Ngapali Beach

Situated on an 11 km stretch of coastline along the shores of the Bay of Bengal lies Ngapali Beach – one of the world’s best kept secrets. Ngapali Beach is located 7 km the sleepy fishing village of Thandwe, and has become ever-increasingly popular with travelers from all over the world. This is due to the cobalt blue water, coconut tree-lined beaches and spectacular sunsets which paint the sky a thousand colours. Ngapali Beach was certainly the change of pace I was looking forward to in my holiday of a lifetime to Myanmar.
I’d been in this magnificent country now for some time. I had been to more pagodas than it’s possible to count. I’d developed calluses on my feet from trekking through kilometres of dense jungles in Shan. I had haggled with vendors in the crowded marketplaces of Yangon. Sure, I’d loved every minute of it. But it was time to add some contrast to my time spent in Burma, by taking time out to relax, laze on the beach and simply watch the world go by.
My flight departed Yangon in the morning and it took roughly an hour to reach the airport in Thandwe. After touchdown, I quickly exited the plane and met the hotel representative who would take me to the airport. I sat in the back of the van, struggling to contain my excitement of the relaxation portion of my escape to Burma. I arrived at the resort where I was ushered into the lobby. I was greeted with a delicious welcome drink made of freshly squeezed fruit juice before being shown to my room. As I unpacked, I began planning in my mind the things that I would do during my time in Ngapali. Of course, the natural instinct of any traveller who visits Ngapali is to head straight to the beach, which is exactly what I did. As I reached the beach, I was stunned by its faultless qualities. The white sands stretched for miles along the coastline, while the clear blue water lapped gently against the sand. Small bamboo fishing boats were scattered sparsely along the shore, providing an image that would not look out of place on a postcard.
I sat under an umbrella with the Bay of Bengal gently lapping at my feet while indulging in fresh juice right out of a coconut – as fresh as it comes. Now, I’d seen some of the world’s best beaches in my travels, but I would have to say that Ngapali is a cut above the rest. One of the reasons I fell in love with Ngapali Beach is because of the vast stretches of wide beaches gave the feeling like I was the only traveller on the beach. But it would only be a matter of time before the rest of the world discovered this perfect paradise. I had seen fishing boats lined up on the shore during the day, and heading out in the sparseness of the Indian Ocean, only to arrive back at the beach in the early hours of the morning with the catch of the day. If it wasn’t the beach that makes Ngapali Beach famous, it would have to be the freshly caught seafood. Restaurants can be found along the beach offering cheap and freshly caught seafood, cooked over the dry coconut shells, which give a great taste to the seafood.
After spending time in Ngapali Beach, I could honestly say that it exceeded my expectations with everything I could have dreamed for in a beach holiday. Minimal tourists, great scenery, delicious food, white sandy beaches, snorkelling - Ngapali Beach has it all. I felt sad at the prospect of returning to my wet and cold home town, and that my secret paradise will one day become a renowned destination for travellers all over the world. But I am glad in the knowledge that I had the chance to experience Ngapali Beach before deckchairs line the beach and the construction of multi-storey hotels changes this awe-inspiring destination forever