Mergui (Myeik) Archipelagos
The hidden treasures
of Andaman Sea
The Myeik Archipelago, which stretches
down the entire length of the southern coastal
line, numbers 804 islands of every size
in an area of approximately 36,000 sq km.
While a few of the islands are just mere
rocks rising abruptly from the sea, some
islands are bigger than Singapore. Some
of the islands are only recognized by the
number, while many of them had got English
names during British era; like Loughborough,
St. Mathews, Wale, and Macleod etc. Nowadays,
these islands got their Burmese names after
1990. Nearly all of the islands are forest-clad,
and most are hilly, often fringed with mangrove
swamps, and many of them have bright-white
sandy attractive beaches. With the exception
of King Island, which is partly settled
by Bamars, Mons and Karens, and some fishing
villages, more or less deserted during the
monsoon. The rest islands are almost uninhabited
and densely forested with tall green trees
that had withstood the sea and the wind
for centuries; but for the salons or sea-
gypsies who wander among them from their
house-boats.
 The
only group of people who adapted to this
area is the Mokens. The waters of Mergui
Archipelagos are the safe and prospering
home to a group of nomadic people, locally
known as Salons or the Mokens. These people
live on their boat-house with all their
possessions including house-pets and move
from one island to another to harvest the
sea. They are born-divers – collecting pearls,
sea cucumbers, shells, and other highly-valued
marine products from the seabed.
Myanmar is fortunate enough to possess
the world’s fast deforesting “Sundiac Forests”,
a kind of earth’s oldest forest with rich
biodiversity, in Mergui Archipelagos region
and still has opportunities to maintain
its world last & largest Sundiac forests
that have an area of 115,349 acre. Additionally,
various types of mangroves and tidal forests
that give a balance to the eco-system of
the entire archipelagos can be seen.
One of the highlights in this archipelago
is the Lampi Island, which is oriented in
a north-south direction, is about 48 km
long and has a maximum width of some 6 km,
becomes the nation’s first Marine National
Park, comprises Lampi Island (16,800 ha),
the associated islands and the intervening
sea (about 370,000 ha) – a home for the
520 marine species, 8 coral types, 26 kind
of shells, 4 species of sea cucumbers, bountiful
plants and bugs species according to the
initial surveys; plus mangrove rivers, no
less than ten attractive beaches, and the
wildlife - an ideal place for the nature
lovers and adventurists.
A remarkable feature of the coast scenery
is the presence of limestone and granite
cliffs, towering sheer out of the water
for several hundred feet, and forming caves
which recall the interior of a Gothic cathedral,
while others enclose lakes accessible only
at low tide through tunnels in the rock;
They are the home of the tiny swift that
builds the edible nest of commerce.
 There
are activities for everyone – ranging from
island hopping visits, jungle trekking,
hiking, swimming, sea & Mangrove Rivers
kayaking, snorkeling, sport fishing, village
tours, to sunbathing on the pearly sands
just you and your footprints! For those
who wants to explore the wonderland of underwater
beauties, there are world-class dive sites
await you. Some popular dive-sites like
Burma Banks, Roe Bank, Western Rocky, North
& South Twins, Tower Rock, Shark-cave, and
MaCarthy etc… offer highly clear visibility
in the waters, pristine multi-colored coral
gardens and rich marine life including grey-reef
sharks, silvertips, mantra ray, devil ray
(mobula), surgeon, moray & ribbon eels,
cowries, frogfish, ghost pipefish, crustaceans,
barracuda, parrots fish, lobsters, bottlenose
dolphins to name a few and many other shimmering
school of reef fishes.
Apart from the gambling-oriented, non-beachside
Andaman Resort located directly opposite
Kawthaung, so far, there is only one resort
hotel for the leisure-wise tourists namely
Myanmar Andaman Resort (MAR) is established
40-notical miles off the Tanintharyi coast.
From your base at MAR, you can do various
adventure activities. Another ideal trip
is the live-aboard tours that would let
you experience what Mergui Archipelago has
to offer at her best.
Islands Information (Mergui Archipelagos)
Kyun Pilar (Great Swinton)
Island
 Located
on northwest-west of Nyaung Wee island an
surround by the blue turquoise waters with
high visibility to the 15-20m deep bottom
covered with beautiful corals… a great snorkeling
site. A 1.6km long beach is in the north
and another 0.8km long beach & the snorkeling
site is in the southwest. Nearby Bo Ywe`
island has a fresh-water well whereas 1.6km
long beach and another snorkeling site are
on its north-eastern side. The so-called
“Shark Cave” is approximately 4.5km west
of Kyun Pila, where one can find some nurse
and grey reef sharks permanently living
in an underwater cave. Having white attractive
beaches, crystal-clear waters, hard corals
and wildlife on the island like swine, monitor
lizards, snakes, wildcats, wild boars make
this island a popular stopover.
