MV Smiling Seahorse - Review 2023

Diving on the MV Smiling Seahorse liveaboard in Thailand

The Smiling Seahorse is an excellent choice for guests with a tight budget who are not interested in a luxurious experience and want to explore the Burmese waters of the Andaman Sea. The 4-day, 3-night cruise showcases some of Thailand’s best dive site, which includes Richelieu Rock, the Surin Islands, Koh Bon, and Koh Tachai. Due to the wealth of sea life around, the Myanmar dive trips are an opportunity to explore this newly opened dive area, and to get up close with manta rays, eagle rays, mobula rays, leopard sharks and cool macro critters such as frogfish, seahorses, and pipefish.

The guests of this boat are often young, enthusiastic divers with a sense of adventure. Although not a luxury liveaboard option, you can be sure of a friendly atmosphere throughout your Myanmar diving cruise.

Boat features

The MV Smiling Horse is not a converted fishing boat unlike others and has eight cabins designated for guests, of which six are on the main deck and two on the upper deck. There are two master cabins with double beds on the main deck, along with four deluxe cabins which can have a twin bunk or a double-bed configuration. Guests in Standard cabins use the two extra bathrooms on the upper deck. All cabins in the main deck have en-suite bathrooms. The Master cabins have a giant panoramic window. All cabins have windows that allow for plenty of natural lighting and doors that open to the outside breeze. All cabins in the MV Smiling Seahorse are fully air-conditioned.

The upper deck open-air saloon is where guests can relax as it comes with some comfortable touches. Guests can enjoy their meals, read books and chat with other decks over a drink from the bar. The boat also has a sizable half-shaded sun deck with sun loungers so guests can relax in the shade. Other facilities in this unique liveaboard include TV, computer and a DVD music system. The boat also has a dedicated camera room for photography enthusiasts. Nitrox and 15-liter scuba tanks are also available.

With eight crew members at your beck and call, the Smiling Seahorse aims to provide personalized services. Local and international cuisine is served by the crew members who desire that you have a pleasurable experience during the trip. Also, a naturalist guide is available to assist you in whatever way possible to ensure you have a smooth experience during your cruise. Other features included in the MV Smiling Seahorse’s package include VAT, Diving package, kayaks, beach and cabin towels, drinking water, tea & coffee, Beach BBQ, snacks, and meals.

Logistics

The MV Smiling Seahorse leaves from Ranong on the departure date. Guests are required to arrive before noon at the dive center. Trips into Thailand allow for a slightly later check in, but not after 3.00pm. At the end of your four days and three nights cruise, guests are taken back to Ranong from where they can go to their various destinations. There are two different itineraries for 6 Day 5 Night trips, and also two different itineraries for 8 Day 7 Night trips. The differences are the diving locations and prices.