The islands of southern Myanmar’s thai Archipelago (also known as the Myeik Archipelago) are the kind of holiday paradise most travelers only dream of. The pure white beach stretches for several kilometers. To the right, the turquoise sea rolls gently onto the beach; to the left, birdcalls and the rustle of animal footsteps emerge from the lush jungle green. For visitors looking to truly get away from it all, the best way is to spend a week sailing the waters of the Mergui Archipelago, soaking up the unadulterated peace and quiet.

The seas of the Mergui Archipelago have been the domain of the Moken sea gypsies for generations, remaining largely inaccessible to the outside world for centuries. Anthropologists believe the Moken were the original settlers of Southeast Asia, who were forced to abandon their land-dwelling lives when sea levels rose with the arrival of the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago.

Since then, the Moken have lived largely at sea, only returning to dry land to temporary villages where the very young and very old live. For the rest of the time, they content themselves with following the tides and currents to wherever mollusks and fish catches are most plentiful.

And plentiful they certainly are. More recent sea travelers - the scuba divers joining luxury boats from neighboring Thailand - have hailed the Mergui Archipelago and neighboring Burma Banks one of the top dive sites in the world, with sightings that range from the giants of the seas (manta rays and whale shark) to the miniscule (ghost pipefish and tiger-tail seahorses).

Closed to tourism until February 1997, there are few islands that are inhabited around the year, and for most visitors, a trip means untouched beaches where hawks and eagles soar through cloudless skies. For the time being, the recent tourist arrivals rate a minimal mention in the lives of the Moken. It may well be that further down the line, a life similar to those of the Moken in Thailand awaits, selling beads and weavings to Western tourists; but for now, the best souvenir visitors to the Mergui Archipelago can take home is just a jar of pure white sand from the beaches.

Getting There

Given the remote nature of the Mergui Archipelago, the best way to enter is from Thailand. Most liveaboard boats will arrange transport from Phuket and other resorts along the Andaman coast to the Thai-Myanmar border near Ranong. From there, it takes upwards of four hours by boat to reach the Archipelago.

Visas

Those entering Myanmar on liveaboard boats can arrange their visas upon entry, and must pay a US$140 fee (new bills only) for a special diving visa. Make sure to bring photocopies of passports and Thai visa stamps, as well as multiple passport photographs. Regular 28-day tourist visas for Myanmar cost US$18.

When to Go

Currents are fairly strong around the Mergui Archipelago, which means that boats will only visit the waters from late-September through May.

Liveaboards and Diving

Mergui is indeed a diver’s paradise, but be warned that visibility is relatively poor and currents can be strong. Choose your liveaboard boat carefully, especially if you’re planning on scuba diving, because the area is fairly remote and if you get in trouble it’s a long way from medical attention. One reputable liveaboard company is Scuba Quest, running their boat MV Faah Yai out of Phuket. There are plans to run tour boats during peak season that visit areas of natural beauty on land, as well as their regular scuba boats. For more information, visit www.scuba-quest.com

Photos courtey flickr (cgnetwork2006, Scruffy Dan and Breanne, and g-na)

For more:
My Travels In Asia In 2008
myanmar - great for a sailing vacation
Places to Visit in Myanmar

More by this author:

• The Hong Kong Rugby Sevens - February 1st, 2009
• Alternative Ski Resorts in Asia - January 22nd, 2009
• Chinese New Year in Taipei - January 22nd, 2009
• Kunming: friendliest, most laid-back city in China - January 20th, 2009
• Guide to Lunar New Year Celebrations Around Asia - January 20th, 2009

About the Author:  Steven is originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, but has been living in China for the past four years. He is City Weekend's web editor.