142 MYANMAR The Mergui Archipelago The Mergui Archipelago MYANMAR 143 That these islands exist in such an incredibly unspoilt state out of the forest and jump on the boat just before it leaves the many large islands still provide hundreds of well protected MERGUI ARCHIPELAGO is entirely due to historical accident. For 50 years following for another anchorage. Their arrivals and departures seem anchorages. There are occasional hurricanes in the Mergui the independence of Myanmar in 1947, isolationist policies random and follow no obvious pattern of time or tide. from May to June and again from October to December. served to keep foreigners out. Since 1997 access into the Be aware of the weather. There are many “hurricane holes” Thailand Sometimes the Moken cautiously approach our yacht with Mergui Archipelago became possible. Just 140 miles away to in the Mergui if necessary. From July to November there is a gift of rock oysters or the haunch of a wild boar after a Mergui the south of this magnificent wilderness area lies the island of sustained heavy rain in the Mergui Islands. successful hunt. They are always delighted when we give them Phuket in Thailand, a popular mass tourism destination which 40 a gift in return – a roll of cloth or a dive mask. If the Moken The charts of the Mergui are reasonable but not entirely Elphinestone is now experiencing a condominium property boom. Island do not approach you then they want to be left alone. accurate. They become less and less accurate as you go Of the 800 islands of the Mergui Archipelago only 50 or further north. There are a great many uncharted rocks (and 80 Plan to visit the Mergui between November and July. Mid so are inhabited. Many of the islands are huge, some are islands!). Navigate with care, particularly north of 11ºN where 25 December to the end of February is the best time, with larger than Singapore. A ban on logging in the Mergui has there are many rock pinnacles that rise vertically from depths Asia Events Co., Ltd. - Phuket, warm, sunny conditions, a reliable 20 knots of wind every prevented the widespread deforestation that is common of over 60m. If you are on a large yacht, consider employing day and flat seas. March and April have little wind and are elsewhere in Asia. As a result, all of the islands are covered the services of a guide with real navigational knowledge of the 33 very hot-these are the best months for diving and snorkelling. in thick jungle with majestic stands of Burmese Teak, area in addition to your MTT provided guide. (For information From May to July there are strong onshore winds and some 69 Mahogany, strangler figs and other indigenous vegetation. on guides and sailing permits, see Page 145) © 2006 - IMAGE thunderstorms. While there is large swell at this time of year, Most beaches are backed by trees that tower to over 150ft 48 tall while overhead there is the constant cacophony of birds and small animals feeding in the forest canopy. The beaches 68 Domel are covered in animal tracks – the only human footprints KAWTHAUNG APPROACHES Island in sight are the ones behind you. Jungle walks in this area, while demanding, are also very rewarding with glimpses 4 Thailand 22 3 150 of the elusive wildlife and superb views through the forest ° Sims Reef 38 23 18.3 of the deep blue ocean beyond. 1 Thane Is. 60 Forrest Passage The dramatic scenery continues underwater with magnificent 42 1 1 11°N coral reefs around many of the islands. The snorkelling and 2 7 MYANMAR 11.9 scuba diving in this area is superb. In March and April each Pulau Jung year, migratory Sperm and Humpback whales visit the area. 15 51 Lampi Island 4 The water clarity increases as you go west and north in the 3 Asia Events Co., Ltd. - Phuket, 1 3 38 Mergui Islands. There are relatively large tidal ranges in the 0.6 5 Mergui Archipelago (4 metres at spring tide). Try to time 2 172 7 Andaman Pulau Besin 2 Club Jetty your dive or snorkel just before high tide. 8 29 5 12 P Palin Loughborough 11 © 2006 - IMAGE The indigenous people of the Mergui Archipelago are the 8 3 Jotien Hotel Island Vicoria Pt 095° Fl 5s 13M 095° Kawthaung. Moken (also known as Salones). These gentle, peaceful 9 10 (Victoria Point) 80 33 4 11 Investigator Channel people are a source of fascination to anthropologists as ° 20 062 Fl 35s 7M they still cling to their traditional nomadic existence, despite 3 2 162 1 attempts to settle them in permanent villages. Traditionally the 090° 5 0.6 Andaman 3 6 