Petrel
S/Y The Phinisi is a sailing yacht offering liveaboard dive trips in Thailand and Myanmar, comfortably accommodating 18 divers. It boasts a spacious dive deck with plenty of storage space for all your dive gear, outdoor dining area at the stern is covered and shaded so you can fully take in the breathtaking views of Thailand and Myanmar. The Phinisi offers plenty of space, indoor and outdoor, for you to relax and take in all the best views from the cruise. The indoor salon has big windows, features a complete media system, a bar, and ample seating space. Moreover, the dining room is located at the stern, offering the perfect sunset view. Plus, there are loungers and plenty of space for you to enjoy on the sundeck.Every day, our chef prepares plenty of dishes from the famous Thai cuisine with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Friendly and experienced, our boat and dive crew are there to meet your every need, making your diving trip in Thailand and Myanmar unforgettable.
Cabins
Double/Twin Cabin
Cabin 1, 4 and 5 are flexible twin/double cabins, whereas cabin 2 and 3 are equipped with fixed twin beds. Cabins 6 and 7 are quad cabins and offer 2 single beds plus a bunkbed for a total of 4 guests.With air-conditioning and ensuite facilities your stay on board will be enjoyable.
Deck: Lower deck
Bedding: Flexible Twin/Double
Max occupancy: 2
Ensuite bathroom: Yes
Aircon: Yes
Number of Cabins: 3
Quad Cabin
Cabin 1, 4 and 5 are flexible twin/double cabins, whereas cabin 2 and 3 are equipped with fixed twin beds. Cabins 6 and 7 are quad cabins and offer 2 single beds plus a bunkbed for a total of 4 guests.With air-conditioning and ensuite facilities your stay on board will be enjoyable.
Deck: Lower deck
Bedding: 4 x Single
Max occupancy: 4
Ensuite bathroom: Yes
Aircon: Yes
Number of Cabins: 2
The Trip
The best time to dive the Mergui Archipelago is between late October and mid-May, when the skies are blue, and the sea is calm. Monsoon rains mostly characterize the off-season, when tourism in the area basically stops. The water temperature is pretty consistently 81 F (27 C) throughout the season, but adequate exposure protection is still necessary when diving four times a day.
From the moment you cross the border, expect a dazzling landscape. While you cruise over the turquoise waters between the lush jungle-covered limestone islands dotting the horizon, scan the seas for a glimpse of the Mokens, a tribe of nomadic sea gypsies. If you are into birding, you should also survey the island’s green canopies, as 228 species of birds inhabit in the area.
Myanmar’s best dive sites are quite a way from the coasts, which means they’re usually private. It’s very rare to cross paths with other dive boats, which is a treat most divers never experience. And, not only will you appreciate the exclusivity of the Mergui Archipelago, but you will also experience some of the most beautiful and diverse sites in the Andaman Sea. Night dives are not to be missed either, as the seas are alive with crustaceans and invertebrates.
A highlight is Burma Banks. Arguably one of the most mysterious diving areas in Myanmar is the Burma Banks. This vast area has numerous unexplored dive sites as it is one of the furthest from land, sitting roughly 100 nautical miles (180 km) west of Kawthaung. The underwater seamounts are enormous, starting at 1150 feet (350 m) and rising up to about 50 feet (15 m). The visibility is often close to 130 feet (40 m). Since sites are quite exposed there are often strong currents, which makes for great drift dives. This is also a hotspot for nurse sharks and other rarer sharks and rays coming up from the depths, such as silvertip or tiger sharks and huge blotched rays. Aside from the sharks, the Burma Banks are also home to beautiful tropical creatures such as honeycomb moray eels, and clown triggerfish, which you curiously seldom encounter in the rest of Mergui Archipelago.
