Mergui (or) virgin archipelago of Burma

Mergui archipelago is one of the best places for the people who interest to spend their holiday vacation with snorkeling, kayaking, jungle trekking in the tropical rain forest, sport fishing, birds and wild life watching and study to living style of Sea gipsy (Morken) people.

About 800 islands are found in this archipelago and most of them are almost completely uninhabited.

The lack of human interference is believed to have left some of the larger islands with the full range of animal life that is no longer found undisturbed on the Asian mainland, including elephants, tigers, deer, wild boar and many others. There is even talk of the near-extinct Sumatran rhino quietly grazing the dense forests on Lampi, one of the largest of the islands.

The caves, beautiful white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, green tropical forest and Morken (Sea gipsy) are the trademark of Mergui archipelago.

Kawthoung

Kawtoung is the gate way of Mergui archipelago and located at the southern edge of Myanmar. The town was build by British and named Victoria Point. There is a river name Perchan separate Kawthoung and Ranong of Thailand. Most of tourists come from Ranong to Kawthoung by crossing to the river with small long tail boat to enter to Myanmar's virgin archipelago and some are come directly from Thailand's most famous topical paradise city Phuket with liveabord boats and sailing boats.

The colorful people are living on that small town, among of them Burmese, Thai, Malay, Indian and Chinese are prominent.

There are regular 1 hour 15 minutes flights from Yangon (Rangoon) to Kawthaung (Victoria Point). Visitors from Thailand could take a 30 minutes boat trips from Ranong (Thai border town) to Kawthaung. One of the budget airlines in Thailand makes regular flight from Bangkok to Ranong. And it takes 4 hours by car from Phuket or Samui to Ranong. Entry visas, valid for 28 days, are issued at Kawthaung.

Nowadays, foreign people can use their passport to enter Kawthaung through Ranong. It is one of the gateways people from Phuket use for their visa extension. Local Thai people can use their local border pass book to visit Kawthoung. People with passports can go to Myeik and Dawei.

Myauk Ni Island

Myauk Ni Island is known as Red Monkey Island among the visitors and 20 miles northwest of Kawthaung. The visitor could enjoy the white sand beaches, wild dolphins, corals fishes, forest and birds around it. Visitors could meet with Salone (Sea Gypsies)

115 Island

115 Island is 39 miles from Kawthaung. Could see some monitor lizards and snakes. There is also Bird’s nest cave. It’s good place for snorkeling and kayaking.

Pulau Beda ( Nyaung Wee)

About 10 nautical miles away in South of Lampi. Many of nameless small islands with beautiful beaches surround to Nyaung Wee and because of this reason, a group of Sea Gipsy used to settle to be avoid from south west monsoon with and north east monsoon wind. A river, in the northern part of Nyaung Wee is very nice river for birds and wild life watchers. Island name 115 is famous among in tourists who like snorkeling and kayarking.

Should to go; 

• 115 island
• River in the northern part
• Sea Gipsy village
• Water source of the village

The Sisters ( Langan)

The sisters is the name of a group of small islands, about 20 nautical miles away in the north of Limpi. Sea gypsies(Morken) call it as Langan, mean the fingers in their language. Clear water, beautiful coral and very nice location is the land mark of the sisters. There are three small beautiful sea gypsies and Burmese villages on the separate islands.

Should to go;

• Sea Gipsy village

Lampi Island

Lampi island is the most famous island of Mergui archipelago. North to south the island is twenty nautical miles long and from east to west at its largest extremity is ten nautical miles wide. Lampi is an island of outstanding natural beauty and has been made designated as a National Park by the government. There are endless white sandy beaches along its coast, some of which stretch for two kilometers or more.

The island�s interior is a carpet of thick rainforest and to all intents and purposes is impenetrable. There are two tidal rivers on the west coast that are accessible by a small boat or sea canoe and can only be navigated at high tide. The southern of the two rivers is worth exploring as it has some of the oldest mangrove on the face of the planet. Some of the trees stand between twenty five to thirty meters tall. The wildlife and fauna is plentiful here. Many kinds of bird can be seen including various types of Kingfisher, Hornbill, Pacific Reef Egret, White Breasted Sea Eagle and Heron.

There are two passages in this island,one is at the north western edge of island call as salet galet and another one is in the south call as Magyon galet. Sea gypsies (Morken in themself) used to settle there as the shelter place to refuge from south west monsoon in rainy season. But nowadays, some of sea gypsies and Burmese finisher men build a village in Magyon galet.

Should to go;

• Sea Gipsy village of Magyon galet
• River No.1 and long beach
• North Point
• Selet galet
• Wa-Ale-Kyun

Wa Ale Island

Wa Ale Island is blue water and coral Reefs, so it’s the best place for snorkeling. The beaches on the Wa Ale Island are with white clean sands. It’s 65 miles North West of Kawthaung. It have various species of birds, animals, fishes and marine mammals. It’s an annexure of the Lampi Island.

Salet Galet

Salet Galet is between Lampi and Wa Ale island. There is a small Salone (Ses Gypsy) village. Fresh water can be had there. Many birds, especially sea eagles can be seen there, it become a tourist attraction because of a its peace and wild life.

 Next