Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Boulder Bay Eco Resort on Boulder Island, also known as Nga Khin Nyo Gyi Island. The journey to this remote paradise was straightforward and I didn’t even need to go through Yangon, the capital of Myanmar. Instead, I took a more direct route from Ranong on Thailand’s west coast.
My trip began with an overnight bus from Bangkok to Ranong, although flights are easily available. The early morning arrival gave me time to enjoy breakfast at the Ranong pier before the immigration office opened at 8 AM. After clearing immigration, I boarded a longtail boat for a 20-minute river crossing to Kawthaung, Myanmar. Having crossed this river several times before, it was wonderful to return to Myanmar, one of my favorite countries, known for its incredibly warm people. Kawthaung has a charming vibe, offering a fantastic introduction to the country, especially for first-time visitors.
I spent a night at the Honey Bear Hotel, which is conveniently located near the pier from where the Boulder Bay Eco Resort boat departs in the early morning. Spending an evening in Kawthaung allowed me to explore the local market and stock up on Burmese snacks for my stay on Boulder Island.
The Photogenic Kids of Kawthaung
The following morning, I helped the island resort’s staff load the boat with bags of rice and other food supplies. By 9 AM, we set off for Boulder Island on a pleasant journey across the sea. This is where my adventure truly began, with the stunning scenery and the promise of a memorable stay at the Boulder Bay Eco Resort.
The Mergui Archipelago, locally known as the Myeik Archipelago, is an unspoiled paradise and one of my favourite places on our planet.
From high above the archipelago, the islands appear to form three vague strings, spread out over many miles. Located in the westernmost reaches of the archipelago, about 85 kilometres (53 mi) west of mainland Myanmar and Thailand, Boulder Island is remote and pristine, earning its name from the gigantic rounded boulders scattered along its shores, some stacked into gravity-defying formations like immense stone sculptures.
Beyond its bizarre rocky landscapes, Boulder Island’s interior harbours lush jungle while idyllic beaches tucked into protected coves are scattered along the coast. With no villages or roads, and only one small eco-resort, Boulder Island remains virtually untouched by civilisation.
The island’s remote location and limited development have preserved its clear waters and vibrant coral reefs, making it one of the Myeik Archipelago’s top spots for snorkeling and diving. While exploring the underwater world, keep an eye out for juvenile black-tip reef sharks, playful sea otters, and large schools of small fish swimming just off the beach. The natural beauty and abundant marine life make this island a must-visit for underwater enthusiasts.
The Sea Gipsy on its scenic voyage to Boulder Island
Jungle trails link all eight beaches, offering you a path to a hidden paradise where beauty and solitude await.
Each beach reveals new surprises from gravity-defying boulder formations to secluded snorkelling spots and beautiful shells. They share soft white sands and crystal clear turquoise waters. The trails also lead to lookout points for panoramic views over the island and the sea.
This rugged and unspoiled island is excellent for birding with a diverse array of bird species—spot the white-bellied sea eagles, Brahminy kites, Nicobar pigeons and many more. The chirpy white-rumped shama will unquestionably wake you up early with its beautiful songs.
The jungles are home to a couple of harmless monitor lizards and reticulated pythons, but rest assured, there are no dangerous animals or insects to worry about, making it perfectly safe to explore.
The island’s only accommodation is the privately owned solar-powered Boulder Bay Eco Resort tucked behind the lush fish poison trees and screw pines of Boulder Beach. This small, cosy resort was built to sustainably integrate into the island’s ecology.
The resort offers seafront bungalows as well as bungalows nestled among the trees. Constructed in the traditional Burmese style with wooden frames and walls, and local palm-leaf roofs, none of the building materials other than bamboo have been harvested from the island.
The ample supply of fresh water is pumped from a well and meticulously filtered to ensure it is clean and safe to drink.
Close to the adjacent beach is the large Yoga Centre, a versatile space for yoga, meditation, meetings, and any other events.
Arriving at Boulder Beach on Boulder Island
Take advantage of the resort’s fully equipped dive center, complete with a qualified dive instructor, kayaks, and snorkeling gear to help you explore the surrounding and nearby reefs.
The area is teeming with fish and invertebrate life. In the shallows, you’ll find a diverse array of coral species, as well as parrotfish, pipefish, butterflyfish, snapper, grouper, and a vibrant collection of sea anemones with their resident clownfish.
While diving, you may see shark species such as black-tip reef sharks, as well as eagle and manta rays, giant stingrays, octopus, seahorses, frogfish, scorpionfish, ribbon eels, ornate ghost pipefish, schools of barracuda, rainbow runners, tuna, trevally, Spanish mackerel—the list is almost endless.
Alternatively, take a multi-day sea safari on the custom-designed live-aboard Burmese-style junk, the MV Sea Gipsy, ideal for snorkelling, adventure excursions and romantic overnight trips. The tastefully decorated boat features five comfortable open-air gazebo areas on the main and upper deck which are transformed into beds with curtains and mosquito nets at night, and two bathrooms with toilets and freshwater showers on the main deck.
The expansive sundeck invites guests to soak up the sun on wooden deck chairs or unwind under the stars with a glass of wine. There are also other areas designed for relaxation, whether you prefer basking in the sun or finding a spot in the shade.
With the snorkelling gear aboard the boat, explore the world below the surface teeming with iridescent reef fish that glitter like jewels and corals glowing with life.
View over Boulder Beach and the Boulder Bay Eco Resort Camouflaged by the lush trees
The MV Sea Gipsy cruises between several islands where you can stroll along picturesque beaches, try sea kayaking, swim in crystal-clear turquoise waters, and go snorkelling. You may also meet the local inhabitants, such as Burmese fishermen and the Moken people.
