay include Shwenandaw Kyaung, the last remaining building of Mandalay Hill, the once extravagant, moated palace with spiralling stairways, temples and sweeping views; and the ancient Rakhine Buddha image at Mahamuni Paya.

There are also the 4 nearby 'deserted cities' of Amarapura, Sagaing, Ava and Mingun. Mingun has some wonderful monuments in various states of disrepair, and is only accessible by river. The boat ride from Mandalay is a pleasure.

The country shares borders with Thailand, Laos, Tibet, India and Bangladesh. Nearly half the country is covered in forests, with mountainous borders east with Thailand and north with Tibet, where you'll find South East Asia's highest peak - Hkakabo Razi at 5,881m. Central Myanmar is characterised by wide plains and rivers, where the Irrawaddy River (now Ayeyarwady) flows over 1,600 km, providing the flood plain basis for the main agricultural industry - rice. Burma was previously the largest exporter of rice in the world, but is now one of the 10 poorest countries in the world. For more information about Mynamar visit: Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

However, note that our Burma diving charters depart from Thailand so you might want some ideas of things to do in Thailand.

Dive the World offers only Thai-operated diving cruises in Burma around the Mergui Archipelago from the port of Kawthaung (Victoria Point) on the Thailand-Myanmar border. We do not offer any tourist-related activities or options on land. As such, we restrict our advice to the security onboard liveaboards cruising the area.

Every liveaboard diving trip must check in at Immigration Control at Kawthaung. All tourist passports are held there for the duration of each cruise. After checking in to Myanmar, an immigration official boards the boat and travels with each party for the duration of each cruise. Therefore, every liveaboard tour is supervised by the Burmese authorities and is extremely safe. In addition to this, the Myanmar Navy regularly patrol its waters for illegal and foreign vessels. We consider Burma diving activities to be extremely secure adventures and free of most risks that accompany other trips these days.

Temples, Buddha, statues, and monks are to be revered (for example, it is not allowed for a woman to touch a monk). Buddhist and Chinese shrines are open to foreigners but you should dress appropriately when visiting. Shorts and sleeveless shirts are discouraged. A non-Muslim can enter a mosque during prayer time. Hilltop houses have special spirit houses which are closed to outsiders; entering them will violate their sanctity.

The Burmese are amenable to being photographed but, if in doubt, ask first. Monks can be photographed and Buddhist ceremonies too.

People regard the feet of lower stature so do not point them at others or step over those seated or lying. Remove your shoes before entering a temple or house. Likewise, the head is of high stature and is not supposed to be touched or slapped.

Really there is only one dive resort in the Mergui Archipelago and staying there will limit your diving to just a few spots. Plus the best diving is far from the resort's island. Further, a resort stay follows the same travel regulations as a cruise so you are not permitted to visit the Burma mainland either. After your stay you would have to return to Thailand. The only way to really get to experience the full wonder of the beautiful islands of the Mergui Archipelago is by liveaboard.

The Junta that ran the country decided a few years ago to abandon the old name and changed the country name from The Union of Burma to The Union of Myanmar. Burma remains the common name to refer to this country.

Myanmar is a country that has been dogged by recent crises that have negatively affected both its reputation and its tourism industry. Previous causes for concern centred around the brutal rule of the military junta. More recently it is the plight of the Rohingya people, in areas near the border with Bangladesh, that make people think twice about visiting.

Obviously the reports we hear of in the news contain distressing details. Even though the areas where these issues arise are very distant from regions of Myanmar (particularly those that divers visit), this creates a moral dilemma for many.
It is worth noting that during a Burma cruise you won't see much of the land and have only very limited contact with people. We only offer Myanmar diving on liveaboards that are operated out of Thailand. We do not offer any land based tourist activities in Burma. We do not consider that scuba divers who pay an entry fee contribute in any meaningful way to supporting the government.

Those wishing to make a difference should lobby and pressure their own governments into action and devote their well-intentioned energies to where the problem lies rather than areas of insignificance. Your trip won't change the situation there but at least it might help the southern border population a little. Keep yourself informed about the situation in the country as occasionally the Thailand-Burma borders shut down without warning.