Mangroves thrive in the intertidal zone but face limits under extreme conditions. Hypersalinity in tidally impaired areas can restrict their natural establishment. This study investigates whether coring artificial holes, or macropores, which mimic crab burrows to enhance soil aeration, improve water infiltration, and reduce salinity, can enhance mangrove establishment in hypersaline areas. In a 1-year field experiment, we tested the establishment, survival, and growth of Bruguiera cylindrica seedlings with and without artificially cored macropores across different inundation levels in a salt flat ecotone in Chanthaburi, Eastern Thailand. Seedling establishment was significantly higher in treated plots, with macropores increasing establishment odds by eight times compared to controls (p < 0.001). Treatment also accelerated leaf formation by 36 days on average (p < 0.001) and increased monthly shoot growth by 0.3 cm (p = 0.015). While macropores significantly enhanced belowground biomass in medium-inundation plots (p = 0.045), effects on aboveground biomass were marginal (p = 0.06). Soil salinity was significantly lower around treated seedlings, but only in medium hydroperiod plots (p < 0.01). Vessel analysis showed that macropores increased vessel diameter by an average of 2.38 μm (p = 0.049), suggesting improved water transport efficiency. These findings suggest that artificial macropores could be a promising, low-cost tool for supporting early mangrove establishment in hypersaline areas. However, further research is needed to refine macropore arrangement and evaluate effectiveness across various mangrove species and environmental conditions. If validated, this method may provide a practical strategy to enhance mangrove resilience against sea-level rise.