The Mergui Archipelago has been one of the best kept secrets of the southern coast of Myanmar for decades and since opening up to travellers in the late 1990s, still remains very much untouched. Located in the southernmost part of Myanmar, the Mergui Archipelago is home to the Lampi Marine National Park, which protects a rich biodiversity with more than 50 terrestrial and marine endangered species. Myanmar also boasts of various natural and cultural attractions in less-traveled places in Kayin, Chin, Mon and Kayah.
The region is comprised of over 800 islands with powdery white beaches, thick coconut groves, vibrant underwater ecosystems. The Mergui Archipelago islands are home to the Moken people, believed to have up to 2,000 members still scattered throughout the region today. Their entire life is the sea. Because of their nomadic lifestyle, the Moken are also called “Sea Gypsies” (unrelated to the Romani people).
Their knowledge of the sea enables them to live off its fauna and flora by using simple tools such as nets and spears to forage for food, which allows them to impact the environment more minimally than other more intensive forms of subsistence. Furthermore, their frequent movement in kin groups of between two and ten families also allows the land to rest and prevents overuse. Moken are considered hunter-gatherers due to their nomadic lifestyle and lack of material good accumulation. They also believe strongly in the idea that natural resources cannot be owned individually but are rather something that the entire community has access to without restrictions. Their egalitarian society follows into their ancestral worship as they regularly present supernatural beings with food offerings.
The following Captain’s account details a few of his experiences during his Myanmar journey and when he and his crew met with a small group of Sea Gypsies. Gordon Fernandes of Asia Pacific Superyachts, handling arrangements for the superyacht in Phuket and Myanmar, shares some of the impressions and adventures of Myanmar reported by the Captain.
The name Myanmar doesn’t mean a lot to most people as the word has only been associated with a short portion of that country’s long history. Mention the name Burma, however and it evokes something completely different. Burma is old, exotic, romantic, undiscovered. It is a nation with a long and glorious history, and an enormous variety of stunning landscapes and vistas.
Our cruise started in Phuket, Thailand, where our friends at Asia Pacific Superyachts helped us to arrange the trip. Myanmar (Burma) is not short of bureaucracy and paperwork and a permit for the yacht to enter has to be granted – the dealings of which do not appear possible on one’s own. For example, every visiting vessel is required to carry a government appointed official at all times whilst in the country – at first consideration an invasion, but realistically a huge helping hand. These officials can be a great source of knowledge and insight into the country; they answer the numerous check-up calls from the navy, smooth things over with the port authorities, translate with the locals and are worth their weight in gold. Asia Pacific Superyachts can organise a good official for you, though do give them notice as we did, as we’ve heard that there are good and bad officials who can go with you.
We cleared into the country at Kawthaung on the Southern border with Thailand, collected our official and then headed to the Mergui Archipelago and we were not disappointed. We found island after island with countless white beaches under green hills of dense rainforest – their canopies alive with birds and butterflies. Monkeys left the trees for a stroll along the beaches where we found tracks of the many elusive animals that live in the forests. Our minds wandered to the stories of wild elephants and tigers and we dreamt of catching just a fleeting glimpse. We paddled up Mangrove Rivers and found trees overhanging quiet canals that teamed with juvenile fish.
We knew of ‘Sea Gypsy’ fishermen that live within the archipelago – mostly on their boats but venturing ashore to collect firewood from the beaches and water from the streams. They are nomadic and live a simple life sustained by sea. They have been proven to be excellent pearl divers and fishermen, who only work as much as is required in order to live. We found them friendly and ready to exchange seafood for a few of our dry stores.
After the 2004 tsunami, amazing stories came to light of the understanding and perception that the ‘Sea Gypsy’ fishermen have of the ocean. Villages along this and the Thai coastline were saved because the elders had visions or remembered tales about previous such events – goodness knows how long ago, but they put their knowledge into practice and many lives were saved.
One evening whilst having sundowners on a beach, we invited a couple of Moken fishermen to join us for a soft drink. They nervously mingled and answered the questions that our official, Aung Kyaw, translated for us. As darkness fell they needed to head out fishing for the night and so took their leave, but not before thanking us with a gift of a dozen small pearls. They said they’d never spoken to white people before. We were stunned!
During our month we the country to be wholly exciting and interesting and were all delighted to discover that Burma still resides in Myanmar. We were captivated throughout by a huge variety of experiences and all aboard are already dreaming of another opportunity to continue exploring this intriguing country.”
The Moken are a nomadic people and roam the seas in their flimsy canoes looking for sea cucumbers and pearls, canvassing the bottom of the sea for their needs and going from island to island. Their canoes are their homes and they only go to land when the seas force a move during monsoon time. Everything they have is piled in their small crafts, even the household dogs, as they wander from one deserted island to another as their forefathers did thousands of times in as many years, earning them the name of Sea Gypsies.
