Myanmar’s coastline stretches for about 1,930 kilometres (1,200 miles) along the Bay of Bengal in the north, to the Andaman Sea in the south. Much of this coastline consists of long stretches of palm-fringed white-sand beaches and secluded bays, intermittently interrupted by large patches of mangroves and tidal river deltas.
Many beaches are blessed with crystal clear turquoise waters where you may spend the entire day without encountering another human being.
Sounds like paradise? It sure is.
With the exception of the short southern- and eastern-facing coast of the Ayeyarwady Delta, Myanmar’s entire coast faces west, so beautiful sunsets are the norm.
Along much of this coast, the monsoon season lasts roughly from May to October, when torrential rains render many roads inaccessible and seawaters turbulent. During this time, most tourist accommodation is closed.
Why Explore the Beaches of Myanmar?
- The low-down: Myanmar has been in isolation for decades, only to allow travel to much of the country for a few short years. Now its back in isolation. The result is many unsploiled beaches free of mass tourism, rows of hotels, and tourist shops. Much of Myanmar is now what Thailand was 50 years ago – paradise!
- The brightest highlight: Miles and miles of gorgeous beaches, small coastal villages (most not even by the beach) and friendly people untainted by tourism.
- Intrepid destination: Much of Myanmar remains off the world’s beaten tracks.
- GlobeRovers score (10 is highest): To date (2021) I have been to Myanmar 11 times and I don’t think I’ll ever get enough. Such a great place to explore. GlobeRovers Score is 9.5 out of 10.
Table of Contents
Journey along the Best Beaches of Myanmar
For decades, much of this coast has been off-limits to foreign travellers, in particular the south. While the entire coast is now officially open, small patches are sporadically closed due to ethnic and religious conflicts, or for military reasons.
The consequence of such a long period of isolation, coupled with continuing slow economic development across Myanmar, including the tourism sector, is undeveloped beaches. Like much of the entire country, the coast is one of the most undiscovered gems of the Southeast Asia region.
Myanmar’s beaches are not well marketed to international tourists who mostly flock to the more well-known beaches of Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam.
The lack of development is reminiscent of neighbouring Thailand’s coast about 50 years ago, but if Myanmar follows Thailand’s thirst for the almighty tourist dollar, these unspoiled beaches will soon be overrun by sun-lounging visitors from around the world.
If Myanmar’s beaches sound and look like paradise, then most likely they are!
Except for a few popular beaches, the roads, tourist accommodation, and restaurants remain limited or non-existent along much of the coast. Even when tourist accommodation is available, most properties are not licensed to accept foreign travellers, and private home-stays remain strictly illegal across the country.
None of the popular beach destinations such as Ngapali, Chaung Thar, and Ngwesaung are particularly beautiful, so join us on our quest to discover Myanmar’s most pristine and unspoiled beaches.
We travel along much of the coastline from the far north to the far south, although we skip over the areas covered in dense jungle, mangroves, river deltas, and beaches that are not particularly exciting. It’s practically impossible to travel the entire coastline of Myanmar due to the absence of roads and even paths fit for motorbikes. The many rivers flowing into the sea and a lack of bridges also render large areas inaccessible without excessive effort.
Our coastal journey ends at Myanmar’s most southern town, Kawthaung, the main gateway to the idyllic Myeik Archipelago where the brilliant azure Andaman Sea is dotted with hundreds of unexplored islands. Many of these islands have pristine white-sand beaches that are lined with palm trees, and are home to abundant wildlife prospering in the tropical jungles.
This archipelago has been described as “…nature’s unexplored lost kingdom where nobody knows all the species that live in the dense jungle and in the turquoise waters. A pristine paradise of primal seclusion which is irresistibly lovely, and one of the last few paradises on earth”.
Before concluding our long journey, we spend a few days on one of the archipelago’s most pristine locations—Wa Ale Island. Paradise indeed.
Note that in Myanmar many place names are interchangeably used in both the colonial British form such as “Burma” and “Rangoon” as well as the post-colonial Burmese language form, such as “Myanmar” and “Yangon”. In this article, we generally use the Burmese form.
Also, note that place names are originally written in the Myanmar script (more commonly known as the Burmese script), derived from a Brahmi-related script borrowed from southern India in about the 8th century. When translated into the Latin (Roman) alphabet, it creates several spellings of the same place, so take this into account when researching place names.
Overnight train Train station in Myanmar
Ngapali Beaches (Rakhine State)
We start our north-to-south coastal journey in Ngapali, about 320 kilometres (199 miles), as the crow flies, south of the Myanmar—Bangladesh border. We skip the coast north of Ngapali to the town of Sittwe as the area is quite inaccessible without a boat and is not known for its beaches. The area north of Sittwe to the Bangladesh border is mostly off-limits due to military restrictions.
A popular vacation spot for many years, Ngapali also has a few secret beaches.
While the fastest way to get to Ngapali from Yangon is by plane (50 min), the most adventurous travellers take the 15-hour overnight bus via the long winding mountain road through the Kyetpaung Forests, and then up along the coast.
Located in Rakhine State, Ngapali is one of the most established and widely promoted holiday beach destinations in the country. Traditionally targeted towards expats and affluent residents of Myanmar’s big cities, Mandalay and Yangon, Ngapali’s beachfront is lined with several large and medium-sized resorts. In recent years, an increasing number of foreign tourists have visited Ngapali in search of the long white beaches, fringed with towering palm trees.
Known among the people of Myanmar as the “beach for the rich”, Ngapali is perceived to be an expensive destination with the “most beautiful beach” in their country. Their impressions are indeed outdated. Ngapali, at least the popular main beach, is no longer only for the rich, and neither does it have the most beautiful beach in the country, not by a long stretch!
While most tourists flock to the main beaches of Ngapali with its many resorts, some off-the-radar beaches remain pristine and unspoiled.
