THE BEST MYANMAR BEACHES

Two thousand kilometers of coastline with long stretches of white sand make Myanmar among the best place to chill out under the coconut shades. Many of Myanmar beaches are unspoiled and undiscovered, reminiscent of Thailand’s beaches 20 years ago. This list below includes the best Myanmar baeches that you should check out.

Ngapali

Several daily 45-minute-flights from Yangon put Ngapali by far the most popular beach in Burma. Ngapali is a dream beach with seven kilometers of white sand accompany with palm trees. The turquoise sea is crystal clear.

The beach is named after the Italian city of Naples -- a homesick Italian bestowed the name, so the story goes. You should note that the route by road through the Rakhine Yoma Mountain range has been off limits recently because of trouble in the state.

Since it's somewhat remote, this is a place to come for a few days and sink into beach mode. Accommodation options range from small beach huts to villas and there are plenty of restaurants serving fresh seafood in this one of the most amazing Myanmar beaches.

Chuang Tha

Chaung Tha, which is popular with middle-class families from the city, is really closed to Yangon. It’s not as beautiful as Ngapali or Ngwe Saung beaches -- the sand isn’t as white and the beachfront is a jumble of hotels -- but it’s hugely popular, especially on weekends and holidays.

If you’re here during the high season and want to escape the crowds, you can hire a boat and explore one of the neighboring islands. You'll have to bring your own snorkel set to get a good look at the tropical fish.
Ngwe Saung Beach

The sea in Ngwe Saung is as clear as it is in Ngapali, but the area isn’t as developed. That’s the reason why it seriously laid back spot and a great place to do nothing after exploring the country. Flights from Yangon to Ngwe Saung last 35 minutes or you can do a six-hour road trip. And if you want to savor the journey, you can take a 16-hour boat from Yangon to the gateway town of Pathein. When you’ve had enough of lying on the beach, there’s scuba diving and snorkeling and an island at the end of the beach that you can walk out to at low tide. You can hire a motorbike if you want to explore the 15-kilometer beach and ride on the hard sand sections and take the road that runs alongside the beach for the rest.

The seafood here is fantastic -- lobster, shrimp, crab, fish -- and if you’re on the beach early in the morning you’ll probably see fishermen coming in with their catch.

Kanthaya Beach

This is the Myanmar beach to hit if you really want to get away from development. Kanthaya Beach is unspoiled and undeveloped.

There are no beachside sports and shops, and that’s the attraction. You won’t be able to book a hotel in advance, but you’re sure to find a room when you arrive.

The beach is shallow and 4.5-kilometres long. Unlike the white sandy beach of Ngapali, 100 kilometers north, the sand here is golden and a little gritty. But there’s no doubt that this beach is among the best Myanmar beaches.