Burma Boating is set to launch monthly cruises around the Mergui Archipelago, combining two of the most sought-after activities in these clear waters – yachting and scuba diving. With a war whoop like the ululation of a native American, our host was racing down the island beach into the sea. If you’d rather stay above the water, go kayaking through the mangroves, or trekking through the jungles of the biggest islands. There are endless places to visit, like Lampi Island, Myanmar’s first marine national park, and Myauk Ni Island where you can get a taste of local life.

The open ocean diving here makes for experienced divers a thrilling and diverse opportunity and sightings of sharks are virtually guaranteed. Travel the winding mountain tracks of the Naga Self-Administered Zone in Myanmar’s far northwest in the dry season and you’re likely to see in the distance an entire hillside on fire, smoke and embers rising into the air.

If this sounds appealing to you, it’s time to start planning your trip to Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago. While Thailand’s islands are busy and overrun with tourists, here you will share the islands with the local Moken villages – also known as Sea Gypsies. Foreigners can go directly to the hotel from a dedicated immigration jetty for the Ranong boat operators, but only during the daytime to complete immigration formalities.

From mid-October to May we operate regular 6-day cruises in the Mergui Archipelago, leaving from Kawthaung. The tunnel is a prime example of how the marine life of Mergui prospers when out of the reach of fishermen. This modest eco-resort is a great base for exploring the hilly island and enjoying powdery white sand beach and sea sports.

That the islands of the Mergui Archipelago exist in such an incredibly unspoilt state is entirely due to historical accident. John Borthwick was a guest of Burma Boating and Tourism Authority of Thailand. The Mergui Archipelago (also referred to as the Myeik Archipelago) is a place of immense beauty, literally — it covers roughly 14,000 square miles (36,000 sq km) of land and sea.

Keith Lyons goes in search of the perfect stretch of sand on the Mergui Archipelago, and finds more on land and below water. The Mergui (sometimes known as Myeik) Islands, weren’t always so overlooked. But most of the islands are uninhabited (and they are much smaller than Thailand’s islands), making tourism a challenge.