Ngapali Beach starts at Gyeiktaw village and continues north for 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) to Ma Zin village next to the Ngapali Airport, also known as the Thandwe Airport. Only about 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) of this beach is reasonably beautiful. The beach is wide and fairly white with many beachfront resorts that can get crowded in high season.
While most are upscale resorts, the beach road behind the resorts offers a variety of small guest houses as well as many decent restaurants serving Burmese and Thai seafood dishes. While the beach may have been pristine 20 years ago, nowadays that is no longer the case.
By far the most beautiful part of Ngapali, and also the least visited, is the truly unspoiled beach a few kilometres north of the airport, and well away from the main beaches. This beach lies between the only two resorts north of the airport. It starts at the Amara Ocean Resort and continues for 1.7 kilometres (1 mile) north to the Jasmine Ngapali Resort in Gaut village.
About halfway between these two resorts is a small beach shack named Silver Wave Restaurant which serves tasty Burmese and Thai seafood with cold beer, under a few umbrellas and plastic chairs. This beach is naturally beautiful and with the limited accommodation in the area, it is mostly deserted. South of the Amara Ocean Resort is the budget-friendly Serene Ngapali Lodge which is a good alternative to the expensive all-inclusive resorts.
Unless you have spent time at this lesser-known beach north of the airport, you most likely will not return to Ngapali.
While in Ngapali, make sure to experience sunrise on the beach in front of the bustling Gyeiktaw village to see this fishing community in action.
South of Gyeiktaw, across the bay lies Thabyugyaing village that can be reached by private longtail boat or by road via Thandwe. There are a couple of interesting bays with sandy beaches to explore, though accommodation may be hard to find.
From Ngapali we travel south to Kyway Chaing Beach.
Kyway Chaing Beach (Rakhine State)
Due to inaccessibility, and the brownish river flowing into the sea, we skip the 90 kilometre (56 mile) stretch of coastline southward between Ngapali and the village of Kyway Chaing.
This village has a few small guesthouses, though only the Beau Beau Beach House is licensed to accommodate foreigners. The guesthouse is fairly new with about ten rooms, of which two are facing the sea. It did not have a kitchen in early 2020.
The friendly seaside village of Kyway Chaing has a beautiful lonely beach.
The best option for food is the friendly Fishing Cat Restaurant at the southern end of the village. Here you can walk into the large bamboo kitchen and pick out the seafood and vegetables you want the chef to prepare. Grab a well-deserved cold beer in the fridge on the way to the dining room.
A short walk north along the beach from the guesthouse passes by a few new down-to-earth adobe-built huts. John, the local owner, is an interesting character ready to entertain his guests. Built right on the beach under the swaying palm trees, the huts are basic but promise an authentic close-to-nature experience.
The sea is shallow so while it is not a great beach for swimming, the tranquillity is hard to beat. A long walk on the beach north of the village passes by some impressive volcanic rock formations, best visible during low tide. About 400 metres (1,312 feet) north of the guesthouse, posing on a large rock in the sea, is an immortalized mermaid staring into the morning sun.
The beach north of the mermaid is beautiful and far removed from the village to ensure crystal clear waters fit for swimming.
Kan Thar Yar Beach (Rakhine State)
Continue further south from Kyway Chaing past the village of Tainggye for a quick stop at Maw Shwe Chai Beach with its four coves in a well-protected bay. The beaches have white sand, clean water, but no accommodation.
The coastal road continues further south past the small town of Satthwa with a reasonable beach, but also no accommodation. Further south of Satthwa, 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) from Beau Beau Beach House, is Kan Thar Yar Beach.
A beach fringed by palm trees located between the mouths of two rivers.
This shallow 4.5 kilometre (2.8 mile) long beach has yellow-golden sand that is quite gritty. A luxury beach-side hotel was built here in 1995 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Myanmar Armed Forces Day but was abandoned soon afterwards. The ghostly building is still lingering.
Word has it that a few guesthouses along the main road in the nearby village are licensed to accommodate foreigners. Among these guesthouses are Aung Chan Thar, Sakawar, and the Royal Rose. A few beer stations are near the beach and in the village, so there is always something refreshing to enjoy.
Laung Kyo Beach (Rakhine State)
Just 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) south of Kan Thar Yar Beach is the bustling fisherman’s village of Laung Kyo. It is a pleasant place to explore and meet friendly locals. The village is blessed with lots of tall palm trees and a long white beach.
A long beach with a friendly fishing village but no tourist accommodation.
At the northern end of the beach are many fishing boats and fish drying on the beach. The village and beach are certainly worth a visit and are also fairly easy to reach by hiking on the beach and over the rocks from our next destination, the Arakan Nature Lodge (see advert at the bottom of this post).
Zi Khong Beach (Rakhine State)
About 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) south of Laung Kyo Beach is Zi Khong village and its beach. The village is not near the beach so the waters here are clear and fit for swimming. The only buildings on the beach are the beautiful and authentic Rakhine wooden houses of the impressive Arakan Nature Lodge.
Under the close guidance of Swiss visionary, Ueli Morgenthaler, the Arakan Nature Lodge (see advert at the bottom of this post) was created to be Myanmar’s first true eco-lodge. All the accommodation buildings are traditional Rakhine houses that were constructed by local carpenter teams from the nearby villages.
Only recycled wood, sustainable local building materials and manual techniques were used during the construction. The lodge is 100% solar-powered and features spotless Swedish luxury composting toilets in the ensuite bathrooms with sky-roofs.
The aim is to have guests experience life living in a traditional house, yet in a natural, eco-friendly, minimalist, and extremely cosy manner.
Come to this beautiful beach for one reason: The Arakan Nature Lodge.
