The Smiling Seahorse is a 25 m steel-hulled motor vessel operating trips from the port of Ranong. A maximum of 16 divers can be accommodated on board, meaning small dive groups of up to 4 divers as you explore the remote and pristine waters of Burma and some of the best dives sites in Thailand's Andaman Sea. The liveaboard offers unique blackwater diving cruises and onboard underwater photography classes.
The Smiling Seahorse aims to provide personalised service and, with 8 attentive crew members, there is always a friendly atmosphere and someone on hand to assist you. The liveaboard operator takes its commitment to conservation of the marine environment seriously. You can expect reusable aluminum drink bottles, reef-friendly soap, shampoo and hair conditioner, and support pf various local marine conservation projects.
The upper deck open-air saloon is the social centre of the boat. Here there are a number of comfortable couches, tables and chairs where you can enjoy mealtimes, read up on the local marine life and chat to your fellow guests over a sundowner from the bar. There is a huge half-shaded sundeck with sun loungers where you can work on your tan or relax in the shade. There are also a couple of hammocks for maximum chill factor. Other facilities include TV, DVD music system and computer. So you can watch movies, or enjoy some of the marine and general interest books and magazines. Photographers will appreciate the dedicated camera room, and the nitrox and 15 litre scuba tanks for extended bottom time.
Accommodation consists of twin or double share air-conditioned cabins, all on the middle or upper decks. Master and Deluxe cabins have ensuite bathrooms, while Standard cabins share bathrooms. The Smiling Seahorse is the ideal choice for those on a budget who are not seeking a luxurious experience, but rather a pioneering sense of discovery in the remote Burmese waters of the Andaman Sea. Normally this means you can expect your fellow guests to be young, enthusiastic divers with a sense of adventure!
There are 8 guest cabins - 6 on the main deck and 2 on the upper deck. The main deck has 2 Master cabins with double beds, plus 4 Deluxe cabins which can be twin bunk or double bed configuration. All main deck cabins have ensuite bathrooms. The Master cabins have a giant panoramic window. On the upper deck are 2 Standard cabins which can be twin bunk or double bed configuration. Guests in Standard cabins use the 2 extra bathrooms on the main deck. All cabins have windows and doors that open to the outside that allow sea view, plenty of natural lighting and a lovely breeze.
All the cabins have:
- Air-conditioning
- Reading lights
- Bedding
- Towels and reef friendly toiletries
- Shelves and space for luggage
- 2-pin mains outlet 220 V, 24 hours per day
- Fire alarm
- Life jackets
No. of bathrooms / showers - 8 / 10
Similan, Surin Islands & Richelieu Rock (7 Days / 6 Nights - 21 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Surin Islands, Similan Islands, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon and Richelieu Rock
Day 1
Meet The Smiling Seahorse crew at the dive centre in Ranong where you will be asked to fill in cruise paperwork and try any rental gear that you need. A short ride to the harbour and you are finally on board the 25m liveaboard that will be your home for the duration of the trip. A little good luck ceremony at the stern of the boat before starting the cruise. A sunset dinner is the perfect chance to get to know the other guests. You will wake up and dive at Surin Island on the next day.
Core Days
After a good night's rest, grab a coffee and cookies while listening to the first dive briefing. There will be 3 more throughout the day, for a total of 4 dives: 2 morning dives, 1 in the afternoon and 1 night dive. Breakfast will follow the 1st dive, lunch the 2nd dive, and dinner will take place after the divers return from the night dive. Main meals are buffet-style in the open-air dining area. 4 main dishes that feature a mixture of international and Thai cuisine: Tom Yam Khung, Tom Kha Kai, Phad Thai, are just few examples of the dishes that you can try and become familiar with. Snacks and fresh fruits are provided throughout the day. A barbecue night is also on the schedule and it is usually a great night of fun, with the crew involved in singing and dancing.
The first diving day of the safari is focused on diving around Surin Island, while on the next day the dive guides will lead you to Koh Bon and Koh Tachai. There are several sites to choose from, with only Koh Tachai been really exposed to currents. Gorgonian sea fans and coral bommies are present everywhere, scuba divers can expect to see unusual critters and reef fish. Manta rays and whale sharks are often visitors, usually during the high season which is when the waters are rich in nutrients. Green turtles eating corals, sea snakes hunting across the reef, schools of snapper and barracuda add lots of colours and movement around you. Napoleon wrasse or resting leopard sharks are 2 more subjects that leave every diver in awe.
The Similan Islands are by far the most spectacular dive destination in Thailand, consisting of 9 granite islands covered in tropical jungle and surrounded by sparkling clear blue waters. The underwater scenery features beautiful hard and soft coral gardens, as well as huge granite boulders and dramatic rock formations that form swim-throughs and canyons. Drift diving is common here as the currents run over rich reefs teeming with unusual and interesting marine life.
