Ngapali Beach
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Take with a pinch of salt the story about this beautiful beach reminding a homesick Italian of
Naples. From its gently swaying palms, luxury resorts and appealing guesthouses to its pristine
sands, tempting blue waters and delicious seafood caught fresh each day by local fi shermen,
Ngapali (p 270 ) is the antithesis of the Italian city. Enjoy it for what it is: the perfect getaway and a
chance to wind down – sunbathing, snorkelling and sipping fresh coconut juice as an ox-drawn cart
trundles slowly across the fi ne, soft sand.Hsipaw
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Attractive Hsipaw (p 258 ) is ideally placed for quick, easy hikes into fascinating Shan and
Palaung villages. The town’s handful of guides off er just enough English-speaking help to make
the experience comfortable, while the whole region feels far less ‘discovered’ than that around
Kalaw. Hsipaw itself is a historic little town. It was once home to Shan princes and has its own
(very) ‘Little Bagan’ of historic stupas. Fill out a few interesting days here with visits to a curious
assortment of local, house-sized factories. Palaung homeTOM SMITHFRANK CARTER/LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©