Smiling Seahorse

It was our fourth time on the Smiling Seahorse. We love this live aboard because everything is so amazing: the crew, the dive sites, the boat, the food, the atmosphere. Our guide (Julien) was very experienced and knowledgeable. He was also so kind and attentive, always asking us before diving what we were looking for. We said we wanted to see harlequin shrimps and he looked and found them for us! The organisation on board and before is flawless and this helps to spend a great relaxing trip. We did the Myanmar tour and we were the only dive boat during 10 days, just unique. The sealife is incredibly abundant and very varied from one dive site to the other. The food is fabulous, every day 3-4 different dishes, full of fruits, snacks, beverages,… and a bbq at the end with a drink before. This is all leading to a great atmosphere. I’m sure I’ll return.

This is my second time on The Smiling Seahorse. We went way offshore to the Burma Banks and the crew handled everything flawlessly, from immigration to the dive operations. The conditions were amazing, the diving was conducted in a very safe manner and there was more good food than one could eat. I wouldn’t hesitate to return in the future.

Liveaboard Review March 2025, Whaleshark Expedition Our experience on the liveaboard was a mix of positives and significant areas for improvement. Positives: * The boat crew was extremely helpful and friendly, always ensuring a comfortable stay. * The captain was very knowledgeable and ran operations smoothly. Areas for Improvement: Diving Organization & Planning: * The itinerary was advertised as flexible based on whale shark sightings, but in practice, the schedule remained fixed. There was no clear communication or adjustments based on recent sightings. * The best dive sites were scheduled primarily for the weekend, which seemed to prioritize logistics over diving quality. * Despite being the last experienced group on the boat, we were assigned a dive guide unfamiliar with several sites, having either never been there or not visited for years. * The guide lacked knowledge of currents, points of interest, and dive site specifics, providing unreliable or no information about tides and conditions. * When asking different dive guides for the same information, we received contradictory answers. * We need to stress the fact that our dive guide was lovely and did all in her power to make our dives as enjoyable as possible - always asking us for feedback or wishes for the dives. She is definitely not to blame as she is for sure an outstanding instructor and dive guide. We feel that this was more of an planning / management issue and that a guide with knowledge of the dive sites would habe been the better and more logical option. Safety & Briefings: * There was no general safety briefing on the boat regarding evacuation procedures, life vests, emergency boats, satellite communication, or emergency protocols. Diving Experience & Expectations: * Every dive followed the same profile and route, limiting variety. * The advertised special guest, Kirsty, was absent, with no explanation given. * The trip was marketed as a "whale shark expedition," but there was no information on recent sightings or coordination with other boats. * Orher guests also expressed disappointment, feeling misled by promotional materials that suggested frequent sightings of pelagic species, while in reality, such encounters seemed to be rare exceptions. During our trip we did not spot anything „big“ (whale shark, manta, any shark species) and the the staff was not suprised at all about this situation, this showing us that this is the normality. Conduct of the Boat Owner The boat owner, Frank, was on board during the trip, but his interactions with guests felt somewhat distant. When approached with questions, responses were often very brief, giving the impression that he was not particularly interested in engaging with us. A notable moment was after one of our dives when he prepared to enter the water himself. While it was perfectly reasonable for him to go diving at that time, his response to our casual question about it felt unnecessarily ironic—saying, in essence, that of course he was going now because he didn’t want to deal with the crowds underwater. This stood in contrast to the experience of the rest of us, who had to navigate heavily crowded dive sites. A more considerate response might have acknowledged that guests don’t have the same flexibility. Additionally, when an issue arose regarding the return time to the pier, instead of de-escalating the situation, his response was ironic and dismissive, making remarks such as "not to go up in the air like mayonnaise" and stating that the suggested alternative was "not going to happen." However, to his credit, he did ultimately resolve the issue efficiently. On the positive side, Frank was very helpful when an equipment issue occurred during the trip, ensuring a swift and effective resolution. Conclusion: While the crew's hospitality and the captain’s expertise were standout positives, the lack of site knowledge, safety briefings, and misleading promotional claims impacted the overall experience. Improvements in dive planning, guide experience, and most of all communication would significantly enhance the trip quality.

An excellent one week trip to the Similan and Surin Islands including Richelieu Rock. The crew are capable and highly effective. The dives were excellent, especially the six we did on Richelieu Rock. Huge shoals of Trevally, Rainbow Runners, Barracuda, Cornetfish etc. Nudibranchs and a beautiful Ornate Ghost Pipefish. Velika was our drive guide throughout and consistently found cool stuff to see and always knew where to go. Highly recommended.

Fantastic! I'd never done a liveaboard before and was concerned I may have bitten off more than I could chew, especially as a solo traveller. My fears were unfounded! The boat was great with enough room for everyone, the food was plentiful and delicious, and the crew were amazing. We had so many different nationalities onboard both in crew and customers - American, English, Colombian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Thai, French, Swiss and myself as an Australian. Everyone spoke English which I was very grateful for. The boat crew were fabulous and so helpful and the diving was definitely very well organised meaning that there was room for everyone. Loved it!