The lodge opened in October 2017 and offers five standard size beach houses, three extra-large beach houses, and two garden house rooms. The lodge offers full board with three meals a day, unlimited coffee, tea, drinking water, and hot water flasks in refillable bottles.
Mobile WiFi hotspots are available, as well as snorkelling equipment, stand-up paddles, sea kayaks, surfboards, bicycles, and mountain bikes. The surrounding hillsides are easy to explore, and the village offers insight into the daily lives of the local people.
The beaches to the north and south of the lodge are unspoiled and among the most beautiful in the country. Hiking north on the beach leads to the Laung Kyo fishermen’s village, as mentioned earlier, with its long white beach lined with tall overhanging palm trees.
Even more beautiful is the hike south of the lodge to the tip of the peninsula. While the bottom part of the peninsula is challenging to explore due to the mangroves, the beaches around Tin Taw village between the lodge and the mangroves are stunning. A short walk across the bottom half of the peninsula leads to a small sleepy village with friendly fishermen.
Beaches South of Gwa (Rakhine State)
From Zi Khong village at the Arakan Nature Lodge, the road curves inland and later arrives at the town of Gwa, 21 kilometres (13 miles) to the south.
At last count, Gwa and its surrounding rural areas had a population of over 66,000, of which 7,400 are urban. This makes Gwa the largest town along this section of the coast. Fishing is the main form of income for most residents, though in the wider area around the town, rice, bamboo and coconuts are grown for export.
While the town itself has few attractions to entertain visitors, it is a gateway to the deserted palm-fringed beaches south of town. Check in at the brand new Thalassa Guest House, located near the southern end of town and less than 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) from the Gwa River.
This long stretch of coastline south of Gwa village is nothing but pure paradise!
The guesthouse offers free use of bicycles to their guests. Ensure the tires are well inflated, pack enough sunscreen and water, and at sunrise cycle south to the jetty by the river. Here, small boats often packed to the brim with commuters accompanied by their bicycles and motorbikes, cross the wide river.
As the river can be choppy and bustling with boat traffic, this will be a journey to remember. Upon safe arrival in Ma Kyay Ngu village on the south side, cycle down the small paved road that leads out of town in a southern direction.
After a few minutes of ups and downs over the small hills, a flat road continues along the beaches. While the first beaches in sight are beautiful, keep going as the best is still to come. The paved road later turns into a sandy and then a bumpy rocky road—all part of the adventure to eventually arrive in paradise.
“Along this long stretch of unspoiled beaches, I have not seen one single person on the beach.”
There are several small villages along this winding beach road, so cold drinking water, but no beer, is always within reach. The houses are mostly built along the main road so the beaches are free of run-off water. Villagers seem indifferent to the gorgeous beaches, so most likely you won’t encounter anybody.
The first village after crossing the river is Ma Kyay Ngu, followed by Shwe Ya Chaing, Chan Thar, Thin Baung Taw and then several kilometres further south are Tar Laung Gyi, Taung Pauk, and Sin Ku. Just before the border between Rakhine State and the Ayeyarwady Division is the village of Kyaukchun.
Most of the beaches along this 14.5 kilometre (9 mile) route to the state border are unspoiled, in particular the beaches around Shwe Ya Chaing and Thin Baung Taw. The most beautiful beach is a few kilometres south of the state border, which is 23 kilometres (14.3 miles) south of where we started in Gwa.
From here the road goes south for another 10 kilometres (6.2 miles), past the village of Magyizin, before terminating at a bay where a small ferry is the only way to cross to an island which makes the journey further south along the coast rather impractical.
To reach the next beach we must backtrack and follow the main road into the interior then down to Shwe Thaung Yan Beach. This beach can also be reached by hiking, driving or cycling north from the very popular Chaung Thar Beach, our next destination.
Chaung Thar Beach (Ayeyarwady Division)
After enjoying the little paradise we found along the southern tip of Rakhine State and the northern tip of the Ayeyarwady Division, we backtrack to Gwa and then continue by road to the popular Chaung Thar Beach, which is a 230 kilometre (143 mile) detour, some 60 kilometres (37 miles) away from the sea.
From Chaung Thar it is an 18 kilometre (11 mile) side-trip north along the coastal road to Shwe Thaung Yan Beach.
One of the most popular beaches among the residents of Yangon.
Chaung Thar is a well-established beach destination and popular among the city dwellers of Yangon and nearby towns. As one of the closest beaches to Yangon (250 kilometres / 155 miles) the journey by bus takes between five and six hours.
Chaung Thar offers a wide variety of mostly budget accommodation and is packed with people on weekends and national holidays during the dry season.
Beaches here are yellowish, firm, and wide, which makes them suitable for many types of beach sports.
While it is possible to swim and snorkel in the area, foreigners come here to watch the locals enjoying themselves. Their main activities are frolicking in the shallow waters wearing shirts and long pants, bopping around on large rubber tubes, playing exuberant football and volleyball matches on the beach, horse riding, beach picnics, and enjoying sing-alongs with a guitar player or two.
While it is invigorating to watch the locals, Chaung Thar offers little to those in search of unspoiled beaches and undisturbed nature.
Ngwesaung Beach (Ayeyarwady Division)
Another beach close to Yangon, and also crowded on weekends and holidays, is Ngwesaung Beach, located 245 kilometres (152 miles) west of Yangon. Similar to Chaung Thar, the beach at Ngwesaung offers a wide variety of budget accommodation. The morning market, which is best visited at sunrise, is authentic and aromatic. Generally speaking, Ngwesaung Beach is a better choice than Chaung Thar Beach.
The best part of visiting Chaung Thar and Ngwesaung Beach is to travel between them.
