Recent Experience with MV Andaman Diva Liveaboard

[Laval]

Hello divers,

Could anyone share their RECENT experience with the Andaman Diva Liveaboard?

I read some mixed reviews about the Diva: from very good to very bad. The most recent review I found was from a fellow who took three trips with the Diva over the years, and he noticed a dramatic change in overall quality, stating "...the overall quality has changed dramatically. From a luxury cruise it once was to a 1 star day trip you wish to reach the end asap" (April 2018).

Also, what was your overall diving experience and rating of the dive sites, and how enjoyable could this trip be for a non-diver/snorkeler (my wife)?

Thank you very much.

 

[kassj0peja]

Unfortunately I dont have recent experiences. I was on Diva Andaman in 2014. It was a trip to Myanmar and Thailand for 10 nights or so. I travel and dive cheap normally but I paid 2000 euros and I never thought that it was not worth it. It was a luxurious experience. Diving was fantastic to very disappointing (dynamite fishing). It is hard to imagine that Yannick (the belgian owner) changes the approach on how to serve his customers.

 

[LiveaboardCom]

Hello divers,

Could anyone share their RECENT experience with the Andaman Diva Liveaboard?

I read some mixed reviews about the Diva: from very good to very bad. The most recent review I found was from a fellow who took three trips with the Diva over the years, and he noticed a dramatic change in overall quality, stating "...the overall quality has changed dramatically. From a luxury cruise it once was to a 1 star day trip you wish to reach the end asap" (April 2018).

Also, what was your overall diving experience and rating of the dive sites, and how enjoyable could this trip be for a non-diver/snorkeler (my wife)?

Thank you very much.

Hi there,

I've checked our reviews and these are the two most recent ones we have for the Diva:

12th January 2018
The diving was incredible, the corals and the amount of marine species that we saw, I even had the good fortune of swimming with a shark, it was very exciting!

3rd January 2018
The diva Andaman is a gorgeous sailing boat that is comfortable and peaceful. Unfortunately, I went when the sail were not installed and did not see the boat once operating with the sails. I have chosen the Diva Andaman for sailing too and was a bit frustrated to not see the sails.

The quality of the stay and the friendliness of the team made it up for it.
Diving crew is extremely professional and was looking every time for the best diving option even though we had some wind and some sites were inaccessible.

Highly recommended!

I appreciate that may not be recent enough but hope it helps.

Thanks,

Kathryn

 

[dianna912]

Hello divers,

Could anyone share their RECENT experience with the Andaman Diva Liveaboard?

I read some mixed reviews about the Diva: from very good to very bad. The most recent review I found was from a fellow who took three trips with the Diva over the years, and he noticed a dramatic change in overall quality, stating "...the overall quality has changed dramatically. From a luxury cruise it once was to a 1 star day trip you wish to reach the end asap" (April 2018).

Also, what was your overall diving experience and rating of the dive sites, and how enjoyable could this trip be for a non-diver/snorkeler (my wife)?

Thank you very much.

Did you ever end up going with them?

 

[Laval]

Did you ever end up going with them?

YES! We just came back from the Ray of Hope Expedition on SY Diva Andaman. Everyone was very satisfied with this vessel. It is my understanding that this vessel was made from a reclaimed wood, so it looks old, but it is maintained very well, crew was very good, chef was amazing and food was superb. The chef would accommodate every single guest dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, etc.). We felt like we were dining at a very high level restaurant every day, and called this trip "dive and dine" trip.

 

[Tippytoes12]

YES! We just came back from the Ray of Hope Expedition on SY Diva Andaman. Everyone was very satisfied with this vessel. It is my understanding that this vessel was made from a reclaimed wood, so it looks old, but it is maintained very well, crew was very good, chef was amazing and food was superb. The chef would accommodate every single guest dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, etc.). We felt like we were dining at a very high level restaurant every day, and called this trip "dive and dine" trip.

How was the diving ?

 

[Laval]

Overall diving in Andaman Sea was good. We went to Rocky Island, 3 Islets, Blackrock (very fishy), North Twin pinnacle , South Twin, Lagoon, Richelieu Rock, Tachai pinnacle (crazy current) and reef and Koh Bon.

We did not see as many mantas as we expected - only six (three - at South Twin and three - at Tachai pinnacle). We saw a few white-tip reefsharks, juvenile blacktip reefshark, octopuses, seahorses, orange spotted pipefish, schools of trivially, schools fo barracudas, schools of dogtooth tuna, a huge marble ray (~6 ft), two cuttlefish, one turtle, schools of rainbow runners, many morays, massive schools of jacks, peacock mantis shrimps, blue spotted stingray, a lot of lion fish, stone fish, scorpion fish, a lot of saddleback anemone, feather stars, sea snakes, two pods of dolphins at a distance, etc., etc

I expected much more from Richelieu Rock. It appears that there were more divers over there than fish. After two early morning dives, when we were leaving there were about 10 big dive boats with 20+ divers each. It looked like an invasion.

We did not see (and didn't hear) any dynamite fishing, but there was enormous number of fishing boats in Myanmar waters.

In general, I was satisfied with the trip and would recommend it. At the same time, I do not see myself coming back, but maybe I am too spoiled by Raja Ampat.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Me too, too spoiled by Raja. Divers shouldn't go there if they want to enjoy other locales from there on in.

(Only partly joking)

 

[acidrush]

once you've dived eastern Indonesia like alor, komodo, Halmahera, raja or even bali, its hard to dive anywhere else in se asia. the colour and variety is just not there.

 

[kassj0peja]

I dont agree. The Mergui Archipelago is extremely colorful. Soft corals of all colors and so many different seafans. I have been to Bali, Pulau Weg, Bunaken and Gorontalo but never to the very east. But I jut came back from Myanmar and wrote a trip report here https://www.scubaboard.com/community/posts/8615399/