Visitors from Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Macau were granted visa-free entry last year, and Indian and mainland Chinese nationals were also granted visa-on-arrival into Myanmar in a move to draw more Asian visitors to the country.

“We hope the new regulation will lead to more foreign travellers visiting Myanmar so they can discover the country’s unique culture and, most of all, the hospitality of its people,” said May Myat Mon Win, Chairperson of Myanmar Tourism Marketing.

Gordon Fernandes, who heads up Asia Pacific Superyachts Myanmar, reports: “The new regulations will help bring more superyachts to Myanmar.”

He said, “Phuket, with its excellent marinas and vibrant island life, is used by many as a base for the yachting season (November to April) when planning a voyage on to Myanmar.”

Departing the Asia Superyacht Hub of Phuket, vessels can journey to the entrance of the southern province of Myanmar, the border town of Kawthaung.

“This is also the high season for visiting the Myeik (Mergui) Archipelago in Myanmar, with December to March offering the most beautiful and comfortable conditions – warm, sunny weather, steady winds and calm seas.

Fernandes noted, “There is less wind and higher temperatures in March and April, however, which also makes for clearer waters and the best time for diving and snorkelling among the hundreds of extraordinary, uninhabited islands.

“On entering Kawthaung, you are literally at the gateway to the vast and beautiful Mergui Archipelago, one of the world’s last paradises. Only a few places on earth can match the untamed wilderness and primal seclusion of this incredible archipelago.”

asia-pacific-superyachts.com