However, the highlight of visiting both Chaung Thar and Ngwesaung is to motorbike from one beach to the other. In Chaung Thar it is easy to rent a motorbike (with driver for a one-way trip) for the adventurous 15 kilometre (9 mile) journey to Ngwesaung. While there is no vehicular road, the beach and a footpath are used by the motorbikes.
The path goes through a few tiny villages and when the path disappears, the motorbikes switch to the beach. The path crosses three rivers with no bridges where the only option is to pop the motorbike on a small ferry, often not much bigger than a canoe.
The paths are not marked but by following a GPS-enabled map and keeping in the right direction, it is possible to follow this route without a local driver.
While the beaches and river deltas along this route are not spectacular, they are deserted and special in their own way.
The coastal road continues south of Ngwesaung for 68 kilometres (42 miles) to Goyangyi Kyun with a few guesthouses. From here it terminates 37 kilometres (23 miles) further south, only halfway to the bottom of the Ayeyarwady Delta. To reach the Maw Tin Soon Pagoda at the southern tip of the delta, a 112 kilometre (69 mile) inland road from Goyangyi Kyun should be followed.
As the beaches south of Ngwesaung are deemed ordinary, and accommodation and public transport are extremely limited, we will skip this part of the coast and from Ngwesaung head back to Yangon to get pampered at a brand-new hotel in a renovated colonial building.
Setse Beach & Ogre Island (Mon State)
South of Yangon, along the southern shores of the delta and along the Gulf of Martaban, we skip the coastline as it is mostly covered in mangroves and river mouths so the sea is not clear and beaches are flooded with silt.
We take the train from Yangon all the way to the town of Mawlamyine (Moulmein) in Mon State, a distance of 325 kilometres (202 miles) which takes between 9 and 15 hours. Train travel in Myanmar can be painfully slow, but it is an experience to remember. Don’t be surprised if the train comes to a standstill for a few hours.
Mon State is not known for its idyllic beaches, but the area offers an authentic experience.
When this happens, join the locals and leave the train to find a soft spot in the long grass along the tracks for a well-deserved nap.
Mawlamyine has a few interesting temples, stupas, and monasteries to visit. Its main pagoda sits high on a ridge overlooking the city and was the setting for Rudyard Kipling’s 1890s poem, Burma Girl.
Just across the Thanlwin River (Salween River) from Mawlamyine lies Ogre Island, known as Bilu Kyun in the local Mon language. The teardrop-shaped island is roughly the size of Singapore, and has a rural charm not yet tainted by tourism.
This is likely to change since the new Bogyoke Aung San Bridge opened in May 2017, connecting the island to Mawlamyine. Before the construction of this bridge, the island could only be reached by boat.
The island is most famous for its cottage industries including wooden smoking pipes, wooden walking sticks, slate tablets for schools, rubber bands, ropes and doormats made from coconut fibre, bamboo farmer’s hats, and traditional Mon longyis—a sheet of cloth worn by men and women around the waist and running to the feet.
Ogre Island does not have any good beaches as it lies in the mouth of the Thanlyin River that flows from the Tibetan Plateau into the Andaman Sea.
We leave the island and head south. The first beach we encounter is Setse Beach, 78 kilometres (48 miles) south of Mawlamyine. On the way to the beach, stop at Win Sein Taw Ya which is home to Zinathuka Yan Aung Chantha, reputedly the largest reclining Buddha image in the world.
Also along this route in Thanbyuzayat is the Allied War Memorial Cemetery which commemorates the prisoners of war who lost their lives in constructing the infamous “Death Railway across the River Kwai” running between Thailand and Myanmar.
Located on the Gulf of Martaban of the Andaman Sea, the wide and long (6 kilometres / 4 miles) Setse Beach lies just 15 kilometres (9 kilometres) south of the Thanlyin River mouth, so the water is often muddy when currents wash down silt from the river.
While the waters may not attract sensitive bathers, the beach offers an interesting scenery: fishing boats and drying fish, modest seafood restaurants, beer stations, young coconuts full of fresh juice, and inner tube rides for those who want to conquer the brownish waters.
Accommodation licensed to accept foreigners is available. At the northern end of the beach is a small temple perched on the rocks.
Beaches of Ye (Mon State)
From Setse Beach the road continues 108 kilometres (67 miles) south to the town of Ye, which lies on the Yangon-Mawlamyine-Dawei train line The town has a few features worth exploring such as life along the Ye River which runs through the southern part of town, a small lake surrounded by several temples, and Shwe San Daw temple which is guarded by statues of giant salmon-coloured lions.
The town of Ye is best known for its fishing villages and quaint town.
About 10 kilometres (6 miles) north of town on the Mawlamyine highway is Ko Yin Lay, an elaborate hilltop temple and monastery complex commonly known as Banana Mountain. Another interesting adventure outside town is a boat trip some 16 kilometres (10 miles) upstream on the Ye River to Jaun Yua (also known as Kyaung Ywar), a remote and picturesque village.
A recommended guesthouse in Ye is the Starlight Guesthouse, run by David Herrick, a helpful expat and his local wife.
The main reason for stopping at Ye is to explore the beaches. To the north of the Ye River delta, some 14 kilometres (9 miles) southwest of town, lie a few mediocre beaches. Among these are Asin Beach, Pinlelwa Beach, Kyun Nwe Beach and Bin Le Wah Beach.
While none of these beaches are great for swimming, a walk around the fishing villages with their drying fish right on the beach is interesting. Stop at the Silver Seagull Restaurant at Kyun Nwe Beach for some great seafood right on the beach. Many of these beaches here are lined with long-tail fishing boats and bustling fishing communities.
About 11 kilometres (7 miles) south of Ye, a small road turns left in a southwestern direction. Some 22 kilometres (14 miles) later it reaches the coast at Kabyar Wa Beach, the first decent beach since we left Yangon. Located in southern Mon State, this golden sand beach is 5 kilometres (3 miles) long and boasts a low tide width of almost 100 metres (328 feet).
