https://www.southeastasiadreams.com/https://www.southeastasiadreams.com/assets/templates/sead-new/images/logo.png Top 20 Islands of the Mergui Archipelago - Part 3
Top 20 Islands of the Mergui Archipelago - Part 3

Top 20 Islands of the Mergui Archipelago - Part 3

Discover the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar with its amazing islands. Explore the islands below the Lampi National Park including the famous Philar Island Mergui Archipelago.

South Lampi Island

1. Kyunn Phi Lar Island (Pheela Island or Great Swinton Island)

Philar Island mergui archipelago.  Natives call this island the “diagonal island” because it stretches mostly diagonally from east to west. The island is from east to west around 6 - 7 miles long, but pretty narrow from north to south with just 2 miles.  There are three beautiful beaches. The northern beach, called Long Beach, is the longest with a length of 2 - 3 miles, the eastern beach is called Iguana Beach. All three beaches are very beautiful with white and soft sand. Multicolored birds, such us Kites and Sea Eagles, are always around in the skies over this island.

The Coral life is great, the water quite clear and the beaches are most attractive for snorkelers and beach lovers alike. It is the best place for snorkeling in the Myeik Archipelago and the coral reef can be seen under water as a colorful floral bed. Fire fish and clown fish can be found here, by just swimming between the coral reefs. Sometimes visitors might have a chance to see land animals too, such as monitor lizards, monkeys, boar and snakes and watching the inhabitant birds is great fun too.

There is also a very thicket tropical rain forest on the island, which is home to wild pigs, monkeys, mouse deer, wild cats, civets and hornbills. At the southern part of the island, you can find some small and short tidal rivers and thicket mangrove. A perfect place to kayak, trekking and watching some of the very shy tidal animals, like monkeys, monitor lizards, Myanmar python, crab and kingfisher.

There is also a very famous dive site on a mount, just three miles from the island. Mainly known as Shark Cave, after the cave and sharks which are found in 8 to 10 meter depth here.

Great Swinton Island

2. Nga Mann Island (Pula Set or Shark Island)

Pula Set or Nga Mann Island is an island with a small forest and a beautiful beach. Nga Mann is not so interesting for scuba diving, but a great place for snorkeling. The beach in the western part is one mile long, with white and smooth sand. This place is often used for a beach BBQ. The waters are crystal clear, with colorful hard and soft corals, parrot fish, trigger fish, sea urchins, lobster and plenty more to be encountered here.

3. Nyaung Wee Island (Pu-Lu, Buda Island or Palau Bada Island))

Buda Island, also known as Nyaung Wee Island, lies south of Lampi and is part of the Mid Group. These islands lie south of Lampi and offer plenty of overnight options for stop overs. The three islands form a kind of a triangle and offer plenty of hiking, snorkeling over coral reefs or kayaking.  Nyaung Wee Island is home to a small village called Makyone Galet and offers some hikes and great views across the nearby islets. Local fishing boats like to refill fresh water at a stilted house in front of the beach and the local fishing families would be happy to cook meals for visitors and their kids are always excited to see foreign visitors. You will also find a small Moken community here, where you can see what it might feel like, to in a hunter-gatherer society. Moken people often inhabit stilt houses over the water and on Nyaung Wee you can also play around with the local kids or discover the undergrowth on the island. A river, in the northern part of Nyaung-wee is a great place for bird watchers and wildlife explorers.

Nyaung Wee Moken Village
 

4. Poni Island

Poni Island has three sandbanks at the western shores of the island with only around 12 meters of depth. There are only a few corals, but the area is good for fishing. There is a small mount with coral reefs in the southern part of the island as well though. Small caves are also found here, but no wild animals, apart from some sea otters spotted in 1998.

Poni Island

5. Island 115

Around 40 miles north of Kawthaung you’ll find Island 115. Located on the eastern shore and surrounded by crystal clear waters are several sandbanks. With some luck you might see some Monitor Lizards and snakes. Keep your eyes also in the air, to possibly Horn Bills, Kingfisher, Swallow birds, Bat, Kites and Sea Eagles.

On the south side of the island is a Swallow Bird Cave, which you can enter by kayak, since it is around 16 feet in height and 9 feet wide. The island is a great place for snorkeling, as there are a lot of hard coral reefs and colorful fish.

Island 115

6. Hlaingu Island

This island has a lot of caves and lies a distance of about 40 miles away from Kawthaung. There is a freshwater stream on the island, so ships anchor here overnight and often freshwater prawns can be seen as well. Many visitors to the island explore the caves and sandbanks by kayak and enjoy the fantastic sunset between the rock formations.

Sunset

7. Steward Island (Ba-wei Island)

Stewart Island, or Ba Wei Island is situated due north west of Cavern Island in the Mergui Archipelago. Its main feature is a smaller islet at its southern end, with a large hole in it, offering great photo opportunities, even above the water. There are many swim throughs here underwater as well, where often you can find large schools of fish hiding from predators such as white tip and black tip reef sharks hunting around the coral reef. Clams and sponges cover the walls and little crabs and all sorts of shrimps make a living in the many crevasses. Dive sites like this are a popular spot for a night dive, conditions permitting.

Why not check out one of our amazing packages to visit Philar Island mergui archipelago or even all of these amazing Islands.

Part 1 - Overview of the amazing Island around the Mergui Archipelago
 
  • Kyunn Me Gyee Island (Clara Island)
  • Salet Galet Island
  • Wa Ale Kyunn Island
  • Kyunn Tann Shey Island (Lampi Island)
  • Bo-Cho Island
Part 4 – Island around the Mergui Archipelago
  • Nga Khin Nyo Gyee Island (Boulder Island)
  • Kha Yinn Khwa Island – Macleod Island - Andaman Resort
  • Nyaung Oo Phee Island – Victoria Cliff Resort
  • Say-Tan Island - Dunkin
  • Myin Khwar Island – Horse Shoe Island
  • Kyet Mauk Island - Cocks Comb Island – Emerald Heart Island

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