Anyone cruised in Burma ( Myanmar )?

[melissajenks]

I've been searching the forums for a while now, but aside from finding comparisons of the US government to the Burmese one in its draconian policy of occasionally charging anchorage fees, I'm not having much luck. Has anyone actually cruised the immensely tempting Burmese coast? I believe that from the reading I've been doing the government is opening up and this may be the future untouched cruising ground, what Thailand was 30 years ago. Any thoughts?

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by melissajenks

I've been searching the forums for a while now, but aside from finding comparisons of the US government to the Burmese one in its draconian policy of occasionally charging anchorage fees, I'm not having much luck. Has anyone actually cruised the immensely tempting Burmese coast? I believe that from the reading I've been doing the government is opening up and this may be the future untouched cruising ground, what Thailand was 30 years ago. Any thoughts?

Very intresting place for sure,lots of heavy weight traffic thru /around,hard to navigate..good luck

[MarkJ]

Yes, someone I was speaking to a few months ago did it recently. Just cant think who it was....

I dont think there was any vast problmes just no marina type facilities, of course.
If I can remember who, and theres no other responses here, I'll email them.

[melissajenks]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

Very intresting place for sure,lots of heavy weight traffic thru /around,hard to navigate..good luck

Tropicalescape, have you been? Looking for someone who has knowledge of the visa situation, etc. MarkJ, if you think of who you were speaking to, I'd love to know! I wasn't sure it was even possible.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by melissajenks

Tropicalescape, have you been? Looking for someone who has knowledge of the visa situation, etc. MarkJ, if you think of who you were speaking to, I'd love to know! I wasn't sure it was even possible.

No I have not,but it has got to be a funky place to visit w/recent changes and all.. I was told by a friend from Laos that it is all fake as far as the "opeaning up" was concerned,said the secret police and Junta spooks still wave a heavy fist..Seems Mrs .Aung is also not "relevent" anymore from what she tells me and that most think that the opening was really a way to "lull" the population into complacentcy(sp?) as there was going to be a revolution otherwise and that China was advising them to do this fake "opening up" to avert the coming revoltion and then in a few years something profound would come along and they would revert to the next five year plan and not have to deal with the revolution,course this gal is a little to the right when it comes to such matters so take it with a grain of salt..

[melissajenks]

From what I'm finding, cruising there may require a guide from the Myanmar tourist officials and is pretty pricy, too. I still'd like to be one of the first ones there. Does anyone have experience cruising with a guide aboard? (Aside from the Canals, I suppose.) Or in avoiding bringing a guide aboard?

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by melissajenks

From what I'm finding, cruising there may require a guide from the Myanmar tourist officials and is pretty pricy, too. I still'd like to be one of the first ones there. Does anyone have experience cruising with a guide aboard? (Aside from the Canals, I suppose.) Or in avoiding bringing a guide aboard?

The Guide may well be a guard as sectarian violence is rampant,whole villiages being burned,mass killings and all that ugly mess..

[undercutter]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

The Guide may well be a guard as sectarian violence is rampant,whole villiages being burned,mass killings and all that ugly mess..

We left our boat in Thailand in the spring and before we flew out did a little checking as we thought it might be worth going this winter during the NE Monsoon. Nothing has changed from the requirements that are posted on Noonsite.
Yes you can go! Fees are high with the sailing permit in excess of 2k US plus, plus, plus. The guard "guide" never leaves the deck even if you do to go ashore. He is there to report on the movements of the boat to his government and to ensure that you follow your sail plan and not stray into prohibited areas.

I do not think that they are ready for the likes of us yet!!

Even if the area turned into full blown democracy, I imagine it will be many years before the rules will change.

[melissajenks]

Yes, it looks as if the permit is $2500, plus additional fees for the guide, etc. I'd still like to be among the first there, so the permit and fees may be worthwhile, but I am definitely not sure about having someone else aboard my boat for the duration.

There are certainly people traveling there by land who sing its praises: Political changes in Myanmar affecting every day life - Lonely Planet travel forum

And as far as sectarian violence is concerned, here's what happened in my old hometown last weekend: Chicago Gun Violence: Life-Altering Injuries Part Of The Untold Story Of Violence

Not to minimize the real racism against minority groups and Muslims in Burma, especially in the west, away from the cruising grounds where the charters go, in the Andaman (BBC News - EU lifts sanctions against Burma), but I believe that travel is one of the best ways to bring awareness between cultures. It's why I'm a cruiser.

[Boatguy30]

Be a bit tight on your dory there with the guide.

My personal experience is that counties with all these requirement (like Cuba) make cruising too much of a hassle.

[tropicalescape]

I couldnt have a good time thinking that there are angry "passive Buddist" monks advocating for the destruction of other folks! Heck what if they decided that christ aint lord and started looking for others to vent their Nationalism toward..Its never a good thing when people are suffering on such a large scale...People who have nothing,have nothing I want...I wouldnt try to compare Chicago to Burma...

[mausgras]

I'm almost reluctant to show people this because I want to go there before the hordes discover the place. But that is going to be at least 12 or maybe even 24 months away before I can get there.

Anyway, this is a copy of the first paragraph from the Southeast Asia Pilot section on the Mergui group in Myanmar

Myanmar: Mergui archipelago

Imagine more than 800 tropical islands spread over 14,000 square miles of Indian Ocean. Imagine mountainous, jungle covered islands that teem with wildlife, spectacular waterfalls that tumble directly onto white sandy beaches fringed by pristine coral reefs. Imagine no tourists and indigenous tribes with an exotic culture who live nomadic lives aboard their tiny boats. This place really does exist – it is the Mergui Archipelago off the south-west coast of Myanmar.

Ok, Ok thats enough .... but there is more on the Pilot guide website at Southeast Asia Pilot - the definitive cruising guide for the Andaman Sea...and more but please don't tell anyone else.

and No I don't have shares in the company. I just really truly want to go there someday.

[SaucySailoress]

Oh wow, HWMO and I were hoping we'd be able to get there after India - but with fees that high, and hassles that big, it doesn't look like it's going to be on the cards - especially not with the dogs on the boat! I'll follow this with interest though...

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

Oh wow, HWMO and I were hoping we'd be able to get there after India - but with fees that high, and hassles that big, it doesn't look like it's going to be on the cards - especially not with the dogs on the boat! I'll follow this with interest though...

As the OP wrote,You could be one of the first! Gotta be the kind of place where adventure (real)could be found,I love "fresh" places(this one sounds to be too fresh,w/guide/guard on board) There was a story today(Peoples Daily?maybe CCTV english)(tomarrow there)about the access points along the Thai border where one could cross into Burma/Maynmar and teach school without alot of trouble from local Gov. That would be a good way to gain access and explore ones way to coast where boat could be "stashed" in another country(India) ..

[sctpc]

Its an interview with Luca Schueli of Ecoswiss Expeditions who offer the opportunity for sailors to join their research vessel as it explores the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar (Burma). Sailing with Ecoswiss Expeditions in Myanmar | The Sailing Podcast