2 98°E Moken do not fish. They are hunter-gatherers mainly living 5 Club Ranong Town 3 12 Pulau Ru 5 0 50 0.9 Longitude East off shellfish collected in the inter-tidal zone. They also free- Eanga Is. 6 from Greenwich dive for shell fish and sea cucumbers, sometimes diving to 6 1 10 1 amazing depths ballasted by large stones tied to their waists. Ko Mo 2 169 They also occasionally hunt wild boar and small deer in the 0.9 forest with the aid of their dogs. ANMAR 1 MY To Airport THE MERGUI ARCHIPELAGO Each Moken family group lives on a flotilla (ban) of traditionally Fl 2 10sec THAILAND 0.9 0.9 Imagine more than eight hundred tropical islands spread built wooden boats (kabang). Each member of the family also 2 over fourteen thousand square miles of Indian Ocean. has his own personal dugout canoe used for foraging. When 0 5 9°58.550N Victoria Point 98°33.370E Imagine mountainous, jungle covered islands that teem the Moken move from island to island, these dugout canoes with wildlife, spectacular waterfalls that tumble directly are towed in a long chain behind their kabang. onto white sandy beaches fringed by pristine coral reefs. We occasionally come across the Moken in the Mergui Southern Channel Northern Channel Imagine no tourists and indigenous tribes with an exotic Archipelago. They pull into a nearby beach in their flotilla of Enter via the channel between Ko Khon and Ko Chang. Ko While the channel to the west of Pulau Besin may look culture who live nomadic lives aboard their tiny boats. boats. Adults, children, cats, dogs, chickens and ducks leap Khon has a lighthouse on it. The entry channel now also has shallow on the chart, it is perfectly navigable with a minimum This place really does exist – it is the Mergui Archipelago off each boat and rush into the jungle to forage. Suddenly, at a number of large steel lateral marks so keep a very good depth of 5m. On leaving Kawthaung, head south into the off the south-west coast of Myanmar. some hidden signal, people and animals come rushing back lookout at night in case these are unlit. From here follow deep water channel to avoid the extensive mud bank to the the obvious channel east then north east to take you up the west of Victoria Point. Once in mid channel, alter course eastern side of Ko Mo. From here head for the eastern side to head for the monastery Pagoda on Pulau Palin (approx. Kawthaung (Victoria Point) ED SHIELDS of Pulau Ru just off the Andaman Club jetties and then into 275º). Once the western point of Pulau Besin bears 315º the Kawthaung anchorage. turn and head just clear of it. There is a rock and coral reef that juts out off this point – the extent of the reef is marked Western Channel with a wooden sticks with a cross on them. Gradually come Approach on a course of 090º heading for the highest point onto a northerly heading aiming just to the west of Thane of Pulau Ru (Andaman Club island). Once the southern point Island. There is a drying rock reef about marked with a metal of Pulau Palin bears 062º turn and head for it. This brings beacon about ½ a mile to the west of Thane Island. Pass you through a shoal area and into the channel just south of between this and Thane Island then continue on a northerly Pulau Palin. The drying bank of rocks and mud to your south heading. After a further ½ a mile alter course on to 330º is marked by a post with an X topmark. From here head just and hold this course until you are in more than 10 metres to the south of Victoria Point on a course of 095º. of water. Around the 10 meter depth there are substantial fish traps which are made of large bamboo staves driven into the mud bottom – keep a sharp lookout. 2nd Edition | Andaman Sea Pilot Andaman Sea Pilot | 2nd Edition 144 MYANMAR The Mergui Archipelago The Mergui Archipelago MYANMAR 145 longtail boats. At night there are large, hungry mosquitoes. It is recommended to use this anchorage during the day A BARWELL SAND SPIT B BARWELL CHANNEL THAY YAE KYUNN (BARWELL) KAWTHAUNG TOWN 15 miles from Kawthaung and to move to either anchorage (B) or (C) overnight. Let MTT know where you are going if you do move. Fuel Jetty 12 If you choose to stay in the town anchorage overnight it is Co. a good idea to fender both sides of the yacht and to leave This channel makes an excellent first and last night 7 © 2006 - Paul Johnson y 12 h p y © 2006 - Paul Johnson lots of lights on. Dinghies can be safely left at the town jetty anchorage as it is only 15 miles from Kawthaung.