Nyaung Wee Islands Group
(Palau Bada)
Nyaung Wee islands group consist of mainly
three islands: No. 115, Po Ni, and main
(big) Nyaung Wee.
No. 115 Island – also called Forest
Island, is 39-mile (62km) from Kawthaung
and a major stopover. It has noticeable
vast, white powdery sandy beaches, glass-clear
waters filled with multi-colored coral gardens
with schools of small reef fishes, in its
vicinities. There are two swiftlets caves
in the southern part, which can enter directly
by kayak when tide ebbs. There’s a jungle
trail, leading from one side of the shore
to another, enables jungle trekking trip
on this island where many King Fishers call
it their home. This island is an ideal place
for swimming, snorkeling, jungle trekking
and bird watching.
 Po
Ni Island – A beautiful island lies
in the east of 115 and south of main Nyaung
Wee I. There are three pretty beaches in
its western part and a snorkeling site in
the south. There are a few caves on the
islands where rare and endangered Sea Otters
were seen in 1998. A resort hotel will be
appeared on this island if all the negotiations
go well with the authorities.
Main island of Nyaung We – is
a bigger island with dense forest-clad mountains
running north-south. There is a village
where Kayin, Mon, and a few Bamars and a
couple of Salon family live. Most of them
are fishermen while the rest sell things:
foodstuffs, diesel for the long tailed boat
engines and spare parts. A 1.6km long beach
and a mangrove forest can be visited in
its western shore for swimming or kayaking.
Bo Cho (Pu Nala)
It is located just south of Lampi (Lamp)
Island and a major settlement for a race
of Salons (Moken – Sea Gypsies). Many of
them still live on the boats and stay on
the islands for a short monsoon break, to
shelter from the severe storms. The village
on this island is called Makyon Galet, which
is located on the northern shoreline of
Bo Cho I, overlooking a bay and the big
Lampi I. The channel between Bo Cho and
Lampi has a very strong current and not
suitable to do other activities but to make
a worthwhile village tour. Bo Cho has a
mile-long sandy beach in the south. A troop
of Macacas use to visit the beach in search
of crabs when the tide ebbs. There are three
islands in the south of Bo Cho; Linshu,
Gugyi, and No. 3, whereas Linshu has a notable
round-shape beautiful beach.
 No.
60 Island
This is a tiny island, which has no given
name but recognized by the number. The island’s
vicinity offers one of the most beautiful
snorkeling opportunities in Mergui Archipelagos.
The coral world, including 3-m diameter
coral tables are connected each other and
even grown daringly to the shorelines. The
water is glass-clear and schools of flickering
fishes make this site pretty attractive.
Ku Bo (Ko Phawt) Island
It’s a beautiful island located close
to and virtually protected from long Lampli
Island. Although it has no attractive beach,
the island itself is the birders alike as
watching of the fly foxes and hornbills
coming back to their nests on this island
every evening around 6:00pm is truly spectacular.
There is a freshwater well in its south
so the traveling Mokens use to make a stop
to fetch water or take a picnic.
Wa Ale (Wale) Island
Another good site for snorkeling is in
the west side of Wale I, which is about
1o to 15 meters deep. The footprints of
animals on its white sandy beaches prove
their existence on this island. There you
can also find sea turtles laying eggs in
the sand at certain months. A jungle trail
allows you to hike up to the rainforest
clad hilltop providing panoramic sceneries.
Salet Galet
 Satlet
Bay (Galet = bay or water channel) is a
3-km long, 150-m wide channel separating
Lampi and Wa Ale islands. On its steep slopping
sides are fringed by dense rainforests and
mangroves and the vast coral gardens beneath
the crystal-clear bottom. The current is
comparatively stable even in the stormy
weather. Based from this stopover, one can
enjoy kayaking on mangrove river of Lampi
(also called crocodile river), snorkeling,
jungle trekking on Wale or Lampi islands,
hike up to 385-m high view point, where
dazzling views of Lampi, Wale, Kanzargyi
(Clara I) and Black Islands can be experienced.
This naturally protected channel has outstanding
beauties and is a good place to spot for
the bountiful wildlife.
Cavern (McCarthy) islands
These Cavern islands are located south
of Jar Lann (Loughborough) Island, a Burmese
navy base where the access is forbidden.
The Investigator channel is just south of
Cavern islands. The McCarthy vicinity is
good for snorkeling despite the strong current
and exciting Kayaking trip can be done into
the caves when the tide ebbs. The trekking
trip to its pinnacle is also highlighted
where the trail leads streams and falls.
Lampi (Lamp) Island – the
first marine park of Myanmar
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