Islands of Myeik

115 island

It is 39 miles from Kawthaung and a stopover for any yacht which is about 15 metres deep. There are three white-sandbanks in the eastern No. 115 island. This is a very beautiful islands with crystal water.There is a foot path on the first sandbank. If you follow it about 20 minutes, you will get to the sandbank in he northen part of the island where you can see some Monitor Lizards and snakes.Normally, the two-seater fibre kayaks are used for round-the-island trip. There is a Swallow Birds’ cave that is 15-feet in height and 8-feet wide, It is twenty minutes by boat and can enter in it.There are a lot of Coral reefs between the sandbank and the anchor. So it is a good place for snorkelling but one must be careful for the sea urchin whose thorns are poisonous but not deadly.

Sandbank: White sand and crystal water.

Coral and fishes: Hard coral and small colourful fishes. Plus sea urchins.

Wild Animals: Mornitor Lizards and snakes.

Birds: Hom Bills, King fisher, Swallow, Bat, Kate and Sea Eagle.

Po Ni island

It’s a very beautiful place and has three sandbanks in the western island. It’s about 12 metres deep and less Coral Reefs so, it is not very good for snorkelling but good for fishing. There is a small mount with Coral Reefs in the southern island. So some tourists dive there. Some small caves are on the island but no wild animal. In 1998, five sea otters have been seen here.

Nyaung Wi island (Palubada)

A big island and Salon race (Sea Gypsy) live on it. They are no permanent residence, so they usually come back in the rainy season. The rest of the times, they travel by boat. A one mile-long-beach, a creek and many Mangrove trees beside it are in the western Palubada. If you go by small boat along the creek, you will see so many birds, monkeys, swines and snakes there. Especially, a flock of Hom Bills are flying in the evining.

Kyun Tan Shae (Lampi) Island

Lampi is the most popular island for the tourists in Kawthaung archipelago. This island is rich of many wild animals, Mangrove rivers, birds, clean water and Coral Reefs. It will take three days in Lampi to see in detail. There are nine different parts in it. They are as follows -

South Mangrove RiverMiddle RiverNo. 60 IslandCrocodile RiverKo Fot IslandSalet GaletWa AleSouth Kan Zar Gyi IslandNorth Kan Zar Gyi Island

South Mangrove River

The stopovers are about five to ten metres deep. Normally, wait there till the tide up. Then continue upstream the river by fiber boat. According to the tourists, the roots of mangrove trees are the shelters for the fishes and prawns to breed and grow up, also protect from the strong wind. So, mangrove trees shouldn’t be deforested.If you upstream the mangrove river, you will see thousands of mangrove trees, birds, orchids, pythons sleeping in the tree, playful monkeys in the tree and other wild animals. When I went there with three tourists in 1999, I saw the foot prints of the elephants. The fishermen said, “there are two elephants on Lampi Island, never disturb anyone.” I saw them again in March, 2001 while I was taking a walk on the beach in Lampi.

Sandbank and Water: White sand and Long beach. Muddy water when tide up and down. Normally, water is clean.

Wild Animals: As the island is big, there are so many wild animals on it such as elephants, Monetor Lizards, Snakes, Mouse, Deers, Monkeys, Swines, Porcupine and Armadilloes.

Birds: Horn Bills, King Fishers, Kates and Sea Eagles.

Middle Mangrove River

Has two good stopovers. Can see many mangrove trees, birds and wild animals if you follow the first creek. The tourists really enjoy it because of walking on the beach and taking the boats around the island. According to the fishermen, the elephants usually live near the middle river but never disturb anyone. Sometimes the elephants swim and walk on the sandbank.

No. 60 Island

A small round shaped and white sand, so the tourists have lunch and take a rest there. After getting up they do snorkeling because the water in the east is full of Coral Reefs. Several fishes and lobster are seen there. It’s a small island, no wild animals but the tourists like it so much because of the Crystal Water.

Crocodile River

The old fishermen said, “there were a lot of crocodiles there.” It’s about 3-miles long and many mangrove trees beside the river. If you go there by boat when the tide ebb, monkeys searching for the crabs are seen. It is the most interesting island because of sleeping pythons in the tree, swimming fishes, singing birds and blooming orchids.

