The Mergui (or Myeik) archipelago is an area of 14,000 sq miles that includes over 800 islands. Much of the area is still unesplored or off limits to tourists.  It is a largely untouched piece of paradise ideal for sailing, kayaking and diving.
In 1997 the Myanmar military government opened certain areas to Thailand liveaboard dive boats who started exploring the islands. They found some of the best diving in Asia including some high adrenaline shark dives. Although sharks aren’t as prevalent these days as they were, Burma diving is still superb and there are many more sites still to be discovered.
One of the best things about taking a liveaboard cruise in Burma’s Mergui archipelago is that you will hardly encounter another boat but will instead have dive sites to yourself. This makes a pleasant change to divers used to the busier reefs in neighboring Thailand. Most islands are uninhabited save for some communities of Moken (sea gypsies). If the authorities can keep fishing trawlers and dynamite fishermen in check the Mergui archipelago will remain a divers wonderland but this is a big area to police affectively and divers will often encounter signs of destructive fishing on Burma reefs. Some fish and coral species can survive better than others but there is no doubt that the reefs would be better off without these practices.
Mergui archipelago islands are a mixture of granite boulder islands and limestone islands. Many have dense jungle vegetation and miles of white sand beaches. Continued >>
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