110SOUTHEASTERN MYANMAR
TANINTHARYI (TENASSERIM) REGION
fi shers occasionally paddle through the cave
for 10 minutes to yet another lake. You may
be able to persuade one to take you along.
Saddar Cave can be traversed only during
the dry season (about November to April)
and is 17 miles from Hpa-an along the road
to Eindu. To get there, take a pick-up to Eindu
(K700). From the village take a motorbike taxi
(K3000) for the remaining 2 miles to the cave.TANINTHARYI
(TENASSERIM) REGIONThe deep south of Myanmar, known as Tanin-
tharyi Region (tns¿;rItiu='"), appears to be a
beach bum’s dream. The coastline consists of
a seemingly untouched archipelago of bridal-
white beaches, and is said to be home to over
4000 islands, though British surveyors recog-
nised only 804. Most are uninhabited, though
a few are home to the Moken, or ‘sea gypsies’,
a nomadic seafaring people (p 312 ).
Unfortunately, for all intents and pur-
poses, visiting these beaches and islands
remains largely a dream.
It's possible for independent foreign
travellers to cross by boat from Thailand
to Kawthoung (see boxed text), or to take
a domestic fl ight (on Tay Za’s Air Bagan or
government-owned Myanma Airways) to
the southern towns of Dawei (Tavoy), Myeik(Mergui) and Kawthoung, but once you hit
the ground you’re restricted to the city limits,
defeating the purpose of visiting this beachy
region. Based on our talks with Myanmar
Travels & Tours and several knowledgeable
tour operators, the only generally approved
way to explore the beaches and islands of
this region is through pre-arranged pack-
age tours with companies that have strong
government ties. Alternatives include book-
ing a seat with Mergui Princess (www.mer
guiprincess.com), an outfi t that runs six-day
cruises from Kawthoung to Mergui, or a stay
at Andaman Club (www.andamanclub.com), a
luxury resort on Thahtay Kyun Island. With
advance notice of at least four weeks, these
entities will fi le the required paperwork for
you, which, we’re told, can get you permis-
sion to cross the border at Kawthoung and
receive a 28-day visa that allows you to exit
the country via Yangon.
If you’re determined to see the region,
but don’t want to contribute money to those
closely linked to the military, the only real
alternative is to join a live-aboard diving
tour departing from southern Thailand.
Recommended outfi ts with experience in
the Mergui Archipelago include Colona
Liveaboards (www.diving-thailand-phuket.com),
Moby Dick Adventures (www.moby-dick
-adventures.com) and Sea Fun Divers (www.
seafundivers.com), all operating out of Phuket.THAILAND BORDER CROSSING: KAWTHOUNGKawthoung (also known as Victoria Point), at the far southern end of Tanintharyi (Tenas-
serim) Region, is a legal crossing point for foreign tourists. Yet, as with all of Myanmar’s
land crossings (or, in this case, water crossings), visits are restricted to a limited number
of days within a limited area, you have to leave your passport at the border, and you’re
generally expected to return the same way you came in. We’ve received a couple reports
of travellers having entered Myanmar via Yangon and, with advance permission from
MTT, exited via Kawthoung, but the offi cial line is that you can cross the border here and
proceed onward only if you’ve already arranged a visit via Mergui Princess or Andaman
Club. For details on doing this, see below.
From Thailand, several travel agencies in Ranong off er ‘visa trips’ for about 400B, but
the trip is easy enough to do unassisted. Boats to Kawthoung leave the Saphan Pla pier,
located about 6 miles from Ranong, regularly from 8am till 4pm (round-trip 200B, 40
minutes). After getting your passport stamped by Thai immigration, board one of the
boats near the immigration offi ce and you’ll be taken to the Myanmar immigration offi ce,
where you must surrender your passport and pay a fee of $10 or 500B for a permit that
allows you to stay in Kawthoung for up to 14 days. If you decide to stay, sights include
the town’s busy waterfront (Strand Rd) and a hilltop temple, Pyi Taw Aye Paya. Your
best bet for accommodation is the centrally located but overpriced Honey Bear Hotel
(%592 1352; Strand Rd; s/d $36/48; a).
It’s worth noting that, if you’re crossing at Ranong to get a fresh Thai tourist visa,
they’re now limited to only 15 days.