42 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER
A house on stilts in
the Mergui Peninsula;
an isolated bay in the
Kei Islands (above).MYANMAR
Sail to deserted islands
Meander from one unspoiled
island to another under full sail
with Burma Boating. Depending on
who you talk to, the 400-kilometre
stretch of coastline in Myanmar’s
remote south known as the Mergui
Peninsula is home to somewhere
between 800 and a thousand
islands. Most are uninhabited
and you can travel for days
and only exchange waves with
fishermen in canoes. During the
six-day adventure, you’ll anchor
off deserted beaches, snorkel
on colourful reefs and enjoy
sundowners on deck. there’s also
the chance to visit Nyaung Wee
Island, where some of the 3,000
Moken people, who used to live
nomadic lives on the sea, have now
settled. Mergui has only been open
to foreigners since 1997, but the
Moken have lived a traditional life
here for hundreds of generations.
burmaboating.com MIcal
hlaVIca/ShutterStock(keI); courteSY BurMa Boat(MerGuI)INDONESIA
Lost in paradise
If you find the crowds of Bali a
little off-putting, head to the kei
Islands. Despite being located in
the remote Maluku Province on the
edge of the Banda Sea, it’s easily
accessed from ambon. thankfully
for seekers of pure bliss, not that
many people seem to realise it –
only 300 tourists visited in 2016.
there are kilometres of soft white
beaches, good snorkelling and an
underground cave with a natural
swimming hole called Goa hawang.
accommodation tends to be in
guesthouses, the local people are
friendly and you can go from village
to village on scooters. Want to get
away from everything? this is the
spot. indonesia.travel