AWEI PILA, MERGUI ARCHIPELAGO
It’s always great to discover new destinations, especially one so close to home. The Mergui Archipelago lies off the far southern coast of Myanmar. Comprised of hundreds of islands, with coral reefs and uninhabited beaches, it’s a haven for birds, notably the plain-pouched hornbill, as well as marine life like dugongs and turtles. The secluded Pila Island is located in the Mergui Archipelago and is 80km offshore, north-west of Kawthoung, literally the furthest south you
can drive in Myanmar. A two-hour speedboat ride from the mainland, Pila is nestled among a labyrinth of some 800 islands, atolls and coral reefs, which were, until recently, a haven only to wayward mariners, pirates and a handful of indigenous Moken or ‘sea gypsy’ fishing families.
The newly opened Awei Pila features 24 air-conditioned tented villas fronting a white-sand beach, an open-air restaurant, and spa. The isolated beach is surrounded by virgin forest with views out to the open Andaman Sea. The natural bay embraces a 600m long beach front, which is divided into two by a large rock formation that adds to the privacy. There isn’t a great deal to do here, which is part of its charm. The island has a single source of fresh water, 10 as yet unexplored sandy beaches, a host of birds, and coves alive with fish, dugongs and turtles. The local village boasts a rickety wooden pier, a Buddhist temple and a single beach-shack bar with a pool table. Barefoot luxury at its finest, we say.
