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FAQ
“Mergui”
discussed on ThornTree.
14 Nov Myanmar Travel Discussion Forum :
Going to Mergui soon. Does anyone know whether it is
possible to visit this area, island hop, utilizing the local
fisherman boat? Or what kind of
transport and accommodation available. Any input will
be much appreciated.
Area is possible for visit but you must go by licensed
transport. Any other local boats without permit cannot be
board by foreigner. They have a very strict rule and an
organization for control of illegal foreigners (MaKaPha)
will catch you and put you in jail.
That is the most expensive area in Myanmar. There is only
one Myanmar private company operating tourist boats but they
do Discovery Cruise – not diving. They seemed totally on
their own not related to gov.
The only informative site I found is
mergui.org.
Mergui
Archipelago
11 Nov. Myanmar Travel Discussion Forum
: Has anyone of you been to the Mergui Archipelago?
If so, is it difficult to get there, to stay there for some
days or (even a few weeks) and what is your impression?
Another possibility is doing a dive-live aboard departing
from Phuket, Thailand - but beware of the price, it's
unbelievably expensive, as they charge about 3000$ boat
license to get the concession to go diving there. Few
resort, hotel, guesthouse on the islands and access from the
Burmese mainland (with fishing boats or the like) is heavily
controlled by the government.
It
looked gorgeous on Google Earth and the pictures posted on
Google Earth. The area below 11 degree Latitude is the best
which includes Lampi,
Kyun Phila,
Wa-ale,
Nyaung Wee and 115 (Crescent Bay). I also find
www.mergui.org the most
complete information on Mergui Archipelago.
It
is possible to set up a multiple day tour from inside
Myanmar as well, with hired boat and guide, there was a post
here as well, they started off in Myeik,
but again not cheap and has to be set up in advance to get
necessary permits. No diving on that boat however.
Without those permits you are restricted to the towns of
Kawthoung (where the border is),
Myeik and
Dawei. In Dawei you can
see the close by surroundings, in
Kawthoung you can take a long
tail to some nearby islands (no permit for those). However
there's no dream beach with bamboo huts on these spots.
New
is the following resort, with diving, off
Kawthoung: Myanmar Andaman
Resort
www.mergui.org/myanmarandamanresort
Some other comments:
Buggar...
I was looking at going there too... for diving, but saw the
prices on the live aboard option from Phuket and
it's bloody ridiculous!
Replied by another poster : Hey!
That resort looks pretty neat - do you have any info on
prices, location, room and food?
No,
it's new and haven’t been there
yet.
L
They sure need to arrange something with the government to
be able to put up a resort there...everybody in the tourism
business in Burma has to...
Wow-
That place looks fantastic.....pretty remote....very cool...PADI
too
Price for 5 Days / 4 Nights based on two person sharing one
twin / double room:
US$ 590 per person
www.mergui.org/accomodations
Inclusive
services
- Twin Sharing
accommodation in Superior Cottage
- Meals : Half – board (breakfast
& dinner)
- Airport transfer (Kawthaung
Airport – Kawthaung Jetty –
Kawthaung Airport)
- Jetty transfer (Kawthaung /
Ranong Jetty – Myanmar Andaman
Resort – Kawthaung /
Ranong Jetty)
- Kawthaung Zone Fee (Royalty
Fee)
Exclusive
services
- Yangon Services
- International and domestic airfares and Airport Taxes
- Meals : lunch
- Cost of visa
- Personal expenses
- Personal or baggage insurance
- Diving, Kayaking, Snorkeling and Sightseeing are not
included in the above quoted prices.
USD
& Euro notes can be used at the Resort. Need to apply visa –
available On Arrival.
...not exactly budget, but of
course, they are pioneers in the region and I suppose you're
paying for that too...
In particular if it is based on twin sharing. Does that mean
one has to pay extra if only one person in cottage?
Posted: 14
Sep 2007
From Phuket
to the Mergui Archipelago
I've seen some dive boat operators offering 7-day trips for
about 1200$, is there
anything
cheaper around?
I
know it's probably not getting much cheaper because of the
expensive permits.
I
was wondering if anybody has done the
trip?
Yes, the permits this year are 2000 US$, making diving there
very expensive.
