Black Rock Liveaboard Diving

Liveaboard Diving in Black Rock

What To Expect On a Black Rock Liveaboard

Black Rock liveaboards offer some of the most pristine walls and breathtaking drift diving in Myanmar. This pinnacle is one of the most spectacular dive sites in the Mergui archipelago. Liveaboard diving in Black Rock shows you an excellent variety of reef life, an abundance of large pelagics and there are beautiful seascapes of soft coral formations in the deeper areas to enjoy. Incredible beauty is hidden away from the world seen from a Myanmar Liveaboard.

The coastline of Myanmar is one of the most extensive archipelagoes in the world with over 800 islands of various sizes. These islands and their associated reef systems protect the country from storms and other natural disasters and more importantly these offshore habitats are home to incredibly rich biodiversity, making them a perfect place to explore from your Black Rock liveaboard. 100 miles northwest of the Thai-Burmese border town of Kawthaung, Black Rock acts as a natural fish magnet and is just as famous for its incredible schools of Mobula rays.

Black Rock is an 80-meter wide islet, that stands in a northwest to a southeast position. It has steep banks all around, and with walls on its west and southwest sides. Many divers' favorite spot in the Mergui Archipelago, Black Rock will have your heart pounding from spectacular passes of whitetips, Silvertips, and black-tip sharks.

On the deeper sides of the islet, currents can be strong and terminally downward. Particularly moving beyond the shelter of the rocks on the island's east and west tips can make it very hard to get back to the site again. If you stay close to the rocks this doesn't have to be a difficult dive.

What You Can See

If you want to experience amazing diving with an excellent variety of reef life including predators like Silvertips, Gray reef sharks, Blacktips, Bull sharks, and of course eagle and manta rays, then a Black Rock liveaboard is a perfect choice. The reefs are alive with crustaceans and tropical fish of every variety and color.

There will be some majestic encounters with manta rays and eagle rays soaring above and around you off the deep northwestern corner, and possibly huge marble stingrays and leopard sharks on the sandy bottom on this dive trip.

This pinnacle is one of the most spectacular dive sites in the Mergui archipelago and in the deeper areas there are beautiful soft coral formations to enjoy. You'll be amazed by the forests of fans and soft coral in every color. Beds of anemones that cover boulders as far as you can see. Schools of low-lying glassfish so dense, that as they hug the reef they gave off the illusion of a moving carpet. Game fish from kingfish to barracuda darting in and out your frame of vision is also to be expected on this Black Rock itinerary.

Getting To Black Rock

The best way to get there is on a Myanmar Liveaboard trip. The majority of the liveaboards to Black Rock depart from Thailand, particularly from Ranong. However, there are also some Black Rock liveaboards that depart from Phuket and Khao Lak. Liveaboards that depart from Ranong usually offer 5 nights of cruising around.


Bangkok Airways operate direct flight from Bangkok to Ranong, which has a port on the Thai side of the Myanmar border. This is the nearest departure port/location. You can take a taxi from Ranong Airport to the port of departure. Your starting point for your luxury liveaboard safari of a lifetime.

Yangon International Airport is the main hub for domestic flights. Local airlines include Air Bagan and Myanmar National Airlines. It's cheaper and easier to book domestic flights via agencies once you are in Myanmar. There are no international car-rental agencies, most travel agencies in Yangon, Mandalay, and Bagan - as well as guesthouses and hotels elsewhere – can arrange cars and drivers.