Burmese or Myanmar is a country of Southeast Asia with a geography blessed by beautiful landscapes and a convulsed political history. It is its landscapes and culture that have attracted travelers for centuries, but today we are going to focus on a special destination, little known but very valuable.
We speak of Mergui Archipelago, a set of spectacular islands to swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling and diving. You dare?
The Mergui Islands
This group of islands is in the extreme south of Myanmar and is part of the Tanintharyi region. They are more than Islas 800 of different sizes that are scattered over the waters of the Andaman Sea, part of the Indian Ocean that bathes the coasts of Myanmar and Thailand.
Conclusion granite and limestone islands, with tropical vegetation, mangroves, humid forests, white sand beaches, some with pebbles and many offshore coral reefs. These islands are far removed from the most frequent tourist routes so they have been preserved for almost natural state.
Thus, both the islands and the sea around them are home to a wonderful plant and animal life. That has made this site a privileged diving destination to be in contact with megafauna, dugongs or whale sharks, for example. They are the land of whales, blue whales, orcas, dolphins of various species, and so on.
There are also monkeys, deer, countless tropical birds on the mainland ... Although it is all natural and beautiful, that does not mean that the area is not in danger since hunting and fishing are its main threats, without the government doing too much to solve it. .
The largest island of the group is the Kadan Kyun Island, 450 square kilometers with a mountain of 767 meters high. This mountain is the highest point of all the islands, islands whose first settlers were Malaysian sailors who came from the south. The truth is that they were mostly almost uninhabited until the XNUMXth century, hardly any Malays and Chinese passed by, those who dared to navigate this difficult geography.
For this reason, those who most visited the islands were pirates and slave traders, until more or less the British took over them in the first half of the XNUMXth century, studied them further and made maps. Today the local population goes by the name of Mugs or gypsies of the sea. They follow a traditional lifestyle, dedicated to fishing, living in their boats ...
The remoteness and simplicity of the islands did not keep them apart from the bloody local history. In fact this region was one of the worst at the time of the Burma Civil War and there were some massacres that went down in history. Then, When does tourism start in the Mergui Islands? In the mid 90s of the XNUMXth century and following negotiations between the government of Myanmar and the dive companies of Phuket, Thailand.
Tourism in the Mergui Islands
Basically it's about snorkeling, diving and beach. The archipelago is so little explored that it is a wonder for those who love these water sports. The best time to dive here is in March and April as there is less wind and higher temperatures that make the waters clearer. From February to May you can see stingrays and whale sharks.
From May to July the coastal winds are much stronger and there may even be hurricanes; while the rainy season runs from June to October. So, the cruises to the archipelago do not operate from the beginning of May until the beginning of October. If there is a sudden change in climate during monsoon times, refuge is found on some islands.
Now, to access the archipelago you must have a permit and be part of a tour. You hire a cruise and you have the permit, that's how simple it is, but it is not overnight and usually takes a month. For now as a foreigner, you cannot travel freely to the islands and there are naval patrols and everything that checks the documentation. Thus, the option is hire a multi-day tour of the islands.
The agency will usually wait for you at Kawthaung Airport, help you fill out the documents and then take you to the boat. These cruises always follow an itinerary that is respected if the weather is good, but there are always variations. Of course, there is a guide on board who gives you information about the tour, what you are seeing and visiting and also serves as an interpreter with the islanders. Very interesting.
En general, the basic itinerary runs from the extreme south to the west of Kawthaung. In this area there are three resorts, the Myanmar Andaman on MacLeod Island, the Nyaung Oo Phee with super luxury shops and the Boulder Bay Eco Resort on Boulder Island. They are expensive options that open from October to the end of April.
As well you can make short trips, day trips, towards the islands from Kawthaung and from the town of Myeik. Some tours even spend the night in tents on the islands and these options are always cheaper than luxury resorts. There are even cheaper multi-day cruises around the islands but they take several days.
We said there are like 800 islands so when planning a trip to the Mergui or Merki Islands, you have to choose. What are the most popular destinations? Here we go, aim:
- Lampi Island: is a national maritime park and one of the most popular islands for visitors because it is super biodiverse. It has mangroves, beaches, corals and a divine river for kayaking.
- Nyaung Wee Island: it is also known as the Buda Island. There are many villages in the Moken people and they can be visited to learn about their culture. In other times they lived more on the coast, in their typical boats, but the government has recently banned them, so for some time now there are more villages inland than on the sea.
- Myauk ni islandVery nice people also live here, with whom visitors are invited to converse, interpreter through the same, it is not that there are many tourists so you will feel like a foreigner.
- Phi Lar Island: Here you will see inhospitable, white, deserted beaches with colorful corals, ideal for diving and snorkelling.
- Island 115: It is also known as Frost Island. Has a white beach of crystal clear and warm waters, rich in corals and with hundreds, thousands of tropical fish. It is the best island for snorkeling, diving, kayaking and walking through the jungle.
- Burma Banks: is one of best dive sites in all of Southeast Asia. They are on the west side of the archipelago, where the continental plate plunges into the seabed. Land of abysmal depths and sharks.
- Blackrock: It is also a favorite site for busos. The vertical rocks attract seabirds as well, but there are stingrays and sharks in the waters.
- Shark Cave: it is actually three rocks that emerge about 40 meters from the sea and host a lot of marine life both in the rock itself and in its aquatic surroundings. A whole day of diving and you cannot fully know the site. If you are a very good buso there is even a huge canyon that ends in a cave protected by gray sharks ...
- Little Torres Islands: Surrounding these picturesque islands are beautiful corals, in different shapes.
Finally, in addition to cruises, beaches, diving, jungle trekking or snorkeling, the Mergui Islands offer the possibility of go fishing. On board a cruise this is the most common, so the experience is completed absolutely with the idea of fishing and cooking your own food at the end of the day.
How about? Imagine yourself on board, on any given day, the beach in the distance, islands, sea, sun ... and there you are, in a tiny corner of the world. Vacation.