Burma, Western Rocky - Mergui Archipelago
Western Rocky, way out in Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago, feels like a proper adventure. You're diving a rocky islet that’s pocked with a swim-through, right through the middle of it. We love easing through that tunnel, keeping an eye out for nurse sharks and sometimes even bowmouth guitarfish snoozing on the sand. Outside, the currents can pick up, so it's best for intermediate divers who are comfortable moving with a bit of flow. We usually find plenty of octopus tucked into crevices and schools of snapper hanging around the deeper sections, making it a solid, interesting dive.
- Location
- Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 9.860300, 97.865900
- Maximum Depth
- 24m
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Best Time to Dive in Mergui Archipelago
The warmest water temperatures in Mergui Archipelago occur in May, averaging 30.8°C. The coolest conditions are in January at 28.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.5°C
- February: 28.9°C
- March: 29.6°C
- April: 30.7°C
- May: 30.8°C
- June: 29.9°C
- July: 29.5°C
- August: 29.2°C
- September: 28.9°C
- October: 29.0°C
- November: 29.2°C
- December: 28.7°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Mergui Archipelago
- Ao Sapparot (Pineapple Bay) - 20m (reef)
- Aow Pakard/Pakkad - 18m
- Aow Suthep - 17m
- Burma Diving: Explore the Mergui Archipelago
- Candy Canyon
- CHOAKAUTTAPORN 2 - 2m (wreck)
- Cockscomb Island
- Cock’s Comb Island - 10m
- Coral Bank - 20m (reef)
- Crayfish Cave - 22m+ (cave)
- East Corner - 17m
- Fan Forest Pinnacle - 26m (pinnacle)
- Freak Island
- Hackford Bank - 25m
- High Rock
Nearest Dive Centres to Burma, Western Rocky
Marine Life in Mergui Archipelago
Home to 173 recorded species including 106 reef fish, 49 hard corals, 8 seagrass & algae, 3 sharks & rays, 2 other, 2 octopus & squid.
Notable Species
- Staghorn coral (Acropora kosurini) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora indonesia) - Hard Corals
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Moluccan cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus moluccensis) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora secale) - Hard Corals
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Clown Tang (Naso lituratus) - Reef Fish
- Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor) - Reef Fish
- Herringbone butterflyfish (Chaetodon triangulum) - Reef Fish
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- Dusky Parrotfish (Scarus niger) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora listeri) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora austera) - Hard Corals
- Dusky Wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Lesser star coral (Cyphastrea microphthalma) - Hard Corals
- Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) - Reef Fish
- Galathea Gizzard Shad (Nematalosa galatheae) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Burma, Western Rocky
Based on average water temperature of 29.4°C, currents 7 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories