The Emerald Heart Island of the Burmese Sea, or CocksComb Island in English, is a name I've heard for a while, around the beginning of last year (2015). Many people would have known it from the aerial photograph of the heart-shaped island. This picture has made it a popular attraction for everyone. CocksComb Island is located on the Burmese side, bordering Ranong Province. It is an island in the Andaman Sea, adjacent to Surin Island. The beauty of the sea water is beyond words. For CocksComb Island, the Burmese government has just opened a concession for tourists to visit for the first year. The abundance of nature under the sea, such as coral reefs, is still very abundant.

Traveling to Cock's Comb Island requires a guided tour with roundtrip transportation via speedboat. The journey begins in Ranong, Thailand, departing from the Ranong Pier and heading towards Kawthaung (Victoria Point) in Myanmar. A border pass is necessary for this trip, and the tour company will handle all the arrangements.

Traveling to Ranong Province

Traveling by plane: For those who are in Bangkok, there is only one airline that provides service to Ranong, which is "Nok Air". There are only two flights a day, which is very few. It is possible that in the future, as Ranong's tourism improves, more airlines may be added.

Traveling by bus: For Ranong province, there are buses leaving Bangkok every day from the Transport Co., Ltd. The company offers air-conditioned and ordinary buses between Bangkok and Ranong every day. For more information, please contact Tel. 1490 or Ranong Provincial Transport Station Tel. (077) 811548. In addition, there are buses operated by private companies such as Sombat Tour and Chokonan Tour.

For my trip this time, I started from Phuket and drove to Ranong province, which took about 4 hours and covered a distance of about 300 kilometers. I took the route Phuket – Khao Lak – Takua Pa – Kura Buri – Ranong. On the way into Ranong city, we will pass a tourist attraction of Ranong, which is "Phu Khao Ya". It is a place for relaxation for the people of Ranong and has become "Unseen in Thailand". During the rainy season, the grass will be lush green. During the dry season, the grass will turn yellow, covering the entire mountain, turning it into a golden, golden, and dazzling sight. Therefore, it is popularly called "Phu Khao Ya Two Colors".

On the opposite side of the grassy mountain is the "Nang Rong Waterfall National Park", which can be seen from afar as a waterfall in the middle of the mountain. There will be water flowing only during the rainy season. If it is during the hot season or dry season, we will not see the waterfall at all. It's strange, isn't it? 5555

For my accommodation in Ranong, I chose to stay at "Le Sarin Chalet Ranong", a hotel that offers excellent value for money. Located in the heart of Ranong city, this unique hotel cannot be booked through Agoda or Booking.com. Instead, reservations must be made by phone, and no advance payment is required. Payment is made directly at the hotel upon arrival. If you're interested, you can check out their website at http://www.lesarinchalet.com/.

The next morning, we drove to the Grand Andaman Pier to board our boat. It took about 10 minutes from our accommodation for those who drove themselves to the pier. I have provided the GPS coordinates for you: "7.82395 N 98.34344 E". You can simply enter these into your Google Maps app for directions. For those who do not have a car to get to the pier, the tour company you purchased your tour from will include a pick-up and drop-off service from your hotel to the pier as part of the package.

To travel to Cock's Comb Island in Myanmar, you will need to obtain a Border Pass. The tour company will handle all the paperwork for you. When you book your trip, you will need to send a photo of your ID card to the tour company. On the day of your trip, they will give you this document to present along with your original ID card to the Immigration officers at the Grand Andaman Pier. The process takes only 5 minutes.

All documents are ready. Get ready to depart. This trip will take approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes by speedboat. The guide will explain the day's trip before departure. The trip may vary depending on the water and weather conditions on that day. Don't worry, you will definitely get to dive and explore the area.

The boat departs from the Grand Andaman pier for about 15 minutes, and we will arrive at Kawthaung, Myanmar, to pick up the Burmese tourism officials. Kawthaung is a southern territory on the coast of the Union of Myanmar, opposite Thailand, separated by the Kraburi River. Kawthaung, as we call it, is not an island, but a peninsula at the southernmost tip of Myanmar, located at the mouth of the Kraburi River opposite the Thai city of Ranong. When the British ruled, it was called "Victoria Point".

From Kawthaung, Myanmar, the boat takes about 45 minutes. Today, the first stop will be "Bruer Island", a small island with beaches on both sides that you can walk through. We will stop here for about 20 minutes to relax, walk around and take pictures. The weather is good and you will see the beautiful color of the sea.