There is no public transport other than a taxi from Ye, and only a few bamboo huts on the beach though they may not be licensed to accommodate foreigners. However, a US$12 million beach resort has been on the books since 2015.
A few basic restaurants are housed in bamboo huts that layout the usual small rickety plastic tables and chairs. The inhabitants of the small village of Kabyar Wa live off fishing and farming on the hillsides.
South of Kabyar Wa Beach is a couple more beautiful beaches interrupted by a few lagoons which make the crossing without a boat risky due to the currents.
Until 2012 this entire region was closed to tourism but since the Myanmar government and the local armed group, the New Mon State Party, signed a ceasefire accord, it is now safe to visit.
We leave Kabyar Wa Beach back to the main road and cross the Mon State border into Myanmar’s most southern region, the Tanintharyi Division. From the state border, it is 131 kilometres (81 miles) south to Dawei City, the gateway to the Dawei Peninsula.
The peninsula lies between the Andaman Sea and the Tavoy River delta and stretches about 77 kilometres (48 miles) from Dawei down to Horse Shoe Bay at the bottom of the peninsula.
Nebule Beach To Pa Nyit Beach (Dawei Peninsula)
Nabule Beach lies 150 kilometres (93 miles) south of Ye but due to the inter-coastal mountains, it is best reached via Maungmagan Beach (Maung Ma Gan), which is 15 kilometres (9 miles) northwest of Dawei.
Unless you are doing this trip on a motorbike, it is best to take the train from Ye all the way to Dawei (162 kilometres / 101 miles), rent a motorbike, and head up to Maungmagan Beach and then a 24 kilometre (15 mile) dusty and bumpy rough road to Nabule beach. This road does not follow the beach due to a river.
Nabule’s beautiful golden sand beach, fringed by swaying palm trees, is broken up by large granite boulders with the largest boulder at the north end of the beach crowned with a golden stupa. While the area is quite remote with hardly any restaurants or shops, it is a secluded paradise worth a visit.
Maungmagan Beach can be crowded with locals. Beaches south of here are empty.
The government’s ambitious, perhaps imaginary, Dawei deep-sea port project started construction here but was suspended in 2013. The project aimed to transform Dawei into Southeast Asia’s largest industrial and trade zone. The current status of this development is unclear.
After Nabule, return to Maungmagan to eat at one of the many beachside restaurants. This beach is popular among the people of Dawei, so the usual inner tubes, beach parties and sing-alongs are ever-present. It’s not a great beach for relaxing or swimming, but good to experience the local beach culture. Plenty of accommodation is available but few properties are on the beach.
Just south of the bottom end of the long Maungmagan Beach past a fishing village, lies Shine Thar Yar Beach. While not as developed as its neighbour to the north, this beach is quite pleasant and has many restaurants and basic changing rooms.
From here the small road continues for 6 kilometres (4 miles) to a very long beach called San Maria and its popular Myaw Yit Pagoda on the rocks at the northern tip of the beach. While this undeveloped beach is mediocre, the pagoda and surrounding community with restaurants are well worth the visit.
The small road along the beach of San Maria to Pa Nyit Beach (about 10 kilometres / 6 miles further south) was being ever so slowly paved by hand starting in late 2019. It may take several months for this narrow road to be completed. Until fully paved, Pa Nyit Beach, and its nearby village, are best reached via the 10 kilometre (6 mile) road from Launglon, the biggest town on the peninsula.
Pa Nyit is a beautiful long beach with a massive gold-painted boulder, pagoda, and a small monastery on the rocks at the northern tip of the beach. The beach is lined with conifers which provide a refuge from the sun. While there are often a handful of fishing boats moored beyond the calm surf, the water seems to be quite clean. Pa Nyit village is several hundred metres inland so there is no run-off water onto the beach.
There are no facilities here, so bring your own picnic and water. Other than a wandering fisherman or the odd fellow beach enthusiast, you are most likely to be alone all day long. At the southern end of the beach is the entrance to a lagoon. For some adventure, swim across the lagoon and then hike around the rocks or climb over the small hill to reach a cove with a beach on the other side.
At the northern tip of the beach by the pagoda, a new road has been cut over the hill to a small secluded beach that the local kids call “Thin Baw Pyeq”. Rumour has it that the beach is slated to be developed as a private resort. A short but challenging hike through the jungle leads to another lovely beach further north.
San Hlan To Tizit Beach (Dawei Peninsula)
To travel from Pa Nyit further south along the peninsula, it is best to veer inland via the town of Launglon. Just about 2.7 kilometres (1.7 miles) south of Launglon is the Shwe Htee Saung Restaurant which serves some of the best and cheapest Thai food on the planet.
The highlight of this part of the coast is the fishing villages rather than the beautiful beaches.
At the southern edge of Launglon, a small rough hilly road sign-posted as “Lat Khat Taung”, leads southwest to the bustling fishing village of San Hlan with a beach popular among the locals. Just north of the village is a cove which serves as the fish-drying beach for the local fisherman.
A few minutes walk north of this beach is Kyone Ka Nan Beach where a brand new eco-lodge is in development after receiving their building permits in December 2019. The lodge is named after the popular 1871 French song: Au Temps Des Cerises, which means “cherry blossom time”.
About 3 kilometres (2 miles) south of San Hlan lies one of the best beaches in the area, Tizit beach. It is possible to do a 20 to 30 minute hike on a scenic path up and over the headland to Tizit. However, if travelling by motorbike you should ask a fisherman to take you by boat or take the 20 kilometre (12 mile) detour via the main road of the peninsula.
Tizit village sits at the northern end of this long beach while a lagoon cuts the beach roughly in half. Note that the lagoon fills up with beautiful clean waters during high tide so don’t get cut off from where you left your motorbike. The longer southern section of the beach is beautiful though shade under the trees is limited.
