10 things to be done on Chaungtha Beach

Thiha Lu Lin (Thiha, the Traveller)

PHOTO: SAW KYAW ZIN, GUKU, THIHA LU LIN

CHAUNGTHA Beach is one of the nearest beaches to Yangon. It is a crowded place with visitors and offers plenty of accommodation options. The seafood curries are delicious and cheap. It is easy to get to Chaungtha from Yangon at low transport charges.

 

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Things to do

I would like to share fun things to do at Chaungtha beach.

 1. Drinking fresh coconut juice

The coconut water can reduce the risk of heat stress. You can also take photos whilst enjoying young coconut juice on the beach.

So, I would like to urge you to drink fresh coconut juice being sold at the beaches and hotels. I sometimes wonder if drinking coconut juice at the beaches is costly. There might be people who think like me. I also worry that the vendors would add some syrup to make the juice sweet via a pipe. Indeed, you will have a pleasant feeling while sipping on coconut juice in the shade of coconut trees and enjoying the tides come in.

2. Go surfing

The people living far from the seas or oceans create artificial waves to feel refreshed and serene during afloat. How fun it is to ride the real waves in the natural sea. Therefore, you should hire inflatable beach floats. It costs between K1,000 and K5,000/10,000 per hour.

3. Banana boat ride

Chaungtha offers many beach games. A banana boat ride will give excitement, and so most of the youths enjoy it. Those do not dare to ride can watch the riders just from the Speed Boat that pulls the Banana Boat. Even if you cannot swim, the life jackets will keep you afloat. I did not ride it as I have a fear of water.

4. Boat ride to Thel Phyu Kyun or White Sand Island

The sand of Chaungtha beach is brown and yellow. Those who want to see the white sand and clear water can go to Thel Phyu Kyun by motorboat or speed boat. It would be best if you chose speed boat as it goes fast and reduces seasickness. The dizziness when riding ordinary boats is such a painful feeling. When you get there, you should beware of snakes. Surely, you will enjoy beautiful scenes, delicate white sand and clear water.

5. Enjoying seafood

I think Chaungtha is the best place for seafood in Myanmar. Supposing it offers cheap and delicious seafood. You can choose various types of seafood. Most of the beaches are not perfect like this. Whenever I stay there, I order food for lunch and dinner. I eat a lot of baked, roasted, fried or cooked seafood including salad and curry. In the past, I ordered seafood from the local vendors who cook for visitors. They deliver seafood by motorcycles or cars to any places of the beach like Kyauk Maung Nhama, Shwe Thaung Yan or hotels.

 

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I usually make food ordering from

1. Daw Aye- 09 422445668

I usually order from her for my lunch and dinner. She cooks well. The taste of fried crab is also good. She sends the food, including ngapi yay (boiled liquid fish paste) and tote saya (clean and cut raw vegetables). She prepares food with cetana. But she uses a little more cooking oil. She puts more rice depending on the numbers of visitors.

1. Daw Pa Gwat Gyi- 09252212529 You can order lunch from her. I mostly order crab masala, flower crab soup and fried crab from her. We can feel her goodwill through food, and she has good telephone communication skills in order.

6. Cycling

Cycling on Chaungtha beach is such a fun activity. Gazing the cute girls while biking is also a pleasure doing, isn’t it? There are even tandem bicycles for lovers. It is convenient to hire bikes just in front of the hotels. It would be best if you rode the bicycles in the morning and at sunset.

7. A 4-wheeled beach motorbike ride

You cannot ride a motorbike at Chaungtha beach but Kyauk Maung Nhama. It costs about K5,000 for one ride. You can hire the motorbikes in front of Gerizim Hotel where I stayed at. I paid K25,000 for one hour. You can hire them at Kyauk Maung Nhama all day long and early evening in front of the hotels. You can also ride the horse at Kyauk Maung Nhama. It costs about K3,000 for one ride.

8. Elephant camp tour

There is an elephant camp just before entering Chaungtha township. There is an elephant camp at Kyauk Maung Nhama beach between Chaungtha and Shwe Thaung Yan beaches. It is easier to get there. I don’t know precisely how pet lovers feel. You can feed and ride the elephants. If you do not want to ride the elephant, you can take photos with them. Taking head to head pictures with the elephants is popular at the beach. Some do not dare to take such images, but some dare to do so.

9. Go Shopping

It is fun to go shopping in the village market. You can buy fresh seafood early morning to bring them putting in the cool boxes to Yangon. You can also buy dried fish or dried prawns, various seafood and souvenirs at night. You can purchase famous Thayet Taw Htoe Mote there.

10. Staying near the beach

It would be best if you did not say it could be done only with money. I think you should sometimes stay in the sea view room to enjoy the beauty of the sea. Although it can cost hundreds of thousands of kyat per night, you can save the costs via the bill-splitting system when you make a trip together with your friends. Sleeping with the sound of waves will offer you an unexpressed feeling.

When I visited Chaungtha beach, I stayed at Gerizim Hotel located between Shwe Thaung Yan and Chaungtha beaches. It can be reached after a 3-minute drive from the road beside Shwe Hintha Hotel. The hotel staff will pick you up to the hotel when you go there by express cars. They will also send you off to the main road when you return.

The reason why I like Gerizim Hotel is that they have modern rooms. The hotel staff are hospitable to visitors. The services are good, and the fees are not so high. There is also Infinity Pool. You can enjoy the sea closely. The beach is not so much crowded with people. There is no waste and vendor there. So, it is very convenient for those who want to live alone. Then, there is also a large water park for the children.

The sea view room where I stayed at has three master bedrooms (every room has a bathtub), spacious living room and dining room. It is roomy enough to accommodate up to six persons. It is K700,000 per night and K30,000 for an extra bed. It is convenient to stay at up to 10persons. The average sea view room is about K100,000 per night while K80,000 for garden view room and K60,000 for a deluxe room.

The room rates can change depending on demand. You should make a booking before you go there. The hotel offers a buffet for breakfast and Myanmar Traditional Foods buffet, like (typical Shan noodle, sticky Shan noodle, Mohinga) through Hi-Tea service in the afternoon. We wait until 3 pm for Hi-Tea service. Let’s take a look at the pictures below

You can contact 09-49494949 and 042- 2042425 to 27 for booking.

I haven’t reached Chaungtha Beach for many years as the beach’s water is being polluted. But now, I can relax at the beachside where it is not crowded with visitors too much and enjoy the famous seafood.

Don’t forget to bring a Sony camera with you when you go to the beach.

May you all have a safe trip!

(Translated by Khine Thazin Han)