Kayaking the Mergui Archipelago
Hillary Easom, the Travel Queen, shares . . .
In March 2004, my husband Eric and I joined a kayak safari in southern Myanmar (formerly known as Burma).
Here are my impressions from the experience:
To begin the trip, we were picked up at our villa in Bang Niang, Thailand, from where we drove about four hours north to Ranong, Thailand. In Ranong we hopped on a longboat ferry that took us across the waters to Kawthaung, Myanmar, where we met our fearless French guide, Cedric. Another three-hour ride on a former naval commando boat (in an unlikely torrential downpour), and we arrived at our island.
Picture Tom Hanks's character in Castaway. Add to the image a gourmet cook, two porters to set up and take care of a luxury tent village, a boat driver, and two personal guides, and you can envision this trip. Another paradise here on earth. Our tent had two thick mattresses with soft pillows, crisp sheets, and a vestibule large enough for all of our gear and then some. One of the two screen doors allowed us to look right out onto the beach when we awoke every morning. This was where we did a couple of our own yoga sessions, several swims, and some sunset strolls. Aside from the staff and our four fellow travelers, there was literally no one around for miles, save the many fishing boats searching for squid in the night.
Every day we paddled, snorkeled, and/or hiked through rugged terrain, exploring new areas of this virgin sea. The snorkeling was outstanding. We struggled to remember all the species seen underwater as we perused the reef fish book each night. Eric's favorite were the clownfish— Nemo's cousins! We paddled into caves, through nooks and crannies, and in calm and not-so-calm seas, by the light of the sun and the light of the stars, returning home each evening to a huge Thai meal.
One morning we hiked a trail that required us to trudge then even swim through a low river, as the tide was so high! We paddled through mangrove forests to get here. We're talking real adventure here, campers. Crocodile Dundee, watch out!
This story cannot end without mentioning our favorite new friends, the macaque family who lived near our tent village. These primates came to visit every morning at breakfast time and every afternoon just in time for lunch. While we only fed them a few bananas and some tropical fruits, they hung out for an hour at a time, entertaining us to no end. After the first two meals, we recognized each one and began to notice different aspects of each one's personality. I, not surprisingly, wanted to pick them up but knew this would not be a good idea—wild animals should stay wild unless someone is going to stay with them for good. (It was hard, though, with the babies!)
SEAL also runs live-a-board diving trips to this area, and we would highly recommend them. The service, food, equipment, and itinerary were 5-star, and we paid only $800 per person for the 7-day trip. Their website is www.seal-asia.com.
© Hillary Easom 2004
(from www.hillanderic.com)
In March 2004, my husband Eric and I joined a kayak safari in southern Myanmar (formerly known as Burma).
Here are my impressions from the experience:
To begin the trip, we were picked up at our villa in Bang Niang, Thailand, from where we drove about four hours north to Ranong, Thailand. In Ranong we hopped on a longboat ferry that took us across the waters to Kawthaung, Myanmar, where we met our fearless French guide, Cedric. Another three-hour ride on a former naval commando boat (in an unlikely torrential downpour), and we arrived at our island.
Picture Tom Hanks's character in Castaway. Add to the image a gourmet cook, two porters to set up and take care of a luxury tent village, a boat driver, and two personal guides, and you can envision this trip. Another paradise here on earth. Our tent had two thick mattresses with soft pillows, crisp sheets, and a vestibule large enough for all of our gear and then some. One of the two screen doors allowed us to look right out onto the beach when we awoke every morning. This was where we did a couple of our own yoga sessions, several swims, and some sunset strolls. Aside from the staff and our four fellow travelers, there was literally no one around for miles, save the many fishing boats searching for squid in the night.
Every day we paddled, snorkeled, and/or hiked through rugged terrain, exploring new areas of this virgin sea. The snorkeling was outstanding. We struggled to remember all the species seen underwater as we perused the reef fish book each night. Eric's favorite were the clownfish— Nemo's cousins! We paddled into caves, through nooks and crannies, and in calm and not-so-calm seas, by the light of the sun and the light of the stars, returning home each evening to a huge Thai meal.
One morning we hiked a trail that required us to trudge then even swim through a low river, as the tide was so high! We paddled through mangrove forests to get here. We're talking real adventure here, campers. Crocodile Dundee, watch out!
This story cannot end without mentioning our favorite new friends, the macaque family who lived near our tent village. These primates came to visit every morning at breakfast time and every afternoon just in time for lunch. While we only fed them a few bananas and some tropical fruits, they hung out for an hour at a time, entertaining us to no end. After the first two meals, we recognized each one and began to notice different aspects of each one's personality. I, not surprisingly, wanted to pick them up but knew this would not be a good idea—wild animals should stay wild unless someone is going to stay with them for good. (It was hard, though, with the babies!)
SEAL also runs live-a-board diving trips to this area, and we would highly recommend them. The service, food, equipment, and itinerary were 5-star, and we paid only $800 per person for the 7-day trip. Their website is www.seal-asia.com.
© Hillary Easom 2004
(from www.hillanderic.com)
posted by Allyn Evans at 8:43 AM
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