Fondly known as 'the land of smiles', Thailand is commonly associated with gorgeous golden sand, palm-lined beaches, warm aquamarine waters, glorious temples and verdant jungle-clad mountains. With sixteen million foreigners flying into the country each year, Thailand is the primary travel hub of Southeast Asia, offering a diverse range attractions and activities to suit all tastes and budgets. Whether exploring the teeming metropolis of Bangkok, relaxing on the tropical beaches of the southern islands, scuba diving in the underwater wonderland off the coast of Koh Tao, jungle trekking in the North, or discovering the ancient cities of Chiang Mai, Thailand is filled with attractions to satisfy any interest.
Located on Thailand’s southern peninsula near the border of Myanmar, the small city of Ranong is a cultural melting pot infused with a blend of Thai, Burmese and Chinese traditions, as well as those of the region’s numerous ethnic minorities. It is renowned for its idyllic hot springs, located just outside the town. Ranong is also the departure point for trips to the remote and beautiful islands of Koh Chang (Lek) and Koh Phayam. Visitors can easily go diving around the Surin Islands and Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago from here. The town’s main road, Thanon Ruangrat, illustrates its history and geography well, with its nineteenth-century Sino-Portuguese designs, arches and shuttered windows, and signs in Thai, Chinese and Burmese. The town is also known for its wonderful cultural festivals, most notably the Ranong and Andaman Fair and Image Boat Procession and Races.
Myanmar remains, as ever, a country shrouded in mystery. The hardest fought and least travelled paths in life, however, yield unforgettable memories. Stories that we pass onto generations. For the uninitiated, the sheer spread of ancient temples in Bagan, or the floating gardens and dancing fisherman of Inle Lake, or the stretches of powdery sand in Ngapali will not fail to astonish. Myanmar is a country that draws repeat visits, charming visitors to explore one more corner, understand one more facet. Today, Myanmar is open to the world after decades of isolation. As Southeast Asia’s second largest country and approximately the size of France and England combined, Myanmar is home a beautiful kaleidoscope of diversity of over 130 different ethnic groups.
Myanmar’s 2000 kilometers of coastline remain pristine and pure. Its terrain stretches from the snowcapped Himalayan peaks in the north, to the coral-fringed islands of the Andaman Sea in the south. It is a landscape of beauty and contrast, studded with pagodas and palaces, forested hills and fertile valleys. Myanmar fascinates with its mix of ancient cultures, ethnic minorities and diverse landscapes. Many tourist destinations offer sea and sun, relaxation and adventure, pleasure and discovery –Myanmar offers all this in an untouched, still-to-be discovered way.
Mergui Archipelago, located in southernmost part of Myanmar (Burma), comprises over 800 beautiful islands. Due to its virtual isolation, the island and surrounding seas are alive with an amazing diversity of flora & fauna and very beautiful underwater scenes and marine life. Just north of the Surin Islands, an imaginary line divides Thai waters from Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago. Also known as the Myeik (Mergui) Archipelago, this immense area covers approximately 36,000 sq km (14,000 sq miles).
Diving here is still in its infancy, as the entire region has been off-limits to outsiders since the late 1940s. The archipelago was opened for tourism in 1997, yet much of the area remains unexplored. The islands are similar to their Thai counterparts, eg. Phuket, Surin with rugged, high-profile, limestone and granite topography. One obvious difference, aside from the sheer number of islands, is their unspoilt terrestrial scenery.
Among those islands are various mangroves, wild life, caves, lagoons fresh water falls and rivers in the forest. Dense bush and rainforest cover most areas above the high-tide line, while vast stretches of mangroves and magnificent mile-long white-sand beaches are interspersed with rocky headlands, tidal creeks and a few freshwater rivers. The only human inhabitants in the area are Mokens or Salone Sea gypsies. They live on boats during dry season and remain on land during rainy season. They still practice the same fishing and boat building techniques used for generation.
Situated in the southernmost corner of Myanmar, the small port town of Kawthaung lies shares a border crossing with Ranong Thailand, separated by a broad estuary in the Pagyan River. Visitors can look forward to a variety of different activities. Visit the magnificent Maliwan Waterfall, and explore the Mergui National Reserve. Make sure to see Pyi Daw Aye, Kawthaung’s most popular pagoda, featuring a golden chedi and offering panoramic views overlooking the Kraburi River, the town, and the Thai mountains in the distance.
