Over the last couple of months, I had the privilege to travel along the 1,930 km (1,200 mi) coast of Myanmar, all the way from the north, to the southern tip of this amazing country.
Spread over three different trips, I travelled from Ma Zin in the north (north of Ngapali Beach), all the way to Kawthaung at the most southern tip of Myanmar (see the red line on the map below).
I missed out on the most northern section which stretches from the border with Bangladesh south to the area north of Ngapali Airport (Ma Zin). As the crow flies, this is a distance of about 280 km (174 mi).
The most northern area is tough to travel and is best done by motorbike or 4-wheel drive. Due to the many rivers and bays, the coastal road follows an inland route. Only a few small roads go near the coast.
Along this section lies Ramree Island which can be reached by road via a small bridge across a river. The road extends all along the island’s western shores. Known for the “Battle of Ramree Island” during the Second World War, the island became infamous for “the large population of saltwater crocodiles native to the mangrove swamps that prayed on the trapped Japanese forces at night and ate many soldiers.” I need to return later to explore this island and its ferocious crocs.
About 60 km (37 mi), as the crow flies, south of Ramree Island lies the long stretch of beaches around the popular Ngapali Beach. While the resort-lined Ngapali Beach does not have a great beach, truly idyllic beaches lie some distance to the south and north of Ngapali.
Can’t wait to see the beautiful beaches? Scroll down…
About 124 km (77 mi) by road to the south, is Zi Khong village near a beautiful beach of the same name. Tucked among the palm trees is the cosy Arakan Nature Lodge. The lodge provides the comforts of traditional Rakhine houses cooled naturally by the daily sea breeze. The houses and rooms show the original beauty of their natural materials and offer spectacular sea and sunset views. A beautiful resort in a beautiful location, on a long stretch of some of the most stunning beaches along Myanmar’s coast.
Another 26 km (16 mi) further south from Arakan Nature Lodge is the small fishing town of Gwa. While the town itself has nothing much to offer, other than the friendly locals and cold beer, the coastline south of town across the river is absolutely idyllic and void of any human presence.
From Gwa, a wide inland route of 230 km (143 mi) goes to Chaung Thar. This popular beach is just decent, but the town’s people and the variety of accommodation and restaurants are the highlights here. From Chaung Thar take an adventurous 2-hour motorbike ride further south, crossing three rivers by boat, to the more popular beach of Ngwesaung.
The next section I skipped was south of Ngwesaung Beach to the southern tip of the Irrawaddy Delta, a distance of about 100 km (62 mi), though the bottom 20 km (12 mi) has no road, as far as I can see on maps. The southern coast of the delta can only be done by boat which I also skipped for a later date.
The rest of the coast I travelled all the way to the southern tip of Myanmar. Large sections of the southern coastal areas are hard to reach due to the ruggedness and absence of roads. Even the main road was only recently opened to foreign visitors and is mostly a narrow bumpy road for hundreds of kilometres. Some areas along the southern coast are still closed off to foreigners (or requires a permit) as the government claims that these areas are still “not secure enough”.
Along parts of the route are small fishing villages with friendly folks who are quite interested in meeting the few foreigners who venture into the area.
The Andaman Sea along the southern coast is known for the Myeik Archipelago, an area scattered with over 800 islands. The archipelago is home to the Moken seafaring tribes who are also known as the “Moken nomads” or the “sea gypsies”. Some islands in the archipelago recently opened up for tourism, on a limited basis. Only a few upscale resorts have received permission to build accommodation on a few selected islands. The New York Times reported in 2012 that “the tight security is a pretext by shady interests seeking to protect their illegal fishing, logging and smuggling businesses… some of the authorities are trying to monopolize the area to make money for their own benefit.” Seems like the archipelago, for now, will largely remain a paradise in a well-guarded police state.
To conclude my long journey down the coast of Myanmar, I spent a few days in pure bliss at the Wa Ale Island Resort on Wa Ale Island in the Myeik Archipelago, and at the lovely Victoria Cliff Hotel & Resort outside the town of Kawthaung, situated at the mouth of Kyan River on the Malay Peninsula. During British rule in Burma between 1824 and 1948, Kawthaung was known as Victoria Point, and is a short ferry ride from the Thai border town of Ranong.
To start this route in a southern direction, fly into Yangon and first spend a few days in this interesting city. Take a splurge and stay a few nights at the charming Yangon Excelsior Hotel, in the heart of the old section of Yangon. From Yangon, either fly up to Ngapali Airport or take a gruelling 14-hour overnight-bus. From Ngapali Airport explore the beaches 5 km (3.1 mi) to the north, before turning south and head for Kawthaung at the most southern tip of Myanmar. Alternatively, fly from Bangkok to Ranong, cross the river by longtail boat, and after spending a few days on the islands in the Myeik Archipeligo, head up to the far north.
The friendly folks at Asia Precious Junction Travel (APJ Travels) arranged (and sponsored) part of my trip. I can highly recommend their professional services!
The full-length version of this article appears in the July 2020 issue of GlobeRovers Magazine. Get the FREE GlobeRovers magazine app at the Apple Store, or at Google Play.
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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.