Boulder Bay Eco Resort - Nga Khin Nyo Gyee Island — Hotel in Kawthoung District

Boulder Bay Island is a spectacular little island and the nearly all-inclusive resort (drinks and diving are extra) is a quite comfortable Robinson Crusoe experience. It is a private island and reminds us of LaDigue in the Seychelles but without any crowds. The multiple white sand beaches are studded with large granite boulders and there are trails through the rainforest-like jungle that crisscross the island. The Boulder Bay staff were very helpful in helping arrange our transfer from the Ranong, Thailand airport through the Ranong port immigration, short boat transfer across to the Kawthaung, Myanmar immigration where they also helped get us processed through. The boat trip from Kawthaung to Boulder Bay Eco Resort is normally done on the Sea Gipsy (actual spelling), a wooden live-aboard that is very comfortable and stable even if the wind comes up and makes the waves choppy. The Sea Gipsy trip takes about 6 hours and if you take the speed boat it takes 2-3 hours depending on the wind and waves. We were pleasantly surprised by the Sea Gipsy ride and would opt to do that again as you have a great opportunity to watch the Burmese fishing boats and other islands go by. The bungalows are 1 bedroom/bathroom with mosquito nets and outside deck. The showers do not have hot water but with the warm days, the cool shower feels good. There is also no AC but each room has an overhead fan and the ocean breezes are wonderful. The meals (set menu) are hearty with a nice variety of seafood, chicken, beef, and pork with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Another couple at the resort were vegan and were very happy with their meals. Our last evening there we were treated to a special barbecue dinner on the beach with a bonfire after dark! Boulder Bay does not pretend to be a luxury experience however the setting and the staff are all 5 star! Mr. Min Tun manages the resort and does a wonderful job of interacting with guests and arranging activities according to guests preferences. We did a lot of hiking across the island to all the different beaches, watching sunrise and sunsets from high points on the island, snorkeling, long beach walks, swimming in the bay, and relaxing. We did not dive so can't speak to that however we hear that they have access to some pristine areas for diving. Boulder Bay is very easy to access from Ranong, Thailand and there are none of the crowds that are typical of most of the places we have experienced in Thailand. For a private island experience this is...

Boulder Bay is the escape of a lifetime. It's the package that makes it so worthwhile. Every morning you wake up next to a stunning turquoise beach, and you have four others a short jungle walk away. Snorkelling is amazing. Marine life is so varied it will keep you amazed for many days. And all on the doorstep of your comfortable bungalow.||You will never see more than a few dozen guests, usually less. All this makes for great relaxation. The perfect place to forget about schedules and obligations. A swim, a walk, a snooze, a paddle, an empty beach, or some fellow relaxing visitors, it's all there whenever you feel like it. No pressure at all. Diving excursions can be arranged on request.||The crew takes excellent care and they strike the right balance between approachable, friendly, knowledgable, professional and informal. The food is very good and varied.||Then there is the ecofriendly operations; water refills, solar energy, home made soap etc. It's all made according to the latest possibilities in avoiding pollution and waste. An exception in this part of the world.||Owner Bjorn visibly cares for the pristine environment of the whole archipelago. He is trying to improve livelihoods of the ancient seaborne Moken tribe, who can see under water, hold their breath and read nature like no one else. Following hermit crabs and certain birds upland made them all survive the 2004 tsunami.||By organising excursions Bjorn can bring his visitors to remote and protected Lampi Island. Here, together with NGO Oikos, the Moken can make an income displaying their unique culture, and actively protect some untouched islands. These excursions contribute to the early development of a sustainable form of tourism in the archipelago, unlike Thailand, and indirectly to more sustainable fishing as well. The moral compass of this enterprise and the hands-on approach deserve your support. I recommend a week for that serious winding down you haven't...