Other than a beer station in the village at the northern end of the beach, there are no amenities so bring your own food and drinks. A luxury resort was scheduled to be built here but seems to be on hold for now.
Sin Htauk Beach (Dawei Peninsula)
The distance, as the crow flies, between Tizit Beach and the next destination, Sin Htauk Beach, is about 23 kilometres (14 miles). Along this coastal route are several coves with white sand but none can be reached without considerable effort hiking through the jungle, or by boat.
So from Tizit Beach head back to Launglon and at the main peninsula road on the southern edge of town, turn right (south). Continue on this road for 31.5 kilometres (20 miles) past Ya Beh village where a road-sign points right (west) to Sin Htauk Beach.
The Sin Htauk Beach Bungalows is an ideal base from where to explore the peninsula.
A newly enlarged gravel road goes over several hills and terminates about 10 kilometres (6 miles) later in a small settlement with a few houses built on an escarpment overlooking the mangroves. Park the motorbike at the end of the road and walk down the steep cement path through the village to the mangrove forest. Arrive here during high tide and wade chest-deep for the next 100 metres (110 yards) to the beach. During low tide, there are only sections of ankle-deep water.
The path through the mangroves arrives on Sin Htauk Beach at a spot popular among the beer-drinking locals, so lots of empty beer cans are under the trees. While not a good start to any beach, look beyond the rubbish and be enthralled by the scenery. Walk to the left along the beach to Sin Htauk Bungalows.
While simplistic, the bungalows are just a few years old and are comfortable with ensuite bathrooms. Almost all have good sea-views. The restaurant here serves up reasonably good food and the cold beer is served with friendly smiles.
Violin Beach to Grandfather Beach (Dawei Peninsula)
While Sin Htauk is one of the most beautiful beaches in Myanmar, the area is filled with more surprises. After enjoying the sunset from the bungalow or from the beach restaurant, have a good sleep.
The Sin Htauk Bungalows have large bamboo windows which are best kept wide open day and night. There is nothing more wonderful than to fall asleep with the sound of the waves and wake up with open sea views from the bed.
Split in half by a lagoon, this long stretch of beach is the most beautiful in Myanmar.
After breakfast, head south of the restaurant on a footpath that leads over a small hill to what is arguably the most beautiful beach in Myanmar. Welcome to Tha Yaun (Violin Beach) and Po Po Kyauk (Grandfather Beach).
The path enters Violin Beach at its northern end, so before walking down the hill to the beach, enjoy the views over Violin Beach, a lagoon, and Grandfather Beach to the south of the lagoon.
Both beaches are stunning, with the most beautiful part at the lagoon where swimming is highly recommended. The difference between low and high tide is significant.
It is possible to swim across the lagoon inlet during low tide but this should only be attempted by confident swimmers as the currents are strong.
While the beach here is quite shallow, walk far into the sea and enjoy the clear turquoise waters.
Unless you carry the motorbike over the lagoon during low tide, it is not possible to cross from Violin Beach south to Grandfather Beach.
To get to Grandfather Beach, head back all the way to Ya Beh village at the main peninsula road, turn right and head south. Continue for 18 kilometres (11 miles) until the road passes through a fishing village.
Stay on this small road and eventually it will terminate on the beach. This is the south-side of Grandfather Beach.
Here most likely will be a beach crowd on weekends, complete with beach umbrellas, plastic chairs, and food kiosks. This beach is well known among locals and some come from far away to visit.
Drive or hike north on the beach up to the lagoon towards Violin Beach and enjoy the southern side of the lagoon.
There is no accommodation at Grandfather Beach even though work has started on bungalows in Nyau Pyin village at the southern end of the beach.
Paradise Beach and Further South (Dawei Peninsula)
Our next beach is San Sa Aw (Paradise Beach), which lies about 7 kilometres (4 miles) south of Grandfather Beach. From Grandfather Beach, return to Auk Kyauk Wut village (Autcha What). Just 1.2 kilometres (0.7 miles) before the village, turn right (south) on a small hiking path, which is also the only option for motorbike riders.
Connected to the main road by a small but long path, this is a little paradise!
This path goes up and down over the hills through the dense jungle which can be intimidating if you are not a confident biker.
After about a 15-minute-drive the path terminates at the Myanmar Paradise Beach Bungalows. The ten bamboo bungalows are set back from the beautiful San Sa Aw Beach and offer double and twin huts that come with mosquito nets and a basic ensuite bathroom with cold showers, and no air-conditioning. Each bungalow has its own porch with sea view, chairs and a hammock.
Paradise Beach is not idyllic though it is different and certainly worth a few nights stay. While there are a few beautiful coves further south, they are not accessible without considerable hiking effort.
With Paradise Beach as a base, take a day trip to the southernmost point of the peninsula at Myin Kwa (Horse Shoe Bay). To get there, head back to Auk Kyauk Wut village and turn right (south) just before the village. Follow this road that goes along the east coast of the peninsula. The well maintained paved road passes through several fishing villages and a few ordinary beaches until it reaches Shin Maw Pagoda, the most southern point on the peninsula.
From the pagoda head back for a few kilometres and then swerve left (west) to reach the bay. The Myin Kwa Aw Resort tried more than once to open on the unimpressive beach but the plans have once again been shelved, for now.
Return to Dawei town and stay for a few nights to take in the sights.
Dawei Town (Tanintharyi Region)
Dawei is a sun-drenched town during the dry season and rain-drenched during the monsoon season when it gets around 1,340 millimetres (53 inches) in the wettest month—August. The town has a charm all of its own, enjoyed for its concentration of colonial architecture, wet markets, and cottage industries, which include tourist-friendly cheroot (cigar) factories.
