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Myeik Archipelago: A Special Place in the World

White sandy beaches, sunsets that take your breath away, and emerald-green waters surrounding an endless stream of lonely islands are only a part of what makes the Myeik Archipelago a special place.

The Myeik Archipelago features 800 stunning islands in one of the most remote places in the world. I recently took a trip to the region to see for myself. Here is what we found out.

The Basics

Our six day sailing cruise started in the southernmost port town in Myanmar called Kawthaung. This is where we embarked an 85ft (25.9m) yacht called the SY Meta IV, a beautiful teak sailboat operated by Burma Boating. Here we met our fellow guests — two Austrians, and two Swedes — and the yacht’s crew of four. Our captain was from Egypt, and spoke French, English, Arabic, and even Spanish. The rest of the crew consisted of a local Myanmar guide, a Thai cook, and a Thai deckhand.

From Kawthaung we sailed north into the archipelago making stops at various islands along the way, each seemingly more beautiful than the next.

The Sights

The water surrounding the islands was a beautiful green color and clear; it makes you want to dive right in. We definitely took advantage of the good weather and went snorkeling at least once a day, each time in a completely new location. With our heads in the water we saw all kinds of fish and sea creatures including: little clownfish (Finding Nemo) dancing among their protective sea anemones, pufferfish, lionfish, moray eel, and barracuda. It was beautiful to see a large school of fish swimming in uniform all around us, with the rays of sunlight beaming though the water.

While the captain sailed the yacht from one mini paradise to another, we were able to spot flying fish, and dolphins. Our guide, Nia Nia, said: “Sometimes you can see manta rays, and even the majestic whale shark.”

We went to one island called Bat Island, where we saw large fruit bats hanging from the tops of the trees. On another we toured a large mangrove forest by kayak, located on Lanbi Kun Island.

The Experience

Why visit Myanmar’s Myeik Archipelago? Many other countries — from Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, to the Mediterranean — have countless beautiful beaches and islands. Captain Chahab said:

“I’ve been sailing for 11 years, and from what I’ve seen, sailing for days from one empty beach to the next and not seeing another tourist is unusual.”

Indeed, we didn’t see a single person outside of our own group walking or sunbathing on these white-sandy beaches. The captain explained, “Our cruise took us deeper into the archipelago than one of the day excursions from Kawthaung will.” There really was more beaches here than tourists.

As you lose yourself deeper into the island chain, you can’t help but talk about the Moken. Also known as sea gypsies, they traditionally lived a nomadic life on this sea-of-islands. We encountered one family that still does; they rowed their hand carved boat close to the yacht and were looking to trade for a pair of diving goggles.

Later on we visited one of their fishing villages on Lord Loughborough Island. They build simple traditional bamboo homes right above the clear green water.

How traditional are their ways? When visiting the school, the children were very shy to have their picture taken. When I mentioned it, the teacher explained, “The children believe that if they have their picture taken, they might die. Even we have a hard time taking their pictures.” I thought for a second and said, “Well, then let’s test that theory by taking a picture of my wife and see what happens.” After she survived the ordeal, the children were a bit less shy.

After we finished our tour of the village, the captain suggested we buy lobster from the locals for dinner. So four of the gypsy boys took Nai Nai and I to a floating lobster cage in the middle of the island’s small bay, and allowed to select dinner. There is something special about supporting the local community by buying directly from them, and having dinner that literally just came out of the ocean.

Another notable stop was an island with a fresh-water waterfall that emptied right into the sea on the beach. Many of the fishermen come here to bath in its fresh water. In fact, when we visited, a number of boats were anchored on the beach so they could fill large drums with drinking water.

These were just some of the things you might encounter during a visit to the archipelago. We visited between 6 to 8 islands, out of 800. What’s amazing is that you could go back a dozen times and get a different experience for each one. With empty beaches and a traditional way of life, it make you feel like you stepped back in time.

This is a place you go to see beautiful islands and beaches, but it’s what you don’t see that makes it outstanding: modern life and crowds.

Myanmar has many beautiful areas, but Myeik Archipelago stands out as unique. The area has been called many things: untouched, unspoiled, untamed, and the last paradise on earth. I agree with those descriptions, and I’ll add that Myeik’s Archipelago is a special place in the world.

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Source:https://www.mmbiztoday.com/articles/myeik-archipelago-special-place-world