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Undiscovered Burma... Luxury Sailing in the Mergui Archipelago
11 days from £5,775 for 2023 per person
Are you looking for a new way to experience Burma? We have the answer: a 12-night luxury adventure featuring her heavyweight cultural highlights – Yangon, with its glittering gold Shwedagon Pagoda, and the staggering temples of the Bagan plains – before setting off on a 5-night voyage through Burma’s Mergui Archipelago, which remains one of Asia’s most unspoilt and unchartered destinations.
SY Meta IV is our favourite vessel to go sailing in Burma – a gorgeous two-mast sail boat made entirely of Thai teak, she is the star of an elite fleet of luxury vessels which launched here in 2013. Eighty-five feet long with 4 air-conditioned cabins, her size, facilities and remote route makes SY Meta IV one of the most exciting luxury sailing experiences in Asia. Virtually unknown to the outside world, the Mergui Archipelago is located in Myanmar's remote south: a group of 800 sparsely populated islands with white beaches, swaying palm trees and dense jungle. Azure waters are swimming with colourful reef fish and spotting corals, and above water you can see eagles circling, gibbons and monitor lizards eyeing you from the thickets, while a sundowner is being mixed for you on board the yacht.
During your voyage you will be taken care of by a crew of 4, including a captain, a guide, a chef and a deckhand. Ampersand are happy to book the entire boat for your exclusive use, but this suggested tour is priced based on booking 1 cabin (full-board).
This luxury holiday is a suggested itinerary; it can be booked as it is or used as a starting point for creating your ideal tour of Burma. If you would like to see similar trips, take a look at our collection of Honeymoons and Family Holidays, as well as our Ultimate Luxury, Active, Beach, Scuba Diving, and Sailing itineraries.
Itinerary details
11 days from £5,775 for 2023 per person
- Day 1 - Belmond Governor's Residence - Yangon (Rangoon)
Arrive in Yangon in the afternoon and transfer to The Governor's Residence, Burma’s most charming and sought after hotel. - Day 2 - Belmond Governor's Residence - Yangon (Rangoon)
Visit the National Museum & Scott's Market in the morning. Watch the sunset over Shwedagon Pagoda. - Day 3 - Aureum Palace - Bagan
Morning flight to Bagan. Spend the afternoon exploring the temples & pagodas of Bagan. - Day 4 - Aureum Palace - Bagan
Optional sunrise balloon ride. Spend the rest of the morning visiting temples & pagodas. Afternoon at leisure. - Day 5 - The Strand - Yangon (Rangoon)
Fly back to Yangon. Check in at The Strand, a colonial-era grand dame hotel with a fantastic downtown location. - Day 6 - SY Meta IV - Mergui Archipelago
Early morning flight to Kawthaung airport and after lunch board Meta IV. Set sail for Hastings Island to enjoy its beautiful, footprint-free beach. - Day 7 - SY Meta IV - Mergui Archipelago
Sailing to the south-west of Lampi Island where the marine national park begins. Spend the afternoon and evening in a "sea gypsy" village meeting the locals. - Day 8 - SY Meta IV - Mergui Archipelago
Head to the next bay to enjoy brunch on a long, white beach and cruise through a mangrove forest in a dinghy boat. Sailing for three hours in the afternoon and drop anchor in a tiny bay surrounded by forest for optional hiking. - Day 9 - SY Meta IV - Mergui Archipelago
Pick up fresh lobsters from a fishing boat and head to Pila Island, a serene secluded spot for a beach barbecue under the stars. - Day 10 - SY Meta IV - Mergui Archipelago
Go scuba diving or enjoy a Thai cookery class. Sail for a few hours and in the evening drop anchor for a farewell party on board without music, just listening to the sounds of the jungle. - Day 11 - In transit.
Sail back to Kawthaung and on to Ranong airport (near the Thai border) for your flight home via Bangkok.
Places of Interest
AccommodationTravelling is like flirting with life. It's like saying, 'I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station.
Lisa St. Aubin de Teran
