Destination: Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar
Introduction
The Mergui Archipelago — known in Burmese as the Myeik Archipelago — is one of the last great unexplored cruising frontiers in Asia: approximately 800 islands scattered across 400 nautical miles of the Andaman Sea between Kawthaung in the south and Myeik (Mergui) in the north, most of them uninhabited, uncharted to any useful detail, and visited by only a handful of yachts each year. The islands range from low, mangrove-fringed atolls to dramatic granite outcrops towering above the sea, and the surrounding waters contain reefs that have seen almost no fishing pressure — teeming with fish, sharks, rays, and sea turtles. The Moken people, the original sea nomads of the Andaman, still live aboard their kabang boats and on island platforms in parts of the archipelago, one of the few genuinely traditional sea-going cultures surviving in the world. Access requires a government permit and is tightly controlled; the season runs November through April, coinciding with the northeast monsoon. This remoteness is precisely the Mergui's appeal — it rewards the few yachts that make the effort with an experience of untouched wilderness that is becoming vanishingly rare.
GPS Coordinates
12° 25' 59.880"N 98° 36' 0.000"E
12 25 59.880N 98 36 0.000E
Protected Anchorages
The Mergui offers thousands of anchorages, most of them unrecorded in standard pilot books. The most consistently used area is the southern section between Kawthaung and the Lampi Marine National Park island group. Ko Phi (Myanmar) near the Thai border has several excellent anchorages in 5–12 metres over sand. Lampi Island — the largest island in a protected marine park — has anchorage in Davies Bay in 8–15 metres; the national park ranger station may collect a fee. The Sullivan Islands group in the central Mergui is a highlight: multiple bays, dramatic scenery, and outstanding diving at Shark Point. The Birkenhead Islands to the north offer more protected anchorage among a maze of islands. All anchorages should be eyeball-navigated carefully; charts are unreliable and coral heads exist throughout. Depths vary from 3 to 30 metres; mud and sand holding is generally excellent. Dinghy shore excursions should carry a GPS as the island channels can be confusing.
Customs Protocols for Visiting Yachts
Myanmar requires prior permission to cruise the Mergui Archipelago. The standard process is to enter Myanmar at Kawthaung (opposite Ranong, Thailand, across the Kra Buri River) where customs, immigration, and the tourism authority issue a permit specifying the allowed cruising area, duration, and itinerary. A licensed local agent is compulsory and must accompany the vessel or be on call; several Kawthaung-based agents specialise in yacht permits. Permits have historically been issued for the southern sector of the archipelago; the northern sector towards Myeik town requires additional authorisation. Visas must be arranged in advance — e-visa is available for most nationalities. Firearms must be declared and may be bonded. Payment in USD cash is standard as international banking is unreliable. Political conditions in Myanmar since 2021 have made permit procedures less predictable; confirm current requirements through a local agent before departure.
Yacht Clubs and Marinas in the Vicinity
- Kawthaung Harbour (entry point, no yacht club)
- Andaman Club, Ranong (Thailand) — staging base across the border
Renowned Attractions
- Moken sea gypsy villages — visit traditional kabang boatbuilding communities on their island platforms; the Moken have an extraordinary relationship with the sea and their environmental knowledge is unmatched
- Lampi Marine National Park — the centrepiece of Myanmar's marine conservation effort, with pristine reefs, jungle-clad hills, and nesting sea turtles on deserted beaches
- Shark Point and Sullivan Islands diving — unregulated diving with leopard sharks, grey reef sharks, and enormous schools of fish over hard coral in exceptional visibility
- Myeik (Mergui) Town — a faded colonial gem of a town accessible from the northern anchor limit, with teak-fronted shops, a morning fish market, and a fascinating pearl industry
- Deserted beach camping — with an uninhabited island anchorage entirely to yourself, the Mergui offers a true wilderness experience: bonfire on the beach, total silence, phosphorescent wake
- Fishing — the Mergui offers arguably the best game fishing in the Andaman Sea, with giant trevally, barracuda, and grouper in abundance
- Sunrise over the granite towers — the combination of granite rock islands, calm morning sea, and jungle vegetation produces some of the most dramatic seascapes in Asia
Currency and Exchange Rate
Currency: Myanmar Kyat
Exchange Rate to USD
Nearby Yachting Destinations
Summary
The Mergui Archipelago is Asia's last great yachting frontier — 800 largely uninhabited islands with untouched reefs, Moken sea gypsies, world-class diving, and a wilderness atmosphere achievable only by the few yachts that navigate the permit process and make the journey.