After leaving Koh Buer, the boat will take us to our first dive site, "Koh Mu Tao (Auriol)". The journey takes about 45 minutes. Today, the waves are a bit strong, but it doesn't hinder our diving experience. The coral reefs here are still very intact, mostly flat corals that resemble lettuce. There are many small schools of fish, and the water is quite clear today, allowing us to see the coral reefs quite clearly. We also saw a very large nautilus swimming around. The boat crew told us that it is common to see nautiluses here.

After finishing our dive at Koh Mu Tao, we will head to "Koh Ta Fuk (Dunkin Island)" for lunch. This island boasts pristine white sand beaches, perfect for swimming, snorkeling, taking photos, and exploring the natural beauty along the coastline. In my opinion, it's on par with "Koh Tachai" on our side.

At Koh Ta Puk, the tour operator has built a dining hall for lunch. In the future, there will be trips that allow overnight stays at Koh Ta Puk. After lunch, the tour operator will let us walk around, take pictures, and play in the water at the beach for about an hour. We will have a full time here.

It's time for us to board the boat to leave Koh Ta Puk and head to the highlight of the day, "Emerald Heart Island" or "Koh Kock Kham (Cocks Comb)". From the aerial photograph of Grand Andaman, the concessionaire, you can see the emerald green heart shape. This island is a limestone island with no beaches. There is a gap in the middle of the island that resembles a volcanic crater with a small opening like a door.

Visiting Emerald Heart Island requires checking the daily tides. During this trip, I don't want everyone to expect to always be able to enter. Sometimes, entry may not be possible, depending on the tour company's decision. They prioritize the safety of tourists, as the water at the entrance can be very strong and dangerous. Entering by boat will drop us off at the mouth of the cave, and we will then swim with life jackets into the cave. The company's staff will take care of all tourists, so there is no need to worry.

The coral reefs around the Emerald Heart Island are home to a large number of sea anemones and colorful corals. However, it is important to be aware of the sea urchins, as there are quite a few of them. We spent about 45 minutes snorkeling around the coral reefs within the Emerald Heart Island.

Our journey back to the mainland and the Grand Andaman Hotel on Koh Son takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. Upon arrival at the Grand Andaman Hotel, guests can enjoy a refreshing dip in the hotel's swimming pool and change into dry clothes. It is recommended to bring a change of clothes for this trip. The hotel provides towels for guests' convenience. Another special feature of the Emerald Heart Island trip is the inclusion of a buffet dinner at the Grand Andaman Restaurant.

For those who come by the tour company's car to pick you up at the hotel, we will have to return according to the time set by the tour to return to the Grand Andaman pier on the Ranong side at around 7 pm. For those who drive their own car, you can return at any time because the Grand Andaman has a ferry service every hour. You can shop at duty free or try your luck at the hotel's casino.

On the morning of our return, we had time to visit Ranong before returning to Phuket. We stopped by a roti shop that everyone who comes to Ranong must visit, "Roti Nisra". This shop is located in the Namtok Hongaw community. The shop is open from 8 am to 1 pm. The day we went, there were a lot of people. The must-order item is Roti with Curry Sauce. The taste is delicious, the roti dough is crispy and soft. As for the curry sauce, there are "Chicken Curry" and "Beef Curry", both of which are full of curry spices and are very delicious. If you can't find the shop, you can call 0-7784-8246, 08-6574-4324, or 08-0887-5144.

Ranong is famous for its hot springs, and there are many in the province. This time, we visited the "Phrang Hot Spring" located in Ban Phrang, Bang Rin Subdistrict, Mueang District, Ranong Province, within the Namtok Ngao National Park. There are hot spring pools for soaking.

The last stop before they returned to Phuket was "Teo Hoikha", a noodle shop located by the canal called Khlong Yung (coordinates 9.98064N 98.64269E). The atmosphere of the shop is very good, sitting by the canal. The noodles here are mainly tom yum noodles, with a variety of options. But the most delicious one I ordered was the "River Prawn Noodle", which was huge! 555 You can see it in my cup. The taste is delicious. For anyone who comes to Ranong, you can try the noodles at this shop.

For this trip to the Emerald Heart Island, Cock's Comb Island, Burmese Sea, I think it's another option for people who like to travel to the sea and go diving to see coral reefs. For those who have been to all the places, such as Similan Island, Tachai Island, Surin Island, and are looking for new places to visit nearby, because traveling to Cock's Comb Island is very easy. Just travel to Ranong Province, and you can visit the sea on the Burmese side. The integrity of the underwater world on the Burmese side is still very good because it has only been open to tourists from Thailand for the first year.

For friends who are interested in the Emerald Heart Island trip, Khok Kham Island, you can contact Phuket Tour Holiday according to the details on the website http://www.phukettourholiday.com or call 089-726 1788, 086-667 4446, 096-636 4565.

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