Travel Season: November to April
The best way to enjoy the Mergui Archipelago is to board a boat operated from Thailand.
There are scuba diving liveaboards and sailing charter boats leaving from Phuket, Khao Lak and Ranong.
Boat Trip Prices Overview
Duration | Prices | Class | |
Diving Liveaboard | 5-9 days | 800 – 2500 U$ p.p. | budget to luxury |
Sailing Charter | 5-20 days | 1.800 – 12.000 U$ p.p. | mid-range to luxury |
Visa Requirements
Any Visitor to enter Myanmar is required to hold a valid passport including a Tourist Visa which has to be obtained in advance. Exceptions are border crossings at Ranong, Thailand to Kaw Thaung, Myanmar. For a short stay up to 14 days within the Kaw Thaung District (not including the Mergui Archipelago) a Visa-On-Arrival is granted for a 10,- U$ fee.
Travelling on a boat tour either kind (scuba diving or sailing) a Visa-On-Arrival is granted by the Kaw Thaung Immigration Authorities. The boat operator will take care of all Immigration procedures as well Thailand and Myanmar. Reentering Thailand, a Tourist Visa-On-Arrival is granted for either 14 days for most passport holders, or 30 days for Passport holders of G7 countries (UK, USA, Italy, Japan, Germany, France, Canada).
Any visit to the Mergui Archipelago by boat will be charged between 200,- and 300,- U$ by the Myanmar Authorities depending on length of stay.
All Myanmar Visa fees are to be paid in perfect condition US-Dollar notes!
Climate & Weather
Avg Temperature Air: 28°-32°
Avg Temperature Sea Water: 26°-30°
Calm, dry and warm to hot during travel season with slight sea breeze.
°C Day | °C Night | Sun Hours / Day | Rainy Days / Month | °C Seawater | Wave Heights | |
November |
30°
|
24°
|
5
|
19
|
28°
|
0.7m
|
December |
29°
|
24°
|
6
|
17
|
27°
|
0.6m
|
January |
32°
|
24°
|
8
|
8
|
27°
|
0.4m
|
February |
32°
|
24°
|
8
|
9
|
28°
|
0.4m
|
March |
32°
|
25°
|
9
|
6
|
28°
|
0.4m
|
April |
33°
|
25°
|
8
|
8
|
29°
|
0.5m
|
May |
33°
|
25°
|
6
|
19
|
29°
|
0.7m
|
June |
33°
|
25°
|
5
|
19
|
29°
|
0.9m
|
July |
33°
|
24°
|
6
|
16
|
28°
|
1.4m
|
August |
33°
|
24°
|
6
|
16
|
28°
|
1.4m
|
September |
32°
|
24°
|
6
|
19
|
28°
|
1.7m
|
October |
32°
|
24°
|
6
|
20
|
28°
|
0.9m
|
Hotels & Resorts
The only resort in the Mergui Archipelago itself is the Myanmar Andaman Resort on McLeod Islands in the southern centre of the Archipelago. It offers several bungalows and a pickup service by speedboat in Kaw Thaung. Prices start at 150 U$ a night. More info at http://www.myanmarandamanresort.com/
Backpacking The Mergui Archipelago
“Backpackers” usually like the combination of travelling as cheap as possible on a flexible schedule with the opportunity to leave the “common trails” as often as possible. Here is to say that the Mergui Archipelago is not in any way to be considered as a backpackers travel destination. It is very expensive, possibilities of flexible journeys are limited (if one doesn’t charter an entire sail yacht) and accommodation options are literally not existent. The best way for backpackers to get to see a good bit of the Archipelago is to join a budget diving cruise from either Khao Lak or Ranong. Cheapest deals start at around 500,- U$ for three days / three nights.