TANINTHAYI DIVISION:
Adjacent to Mon State to the north and Thailand to the east. Taninthayi Division occupies a long narrow coastal plain bounded by the Andaman Sea in the east, which runs to Kawthaung, the most southerly point of Myanmar and which then continues to the Malaya Peninsula.
How to get there:
Air Bagan is flying three times a week from Yangon to Dawei, Myeik and Kawtaung and there is a daily regular express coastal boat service between Myeik, Dawei and Kawthaung.
What to see:
Dawei:
The capital of Taninthayi (Tenasserim) division, is a port of medium importance and tropical seaside town. 384 miles from Yangon, it is on the eastern bank, at the mouth of a creek of same name, 30 miles from the sea in a narrow gulf.
As Dawei is in the coastal region, fisheries become the mainstay of the economy there. Sea-fish and prawn are sufficient enough not only for local consumption but also for the international market. Most local people make their living by trading in regional goods. Some have rubber, oil palm, cashew and mango plantations and they also cultivate paddy. This is a wrap-up of the simple Dawei people’s life and breath-taking beauty spots of Dawei which today boosts modern characteristics of developed cities. The well-known Maung Ma Gan Beach, which is now being developed and upgraded is just 8 miles north-west and is famous for delicious sea food.
Myeik:
According to the characteristics of port cities, Myeik is busy with small and large boats in the morning. Beside, you can pay homage the Reclining Buddha Image, the grace and glory of Myeik on Pahtet isle. At the harbors of Myeik, ships, speed boats and fishing vessels are closely quad in a long line. Relying on the sea, cold storage factories for packaging fish and prawn, ice factories and warehouses are built along the bank. The house of bird-nests is a rare and unique thing to see in Myeik. The local people are very much devoted to religion. The Lay Gyun Se Mee Pagoda in Myeik is very sublime. Its festival is thronged with visitors. During your stay in Myeik you should not miss the Beik evening Bazaar. The reclining Buddha Image in Pa Htaw Pa Htat island, which is on the other bank of Myeik, is also very sublime.
Kawthaung:
Formerly called Victoria Point, is the southern-most town of Myanmar and the starting point to explore the Mergui Archipelago. Half of the town is going up along the slope. The town is an important border point with products such as seafood, palm oil and rubber. You can observe the states of King Bayintnaung in Kawthaung which is a symbol of Myanmar Patriotism. The world's largest pearl was discovered in the Makha lauk pearl oyster exploration area in the north west of Zardatgyi Island in Kawthaung Township.
Ranong is the border town in Thailand. Visitors can take 20 minutes boat trips to Kawthaung for sightseeing and shopping. Andaman Club on the Thahtaykyun island is located west of Kawthaung. There are regular flights from Yangon to Kawthaung and Five Star shipping line operates Cruise vessel to Kawthaung.
Mergui Archipelago:
Among the geographical beauties of the Union of Myanmar, many treasures are in the depths existing beneath the archipelago waters to this day. Myeik Archipelago comprises over 800 islands covering an area of 10,000 sq. miles. Several expeditions have been undertaken to survey the undersea ecosystems and biodiversity.
Lumpi island can be reached from Myeik, about 90 nautical miles southwest, 30 miles west from Bokpyin and 60 miles northwest from Kawthaung. This beautiful island of Lumpi is totally untouched; with a rich history of maritime trade and mysticism. The modern day, Mergui Archipelago, is as it was days gone by. The archipelago is virtually isolated but you will find the islands and surrounding seas alive with amazing diversity of wildlife, flora and fauna. Parrots, hornbills, sea eagles Brahming kites and herons fill the skies. On land, the animal population includes monkeys, wild cattle, elephants, deer, wild pigs, crocodiles, tigers and rhinoceros.
Crab eating maquekes the monkeys can be seen here on the shoreline. The only human inhabitants in this beautiful area are the sea gypsies, a nomadic seafaring race. The Moken-sea gypsy-village, their life style is very simple. Their life style has changed very little over the years.
Sea gypsies have been the sole inhabitants of the Mergui Archipelago over the years and they still use the same fishing and boat building techniques which they have been using for many generations. Lumpi offers a great variety of breathtaking scenery and wildlife, with more luxuriant ever green forests, beach and dune forests, tidal mangroves, magnificent beaches and spectacular coral formation.
Forests that grow on the island have a variety of both terrestrial and marine ecosystems and inhabitants. The surrounding waters are rich in bird life, fish marine, mammals (dolphins) and marine turtles.
