Burma Myanmar Banner 2019 (5).jpg
Back to Listing

SY Sunshine
Mergui Archipelago

Top 10s logo 

SY Sunshine is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Luxury Sailboats.

Sleeping up to 6 guests in two main staterooms and a spacious aft cabin, Sunshine is the ultimate in luxury when sailing Burma’s (Myanmar's) unexplored Mergui Archipelago. Built according to the original 1900 designs for Glen F. McAndrew of Largs Castle in Scotland, the hull and rig remain identical to that of her predecessor which was bought by the Portuguese Royal family in 1906. The current vessel began construction in 1999 and was officially handed over to the present owner five years later.

Measuring 31 metres above deck and with a beam of 5.6 metres, the interior is handcrafted from teak and rosewood and although it has been improved to comply with modern safety standards it remains luxurious and elegant. The cabins have en-suite bathrooms and air-conditioning with either queen sized beds or bunks. The salon is the full beam width with an impressive dining area, large couch and coffee table while the fully-equipped galley has a fridge, freezer, stove and microwave.

Virtually unknown to the outside world, the Mergui Archipelago is located in Myanmar's remote south: a group of 800 deserted 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. Best of all, you can sail for days on end and meet not a soul but the odd fisherman in a dugout canoe. Just across from the Thai border, the archipelago opened to foreigners as recently as the late 1990s. With only a few of the 800 islands sparsely populated and a couple dozen visitors to the entire area each month, the Mergui Archipelago remains one of the planet’s most unspoilt destinations.

Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 14
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 12
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 16
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 6
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 2
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 11
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 10
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 13
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 15
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 5
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 1
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 9
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 11
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 10
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 13
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 15
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 5
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 1
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 9
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 14
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 12
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 16
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 6
Sunshine Mergui Peninsula Burma 2
The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.
Rudyard Kipling

Client Testimonials

Getting to Amanpulo from Manila was very simple and the beach was the most beautiful I’d ever been on; pristine white sand, not a single piece of rubbish in sight. You get your own solar powered golf buggy to drive around resort (and a butler at request). The views from the Hillside Casita were spectacular!
- Mr Wyburd, Philippines
I would recommend Ampersand without any hesitation!!! The best travel agent that I’ve ever had. Everything – from the individual care and attention in planning the trip, through to the efficiency of the agents on the ground in India – was handled brilliantly. An absolutely first-class service all round!
- Matthew Annable, Rajasthan, India
Difficult to choose the highlight of the trip, can’t choose between… 1) Taj Mahal & Oberoi Amarvilas. 2) Ranthambore. 3) Lake Palace. We have to say a particular thank you for selecting Parmod as our driver. He is a delightful and kind man who took our holiday and our enjoyment as his responsibility. Thank you for putting together such an amazing trip for us. The balance of city and rural destinations was perfect for us and the variety of rooms and hotel types brilliant. Our driver and guides also added so much to the trip with their knowledge of India’s history and culture and their willingness to discuss it both from a professional and personal angle.
- Carruthers family, North India

Let us keep you up to date

Sign up to our newsletter and never miss out on unmissable exclusive luxury experiences