Cheapest option: this boat, but since they offer longer
trips it can still become quite expensive. For a shorter
trip: check this boat. No diving though.
www.merguiprincess.com
Mergui
Archipelago's: Can I kayak on my own?
21 Sep:
Is it possible
to walk into Myiek or
kawthoung and rent or buy a
kayak and disappear a week or two? If it were to be illegal,
could you buy a permit of some kind? Also how tight
is security and government regulations
when there are over 800 islands? If I keep a low profile on
just some dumb kayak, 800+ islands, how many authorities are
around there anyway?! I mean I guess it is becoming more
popular, but I mean 800+ islands!!!!
I wonder if you could somehow live with or travel with the
sea people there. I know in Fiji the tribes are hospitable.
The
answer is that you have to stay in government approved
hotels or guesthouses. You can not go anywhere, without a
permit and an approved guide, outside the tourist trail and
if or when you, they will see you sorted in no time.
If
some innocent Myanmar person transports you outside approved
areas or lets you stay in their home, you put them in a very
serious situation.
I
highly doubt you can just go off into the distance on a
kayak, boat or whatever....its
all controlled, and mostly Liveboard
operations thru Phuket.
One
fellow I know was caught with a rented
moto outisde 'allowed
territory'. He was taken back to where he started off by the
authorities.
Myself
was trying to get over border to China once, without permit.
Officer was very friendly and Chinese visa impressed him a
lot. Until he called his superior, then there was a polite
'there's absolutely nothing I can do for you'. Trying to
bribe (I rent a car from you with driver, we talk about
price...) didn't help either.
Strayed off past a (unmanned) road block once.
Headed of hiking, about 15km. Suddenly olive drab pick-up
stopped next to me...The uniforms inside were polite and
even took me to the lake I intended to go. But then took me
back to where I started off...
As
stated above- please be aware that breaking certain rules
will most likely have no effects for foreigners at all but
it is not courageous at all to break certain laws, even if
they are stupid in our view. But it can have an extreme
effect on locals you contacted before, friends or guesthouse
owners, transport people for instance, who are "responsible"
for you and might have to pay a very high price for
foreigner’s "courage".
If
nothing else, is it possible to
go to a island that is alot on a
ferry of some kind and stay on the island (not in a hotel or
anything) for an extended period of time
Look, it pretty much gets down to the rule about foreigners
staying in government approved guesthouses... and not
straying outside the approved areas> Myanmar Travel and
Tourism say that it’s for the protection of visitors...
Whatever you do, please consider the situation that you, by
your actions, might put local people in and
offcourse, consider your own
safety. Day trips yes... overnighter on the islands... not
really.. only
one that I know of.. Andaman resort @
USD 200 plus per night.
I'm
reading that line very slowly, but it still sounds like an
oxymoron. If you were to be put in a detention prison, could
you buy your way out? Guess money talks.
This is an excerpt from a Canadian magazine called Outpost.
The
full article doesn't seem to be on the web. I have the
magazine at home, though, and the story goes like this ...
Basically, a couple of Canadians went as guests of the junta
to the Mergui Archipelago to tour some areas by kayak. The
junta is (or was) considering opening up the area for this
kind of tourism. The couple then headed out with a Burmese
guide after their visit was supposed to be over. They
paddled the islands and didn't get caught. The thing is,
they were seen by a lot of people, and there was no
follow-up info with regards to their guide (who was also
seen in several places AND who was known to the military guy
who arranged the visit).
It
is a very interesting article, but I felt that it was a
highly irresponsible move on their part because, as
mentioned many times above, it is always the Burmese who
pays the consequences and locals are always involved. First
of all, it is very difficult to get around in the islands
without some kind of assistance (fresh water, food,
guidance, shelter if necessary, etc.) or contact with
locals. Second, you will be seen, putting whoever sees you
into a very seriously precarious situation (Do I tell, or
don't I tell? If I don't tell, then what if someone finds
out that I knew but didn't say?).
From what was written in the article, it is a spectacular
area that is worth seeing.
I think I've read somewhere that is possible for foreigners
to cross from Myanmar to Thailand, near a place called
Kawthuang, at the very south of
Myanmar. But I think I've also read that it's not possible
to reach this town overland, but it is, or it was, possible
to reach it by boat. Does someone have some recent
information about this?
