Myeik
Introduction
Myeik sits in the extreme south of Myanmar, a rural city in Tanintharyi Region on the coast of the Andaman Sea. It is the largest city in the region and serves as the headquarters of the Myanmar Navy's Tanintharyi Regional Command.
Inland from the city, the area forms a major smuggling corridor into Thailand, and the Singkhon Pass, also called the Maw-daung Pass, has an international cross-border checkpoint.
Before you go
Myeik sits in the far south of Myanmar, in the region the British called Mergui. The Mergui Archipelago, strung out offshore, was closed to foreigners until 1997; it is open to tourism now, but access remains limited and the islands stay largely untouched. Around 800 islands make up the archipelago, many of them deserted tropical paradises of a kind that has largely vanished elsewhere in Southeast Asia, and the coral reefs are untouched, offering magnificent diving.
Plan around limited access rather than assuming you can come and go freely, and expect a working seaport town rather than a resort. Myeik is known for pearls, rubber, edible bird's nests, dried fish, dried prawns and ngapi (shrimp paste), and fresh seafood, fruit and vegetables are plentiful. The people are friendly, honest, helpful, generous and religious.
Getting there
Myeik sits on a road that runs north to Dawei and south to Bokepyin and Kawthoung, and this road is now open to foreigners. The southern stretch is fully paved but not recommended for cycling: it rolls constantly, with ascents and descents steeper than 10% grade over the full 250–300 km, and the only accommodation along the way is the state-owned Royal Blossom Hotel in Tanintharyi, so you would otherwise depend on monasteries or wild camping, which is illegal.
- By plane: Myanmar National Airlines flies between Myeik and Yangon on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and also operates six flights per week to and from Kawthoung. Flights can be cancelled without notice because of lack of bookings, poor weather or other unpredictable circumstances. The Kawthaung–Myeik flight takes about 50 minutes, and there is not much to see from the plane because of air pollution; skies are clear after the rainy season, in October and November.
- By boat: Fast ferries run to and from Dawei to the north, taking around four hours. Five Star Line passenger ships may call here roughly fortnightly, en route from Kawthoung to Yangon and/or the reverse; the company has an office opposite the main piers. Foreigners must pay very high prices, but the first-class two-berth cabins are quite comfortable.
- By bus: A couple of companies offer minivan connections to and from Kawthoung, a 10–12 hour trip, as well as to Bokepyin and Dawei, where the bus leaves Dawei in the morning and the journey takes 8–10 hours.
Getting around
Myeik is a compact port city, and you can cover much of the centre on foot. Walking is a practical way to reach the waterfront, markets and central streets, and it pairs well with short motorcycle-taxi rides when you want to cover more ground. There is no rail, metro or tram network, so land transport is entirely road-based, supplemented by boats across the harbour.
- Motorcycle-taxis: the mainstay of local transport and the mode most visitors end up using. They are found everywhere, and are especially easy to pick up downtown, at the airport, at the port, and at the highway bus station. Agree the fare before you set off.
- Cars: arrange one through your hotel, or pick one up at the jetty, the airport, or the highway bus station. For longer excursions, cars can be hired for trips such as the run to Kyaung Pyar via the Kyeal Gu Bridge on the Tanintharyi River, which takes anywhere from one to a few hours, or to Bo Taung Waterfall outside town, about an hour away.
- Cycle rickshaws: these share the downtown streets with motorcycle-taxis and are a relaxed option for short trips in the centre.
- Boats: longtail boats operate as ferries across the harbour to Pahtaw-Pahtet Hill.
- Motorbike rental: motorbikes can be rented at hostels, or arranged through some locals at the riverside. This suits visitors who want to explore at their own pace, though it is worth being cautious on the region's hilly roads.
Myeik has no city bus network to speak of, but it is served by long-distance minivans and buses from the highway bus station, which is also one of the places where motorcycle-taxis and hire cars wait. Keep small kyat notes handy for motorcycle-taxis and rickshaws, and confirm the fare before you ride. Ask your hotel to arrange a car if you want a fixed price or a longer trip out of town.
Where to stay
Myeik's accommodation splits between a handful of established hotels and the ultra-basic guesthouses clustered around the main piers. The pier guesthouses are the cheapest-looking option on paper, but conditions are often grim, and the rates quoted to foreigners can be astronomical. A couple of state-run hotels also operate in the city.
