MV Miss Moon

M/V Miss Moon is an 18m wooden monuhull liveaboard offering inexpensive dive cruises in Myanmar from the Thai port of Ranong. If you are looking for friendly, professional crew who treat and feed guests like family, and if you are prepared to share facilities like a family, then you've found the perfect Myanmar liveaboard trip!

This may not be a luxury liveaboard diving option in terms of price or facilities, however the 6 crew are well known in the Mergui Archipelago for the top notch personal service they provide to the 10 divers onboard. Your safety is a priority for the European owner operator; he has ensured that the liveaboard has a full compliment of safety equipment onboard. A pay-per-use satellite phone is available in case of personal emergencies.

All cabins are on the middle deck. For extra luxury, be sure to book the Master cabin and enjoy the cooling comforts of air conditioning and an ensuite bathroom. The remaining cabins and communal areas are cooled by fans and tropical breezes. The 2 bathrooms with hot water showers and toilets are also on the main deck. These facilities are shared by Standard cabin guests and crew during your Myanmar diving trip.

The social hub on Miss Moon is the open air dining and seating area. Here you will enjoy delectable Thai and European meals with your new liveaboard 'cruise family' with the awesome Mergui scenery providing a visual backdrop. The divemasters are eager to share their plethora of knowledge about the local dive sites and the aquatic inhabitants. You can share your diving videos on the Apple TV or refer to the fish identification guides onboard and fill your dive logbook with interesting new sightings, these may range from the colossal to the minuscule.

When you are not submerged exploring the remote Burmese dive sites, catch up on your tan on the 'grass' sundeck or quench your thirst after your day's diving with a beer or cocktail from the liveaboard's self-help bar.

Notes: Please note that for Myanmar trips the bookings will be closed 3 weeks before the trip departure date to allow time for immigration procedures.

Dive experience: There is no requirement in addition to the open water license.

Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, pre breakfast, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, dives (as detailed in the trips above), experienced English-speaking divemaster(s) (max 5 divers per DM), tanks, weights and weightbelts.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment rental (US$ 16 per day), Entry/visa fees Burma South 5 nights (US$ 250), Burma Mergui Archipelago 7 nights (US$ 290) payable in crisp US dollar notes, Surin park fees at approximately US$ 6 per day, with an entry fee of US$ 16 per park. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash).

Optional extras: Alcoholic drinks, satellite telephone calls. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival.

How to get there: M/V Miss Moon liveaboard diving trips to the Mergui depart from Ranong in the afternoon. Many guests fly in and out of Ranong on short direct flights to Bangkok. A minibus transfer from Phuket to Ranong is available at additional cost and takes around 6 hours. Alternatively you can fly to Surat Thani from where you can take a bus (3 hours).
If you are already in Myanmar, you can be picked up and dropped off in the Kawthuang area, the gateway to Mergui and where the liveaboards make immigration checks at the beginning and end of each trip.

For the Myanmar immigration crossing, you need to come prepared with:

• USD 250-290 in crisp, new US dollar notes for the Myanmar entry fee and national park fee
• 3 passport size photographs each

The authorities may refuse to accept the equivalent amount in Thai Baht and any US dollar notes they deem to be too old and/or thin! It is advisable to bring only large denomination notes like 50s or 100s. For more information see our travel information section. We will help you apply for an entry permit beforehand. Read more details on Burma entry requirements.

The last dive of all trips will be at around 15:00 hrs on the second last day of the trip. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.

Non-diver rate: 20% off the published price.

Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travellers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of 100% of the published price.

Dive clubs and group discounts: None.

Whole boat charter rate (per night): US$2 118.

Divers are accommodated in 5 cabins on the main deck. There is 1 Master cabin, with a double bed, air conditioning and an ensuite bathroom. 4 Standard cabins are also air con and fan cooled - there is 1 double bed cabin and 3 bunk bed cabins. All cabins have windows for natural lighting.

All the cabins have: No. of bathrooms / showers - 2 / 3 - (2 with hot water)

The crew of 6 comprises: 1 motorised dive tender - 24m² dive deck & platform with rinse tank, hot water showers & toilets - 32m² open air dining and seating area with Apple TV & music system - Movie library, fish ID books - Satellite telephone - 28m² sundeck with matresses - Water dispenser

A combination of European and Thai food is served buffet style on Miss Moon's open air deck. The day begins with pre breakfast to fuel you for the first dive of the day, followed be a hearty breakfast lunch and dinner together with complimentary soft drinks. The European owner appreciates how important it is to provide you with quality meals during your liveaboard trip; they will do their best to accommodate specific dietary requirements if they receive prior notice.

• Thai, Burmese and international main meals - 2-5 choices per sitting.
• Buffet style dining on the shaded open air deck.
• Pre-breakfast, breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner.
• Coffee, tea, soft drinks, fruit, drinking water, toast and biscuits are provided free of charge.
• Beer, wine, spirits, cocktails and ice cream is also available for purchase via the self-help bar.
• All dietary requirements can be catered for, please send advanced notice.
• Dining service begins with dinner on the first evening of the cruise.
The last meal of the trip is lunch.

Example dishes - BBQ leg of lamb with creamed potatoes, salad, bread and mint sauce.

Customer reviews:

"Good - not luxury but everything in good condition. When the boat is full of divers the relaxing space in the front sundeck is a bit small. The crew was excellent. Perfect service. Divemaster excellent. On board chef was amazing - the food was really good. The captain cruised very well in total safety. All the crew was so good and ready to solve any need of the passengers." - Stefano Cavallini, Italy, 23 March 2018 ...

"Brand new equipment for me that suits my size (which is difficult needing XXS wet suit) was excellent. All equipment worked and they took spares just in case. Great & helpful staff with always smile on their face, good food (mix of Thai and international food ranging from Italian to Mexican), attentive and professional dive masters. Bank bed cabin a little bit small but sufficient space for shared bathroom." - Tomoko Ishikawa, Japan, 06 February 2017 ...