Salone, a group living part of the time on a few littoral area on the fringes of the Andaman sea and part of the time on their boats, wondering about among the Islands of the Myeik Archipelago in a nomadic existence that has caused them to become known as the sea gypsies. There are no more then five thousand Salons left in the world today scattered over the Myeik Achipelago as well as some parts at the Andaman Sea.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Travel-Myanmar :TANINTHAYI DIVISION:Mergui Archipelago
Mergui Archipelago
The Mergui Archipelago (also Myeik Archipelago) is an archipelago in far southern Myanmar (Burma). It consists of more than 800 islands, varying in size from very small to hundreds of square kilometres, all lying in the Andaman Sea off the western shore of the Malay Peninsula near its landward (northern) end where it joins the rest of Indochina. Occasionally the islands are referred to as the Pashu Islands because the Malay inhabitants are locally called Pashu. A five-star casino and golf resort, the Andaman Club now operates on Thahtay Kyun Island.
Environment
Geologically, the islands are characterized mainly by limestone and granite. They are as a general rule covered with thick tropical growth, including rainforest, and their shorelines are punctuated by beaches, rocky headlands, and in some places, mangrove swamps. Offshore are extensive coral reefs.
The archipelago's virtual isolation from most of mankind's unwholesome influence on the natural environment has given the islands and the surrounding waters of the Andaman Sea a great diversity of flora and fauna, contributing to the region's growing popularity as a diving destination.
On the islands themselves, various animals thrive, including deer, elephants, monkeys, tigers and wild swine. There are even unconfirmed reports of Sumatran rhinoceros on Lampi, one of the bigger islands.
Environmental threats to the region include overfishing and also blast fishing. Burma's current military government, the "State Peace and Development Council", has not done much to deal with these problems
Population
The local people are an ethnic minority called the Moken, sometimes known as sea Gypsies, although this term actually covers several groups in Southeast Asia. They are a sea-dwelling people and they follow a traditional way of life, doing things such as fishing and building boats very much the way they have been done for centuries. They can be found living on their traditional boats during the dry season, but usually keep to land in the rainy season.
Tourism
The area was only opened up to foreign tourism in 1997 after negotiations between Burma and dive operators from Phuket in Thailand. The archipelago's isolation is such that much of it has not even yet been thoroughly explored.
Owing to the archipelago's remoteness, a liveaboard cruise is the only way for visitors to go diving in areas with names such as Big Bank, Rainbow Reef or Silvertip Bank. Some islands have huge boulders, soft corals and sea fans. Others offer wall diving, caverns, tunnels and drop-offs.
Dive sites such as Shark Cave feature grey reef, bull, nurse and whale sharks. Black Rock has manta rays and schools of mobula (devil) rays. Photographers are attracted by frogfish, ghost pipefish, ribbon eels and cowries as well as many crustaceans such as lobsters, crabs, and shrimps.
The best diving conditions exist from December to April, with whale sharks and manta rays visiting from February to May.
Mergui Archipelago
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Adventure Expedition in Mergui Archipelago
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 4 day(s)
Group Size: 2 - 10 people
Destination(s): Myanmar
Specialty Categories: Scuba Diving Fishing
Season: October - April
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Mergui Archipelago, located in southernmost part of Myanmar (Burma), comprises over 800 beautiful islands. Due to its virtual isolation, the islands and surrounding seas are alive with an amazing diversity of flora & fauna and very beautiful underwater scenes and marine life.
Season 2007-2008 : Ko Payam island ( Ranong ), Thailand – Burma, Mergui Archipelago
safari N / Date / Place / Duration
1 28.10.07 - 01.11.07 Burma 5 days /4 nights
2 09.12.07 - 13.12.07 Burma 5 days /4 nights
3 30.12.07 - 03.01.08 Burma 5 days /4 nights
4 20.01.08 - 24.01.08 Burma 5 days /4 nights
5 08.02.08 - 16.02.08 Burma 5 days /4 nights
6 02.03.08 - 06.03.08 Burma Fully booked
7 13.04.08 - 17.04.08 Burma 5 days /4 nights
8 04.05.08 - 08.05.08 Burma 5 days /4 nights
Day 1: Departure from resort, board to ship in the resort bay and transfer to Victoria Point, Burma, pass emigration
Day 2: Unlimited diving in Mergui Archipelago – Black Rock
Day 3: Unlimited diving in Mergui Archipelago – Western Rock
Day 4: Unlimited diving in Mergui Archipelago – Tower Rock
Day 5: Cruising to border of Thailand - transfer to resort
Included: full board accommodation, all meals served onboard including snacks, drinking water, tea, fresh coffee and soft drinks, towels, dinghy for onshore exploration and pick ups, tanks, weights and weight belts, unlimited diving within the safety limits, professional Tour leader, Divemaster and Instructor, guest’s insurance, basic fishing equipment.
Not included: Myanmar National park Fees, Visa’s and immigration fees (currently 180- 230 USD), rental diving equipment, (include in price 1700 USD ) Nitrox tanks, PADI / SSI Diving courses, alcoholic beverages, Souvenirs, Tip, DAN or similar Insurance, Deep Sea fishing equipment.
This trip can be in combination with stay (dive and/or fishing) in Buffalo Bay Vacation Club , Dive and Adventures resort in Ko Payam island, Thailand as boat departure and come to Resort bay. Additional night stay – 60 USD full board per person.