To best experience Dawei, walk aimlessly around town, photographing the magnificent old colonial buildings including many houses, and enjoy the food, drinks and the friendly inquisitive locals.
Gateway to the peninsula, Dawei is known for its colonial-era houses.
Visit the Tanintharyi Region Cultural Museum which is dedicated to the history of Dawei. The museum offers good information and displays about the region’s ethnic groups such as the Mon and the Myeik Archipelago’s seafaring Moken peoples, also referred to as the “sea-gypsies” or “sea-nomads”. There are also interesting galleries of antiques with collections of ancient weapons, jewellery and ceramics.
Dawei’s most prestigious temple is the immensely gilded Shwe Taung Zar Pagoda which is a sprawling complex of shrines, statues and chedis. It is also home to the main Buddhist monastery in town, colloquially referred to as Payagyi (Big Pagoda).
Shwe Thalyaung Pagoda, on the outskirts of town at the top of a high hill, is home to a large statue of a reclining Buddha in the central chedi. The views from the pagoda are spectacular.
While Dawei remains a sleepy town, it has become a popular base to explore the peninsula since the area opened up to foreign visitors.
Check out Dawei’s main market, the Si Pin Tharyar Zei, for some interesting fruits and other foods.
Dawei is also the gateway to the nearby Moscos Islands. Aun Bok in the South Moscos group is just 18 kilometres (11 miles) from the west coast of the Dawei Peninsula. Boats leave from Maungmagan, some 37 kilometres (23 miles) up north along the peninsula.
The islands of the Moscos Wildlife Sanctuary, an area of 49 square kilometres (9 square miles) were designated in 1926. They are surrounded by coral reefs and are untouched except for the temporary fishing settlements that pop up in the dry season. The sanctuary only occasionally gets visits from the Forestry Department staff based along the coast that are aimed at collecting edible nests of swiftlets (Collocalia fuciphaga) which have a high commercial value.
Tropical evergreen forests cover the island, teeming with undisturbed wildlife such as monkeys and many species of birds. At the South Moscos islands (Launglon Bok) a sea turtle conservation program is managed by the Department of Fishery, not far from a military base. Dawei’s Panorama Travel & Tours offer day-trips to these islands.
The road south from Dawei to the next large town, Myeik (259 kilometres / 161 miles) does not run close to the coast. This road has only been open to foreign travellers since 2013. Much of the coast here is covered with mangrove forests and beaches are affected by the Tavoy River which flows into the sea south of Dawei and down along this coast.
As the train line currently terminates in Dawei, the only way to get to Myeik is by road.
Myeik and nearby Islands (Tanintharyi Region)
For travellers along Myanmar’s Andaman Coast, the city of Myeik (Mergui) serves three main purposes.
First, Myeik is a well-deserved break along the tedious journey from Yangon or Dawei to Kawthaung at the southern tip of Myanmar. While there are no good beaches anywhere close to the city, it offers a nice rest for a few days before continuing the long road to the south.
The town of Myeik is good enough for a short stay-over when travelling further south.
Second, Myeik is one of two gateways (the other being Kawthaung) to the 800-odd islands of the Myeik Archipelago. Several islands are within reach of day trips from Myeik’s harbour. The most popular island tour from Myeik includes Smart Island that is a 2-hour speedboat ride (73 kilometres / 45 miles) and leaves from Seik Nga Jetty. The island is known for its stony beach, white sand, snorkelling, waterfall, Nyaung Mine village, and a Moken community.
Third, Myeik is quite an interesting town to explore, including the nearby islands, such as Pahtaw Pahtet, Kala, and Kadan Island. All are easily reachable within a few minutes by local ferry. Some islands have restrictions on where foreigners are allowed to wander.
Myeik has a long trading history and was built by its multi-cultural population with immigrant descendants of Chinese and Indians in addition to the local Bamar, Mon, and Moken people.
The Myeik harbour is full of garbage and one of the filthiest in Asia!
Myeik’s intriguing past is reflected in its architecture. Walking down the streets you will come across grand gold-plated temples, mosques, churches, traditional wooden homes, and imposing colonial-era mansions which create a kaleidoscope of architectural styles.
Myeik has a bustling port with a filthy waterfront strewn with rubbish. It is home to a large fishing fleet, a ship-building port, and is the centre of Myanmar’s pearl industry.
In addition to wandering the streets and enjoying the local food, don’t miss the Theindawgyi city temple, Bu Paya Zedi hilltop temple, Sake Nyein Zei market, and Myeik’s clock tower.
Much of the coastline from Myeik south to Kawthaung is overgrown with mangrove forests and not easily accessible from the main road. Therefore, skip this entire section and drive 430 kilometres (267 miles) to Kawthaung, the most southern gateway to the islands of the Myeik Archipelago. This road is mostly a single-lane bumpy road, with most maps not yet aware of its existence.
Kawthaung (Tanintharyi Region)
Kawthaung, the southernmost town of Myanmar, is separated from Thailand’s Ranong Province by a broad estuary in the Pakchan River, also known as the Kra Buri River. Known as Victoria Point during the British rule of Burma between 1824 and 1948, it is a charming and laid-back town straddled across the hills between the Kra Buri River on the east side and the Andaman Sea to the west.
As the gateway to the islands of the Myeik Archipelago, Kawthaung is worth a visit.
The town and the surrounding areas offer several sights of interest such as the town’s 21-metre-high (69 feet) Pyi Daw Aye Pagoda located on a hill overlooking the town. About three kilometres further north is the Mey Paw Kyan Pagoda. At the northern end of town along the river is a large area of stilted houses built on the edge of the river.
During low tide, the residents scour the muddy riverbed for molluscs and crabs. At high tide the waters surround the stilted houses, almost splashing inside the basic wooden homes. This is the time when even the youngest kids come out to plunge into the deep waters. A few restaurants and drinking spots make this an enjoyable part of visiting Kawthaung.
