Myanmar: Stage set for tourism in Mergui

May 25 (TravelAndy): The Myanmar government will allow development of tourism in Mergui, its southernmost archipelago, by the end of this year, reports said.

The Mergui archipelago includes 800 unspoiled islands in the Andaman sea.

“The region has a lot of potential to be a new tourism destination as most of the islands are untouched and have coral reefs,” reports quoted Sai Kyaw Ohn, deputy minister for hotels and tourism, as saying.

“We hope these can attract eco-tourists and divers,” he added.

Environment activists are worried about the impact these developments will have on the local ecology and the way of life.