Where to find the Best Beaches in Myanmar

When you think of beautiful beaches in South east Asia, you think of Thailand, Bali or the Philippines. But there isn’t a more perfect coastline than that of Western Myanmar. With its gorgeous white sands, lush palm trees and crystal clear waters, it’s sure one of the most beautiful and undisturbed beach destinations in the world.

Here at TravelBud, we know that there isn’t a better feeling than sipping cocktails on the beach while you watch the sun go down. We’ve also recently launched an exciting new program to teach English in Myanmar, that is why we’ve compiled this must see beaches in Myanmar list.

Ngapali Beach

The Beautiful Ngapali Beach.

The stunning white sand on Ngapali Beach.

At the top of our list, we have Ngapali beach in the town of Thadwe, in the south of Rakhine State, which is in the West Coast of the country. It is the the prime location for those who want to experience a luxurious getaway in Myanmar. With a few 45 minute flights from Yangon daily, it is the most visited beach in Myanmar, and for good reason too.

This beach was named by an Italian man missing his home town of Naples (Napoli in Italian), as the myth goes. Even with its premier hotels, it still keeps a low-key, down to earth fishing village vibe. The beach itself stretches along a 15 mile strip which means even with the growing tourism, there’s still plenty of space on the beach for everyone to enjoy their little bit of paradise.

Ngwe Saung Beach

Perfect sunset at Ngwe Saung beach.

Perfect sunset at Ngwe Saung beach.

For those with a more modest budget, Ngwe Saung is the perfect place, especially for backpackers and youngsters looking to relax and enjoy some sun after a long travel. It is known for being one of the more chilled out spots in the country. Ngwe Saung offers an authentic mix of resorts and retro backpacking bungalows to give it a very hip and indie small town vibe which every tourist can enjoy.

This beach is best enjoyed by hiring a boat to visit the nearest islands for snorkeling purposes and for fishing. One of the other ways to best enjoy the town is to hire a motorbike so you can go up and down the coast. You can’t leave without trying the catch of the day from the many local restaurants.

Mergui Archipelago

One of the many untouched Mergui Archipelago Islands.

One of the many untouched Mergui Archipelago Islands.

This is a region of more than 800 isolated islands just off the far southern coast of Myanmar. Its is often referred to as the last paradise on Earth.  And you can see why, not many photos have been taken, not many people were able to access these magical islands as no tourism infrastructure exists. The only way you could get to this virgin paradise is by charter yacht. Although, since, the Myanmar government has had some policy change and a lot more boats are able to go.

When visiting these islands you will get a sense of being the first to do so. When diving here, you will feel like you are discovering new waters and mystical creatures. When travelling on the charter yachts you will have an undisturbed 360 degree view of the uninhabited Islands and waters. The beaches are the definition of private, whichever one you chose to stop at, you will be the only one there.

Chaung Tha

Locals playing soccer at Chaung Tha Beach.

[Image Source: Mark Fischer] Locals enjoying themselves at Chaung Tha Beach.

The playground of the country Chaung Tha beach is the closest West Coast beach to Yangon, it’s hugely popular with middle class Burmese people. It’s definitely not as lush as Ngapali and doesn’t have as many resorts as all the other beaches on the coastline. This makes it an affordable and less touristy destination to visit. Here you will find locals flocking in during the weekends to play a variety of water sports with many inflatable objects flying around. It’s definitely a very commercial beach, but also a great insight into a different side of Burmese people.

One thing to keep in mind is that the locals are very religious and quite conservative. So it can be a culture shock for westerners as this is not the ideal place for flaunting the latest G-string bikinis or being completely nude. The locals literally opt to swim in their jeans and t-shirts.

With Myanmar’s government policy changes and their tourism starting to boom, these stunning beaches are sure to be on everybody’s lips. They are a traveler’s dream, isolated, beautiful and and untouched. This country is the next go to destination in Asia, and we at TravelBud are giving you a chance to be one of the first to experience it before the whole world knows about it.

 

Interested in Teaching English in Myanmar? We’ll send you more info!

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About Ntobeko Ntombela

Ntobeko is TravelBud's marketing intern and is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in Digital Marketing. Read more about him and other TravelBud authors.

He handles TravelBud's social media, blog writing and general content creation. Check out the inspiring stories he's created on the TravelBud Instagram page, featuring TravelBud alumni and their incredible experiences teaching and volunteering abroad.

He's done a fair bit of travel in his life, having explored Thailand, the UK, Italy, France and Germany.

His favorite place so far? That would be Rome, Italy but coming in a close second, thanks to a few memorable nights out, would be Phuket, Thailand.

Filed under  Myanmar 

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