83DELTA REGIONSIGHTS & ACTIVITIESAROUND YANGONSIGHTS & ACTIVITIESAROUND YANGONNGWE SAUNG BEACHNgwe Saung Beach
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Forgive us for thinking that Ngwe Saung
Beach may have begun to show symptoms of
bipolar disorder. These days the northern end
of the beach has the air of a weekend getaway
destination for nouveau riche Yangonites,
and is home to an uninterrupted chain of
walled, upscale resorts. At the southern end
a palpable abandoned aura – not unlike that
of Kep in Cambodia – pervades, and this is
where you’ll fi nd foreign backpackers and
budget bungalows. The factor linking these
two disparate places is an attractive 13-mile
string of sand and palms that, although it
won’t rate as one of the region’s best beaches,
has fi ner sand and clearer and deeper water
than nearby Chaung Tha Beach.
1 Sights & Activities
Above all else Ngwe Saung is an indulgent, lie-
back-and-do-absolutely-nothing sort of beach
and most visitors are happy to comply. How-
ever, if sitting around doing nothing more
strenuous than wiggling your toes in the sand
sounds boring then there are a few calorie-
burning activities you can take part in.
A boat trip out to Bird Island, just visible
way out on the horizon, for a day of snorkel-
ling and, dare we say it, bird-watching, is the
most popular water-based excursion. Boats
can be arranged through many hotels for
between $65 and $85, depending on the size
of your group and the boat it will require.
If you don’t have the stomach or budget
for a boat trip, at low tide you can simply
walk over to Lovers’ Island, a handsome
strip of sand located at the southern end of
the beach. The water surrounding this is-
land is also a good place to snorkel among
dancing clouds of tropical fi sh. Masks and
snorkels can be hired from some hotels
(Shwe Hin Tha Hotel and Treasure Resort
are the most reliable) for K2500 per day.
Several of the resorts can arrange day
trips to an elephant camp (p85) halfway
between Ngwe Saung and Pathein.
4 Sleeping
In the last few years Ngwe Saung has gentri-
fi ed signifi cantly and an uninterrupted chain
of resorts now backs the northern end of the
beach. Many of these are aimed at the up-
per price range and some, like the Aureum
Palace Resort, Myanmar Treasure Resort and
Myanmar Treasure II, are owned by those
with close government links (see p 21 ).
Making it even more diffi cult for budget
travellers is that many of the cheap places
have folded in recent years and the few that
remain are at the far southern end of the
beach. Getting between these hotels and the
village is a pain, but enough trishaws drift
on past to allow some means of escape.
Electricity is a rare commodity at Ngwe
Saung, even if you are paying hundreds of
dollars a night, and is generally available
only from 1pm to 3pm and 6pm to midnight.Shwe Hin Tha Hotel HOTEL $$
(%40340; bungalows $15-35; a) Set at the bliss-
ful southern end of the beach, this place is
almost within paddling distance of Lovers’
Island. It has a magnetic pull for backpackers
who agonise over whether to opt for cheap-
and-simple bamboo huts or one of the more
solid and luxurious bungalows. Either way
they can be sure that it will be clean and well
maintained and that hot water will appear
on request. There’s a book exchange, various
travel services and plenty of like-minded cli-
entele to waste away the days with. It’s the
sister hotel of the one in Chaung Tha but
comes with much higher recommendations.Emerald Sea Resort RESORT $$$
(%40247, in Yangon 01-520 0890; http://www.emerald
seahotel.com; r $45, bungalows $55-75; as) Lo-
cated south of the village, this cosy resort
may not be as fl ashy as the newer places
along the beach, but it makes up for it with
heaps of atmosphere and excellent service.
The rooms themselves are beautifully cre-
ated with minimal decor making the virgin-
white, and very comfortable, interiors all the
more classy. There’s a decent restaurant (ad-
vance notice is often required) and a beauti-
ful stretch of beach out front, but it’s the staff
that really make this place as good as it is.Bay of Bengal Resort RESORT $$$
(%40304; http://www.bayofbengalresort.com; r $85-
95, ste $115-135; ais) Quite possibly the
poshest beach resort in Myanmar, this im-
mense new compound at the far northern
end of Ngwe Saung feels something like a
timeshare condo community in Florida.
The ground-fl oor Bengal Suites have a spa-
cious sitting area and huge balcony, and
bathrooms with a stone tub and an open-air
shower. Reasons to leave your room include
tennis courts, a huge pool and a spa. It’s also
one of the only places in the area to off er
internet, at a whopping $4 per hour.