Thandwe
Encyclopedia
Ngapali Beach
Ngapali Beach is a beachBeach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
located 7 kilometres (4 mi) from the town of Thandwe (Sandoway), in Rakhine State
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. It is the most famous beach in Myanmar and is a popular tourist destination. Myanmar's political climate means that Ngapali is not as well publicized as other good beaches of Southeast Asia.
The beach stretches for 3 km (2 mi) and overlooks the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. The name "Ngapali", has no meaning in Burmese
Burmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
, but comes from the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
"Napoli" (the city of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
).
Ngapali Beach has been promoted as a major tourist destination in Myanmar. Several resorts and hotels are located in Ngapali, usually of the high end - such as Bayview Ngapali, Amata Resort, Amazing Ngapali and also the government owned Anawa. Ngapali used to have private bungalos, but these were torn down in the late 1990s to make way for the development of hotels. The hotels and small tourism industry helps to provide income for the villages around Ngapali and also Thandwe. There is also a golf course nearby.
The beach is served by Thandwe Airport
Thandwe Airport
Thandwe Airport is an airport serving Thandwe, a town in the Rakhine State of Burma.- Airlines and destinations :-Accidents and incidents:...
. All of Myanmar's internal airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
s, Myanma Airways
Myanma Airways
Myanma Airways Corporation is the national flag carrier and state-owned airline of Myanmar, based in Yangon. It operates scheduled services to all major domestic destinations. Its main base is Yangon International Airport.- History :...
, Air Mandalay
Air Mandalay
Air Mandalay is an airline based in Yangon, Myanmar. It is a regional airline operating domestic services and international charter flights to neighboring countries. Its main base is Yangon International Airport.- History :...
, Yangon Airways
Yangon Airways
Yangon Airways Ltd. is an airline based in Yangon, Myanmar, offering scheduled and chartered domestic flights out of its bases at Yangon International Airport and Mandalay Chanmyathazi Airport...
, Air KBZ
Air KBZ
Air KBZ is a privately owned Burmese start-up airline,an airline based in Yangon, Myanmar. It is a regional airline operating domestic services. The airline was created in 2010 by Kanbawza Bank and originally planned to launch services as Air Kanbawza in October 2010, in time for the peak tourist...
and Air Bagan
Air Bagan
Air Bagan Limited , operating as Air Bagan, is an airline headquartered in Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar. It operates domestic scheduled services to 15 towns and cities, as well as to Thailand. Its main bases are Yangon International Airport and Mandalay Chanmyathazi Airport.- History :The...
have frequent flights to Thandwe from most of their destinations. Ngapali's isolation means that few people are able to afford the airfare, thus making it more popular amongst tourists as an unspoilt and private beach.