For most travelers, a beach destination is arranged at the end of a trip, since after spending a long time of seeing architecture, culture and human landscapes, a relaxing beach vacation is not only a rest for the eyes but also for the tired body.
As the most popular beach destination in Myanmar, Ngapali Beach is often arranged at the end of a trip for another logistical reason – there are fewer domestic air connections in Myanmar, compared with other countries where tourism is more developed, such as Thailand.
Getting in and Out
Ngapali Beach is only about 10 minutes from Thandwe Airport (SNW), so the preference of many travelers is to go to Ngapali.
But the only flights from Thandwe are to Yangon and Sittwe, and Yangon International Airport has the most connections to international flights, so it seems most sensible to arrange to visit Ngapali Beach at the end of your Myanmar trip, so you can fly on to Yangon and connect with an international flight.
From Yangon
Every day from 6:30am to 2pm, there are at least six flights from Yangon to Thandwe, but not all are direct; some may stop at Nyaung-U, Heho, or Sittwe. Moreover, some flights are not daily, but only operate two to four days a week, and can be canceled due to adverse weather conditions.
From Bagan (Nyaung-U Airport)
Every day from 7:45am to 10:40am, there are at least four flights from Nyaung-U to Thandwe, but there are no direct flights and flights are frequently canceled during the rainy season.
From Mandalay
There are only two flights a day from Mandalay to Thandwe, at 9 and 9:50am, and the flight at 9am is only available on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays; also they are frequently canceled during the rainy season.
From Inle Lake (Heho Airport)
From 8:40am to 11:45am each day, there are at least four flights from Heho to Thandwe. They are all direct flights and take about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Flights are frequently canceled during the rainy season.
From Sittwe
There is at least one flight from Sittwe to Thandwe every day.
Recommended Itinerary
What Our Customers Said
Excellent planned and executed Myanmar excursion
Asia Highlights and their local Myanmar partner "mAsia" did an excellent job in planning and execution of a one week trip to Myanmar.The various tour guides and drivers had good knowledge and good command over English.
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Gerd, Jan 2018

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Excellent planned and executed Myanmar excursion
They never failed to be at the agreed locations and on time. Cars provided spacious and in very good condition. Hotels booked met our expectations - especially Yangon, Bagan, Lake Inle.
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Gerd, Jan 2018

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In good hands with Sam
Sam Ol took very good care of us - lots of information, listened to and answered all our questions, was passionate about the places we visited and about his people and country. He was kind, had a great sense of humor, and made sure we felt safe and comfortable at all times. He helped us to fall in love with Cambodia in 3 short days.
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Carol Jones, Feb 2023

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Best tour guide in Cambodia
When we first arrived at the airport in Siem Riep it was so nice to be greeted by Mr Sam Ol. We instantly fell at home when we saw his friendly smile. We were impressed by his great English and knowledge of the temples. On the tour to the temples Sam took care of us every step of the way. He took awesome pictures of us. It felt like we were on a tour given by our brother who is also a professional photographer. Also, we appreciate his humor as well as the fact he had an answer for every question we had. I give Sam 5 stars, best tour guide ever :)
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Len S, Feb 2023

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Mr. Sam
Mr. Sam our guide in Cambodia, he and the driver out standing service they went above and beyond touring, my wife so amazed beautiful country, we're planning back here near the futures. Thank Mr. Sam,We'll feedback the whole trip next week when we be home in US
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Pho Lover, Feb 2023

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Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand
We are still in the middle of our trip, but we are just finishing up our time in Cambodia and our guide, Borin, has been AMAZING!!! He has truly made our time here unforgettable and I plan on referring all of my friends and family to come visit this beautiful country! Thank you, Borin, for everything you did to make our trip so fantastic!
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Danielle Blount, Feb 2023

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Excellent service and Wonderful Guides
All of our guides have been terrific. Mr. Sam in Siem Reip was especially wonderful. Both he and our driver were polite, safe knowledgable and informative. Sam made our trip memorable and enioyable. We will definitely recommend Sam and Asia Highlights to our friends.
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Kaaren, Feb 2023

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Great tour guide Charity at Siem Reap
Our experience in Siem Reap could not have been any better thanks to our outstanding and cheerful guide, Charity. Her very good English speaking made it so easy to learn so much from her. She understood and answers all of our questions.She was relaxed and very knowledgeable. She went out out her way to help us make amazing pano photos of the cotton trees at Siem Reap and on our sunset cruise. She also advised us on Chanrey Tree restaurant—what we found to be the very best vegan restaurant on our first three weeks of our Asia tour. So glad to have vegan meals with very little oil!!! We are not supposed to have oil and is very hard to find vegan with no oil. Went went back the next night.
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Barbara Cornyn, Jan 2023

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Getting to Your Hotel
Shuttle Bus or Private Transfer
Most hotels offer shuttle bus or private transfer service from the airport to the hotel. But you should book and confirm with your hotel before you arrive. Some hotels offer free transfers to guests while others charge.
Taxi
If you haven’t arranged your airport transfer yet, taking a taxi is another option. Although hotels may be located on different parts of the beach, since the airport is not far from the beach, the cost should not exceed K5000. You can change money at the airport if necessary.
Getting Around at Nagpali Beach
By Bicycle or Motorbike
There are several authentic fishing villages near the beach around two or three kilometers from the main stretch of hotels, and these can easily be reached by foot.
But if you want to explore other villages much further south, right up to the next bay, hiring a bike or motorbike might be more advisable.
Most hotels offer a bike rental service. Bicycle-hire costs around K2000 per hour while motorbikes cost around K3000 per hour. Some hotels offer free bicycle-hire to guests.
Start to Create Memories Together in This Honeymoon Trip
By Car or by Taxi
If you are thinking of going further afield, such as Thandwe, the town where the beach is located, or if you are traveling with a big family, then hiring a car might be safer and more economical.
Alternatively, you can hire a taxi and ask the driver to take you around. But most drivers in Ngapali can’t speak English, so language might be a problem.
The Best Way to Get Around
If you are concerned about problems of language or safety, then booking a day-tour or a half-day tour can solve all your problems in one go. Since most tours will include an English-speaking guide and all transport, you can leave all your concerns with your guide.
Besides, in Myanmar, the tour guides’ knowledge is profound. They can talk about anything and know many interesting things about the local places. So traveling with a guide must be one of the best ways for you to get to know more about the place.
There are many day-tours at Ngapali Beach including boat tours, bike tours, scuba-diving, snorkeling, and river-trips. You can choose according to your own interests and such a tour may turn out to be one of the highlights of your stay at Ngapali Beach.
Visit Myanmar with Asia Highlights
Asia Highlights provides customized tours throughout Myanmar tailor-made to fit your interests. Trips typically start or end in Yangon or Mandalay.
Get a head start on planning your dream vacation today.
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