Sicuramente è un’isola meravigliosa e ciò che ha reso piacevole il nostro soggiorno è stata l’occasione (più unica che rara) di essere solo io e mio marito gli unici ospiti della struttura per cui l’isola era a nostra disposizione.||Punti a favore:|1. Isola stupenda, mare cristallino e spiagge bianche.|2. Vita marina molto variegata: ci sono molti pesci e coralli stupendi ed è piacevole fare snorkeling e nuotare.|3. Accoglienza calorosa, personale molto disponibile e gentile.|4. Cibo veramente ottimo.|5. Possibilità di usare il kayak per girare intorno all’isola.||Punti a sfavore:|1. Spiagge sporche e piene di plastica portata dalle correnti marine. Ci è stato detto che vengono pulite due volte a settimana ma non è vero, perché siamo stati lì 6 giorni e non hanno MAI pulito niente.|2. Per raggiungere le varie spiagge dell’isola i sentieri non sono ben segnalati, alcuni lo sono solo in parte. Il personale ti da la possibilità di accompagnarti ma, così facendo, è difficile muoversi in modo indipendente perché hai sempre qualcuno che sta lì ad aspettarti per ripetere il viaggio a ritroso. In fin dei conti i tragitti sono brevi e si fanno anche più volte al giorno, per cui non costa niente migliorarne la visibilità.|3. La struttura non è un resort, non ci sono i presupposti e soprattutto i servizi per essere definita tale. Leggendo la dicitura “resort” ci si aspetta altro, quindi credo che -almeno per lo stato attuale della struttura che è in fase di ingrandimento- definirla tale è veramente eccessivo. È gestita da soli uomini che sicuramente sono gentilissimi ma manca il tocco femminile!|4. La pulizia non è il top. La camera standard dove abbiamo alloggiato era priva di vetri alle finestre e anche nel bagno, questo faceva sì che ci fossero molti insetti soprattutto in bagno dove erano presenti anche escrementi di uccello. Le pulizie vengono fatte solo a richiesta e, quando abbiamo chiesto di pulire un po’ meglio il bagno, ci è stato detto di sì ma si sono limitati solo alla pulizia ordinaria dei sanitari. |5. Durante il nostro soggiorno, c’erano due biologhe marine presenti sull’isola e questo è un dato positivo perché s’impegnano a ripopolare i coralli. La cosa che non mi è piaciuta affatto è il modo in cui sono state trattate due figure professionali ricattare a diventare guide sub pur di poter restare a seguire il progetto iniziato, declassamento imposto per ripagare l’ospitalità data. Ma allora perché accettare un progetto marino che da prestigio alla dicitura “Eco” se poi quello che si vuole è avvalersi di personale qualificato che faccia altro??? Tutto il mondo è paese, purtroppo!||Se non si è pretenziosi e disposti ad accettare tali condizioni, il Boulder bay eco “VILLAGE” rimane una buona ed economica soluzione e ciò che gli dà valore è l’assoluta bellezza della natura e del mare dell’isola.||Surely it is a wonderful island and what made our stay pleasant was the opportunity (more unique than rare) to be just me and my husband the only guests of the structure for which the island was available to us.||Points in favor:|1. Beautiful island, crystal clear sea and white beaches.|2. Very varied marine life: there are many beautiful fish and corals and it is pleasant to snorkel and swim.|3. Warm welcome, very helpful and kind staff.|4. Really great food.|5. Possibility to use kayak to go around the island.||Points to the detriment:|1. Dirty and full of plastic beaches carried by the sea currents. We were told that they are cleaned twice a week but it is not true, because we were there 6 days and they NEVER cleaned anything.|2. To reach the various beaches of the island the paths are not well marked, some are only partially. The staff gives you the opportunity to accompany you but, doing so, it is difficult to move independently because you always have someone waiting there to repeat the journey backwards. After all, the routes are short and they are done several times a day, so it costs nothing to improve their visibility.|3. The structure is not a resort, there are the conditions and above all the services to be defined as such. Reading the word "resort" is expected more, so I think - at least for the current state of the structure that is undergoing a magnification - it is really excessive. It is managed by men who are certainly very kind but lacking the feminine touch!|4. Cleaning is not the top. The standard room where we stayed was glassless in the windows and also in the bathroom, this meant that there were many insects especially in the bathroom where there were also bird droppings. The cleaning is done only on request and, when we asked to clean the bathroom a little better, we were told yes but we were limited only to the ordinary cleaning of the bathroom fixtures.|5. During the period of our stay, there were two marine biologists on the island and this is a positive fact because they are committed to repopulating the corals. The thing that I did not like at all is the way in which two professional figures were treated blackmail to become sub-guides so as to be able to stay to follow the project started, imposed downgrade to repay the hospitality given. So why accept a marine project that gives prestige to the word "Eco" if then what you want is to make use of qualified personnel who do other things ??? The whole world is a country, unfortunately!||Boulder bay eco "VILLAGE" remains a good and economical solution and what is valuable is the absolute beauty of the island's...