Dive Burma

North Twin Island

North Twin is the slightly smaller, tree-topped, sister island of South Twin and lies 20 km to its north. Its waters are visited by pelagic fish such as Zambezi - bull sharks, rainbow runners, and eagle rays. Manta rays also pay a visit here. Currents can be strong, and visibility is usually excellent.

Just off the south west tip of the island is the South Pinnacle dive site. It starts 3 metres below the surface and drops down to 35 metres. The dive site is made up of large granite boulders similar to dive sites in Thailand's Similan Islands and offers the best of many diving opportunities around North Twin Island.

The boulders are carpeted in purple soft corals and spiny sea urchins. Ember parrotfish, powder blue surgeon fish and blue-ringed angelfish swim between the rocks. Cuttlefish can often be seen in the shallower areas and hawksbill turtles are common, especially on morning dives when they can be found resting under rocky ledges.

In the deeper areas small coral bommies covered in seafans are scattered in the sand. Blue sea stars and sea cucumbers litter the sandy bottom. This is one of the few Burma dive sites where leopard sharks are regularly seen in the sand patches. Seahorses and ornate ghost pipefish like the shelter of the seafans.

1 kilometre to the north west of North Twin lie a series of sloping rocky ridges known as North Twin Plateau. This is a deep dive site that drops beyond 40m in places. The boulder ridges have sea fans, featherstars, and flower corals clinging to the substrate. Local inhabitants include several loose groups of teira batfish, malabar groupers and nurse sharks hidden under the overhangs. Pelagic species such as great barracuda and bluefin tuna are seen patrolling in open water.

North Twin Reef Basics: Pinnacles, rocky ridges and large marine life
Depth: 12 - 35m
Visibility: 15 - 40m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface conditions: Can be rough
Water temperature: 25 - 28°C
Experience level: Intermediate - advanced
Number of dive sites: 3
Diving season: October to May
Distance: ~90 km northwest of Kawthaung (5 hours)
Access: Scuba Burma liveaboard from Phuket, Khao Lak and Ranong in Thailand

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