Scuba Diving and Liveaboard in Myanmar

Myanmar or Burma has much to offer on holiday trips of all types. From the rather rotten but culture rich streets of Yangon to the tranquil waters and picturesque beaches on the west coast of Myanmar such as Ngapali on the northern west coast and Ngwe Saung, Chaungtha and plenty of other beaches west of Yangon. All are fabulous destination for a great Myanmar beach vacation.

Myanmar also has some of the best scuba diving locations in the world in the Myeik or Mergui Archipelago off the southern coast off Myanmar close to Thailand.

Since Myanmar has no infrastructure on scuba diving like available scuba equipment, air filling stations, diving shops or whatever related to diving all diving to Myanmar is done out of Phuket per live aboard trips. This type of Myanmar scuba holidays are quite expensive since the dive trips are done with expensive but very good liveaboard yachts.

The continuous political unrest has no impact on any kind to any foreigner in the country but had a deep impact to Myanmar's tourism in general and the tourist numbers are down at the bottom. Maybe this could be the right time to make the trip to Myanmar's exotic shores and island world, you can be sure you have no problems and almost all money spent in the Myanmar tourism industry goes directly to the Myanmar people and not to the government except the usual taxes.

There is only one travel agent in Myanmar owned by the Government,

this is Myanmar Travel & Tours, all other are private companies. On the hotel side it’s similar, there are some joint venture with government operation some big hotels in Yangon and Mandalay such as the Trader hotel and Sedona hotel. But this joint ventures, usually with Singapore and Thai enterprises are simply necessary because the Government owns many of the good locations in the country since the socialist times when everything was nationalized.

All other holidays except scuba diving holidays are quite cheap. Keep in mind that the liveaboard yachts out of Phuket

Thailand are almost all owned by “western” foreigners and they pay tribute to do the diving trips to the Myeik or Mergui archipelago via permission and taxes to the Myanmar government at Kawthaung or Victoria Point as it was known during colonial

With crystal clear, warm tropical waters,

an abundance of exotic marine life, including whale sharks, turtles, sting rays, snakes and myriads of other underwater species plus beautiful coral reefs. Myanmar is a scuba diver's paradise, you can do PADI open water diver course during your live aboard trip. Most yachts also have experienced underwater photographer among their crew to make sure that your portfolio of exotic underwater creatures is full at the end of the dive trip.

Liveaboard out of Phuket usually last for one or two weeks. Staying on a yacht and diving every day is a good way to improve your diving skills and get a wide variety of dives in during your holiday, after come back and enjoy Phuket beaches.

Myanmar holidays are usually associated with relaxing on a beach, searching for a shopping bargain in the busy Yangon Bogyoke market and elsewhere in the country. Mandalay and environ like Sagaing, Pin Oo Lwin, the former Maymyo, , Monywa is also a great place to see Myanmar culture. The great Myanmar pagoda and temple city Bagan is a must on every trip plus the marvelous Inle lake with floating gardens, hotels, villages and pagodas. Great trekking and hiking destinations are around plus unforgettable river cruises on the Ayeyarwaddy or Irrawaddy River.