Day 7
The final day of your great diving safari, but still plenty of fun as you will make 2 dives at Richelieu Rock (listed in the top 10 dive sites in the world!), where you are likely to encounter all the marine life that the Andaman Sea is famous for, in just one spot! Disembark at Ranong,
Note: this itinerary sometimes uses the port in Ranong, Phuket or Khao Lak. Please check the port details above.
Similan, Surin Islands & Richelieu Rock (5 Days / 4 Nights - 14 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Surin Islands, Similan Islands, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon and Richelieu Rock
Day 1
Meet The Smiling Seahorse crew at the dive centre in Ranong where you will be asked to fill in cruise paperwork and try any rental gear that you need. A short ride to the harbour and you are finally on board the 25m liveaboard that will be your home for the duration of the trip. A little good luck ceremony at the stern of the boat before starting the cruise. A sunset dinner is the perfect chance to get to know the other guests. You will wake up and dive at Surin Island on the next day.
Core Days
After a good night's rest, grab a coffee and cookies while listening to the first dive briefing. There will be 3 more throughout the day, for a total of 4 dives: 2 morning dives, 1 in the afternoon and 1 night dive. Breakfast will follow the 1st dive, lunch the 2nd dive, and dinner will take place after the divers return from the night dive. Main meals are buffet-style in the open-air dining area. 4 main dishes that feature a mixture of international and Thai cuisine: Tom Yam Khung, Tom Kha Kai, Pad Thai, are just few examples of the dishes that you can try and become familiar with. Snacks and fresh fruits are provided throughout the day. A barbecue night is also on the schedule and it is usually a great night of fun, with the crew involved in singing and dancing.
The first diving day of the safari is focused on diving around Surin Island, while on the next day the dive guides will lead you to Koh Bon and Koh Tachai. There are several sites to choose from, with only Koh Tachai been really exposed to currents. Gorgonian sea fans and coral bommies are present everywhere, scuba divers can expect to see unusual critters and reef fish. Manta rays and whale sharks are often visitors, usually during the high season which is when the waters are rich in nutrients. Green turtles eating corals, sea snakes hunting across the reef, schools of snapper and barracuda add lots of colours and movement around you. Napoleon wrasse or resting leopard sharks are 2 more subjects that leave every diver in awe.
The Similan Islands are by far the most spectacular dive destination in Thailand, consisting of 9 granite islands covered in tropical jungle and surrounded by sparkling clear blue waters. The underwater scenery features beautiful hard and soft coral gardens, as well as huge granite boulders and dramatic rock formations that form swim-throughs and canyons. Drift diving is common here as the currents run over rich reefs teeming with unusual and interesting marine life.
Day 5
The final day of your great diving safari, but still plenty of fun as you will make 2 dives at Richelieu Rock (listed in the top 10 dive sites in the world!), where you are likely to encounter all the marine life that the Andaman Sea is famous for, in just one spot! Disembark at Ranong.
Note: this itinerary sometimes uses the port in Khao Lak. Please check the port details above.
Similan, Richelieu Rock & Hin Daeng (8 Days / 7 Nights - 25 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, caverns, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Koh Ha, Koh Tarutao, Surin Islands, Similan Islands, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon and Richelieu Rock
Day 1
Meet The Smiling Seahorse crew at the dive centre in Ranong where you will be asked to fill in cruise paperwork and try any rental gear that you need. A short ride to the harbour and you are finally on board the 25m liveaboard that will be your home for the duration of the trip. A little good luck ceremony at the stern of the boat before starting the cruise. A sunset dinner is the perfect chance to get to know the other guests. You will wake up and dive on the next day.
Core Days
The first diving day of the safari is focused on diving around Richelieu Rock (listed in the top 10 dive sites in the world!), where you are likely to encounter all the marine life that the Andaman Sea is famous for, in just one spot! The next days you will dive at Surin Island, Koh Bon and Koh Tachai. There are several sites to choose from, with only Koh Tachai been really exposed to currents. Gorgonian sea fans and coral bommies are present everywhere, scuba divers can expect to see unusual critters and reef fish. Manta rays and whale sharks are often visitors, usually during the high season which is when the waters are rich in nutrients. Green turtles, sea snakes, schools of snapper and barracuda add lots of colours and movement around you. Napoleon wrasse or resting leopard sharks are 2 more subjects that leave every diver in awe.
The Similan Islands are by far the most spectacular dive destination in Thailand, consisting of 9 granite islands covered in tropical jungle and surrounded by sparkling clear blue waters. The underwater scenery features beautiful hard and soft coral gardens, as well as huge granite boulders and dramatic rock formations that form swim-throughs and canyons. Drift diving is common here as the currents run over rich reefs teeming with unusual and interesting marine life. Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are submerged boulder pinnacles covered with healthy soft corals in various shades of red and purple. A lot of fish action takes place here, especially when there is a current, including manta rays and even whale sharks. Koh Ha is famous for its cavern systems.
Meals are buffet-style in the open-air dining area. 4 main dishes that feature a mixture of international and Thai cuisine: Tom Yam Khung, Tom Kha Kai, Pad Thai, are just few examples of the dishes that you can try and become familiar with. Snacks and fresh fruit are provided throughout the day. A barbecue night is also on the schedule and it is usually a great night of fun, with the crew involved in singing and dancing.
Day 8
There will be 2 more dives on the final day of your great diving safari, before the boat makes its way back to port. You will disembark in Chalong, Phuket.
Note: this itinerary sometimes runs in reverse and uses the ports in Phuket, Khao Lak and Ranong. Please check the port details above.
Similan, Surin Islands & Richelieu Rock (6 Days / 5 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Surin Islands, Similan Islands, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon and Richelieu Rock
Day 1
Meet The Smiling Seahorse crew at the dive centre in Ranong where you will be asked to fill in cruise paperwork and try any rental gear that you need. A short ride to the harbour and you are finally on board the 25m liveaboard that will be your home for the duration of the trip. A little good luck ceremony at the stern of the boat before starting the cruise. A sunset dinner is the perfect chance to get to know the other guests. You will wake up and dive on the next day.
Core Days
After a good night's rest, grab a coffee and cookies while listening to the first dive briefing. There will be 3 more throughout the day, for a total of 4 dives: 2 morning dives, 1 in the afternoon and 1 night dive. Breakfast will follow the 1st dive, lunch the 2nd dive, and dinner will take place after the divers return from the night dive. Main meals are buffet-style in the open-air dining area. 4 main dishes that feature a mixture of international and Thai cuisine: Tom Yam Khung, Tom Kha Kai, Pad Thai, are just few examples of the dishes that you can try and become familiar with. Snacks and fresh fruits are provided throughout the day. A barbecue night is also on the schedule and it is usually a great night of fun, with the crew involved in singing and dancing.
The first diving day of the safari is focused on diving around Surin Island, while on the next days the dive guides will lead you to Koh Bon and Koh Tachai. There are several sites to choose from, with only Koh Tachai been really exposed to currents. Gorgonian sea fans and coral bommies are present everywhere, scuba divers can expect to see unusual critters and reef fish. Manta rays and whale sharks are often visitors, usually during the high season which is when the waters are rich in nutrients. Green turtles eating corals, sea snakes hunting across the reef, schools of snapper and barracuda add lots of colours and movement around you. Napoleon wrasse or resting leopard sharks are 2 more subjects that leave every diver in awe.
The Similan Islands are by far the most spectacular dive destination in Thailand, consisting of 9 granite islands covered in tropical jungle and surrounded by sparkling clear blue waters. The underwater scenery features beautiful hard and soft coral gardens, as well as huge granite boulders and dramatic rock formations that form swim-throughs and canyons. Drift diving is common here as the currents run over rich reefs teeming with unusual and interesting marine life.
Day 6
The final day of your great diving safari, but still plenty of fun as you will make 2 dives at Richelieu Rock (listed in the top 10 dive sites in the world!), where you are likely to encounter all the marine life that the Andaman Sea is famous for, in just one spot! Disembark at Ranong.
Note: this itinerary sometimes uses the port in Khao Lak). Please check the port details above.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
The crew of 12 comprises
- Cruise leader
- Dive instructor
- 3 Divemasters
- Captain
- 2 Cooks
- 2 Engineers
- 2 Deck hands
Nitrox - Motorised dive dinghy - Dive deck and platform with rinse tank, camera table, camera room, fresh hot water showers & toilets - Shaded area for relaxation & dining with bar, TV, DVD player, music system, movies, fish ID books, diving magazines & general reading library - Computer for image editing - Large sundeck with mattresses - Sea canoe - Water dispenser
PADI scuba certification courses available including Nitrox, Advanced Open Water and Divemaster.
The diving experience on The Smiling Seahorse starts with dinner on the day of check in. As with all meals, it is served buffet-style in the open-air dining area on the upper deck. Prior notice should be given of dietary requirements but generally you can expect a mixture of international and Thai cuisine with each trip normally including a barbecue.
- Thai and international main meal dishes.
- Buffet-style service on the upper deck open-air area - choose from 4 different main dishes per sitting.
- Pre-breakfast, breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner.
- Dining service begins on the first evening of the cruise.
- Soft drinks, fresh coffee, tea, drinking water, biscuits, ice cream, candy bars, toast and fruit are provided free of charge.
- Beer, wine and liquors are also available at extra charge after the last dive of the day.
- Most dietary requirements can be catered for - please send us your requirements.
- No fixed menu.
Some sample dishes:
Tom yum or tom kha soup, pineapple rice, spare ribs, BBQ ... 
