Myeik

Myeik (Mergui) is a city in the Tanintharyi Division in Southeastern Myanmar.

Understand

Mergui was the name given by the British to the southernmost part of Myanmar. The Mergui Archipelago was off-limits to foreigners until 1997. Although it is now open for tourism, access is limited and it remains largely unexplored. It has a beautiful seaport. The weather is neither too hot nor too cold. Most of the people are Buddhists. There are many important offices, hospitals, hotels, banks, schools, universities and Myeik shopping center. Many high-rise buildings have been built. Myeik is famous for its products such as pearls, rubber, edible bird's nests, dried fish, dried prawns and ngapi (shrimp paste). Fresh seafood (such as fish, prawns, crabs), fruits and vegetables are plentiful. The people are friendly, honest, helpful, generous and religious.

Get in

There is a road north to Dawei and south to Bokepyin and Kawthoung, now available for foreigners.

By plane

Myanmar National Airlines has daily flights from Yangon. Myanmar National Airlines flights (typically once a week) to Bokepyin may also be available.

Flights may be cancelled with little or no advance notice, due to lïack of bookings, the weather, or any number of other unpredictable circumstances.

50 min Kawthaung to Myeik flight approx US$55 / 95,000 kyat (April 2022). Not much to see from the plane due to air pollution. Skies are clear after rainy season, in Oct-Nov.

By boat

Fast ferries run to/from Dawei to the north (~4 hr, US$20 for foreigners).

Five Star Line passenger ships may call here (approximately fortnightly) en route from Kawthoung to Yangon and/or vice-versa. Five Star Line have an office opposite the main piers. Foreigners must pay very high prices (~US$100+), but the first-class 2-berth cabins are quite comfortable.

By bus

There are a couple of companies offering minivan connection to/from Kawthoung (10-12 hr, 25,000 kyat), Bokepyin and Dawei (bus leaves Dawei at 10:00 and 17:00, 8-10 hr, 12,000 kyat).

By bicycle

The road south to Bokepyin/Kawthaung is physically very challenging. Even though fully paved the street is a constant up and down with immense inclinations of >10% - and that for about 250-300 km. The only accommodation is the state owned Royal Blossom Hotel in Tanintharyi - else one has to rely on monasteries or (illegal) wild camping.

Get around

By taxi

Most of transportation services are motorcycle-taxi. Can hire everywhere at downtown, airport, jetty and high-way bus station. Go around to downtown by motorcycle-taxi (prices are 3,000-5,000 kyat).

A few of transportation service is car-taxi. Can hire via hotel or at jetty, airport and high-way bus station (prices are 5,000-7,000 kyat).

  • Kyeal Gu Bridge (on Tanintharyi river) pass to Kyaung Pyar from Kyeal Gu village, take a taxi one to a few hours to there from Myeik.
  • Downtown, on foot, or by motorcycle-taxi or cycle rickshaw.
  • Pahtaw-Pahtet Hill, longtail boats operate as ferries across the harbour.
  • Bo Taung Waterfall, is situated at outside of town, and near Bo Taung monastery (take a taxi an hour).

By motorbike

Motorbikes can be rent at hostels or arranged by some locals at the riverside.

See
  • Big Reclining Buddha (on the island across the harbour).
  • The Theiñdawgyí and The Màhartheintdîzàyà pagodas. Dress reasonably and keep your legs covered (long skirts, halfway between the knee and ankle, are fine; shorts, on men or women, are not). Longyi are available at the ticket booth if you arrive insufficiently covered. As with nearly all Buddhist monuments, footwear is not permitted. Almost all visitors (and all locals) remove their footwear at the gates before even setting foot inside the complex. There are places to leave you shoes at the bottom of every walkway. Or carry a plastic shopping bag, pop your shoes into that bag, and carry it around with you while on the walkways and platforms (that is Burmese way). If you can, visit during the early morning or the late afternoon/evening so that white marble tiles do not burn your feet.
  • Bodhisatta Wai Thandaya King History is situated within Paya Ngar Hsuu monastery (also Buddhism school). The story is written only in Burmese. You might use a guide to translate for you. It is about the king offering his son, daughter and white elephant to a Brahmin for aid in becoming a Buddha. That history is carved in concrete in statues.
  • Lobster farming.
  • General Aung San statue.
  • Loading of the fishing boats in the harbour.
  • Islands sight-seeing and Downtown sight-seeing.
  • Kala islands (beaches).
  • Kyun Su township (Myeik archipelago).
  • Crab farming (on small island) beside of Myeik.

Do
  • Power Point, swimming pool and playground.
  • Myeik Mingalar 3D cinema.
  • Yay Kan Bound is the biggest lake in town. Some parts of lake's shorelines are accessible on foot, also can fine nice Myanmar Tea shops beside of lake!

Buy

Local banks have ATMs that accept Visa and MasterCard for withdrawals.

  • Seink Nge Zaygyi (local name) is the biggest market in Myeik. You can buy fresh fruits and Myanmar pancakes (bake moke) there.
  • Myeik Shopping Center is situated at the end of Strand Road. It has two floors. A supermarket, jewel shops, dress shops, baby shops, ATM boxes and a 3D ghost house are on the first floor, and furniture shops, restaurants, coffeehouses and games hall are on the second floor.
  • Market Garden Shopping Mall is situated at the end of Strand Road. It has four floors. A supermarket is on ground floor. Jewelry shops, dress shops, baby shops, ATM boxes and furniture shops are on the second and third floor. Gymnasium is at rooftop.

Eat

On strand road, there is a food market by the water front in the evening (16:00-22:00).

There are numerous small establishments with good food and fresh juices.

  • Kite Gyi Kite (local name) is a fried rice noddles with chicken or pork and sea foods (1,000 kyat for white meat/a plate - 1,500 or 2,000 kyat for sea foods/a plate ). It taste is up to you (such as sour, sweet, hot, mixed sour and hot, mixed sour-salt-hot).

Drink

There are lots of restaurants.

  • Fresh fruit juices (such as banana, papaya, mango, etc.). 1,500 or 2,000 kyats for a glass.
  • Sweet nipa juice (locally called Dal Ni Yay cho), is a famous juice in Myeik. 1,000 or 1,500 kyat for a bottle. Only available from October to December, because this juice is taken out from the nipa palm on cool season. It cannot be drunk mixed with sour foods or any food, only mixed with boiled sticky rice (400 kyat for a plate), or else it will cause diarrhea. Can find sweet nipa juice shops at Shan Chaung quarter, Dal Ni Yay Cho Street, take a taxi 30 min to there from downtown.

Sleep

There are several ultra-basic "guesthouses" in the area around the main piers, a few of which accept foreigners. Often, conditions are grim and prices for foreigners are astronomical.

There are a couple of state-run hotels.

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