Richelieu Rock - Mergui Archipelago
Richelieu Rock, off Myanmar’s coast, is a massive horseshoe-shaped pinnacle. It rises from 35 metres, breaking the surface at low tide, and it’s a site we always look forward to. We love cruising over the soft corals and finding groups of snapper and barracuda shadowing us. Keep an eye out for mantas and whale sharks, they do cruise by, especially towards the end of the season. It’s an easy dive, great for anyone comfortable with a bit of current, which can pick up quickly here.
- Location
- Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 9.365100, 98.022200
- Type
- pinnacle
- Maximum Depth
- 24m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
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
- Burma, Western Rocky - 24m
- 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
Nearest Dive Centres to Richelieu Rock
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 Richelieu Rock
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