To
reach Kawthoung you can get on
one of the infrequent ships of MFSL
- however cabin for foreigner is about as expensive as an
air ticket (or even a bit more...). Most people gong that
way take a flight to either Dawei
or Myeik and then travel down
the cost by fast ferry to Kawthoung,
These days one needs permit to enter and exit at this border
as well when coming from Yangon/upper Burma.
Chasing
Myiek (Kayaking)
hello....wondering
if anyone has reccomodations for
a kayak trip to explore some relatively remote islands for
an experienced, but not expert kayaker.
thanks for the tips
MerguiPrincess.com
They'll get you as remote as
you can get. we organized a group
of 10 for a "kayaking safari" which was an all-inclusive
camping trip, complete with tents, bedding, excellent food,
guides, etc. they're based out of Phuket, but you can meet
up with them in Ranong as well.
The base camp at the time was a couple of hours out by
speedboat to a remote island near Lampi
in the Mergui Archipelago. You won't see another human that
isn't in the crew for days, unless they take you to visit
some of the nearby fishing villages.
Absolutely pristine, and worth the trouble of getting there.
You
will be restricted as a foreigner where you can go, some
area are military sensitive, some the government can not
allow you (a foreigner) in areas the Government has no
contact/relationship with (Ethnic Tribes-Drug Lords-Factions
Fighting one another), so the will not allow anyone there,
sometime they will allow you there, with a permit and a
guide, this can change daily and monthly too.
Some routes you can not take, some boats you will be
escorted from landing to a taxi, cant even go in the town,
some towns you can not go out of via a car,
you can only fly in/out. There is
fighting on the Thailand/Myanmar borders in the south, there
is huge areas in the north nobody can go, or you need a
permit, and these permits take 4-6 weeks, or longer,
depending on all types of things...
They are also very suspecting of anyone possible associated
with a journalism background, or affiliated with a Human
Rights group, if they suspect you of either, good luck!
New Scuba
Diver Suggestions
I am a farily new scuba diver
who got certified in Cozumel
last year and I loved it.
I am wanting to do another scuba
diving vacation but this time aboard a
liveaboard. As I can only take vacation during high
season (late Dec), I was wondering if anyone had any
suggestions?
I live in CA, so something closer than Thailand would be
great...like the Roaton Islands
but it looks like it is not so ideal in Dec? Also, I would
be going by myself so I don't have a buddy.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Diane
Hi Diane,
Welcome to the wonderful underwater world of scuba diving!
Couple recommendations:
1.
Post your question on Scubaboard
-- it is like Thorntree, but
dedicated to scuba divers. Scubaboard
website
2.
I wouldn't recommend a liveaboard
for a new diver. They tend to be
targetted to more advanced divers. Feel free to
contact a company and ask though!
3.
Cozumel is the best diving in
the Caribbean (in my opinion...).
Roatan is good - massive coral formations but you
won't see nearly the amount or size of marine life that you
do in Coz -- because the Bay Islands have been
overfished. Belize is decent but
expensive. Caymans and Bahamas is
good too. Bonaire has been a divers
haven for decades. Dominica has lots of little critters and
beautiful coral.
4.
I suggest you get in touch with a good local dive shop in
your area. Most offer organized trips and will buddy you up
with another solo diver.
Cheers!
Kay
Mainly, and most importantly,
Liveboard is normally not for a
novice, as its extreme conditions, far away from
civilization. The Coco islands off Costa Rica is one such
venue, but a OW certification is
not enough, as its over 100 feet
dangerous currents, that has even killed
Divemasters.
You
also shoul know the expense of
Liveboard, whether Thailand or
Honduras, is very expensive, about $300 day and up, with
minimum of 3 days.
Liveboard
also tends to be for area that are protected, where no
tourist are allowed to impact the lands and natural
surroundings, like in Thilands
Andaman Islands and Mergui Islands off Burma.
If
you are PADI
OW Certified, you will always
dive with a Divemaster, whether
solo or with a buddy, and normally a novice will be paired
with more senior diver for a buddy.
Go
to PADI.com for dive shops,
divemaster and
divesites worldwide, they have
the info for each, phone email etc.
Source :
LonelyPlanet.com – Thorn Tree
Forum, MTT,
Mergui.org
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