Burma Banks

Kawthaung · Andaman Sea · Myanmar

The Burma Banks are among the most legendary dive sites in the Andaman Sea, a collection of enormous flat-topped seamounts that rise from surrounding waters over 300 meters deep to within 15 to 24 meters of the surface. Located approximately 125 kilometers west of Kawthaung in Myanmar's territorial waters, these submerged mountains were first charted by Phuket-based liveaboards using early GPS technology, revealing four principal dive sites: Silvertip Bank, Big Bank, Roe Bank, and Rainbow Reef. The diving experience at the Burma Banks is defined by scale and isolation. Each bank presents a sandy plateau carpeted with hard corals, enormous barrel sponges large enough to sit inside, and coral bommies that dwarf a dive boat. The banks' position in deep open water creates a magnet for pelagic life. Silvertip sharks are the headline attraction, regularly cruising the plateau edges in groups, while blacktip and whitetip reef sharks patrol the shallower areas. Open-water predators including dogtooth tuna, rainbow runners, great barracuda, and bonito make frequent appearances, drawn by the upwelling nutrients that feed the seamount ecosystem. Because the shallowest points on the banks sit at 21 to 24 meters, bottom times are inherently limited on air. Most liveaboard operators encourage Nitrox use, which extends dive times meaningfully. The lack of shallow areas also means safety stops are conducted in blue water, requiring solid buoyancy skills and comfort with open-ocean conditions. Currents can shift without warning, adding to the advanced nature of these dives. The Burma Banks diving season runs from October to May, with January through mid-April offering the most reliably excellent conditions: calm seas, visibility reaching 25 to 30 meters, and water temperatures between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius. For experienced divers seeking a raw, frontier-style encounter with big marine life far from civilization, the Burma Banks deliver an experience that few sites in Southeast Asia can match.