Private yachts have always been welcome to obtain permission to sail in Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago and are governed by the same fees and regulations that apply to charter yachts.

There have been some changes since last year.

* Firstly, the MTT (Ministry of Tourism and Transport) are only renewing existing licenses.

* Secondly, they are allowing yachts to do trips who do not have a license, but those yachts still have to follow all the same formalities as the yachts with licenses + pay an extra USD$1000 per trip in good quality USD$ notes.

Prior to the trip, you will need to provide the following:-

* 4 photos of the yacht – port, starboard, forward and aft

* 4 interior photos

* A copy of the yacht registration, and if it does not have an expiry date, a letter stating that to be a fact – no expiry. Normally they want that on company letterhead.

* If it is not in English it needs to be translated.

* Generally they are happier to receive this application through a company in Phuket who obtains licenses.

* If you or others on your boat have “official Seamans books”, you will not be charged the passenger national parks fees and other fees. This will save you money. If not, you are charged all the fees related to being a passenger.

* Generally a 5-day cruise in The Mergui Archipelago with 4 or 5 people on board, including port fees, customs fee, harbour department, guide fees, MTT fees, will be up to around USD$2,500, in cash, in good quality notes, plus the USD$1000 fee.

* You are required to have a Myanmar guide on board your boat during the trip, and need to tip him around 1000B per day as they get paid very little by the MTT and in 99% of the cases they will be helpful and earn it. You also need to feed them. They will sleep anywhere, including on deck.

* The application to do a trip there needs to be put in 30 days prior to the arrival date and in that application (in addition to what I mentioned above) you need to list crew and passengers with passport numbers, nationalities, DOB, Male or Female etc, and you also need to fill out another form detailing your intended itinerary (which you can deviate from without a problem later).

I have been operating there since 1998, skippering back then my own catamaran. Now I drive a computer and offer services for licenses and single visit assistance with the paperwork required. I have arranged and sent a number of private yachts up there over the years and the basic fact is that it costs!!!

None of the boats have to meet any particular standard and none of the commercial operations pay any tax or have a Myanmar company or work permits or anything. So this is the way the Myanmar government basically get their fees.

It is actually cheaper now for a private yacht to go, as before, a proper license was required even for a single voyage. To get that, it cost 3000US$ through a Phuket agent and then the 2,500US$ costs paid to MTT for distribution to the various departments as well. Now its the USD$2500+1000 “only”.

I think that just about covers everything – it’s a matter of money when it all comes down to it.

Bob Mott
SE Asia Regional Editor
bob@noonsite.com

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.