273RAKHAING STATEEATING & DRINKINGWESTERN MYANMAREATING & DRINKINGWESTERN MYANMARNGAPALI BEACHLin Thar Oo Lodge HOTEL $$
(%42322, in Yangon 01-503 721; http://www.lintharoo
-ngapali.com; s/d from $30/35; a) Off ers 20
mostly sea-facing, simple, cottage-type
rooms, the more expensive have a minibar,
a TV and air con. Three basic rooms ($25)
with a fan and cold-water showers are set
back from the beach in a concrete block.
Electricity is on from 6pm to 6am.
Silver Beach Hotel HOTEL $$
(%in Yangon 01-381 898; http://www.silverbeachhotel
ngapali.com; r/ste $65/100; ai) At the beach’s
north end, Silver Beach is the cheapest way
to go for 24-hour electricity. The prim, red-
roofed cottages conjure up the look of a
1950s British holiday camp, with dated fur-
nishings and facilities to match.
Amazing Ngapali Resort RESORT $$$
(%42011, in Yangon 01-203 500; http://www.amazing-ho
tel.com; s/d from $120/125; aWs) Favoured by
tour groups, the spacious and well-equipped
36 double-storey villas at this resort near
the airport all face the beach. You’re isolated
here, though, from the more appealing Nga-
pali Beach several miles south.
Under construction at the time of research,
but looking promising, are the luxurious
Tamarin d Re sor t next to the Aureum Palace
and the 28 bungalow Amara Ocean Resort
(www.amaragroup.net; d from $350; aiWs) run
by a Burmese-Myanmar couple and the only
hotel north of Thandwe Airport.
5 Eating & Drinking
Cheap, fresh and plentiful, Ngapali’s sea-
food (particularly fresh squid dunked in
spiced ginger-and-garlic sauce) ranks eas-
ily among Myanmar’s best dining. The long
lights that line the western horizon off shore
at dusk are fi shing boats using bulbs to at-
tract squid.
A dozen family-run restaurants of vary-
ing quality cluster outside the gates of ho-
tels. These have practically identical menus
(posted in English) and prices. A dish of
crab, squid or barracuda starts from K2000
or K2500, barbecued tiger prawns are K3500
to K5000, and lobster is K15,000 and up.
Food is more nicely prepared and presented
inside the hotels – but you’ll generally pay
more for this.
oPleasant View
Islet Restaurant SEAFOOD, BAMAR $$
(near Pleasant View Resort; dishes K4000-K10,000;
hlunch & dinner) Set on a rocky islet at the
beach’s south end (you may have to wade
through knee-deep surf to get to it), this styl-
ish eatery serves very tasty seafood at a bet-
ter price than most hotels. It’s also perfect
for sunset cocktails and nibbles.oSandoway Resort
Restaurant ASIAN, EUROPEAN $$$
(Sandoway Resort; dishes $6-48; h7am-10pm) An
elegant place to dine by the beach with the
most creative menu among the big resort
restaurants. The Italian co-owners ensure
that the pasta ($10 to $14) is made al dente
and you can also dip into local dishes, such
as laphet thoke (tea-leaf salad; $6).Htay Htay’s Kitchen BAMAR, CHINESE $$
(Ngapali Rd; dishes K1500-K3500; h7am-11pm)
At the north end of the beach, this restau-
rant and gift shop is run by a very friendly
couple. Expect the usual grilled seafood and
curries as well as some more unusual items,
such as various types of tempura and a salad
and drinks made using giant lemons from
Mrauk U as an ingredient.Brilliance BAMAR, SEAFOOD $$
(dishes K1500-4000; h7am-10pm) This is a sim-
ple place, but it serves fairly brilliant seafood
that’s far more reasonably priced than in the
big hotels.Two Brothers Restaurant BAMAR, SEAFOOD $$
(Ngapali Rd; dishes R3000-7000; hnoon-9.30pm)
One of the more reliable operations on the
Ngapali Rd strip, with a touch more class
in its overall presentation. Tables have natty
blue-and-white tablecloths and there’s wine
available.Amata Resort Restaurant INTERNATIONAL $$$
(Amata Resort; dishes $8-20; h7-10am, 11am-2pm
& 6.30-10.30pm) This hotel restaurant over-
looks the pool and beach. It serves pretty
good pizzas ($8 to $10) and a real-deal beef
burger ($8).Lili’s Bar INTERNATIONAL $$
(Laguna Lodge; meals $4-6; h7am-11pm) A cute
spot in the palm-shaded sand with a lazy
dog or two lolling around, fake turtles, gen-
erous plates of pasta and $2 mojitos.Catch/Sunset Bar INTERNATIONAL $$$
(Bayview Beach Resort; dishes $5-24) Bayview’s
restaurant is called Catch and is located
away from the beach, but everyone eats
from the Catch’s menu by dining at Sunset
Bar, which is by the beach. It’s good for fi l-
lets of barracuda, burgers and pizzas.