To fully enjoy everything the resort has to offer, consider splitting your stay between a few days in a bungalow and a few days aboard the boat. Keep in mind that the resort is closed during monsoon season, when rough seas and long stretches of rain are common.
Boulder Island is a gem among the many islands of the Myeik Archipelago, renowned for its stunning natural beauty and unique opportunity to connect with nature. With the Boulder Bay Eco Resort, your stay on the island is both comfortable and unforgettable.
Arguably the most well-known island in the archipelago is also one of its largest. Lampi Island, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the Myanmar mainland, is around 48 kilometres (30 mi) long and five kilometres (3 mi) wide. The island is home to the National Wildlife and Marine Park which protects over 1,000 species of animals, plants and marine life in the Myeik archipelago and was declared an ASEAN Heritage Park in 2003.
As Myanmar’s sole marine national park, it boasts rich biodiversity, with a wide variety of plant species thriving in its extensive mangrove forests. Among its diverse birdlife, you’ll find several species that are classified as threatened, such as the plain-pouched hornbill and the Wallace’s hawk-eagle.
Some of the more unique bird species on Lampi Island include the white-bellied sea eagle, Nicobar pigeon, crested partridge, red-throated sunbird, brown-winged kingfisher, Pacific reef heron, emerald dove, and many others.
Look out for loggerhead and green sea turtles, Sunda pangolin and dugong on and around Lampi island. The region’s diverse range of wildlife also includes spectacled leaf monkeys, gibbons, reticulated pythons, monitor lizards, oriental small-clawed otters, lesser mouse-deer, civets, and many more. Sometimes crab-eating macaques can be seen foraging for crabs on the rocky shores.
Spectacled leaf monkey, Myeik Archipelago
The park is home to many globally threatened species, including various amphibians, reptiles, sea turtles, mammals, fish, crabs, sea snails, and sea slugs, along with bivalve molluscs, sea cucumbers, seaweed, seagrasses, and an impressive 333 species of plankton.
Activities here include canoeing on the two perennial rivers on the west side of the island where the best-conserved mangrove forests are to be found, and hiking in the jungle. While official hiking trails throughout the archipelago are still very limited, if you are adventurous enough to take on the dense forests, you will find hiking through jungles on the islands to be one of the most rewarding experiences in the region.
Explore the traditional Moken villages, where houses are built on stilts along, and over, the crystal-clear waters of the Andaman Sea, allowing these semi-nomadic sea gypsies to keep an eye on their boats.
Across a 220 metre-wide (722 ft) channel known as Salet Galet cove at the westernmost tip of Lampi Island is Wa Ale Island. The protective cove is a popular anchorage for fishing boats in the fairly shallow waters, particularly during turbulent weather. A tiny island in the cove is home to a small community of tanaka-painted Moken people.
Wa Ale Island is famed for its pristine, kilometer-long white-sand beaches, bordered by rocky cliffs and backed by lush evergreen jungle.
As well as relaxing on the white-sand beaches, recreational activities include snorkelling and scuba diving, hiking through the dense jungle, paddle boarding and kayaking through the inlets of the dense mangroves forests. Kayaking and paddle boarding offer great opportunities to move slowly across the shallows that skirt the enchanted mangrove forests and up the small rivers, while getting a glimpse of the many small creatures living in these shallow protected waters.
The undisturbed coral reefs of the Myeik Archipelago
As my journey through the Myeik Archipelago came to an end, I left the untouched beauty of its islands with a sense of awe.
The pristine beaches, dense jungles, and vibrant underwater life have shown me a world that remains largely unexplored, while the warmth of the Burmese fishermen and the Moken people have added a human touch to my tropical paradise adventure.
The challenges facing this archipelago serve as a reminder of our duty to safeguard these natural treasures for future generations. As I said goodbye, I left with more than just memories of breathtaking landscapes—I carried a renewed sense of responsibility to preserve these remarkable places.
Whether you’re an adventurous spirit or simply a nature enthusiast, the Myeik Archipelago is waiting to be explored. So go and experience its beauty, and play your part in keeping this paradise pristine.
On my way back to Thailand I spent a few more days in the town of Kawthaung which is separated from Thailand’s Ranong Province by a broad estuary of the Pakchan River. Known as Victoria Point during the British rule of Burma between 1824 and 1948, it is a charming, laid-back town straddling the hills between the Kra Buri River and the Andaman Sea.
Several points of interest here include the 21-metre-high (69 ft) Pyi Daw Aye Pagoda on a hill overlooking the town. Built in 1949, the temple features eight meditation niches representing the eight days of the Buddhist week, and 14 Buddha images. About three kilometres (2 mi) further north is the Mey Paw Kyan Pagoda.
The Pyi Daw Aye Pagoda, Kawthaung
Explore the large area of stilted houses along the edge of the river at the northeastern end of town with a few restaurants and drinking spots. At low tide, the residents scour the muddy riverbed for molluscs and crabs, while at high tide the kids run along the wobbly planks connecting the houses and then jump into the water to play like fish. The people are very welcoming and curious to engage with visitors.
The downtown area has a few small restaurants serving authentic Burmese food, as well as coffee shops and interesting markets. At the southern tip is the Nagayone Temple right at the water’s edge. Nearby is the Kawthaung Grand Spirit Shrine.
For more information, contact via [email protected]. An even better way to enjoy these islands is to combine a stay at the resort on Boulder Island, with a few nights cruising around the islands with their boat, the Sea Gipsy. So please ask the resort at time of booking if a combo package is available.
For information about the Sea Gipsy cruises, check out the island safaris website https://islandsafarimergui.com/ or email to [email protected].
The soft white sands of Boulder Beach, Boulder Island
