"The life of Robinson Crusoe, or any other castaway for that matter, can’t have been exactly idyllic. The sands may have been golden, the waters azure, the island “delightfully unspoilt” – but what did he do come happy hour? All of which brings us to the Mergui Archipelago (aka Myeik Kyunzu, aka Maldives sans the masses), on the west coast of Myanmar, which teeters between being 800 mainly uninhabited islands pure and simple, plus some thriving coral reefs, and getting branded – the horror, the horror – “the next big thing”. One or two resorts have opened up on the islands, balancing their eco credentials with assertions of luxury, and liveaboards still putter about, but otherwise Mergui is one of the few places in Asia that has not succumbed to the homogenisation engendered by mass tourism. The diving is unparalleled, and the sense of isolation untrammelled. So – assuming this is not blindingly obvious – if there is any time to go, it would be sooner rather than later. Apart from slurping up the peace, quiet and exclusivity, diving and snorkelling are the obvious recreations, while the Moken (sea gypsies) are tolerant of visitors. Forging a trail through some of the larger islands’ jungles has its Indiana Jones moments..."