Dawei, Myanmar Plan a trip

Dawei may share the sea with Thailand’s Andaman Coast, but that’s where the similarity ends. Dawei is nowhere near as touristy. In fact, it’s a simple place where you can relax and prepare for the next stage of your itinerary. Even if you only spend a day or two here, you’ll feel refreshed and reinvigorated.

Dawei is the southern capital of the Tanintharyi Region. Between Dawei and the water sits a peninsula lined with gorgeous empty beaches. Try to visit as many as possible during your stay.

Maungmagan is the closest beach to town so the locals really like it, but there is some development going on here, so you couldn’t really call it ‘untouched’. You’ll have to go further afield for that. You used to have to fill out permits to visit San Hlan Beach and the Tanintharyi National Park, but now they’ve lifted the tourist ban this should be a bit easier. Get to the park by motorbike; it’s a great coastal drive. You can then jump off and take in the beautiful rainforest.

Sadly, there are a few places that remain off limits to foreign travellers. For example, you still can’t visit the Moscos Islands that sit close to Maungmagan Beach. Hopefully, in a few years this will change and everyone will be able to visit these pristine areas. In the meantime, you need to make sure that you have the right visas and documentation to travel through Myanmar. This is especially important if you come overland from Thailand (usually via Kanchanaburi). You’ll need to ensure you have a Myanmar visa in your passport.

Plan your trip to Dawei today.