- Eain Taw Phyu Hotel, on Kan Phyar Road, has tended to rate as the best accommodation in Myeik.
- White Pearl Guest House (Palel Phyu), on Middle Strand Road in Talaingsu Quarter, offers a high standard of service, including breakfast and free Wi-Fi, with check-out at noon.
- Regent Hotel, also on Kan Phyar Road, is a newer three-star property with pool facilities.
- Kyal Pyan Hotel, on C Road (Gon Yon Road) in Daweisu Quarter, provides a similarly high standard of service, including breakfast and free Wi-Fi, and also has a noon check-out.
Food & drink
In the evening, a food market sets up by the waterfront on Strand Road, and around town you'll find plenty of small establishments serving good food and fresh juices. The local specialty to look for is Kite Gyi Kite, a fried rice noodle dish topped with chicken, pork or seafood. You choose the flavour yourself — sour, sweet, hot, or a mix of sour and hot or sour, salt and hot.
Fresh fruit juices are widely available, including banana, papaya and mango. A famous local drink is sweet nipa juice, known locally as Dal Ni Yay Cho, tapped from the nipa palm during the cool season, so it only appears from October to December. Drink it on its own or with boiled sticky rice — never with sour or other foods, as the combination is said to cause diarrhea. Sweet nipa juice shops are found in Shan Chaung quarter on Dal Ni Yay Cho Street, about a 30-minute taxi ride from downtown.
What to see and do
The Big Reclining Buddha sits on the island across the harbour, and the Theiñdawgyí and Màhartheintdîzàyà pagodas are the town's principal religious monuments. Dress reasonably and keep your legs covered — long skirts falling halfway between the knee and ankle are fine, shorts are not, for men or women alike. Longyi are available at the ticket booth if you arrive insufficiently covered. As at nearly all Buddhist monuments, footwear is not permitted: remove your shoes at the gates before entering the complex, or carry a plastic shopping bag, drop your shoes in, and carry it with you along the walkways and platforms — the Myanmar way. If you can, time your visit to the early morning or late afternoon and evening, when the white marble tiles will not burn your feet. Within Paya Ngar Hsuu monastery, which is also a Buddhism school, you can see the Bodhisatta Wai Thandaya King History, carved in concrete statues; the story, written only in Burmese, concerns the king offering his son, daughter and white elephant to a Brahmin for aid in becoming a Buddha, and a guide can translate it for you. Elsewhere in town you can watch lobster farming and crab farming on a small island beside Myeik, see the General Aung San statue, and watch the fishing boats being loaded in the harbour. For a day out, take the ferry to Kadan Island, the first large island west of Myeik, then grab a tuk-tuk to visit some of the villages, where handicrafts are available at good prices. The Kala islands offer beaches, and Kyun Su township lies in the Myeik archipelago. In town, Yay Kan Bound is the biggest lake, with parts of its shoreline accessible on foot and pleasant Myanmar tea shops beside the water; there is also a Power Point with swimming pool and playground, and the Myeik Mingalar 3D cinema.Three days in Myeik
Day one: Start in Myeik itself, the main town of Tanintharyi Region on the Andaman Sea. Walk the streets to get your bearings, then look out over the waterfront where the Myanmar Navy and the Tanintharyi Regional Command are based. Inland from the coast, the terrain rises toward the hills and the route to Thailand via the Singkhon Pass and Maw Pass. The British-era name Mergui still lingers in the air, and the town is your gateway to the Mergui Archipelago.
Day two: Around Myeik, plan a day on the water toward the Mergui Archipelago, the scattered islands that make this corner of Southeast Asia distinctive. If you prefer to stay on land, the road south links Dawei, Bokepyin and Kawthoung, the last of these sitting near the Kawthaung crossing to Thailand. Note that Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays can be busy with domestic travellers, and flights with Myanmar National Airlines from Yangon are the usual way in.
Day three: From October and November onward, conditions suit fast boats, including those run by Five Star Line, though foreigners should check schedules carefully. Walking and motorcycle taxis are useful for getting around town. Base yourself at a place such as the Royal Blossom Hotel, and use the day to fill the gaps left by the first two.