- Beach holidays in Myanmar
- Top 2 best resorts in Myanmar
Of all the states of Southeast Asia, Myanmar is perhaps the most mysterious and little known to Russian travelers. Located in the west of the Indochina Peninsula, the former Burma is the most frequently visited by tourists interested in ancient Buddhist architecture. The archaeological zone of Pagan, which was the capital of the kingdom of the same name in the 11th-13th centuries, has preserved thousands of pagodas, stupas, monasteries and temples. The buildings are located on an area of over 40 sq. km and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In recent years, the best resorts of Myanmar have also become attractive to foreigners, where you can have a great time on the shores of the Bay of Bengal of the Indian Ocean and enjoy a vacation in which civilization has not yet intervened too much.
Beach holidays in Myanmar
The geographic location of the country largely determines the weather in its resorts. Myanmar lies in tropical and subequatorial climatic zones. Three weather seasons are distinguished here throughout the year:
- The best time for a beach holiday in Myanmar resorts begins at the end of October, when dry and relatively cool weather sets in. This period lasts until the last days of February. The air temperature prevailing in the high season can reach + 30 ° С, but most often thermometers show no more than + 27 ° С in the afternoon.
- With the onset of spring, mercury columns rush upward, demonstrating a daily increase. The dry heat lasts until the end of May, and the air temperature during this period reaches + 40 ° С much more often than tourists would like.
- With the onset of summer, high humidity is added to the heat - the precipitation season begins in the resorts of Myanmar. The rains fall in the form of heavy downpours, but can also take on a prolonged character. During such periods, the air humidity becomes almost one hundred percent. The low season ends in the last weeks of autumn.
But the water temperature in the Indian Ocean, washing the shores of Myanmar, is an example of stability. Despite the weather changes, it stays at + 27 ° С or slightly higher throughout the year.
It is better to plan excursion tours to the country for the dry season, since during the rainy season sightseeing is greatly complicated, and access to the stupas and temples of Pagan, for example, may be completely difficult.
The beaches in Myanmar are municipal, access to them is absolutely free. You will not find sun loungers and umbrellas on the coastline that does not belong to the hotel, but you can throw a towel in any place you like. Wandering merchants, who cause a lot of problems for vacationers in other countries of Southeast Asia, are practically not found in the former Burma, but you can easily buy souvenirs in numerous shops on the beach. There are no unpleasant animals either in the sea or on the coast in Myanmar, so you can swim and sunbathe without fear. Beach food is inexpensive, and a good plate of grilled fish or seafood will cost $ 3-6.
There are almost no tourists with children in Myanmar resorts: the infrastructure is weak to interest young travelers and fill their vacation with meaning, and getting to the beaches is not too easy, given the poor transport links and the imperfect condition of Burmese roads.
Top 2 best resorts in Myanmar
In the list of Myanmar resorts available to a foreigner without any problems, there are only two names - Ngapali and Ngwe Saung.
Ngapali
The main attractions of Ngapali are its white beaches, which often receive the unspoken titles of "the most beautiful in Southeast Asia." The main charm of Myanmar beaches is their pristine nature. Compared to neighboring countries, the state has not yet promoted beach tourism, and the infrastructure of recreation areas here still does not overshadow the pristine purity of tropical nature. The easiest way to get to the resort from the capital or Yangon is by plane of local airlines. The airport is located 8 km from the hotel area, and this entire part of the coast is made up of sandy beaches.
Most of the hotels in Ngapali cannot be called cheap: the cost of living in them ranges from $ 110 to $ 1150 per night, and the number of stars decorating their facades is stable - at least four. There are a couple of relatively inexpensive options for budget travelers at the resort, where the price of a room starts from $ 20 -30 $. Keep in mind that hotels are supplied with electricity by means of generators, and therefore most of them receive it on schedule and regardless of the price tag.
There is no nightlife at the resort, and is it worth expecting if you come to relax and see the sun off the horizon, sitting on a beautiful beach with white sand? But the restaurants in Ngapali quite adequately represent Myanmar cuisine and specialize in seafood dishes, which are delivered daily to the guests' table by local fishermen.
What to do in the best resort in Myanmar if sunbathing is a little bored? You can play golf, the course for which is divided according to all the rules and has 18 holes. Another way to have fun is renting a bike and exploring the area. The most diligent will be able to get to the nearest town of Tandue, famous for its market and three pagodas, each of which keeps parts of the body of the Buddha himself.
Ngwe Saung
The second and last resort in the top list of the best in Myanmar is also a long way: from Yangon you will have to get by bus and the journey will take at least six hours. The atmosphere of Ngwe Saung is distinguished by a special serenity and tranquility, and this resort will undoubtedly suit those who like peace and meditative relaxation.
The beaches of Ngwe Saung stretch for fifteen kilometers along the coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. They are covered with light sand, the water in the sea is clear, and the palm trees growing on the shore add a picturesque landscape, making it as beautiful as the photo on the covers of guidebooks to the best resorts in the world. In Ngwe Saung there are hotels that fall under the category of luxury and estimate their services at $ 1000 per night in high season, and quite budget hotels, where the cost of a day in a bungalow will cost a couple $ 25.
From the entertainment offered to guests in the resort, boat trips on kayaks and boats and land trips on bicycles are popular; excursions to the villages of local fishermen and acquaintance with their life and trade; trips to the training camp of elephants, where good-natured giants are taught to help people in hard work, and tourists are allowed to ride an elephant on horseback; pleasant procedures in the spa salons of expensive hotels. The beaches of Ngwe Saung offer sea cruises to nearby islands for barbecues, sunbathing on wild beaches and snorkeling.
There is no evening entertainment at the resort, and after dark you can only entertain yourself with dinner in restaurants located on the so-called "shopping mile" of the village of Ngwe Saung in the northern part of the beaches. The hotels in the resort are not connected to government power lines, and therefore their power supply cannot be called constant. Expensive hotels have electricity for about 20 hours a day, while cheap ones only at night.
