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| Napali
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| The beaches of Myanmar
are where few tourists tread. It's a blessing, perhaps but also a pity.
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| A blessing because the
beaches remain remarkably pristine...there areno loud beachside bars, no tows
of suntan-oiled bodtes'basking in the sun arid no vendors pressing you to buy
souvenirs. You will find only the three natural ingredients of a perfect
seaside holiday - the sea, the sand and the, surf. But it's also a pity that
very fewforeginers have visited Myanmar's glorious beaches to enjoy- one' of
the country's most beautiful natural settings.
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| In the past,
with only 1 ¢-day visas issued to tourists, Myanmar's magnificent
archaeological sites and other cultural attractions have understandably taken
precedence over its beaches. But now with 30-day visas the norm, there is ample
time for foreign travellers to take a good look at the country's extensive
coastline.
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| ARDUOUS JOURNEY ...BUT WELL WORTHWHILE |
| Myanmar has two coasts - the
western Rakhine coast facing the Bay of Bengal and ,the Indian Ocean, and the
southern Taninthayi coast along the emerald-green
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| Andaman Sea. |
The southern coast, including
the reputedly stunning Myeik (formerly Mergui) Archipelago of islands is still
off limits. The western seaboard is open to visitors for eight months of the
year, from October to May. At other times, strong winds and heavy rains batter
the coast. The premier beach resort on Rakhine coast is, without a doubt,
Ngapali Beach in the state of Arakan, so named, as the story goes, by a
homesick Italian after his native Naples (Napoli in Italian). It's easy to fly
there from Yangon, the capital. An hour's domestic flight is all it takes, but
if you are trying to get there overland from anywhere. in the country, it's a
Herculean effort But for us, in hindsight, it was well worth it. We were in Pyi
(formerly Prome), visiting
Myanmar's most ancient archaeological site dating from the 7th century when we
decided to head for Ngapali Beach. Onthe map, the route to thecoast seemed
short enough and more or less a straight line due westward. But alas, we forgot
about the mountains. After 32 hours on serpentine pothole-ridden roads, one
ferry crossing, five passport checksand achilly overnight stop in a remote
mountain village, my, verdict is still:go for it. For it is a journey that
affords foreigners a rare glimpse of a relatively unknown and incredibly
beautiful part of Myanmar. Our overnight stop was in Nuaungu Camp next to
Nuaungu Village, where smoked venison is a local speciality. Women seemed to
appear from nowhere the moment we arrived at 9 pm to sing the virtues of their
respective accommodations. We chose to follow the recommendation of our driver
and found ourselves, after a simple but delicious meal, bedding down,
dormitory-style, on the floor of a verandah in a wooden hut, with 12 other
passengers. We had to spend a night at Nuaungu Camp not just for practical
reasons but out of necessity as well, since a barrier to all traffic to and
from the mountains is lowered each evening. It was also one of several
immigration checkpoints we were to encounter throughout our two-day road trip.
After a second bumpy day on the road, it was a welcome relief to reach the
coastal town of Taungup where we transferred to a bus heading for Thandwe
(formerly Sandoway). It took another four hours to get to Thandwe which is the
jump-off point for Ngapali, seven kilometres away. (Travellers by air arrive at
Mazin airport, close to Thandwe). Our arduous journey to Ngapali's glorious
beach was still by no means over. As we had arrived in Thandwe late, we were
obliged to spend the night there and try to reach Ngapali the next day. The
following morning, we did a quick tour of Thandwe. It's a laid-back town that
was named after a British army officer. Thandwe has an interesting mosque and
some very picturesque timber houses characterised by airy porches and roofs
with finely detailed wooden eaves. Buses that look more like lorries and pickup
truck "taxis" are the only means of transport between Thandwe and Ngapali.
Buses are fewer, each place on a bench costing five cents (US), while the more
frequent taxi-trucks charge 15 cents (US) a person and they depart only when
filled. Alternatively, you can hire a whole taxitruck for US$2.50 and avoid the
long wait. They all depart from Thandwe's market square.
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| SOFT SAND AND COBALT SEA |
Ngapali Beach is a
three-kilometre ribbon of white, soft-as-talc sand beach that stretches from
the village of Ngapali to Gyeik Taw. Although it's possible to find rooms in
guest houses in some villages near Ngapali, the best stretch of beach is
claimed by the Ngapali Beach Hotel, which boasts of being the oldest seaside
resort in Myanmar. Built by the British some 60 years ago, the hotel was
originally named the Ngapali Strand as it was operated as a sister hotel by The
Strand in Yangon.
Traces of its antiquated past linger on in the bungalow-style, high-ceilinged
guest rooms with spacious bathrooms, creaky floor boards and oldfurniture. The
best part about the 34 rooms is that they all open out into verandahs that face
the ocean. Each bungalow is surrounded by its own garden so there's plenty of
privacy. A new wing called the New Ngapali Beach Hotel, built around 1980, is a
more modem three-storey affair housing 20 rooms, again with balconies that
overlook the sea. And, ahhhh, the sea ....cobalt-blue, clean and clear, set
against an equally stunning blue sky. Its gentle waves ripple ashore onto.
shimmering sands fringed by coconut palms. An idyllic scene,pure and simple.
There are no windsurfers skimming over the waves and, certainly, no noisy power
boats to shatter the calm. What one does see riding the waves though-at the
break of dawn-are a scattering of fishing vessels and canoes manned by sinewy
fishermen in conical hats, scouring the waters patiently for fish to net. The
boats come ashore as soon as it gets too hot or when they have harvested enough
fish for the day, bringing their catch to coastal villages nearby. You can walk
along the beach, or cycle on the only existing road, to these villages about a
kilometre or two from the hotel. They are huddles of thatched-roof huts on
stilts bustling with fishing-related activity. There are nets to repair and
clean, boats and sails to maintain, shrimps to dry in the sun and to sort out
after they have dried. Curious children, who seldom see foreigners in these
parts, will follow, giggling, wherever you go. The nearest village to the
Ngapali Beach Hotel is Myabyin. In the afternoon, you can join the locals from
the coastal villages as they go beachcombing looking for clams or shells to
collect. The fiery sunset, for which the Bay of Bengal is noted, can be watched
from the comfort of your own verandah back at the hotel. But for a more
picturesque composition, it's best viewed from the villages, for you are likely
to catch the silhouette of a fishing canoe against the shimmering sea and
brilliantly coloured skies before a red ball of a sun. Ngapali Beach Hotel is a
favourite among Myanmar's elite as a family holiday hangout. It has an outdoor
bar and a restaurant with an open-air dining terrace that looks out to the sea.
The menu is rather good, and the seafood dishes - especially lobster and crab -
are recommended. And unlike the room rates which are charged in US dollars,
food and beverages can be paid for in kyat. Apart from swimming,
beach-strolling, golfing on a nine-hole course nearby and snorkelling, there is
little to do on Ngapali Beach except to savour the tranquillity of an unspoilt
haven that is a rare find among today's increasingly commercialised Asian
seaside resorts.
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| GETTING TO NGAPALI BEACH |
| The fastest way to get to
Ngapali Beach is by air from Yangon. For more information, please contact
Myanma Air, tel: 74874. If you intend to travel by road, you should start your
journey from the main bus station at Pyi (Prome). There are a number of buses
leaving for Taungup each day. The fare of US$3 covers transportation for the
entire trip. The overnight stay at Nuaungu costs US$1.
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