Kubo Island

Is inhabited by Salone, Sea Gypsies because there are plenty of oysters and Sea cucumbers around this island. When I went there with a group of tourists in 2001, I saw a flock of Hon Bills , about one hundred , came to it in the evening .The nests of Hon Bills are there. So it is the only island in Myeik archipelago where many Hon Bills can be seen as well as can take the most beautiful pictures there.

At the there big trees on the north island, about 2000 fly foxes or fruit Bats were resting . I saw many fly foxes searching for the food at about 6:00 pm. It’s a very beautiful island especially a moonlit night, so many tourists enjoy it very much.There are some fresh water well in the south island so some Salon stay there.As a shallow island I will show you two stopovers that are 5 to 8 metres deep.

Salet Galet

It is between Lampi and Wa-Ali island. So, it is a very good shalter like a lake although the bad weather broke out. Some Salons live there. Fresh water wells can be seen there.The stopovers are shown on the map and 10to12metres deep. Can go along the mangrove creek and get to a small mountain, 385metre height,also enjoy the beauty of Lampi,Waali,Kanzargyi and Clara.When the tide ebb,a troop of monkeys, searching for the crabs and oysters as well as many birds, especially sea eagles can be seen there.As a peaceful place,Wild life and Crystal water,it becomes a tourist attraction.

Wa Ale island

The stopover is in the western Wa Ale which is 10 to 15 metres deep.It is blue water and full of Coral Reefs,so it is the best place for snorkelling.It is also a good place for Surfing when the tide up,the waves come on the shore.As the wild animals live there,the footprints of animals can be seen on the white snad beach.The nust intereating thing is that Sea Turtles lay eggs on it.Hikking through the foot path can arrest the tourists.

Sandbank and water: White sand and blue water.

Wild Life: Cats, Monetor Lizards, Snakes, Monkeys, Swines, Mouse Deers and Birds.

Coral Reefs: Snokelling and diving are excellent because of the hard and soft corals.

South-Western Area (South Kan Zar Gyi island)

Clear water and have so many Coral Reefs that Snokelling is very good. A lot of fish live there, sometimes Sharks can be seen.There is a huge tree in the western small white sand bank, a good place to rest

North–Easten Area (North Kan Zar Gyi)

It is very good for adventure trip. There are some Salons’s residences in the bay, some banana plams and plum trees are behind them which is a safe place to anchor in the open season.

Kyun Phila (Great Swinton) Island

It is also a special place for snokelling because of Coral Reefs. A mile-long beach is in the northen, Gt Swinton. So, it is very beautiful. There is a diving site, on a mount, three miles from it. Some companies called it Shark Cave after the cave and sharks under water which is 8 to 10 metres deep.A half-mile-long beach, snokelling place is in the South-western Gt. Swinton. A mount is in the southern Island.About a mile-long beach is in the North-eastern Island , has a lot of coral reefs and 9 to 12 metre deep.Boywe Island, a fresh-water-well, is located in the South of Gt. Swinton where the fishermen fetch water and take a bath.

Beach and Water: White sand and Crystal Water.

Coral: Hard Coral.

Wild Animals: Swines, Monetor Lizards and Snakes.

Birds: Kites, Sea Eagles

Cavern Island

It is located on between 10.18.5N and 97.59.00E. Cavern Island is aptly named as on the southern end of the island there are indeed several large caverns or caves on the water line, one of which is large enough to dive a small vessel into. Waterfalls can be found the western part of the beach. There is a way to climb the top of island, so many islands and lovely senses will see from there. The wild animals can't see in it. There is a fresh water stream ashore. This stream is used by the local fisherman and moken to replenish their fresh water supplies.

Macleod Island

Macleod island is located in the south west of St. Matthew's Island at Latitude 10 11' and Longitude 97 58' and 40 nautical miles from Kawthaung (Victoria Point) and Ranong, and 160 nautical miles from Myeik (Mergui).