Awei Pila Myanmar an exclusive resort set on a remote tropical island in country’s Mergui Archipelago, will open its doors to guests on December 15 just in time to celebrate Christmas or the New Year in the sun.
Owned by the Yangon-based Memories Group, the newly constructed property on the secluded island of Pila will feature 24 air-conditioned tented villas fronting a white-sand beach, an open-air restaurant, and spa.
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 island has a single source of fresh water, 10 as yet unexplored sandy beaches, a host of birds including hornbills, 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.
If you are debating whether you should visit Myanmar at the moment, why not read Johan Smits’ article on the subject: Ethical Travel Dilemma, To Boycott or Not to Boycott. Or if you want to go further afield in the Southeast Asian country, why not follow Marissa Carruthers on her Myanmar Travel, Off the Beaten Track, and discover another side to Myanmar.
General Manager Jon Bourbaud describes the resort as “barefoot luxury at its finest,” and says it is his team’s primary aim to create minimum impact on this idyllic environment.
Awei Pila Myanmar, Mergui Archipelago, will be open seasonally (closed June to September every year). All-inclusive packages start at US$750 per day for a villa for two persons.
For more information about the resort, or to book rooms at the Awei Pila, click here.