Kawthaung’s downtown offers a few pleasant restaurants serving up tasty Burmese and Thai food, as well as coffee shops and authentic markets. Close to the harbour, the street is lined with a number of simple seafood restaurants and lively beer stations. At the most southern tip is the Nagayone Temple right at the water’s edge. Nearby is the Kawthaung Grand Spirit Shrine.
One of the highlights of the Kawthaung area is Palautonetone, a low-lying island about 9 kilometres (5 miles) northwest of the Kawthaung harbour. The island is linked to the mainland by a 1,000+ metre (3,280 feet) long old teakwood bridge which is open to vehicular traffic. Walking across the bridge is preferred over crossing on a motorbike which is quite nerve-wracking, especially when wet!
The island has a long and wide brownish-sand beach on the northwestern side. While the beach is reasonably clean, the seawater is quite murky. A string of seafood restaurants and beer stations serve basic meals and cold beer.
The northeast side of the island is home to a lively yet rustic and picturesque fishing village partly built on stilts over the water. The people are a mixture of Bamar Buddhist, Chinese Buddhist and Muslims.
While in Kawthaung, stay at the lovely Victoria Cliff Hotel and Resort, located some 6.5 kilometres (4 miles) from the Kawthaung harbour. The resort offers a variety of luxury accommodation types, surrounded by well-groomed botanical gardens, complete with lakes, swans, swimming pools and well-maintained giant bonsais (see advert at the bottom of this post).
Wa Ale Island (Tanintharyi Region)
From Kawthaung, private yachts leave to a few luxury resorts spread out across a tropical archipelago. Known as the Myeik (or Mergui) Archipelago, it is an immense area that covers approximately 36,000 square kilometres (13,900 square miles) and lies in the Andaman Sea off the Tanintharyi Region’s coast in southern Myanmar.
It consists of more than 800 scattered islands mainly composed of limestone and granite, varying in size from small jagged rocky outcrops to large islands many kilometres in diameter.
The archipelago lies in a 400 kilometre (248 mile) long north-south scattering, in tropical waters where temperatures are consistently pleasant with average lows between 20-24°C (68-75°F) and average highs ranging between 28-33°C (82-91°F). These are ideal conditions for tropical wildlife to thrive, both in the sea and on the islands.
This is the place for explorers and adventurers to make their dreams come true. A place for those who are yearning for destinations that still remain untouched, immaculate, and unspoiled by mass tourism. This is a place where tourism is a brand-new terminology.
With more than 800 islands, this archipelago remains largely unexplored and unspoiled.
Most of the islands are covered in evergreen forests and dense jungles that drop into the azure waters interrupted only by brilliant white powder-soft sandy beaches and rocky headlands. Some of the islands have tidal rivers and are fringed by large mangrove forests where fish and other small creatures flourish.
The islands are surrounded by a coral reef and beds of seagrass that add to their diverse fauna and flora. The majority of islands remain uninhabited and untouched, except for some of the larger islands which are home to small communities of Burmese fishermen and the seafaring Moken people.
While the beauty here is comparable to the scatterings of the Maldives Islands, the Maldives are half-sunken atolls while the Myeik Archipelago looks more like rock formations that shot out of the seabed towards the sky.
Arguably one of the most beautiful islands of the archipelago is the quaint island of Wa Ale at the westernmost edge of Lampi Island.
The 36 square kilometre (8,900 acre) Wa Ale Island can be described as an annexe of Lampi Island with a 220 metre (722 feet) wide channel, called Salet Galet cove, that separates Kyunn Tann Shey on Lampi with Wa Ale Island. This cove is a popular anchorage for the fishing boats in 10 to 12 metre (33 – 39 feet) deep water, particularly during periods of turbulent weather. The cove is also home to a small community of Moken people settled on a tiny island.
Wa Ale Island is part of the vast Lampi Marine National Park, an ASEAN Marine Heritage site. The island is known for its pristine kilometre-long dazzling white-sand beaches, flanked by rocky cliffs, and backed by lush evergreen jungles. The surrounding crystal clear waters are teeming with wildlife, including whale sharks, dolphins, dugongs, turtles and manta rays. The shores are ideal for snorkelling the reefs, and paddle boarding or kayaking through the mangroves.
The only accommodation on Wa Ale Island is the brand-new Wa Ale Island Resort. The entire luxury resort was creatively constructed with local materials including river stones and reclaimed wood to minimise its impact on the surrounding environment (see advert at the bottom of this post).
The resort’s 11 luxury tented beach villas and three treetop villas overlook the beautiful beaches at its doorstep. The restaurant serves Asian-Mediterranean cuisine created by a top British chef, using ingredients coming from the resort’s organic garden and local fishermen who are strictly required to use sustainable fishing methods.
Recreational activities on offer at the resort include snorkelling and scuba diving, paddle boarding and kayaking through the mangroves, long hikes through the dense jungle, and relaxation on the white-sand beaches.
Wa Ale Island truly is a pristine paradise of primal seclusion which is irresistibly lovely.
I think we have kept the best for last!
It is the end of our journey along Myanmar’s long coastline. But wait. We’re not allowed to stay on Wa Ale Island for the rest of our lives and must return to Kawthaung on the resort’s luxury yacht. Champagne will be served as we wave goodbye to the friendly staff at the resort.
What a journey this has been!
GlobeRovers’ travels along the coast of Myanmar were partially sponsored by the professional team at Asia Precious Junction Travel & Tours in Yangon.
Contact them at info@asiapreciousjunction.com to arrange your adventures.
(see advert at the bottom of this post)
☛ Read more: Blog posts of Myanmar
☛ Read more: 13 Hidden Myanmar Beaches That You Must Visit
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Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.