© Lonely Planet Publications 311 Western Myanmar Stretching 600km head to toe, slender Rakhaing (Arakan) State makes up the bulk of this enigmatic area of Myanmar that boasts both the country’s finest midrange beach resort and the biggest ancient city apart from Bagan. Just inland are the way-remote, restricted-to- travellers areas of Chin State where locals are more linked with the peoples and traditions of neighbouring Bangladesh than with those of Myanmar. The whole area is cut off from the Ayeyarwady River and central plain of Myanmar by the impressive Rakhaing Yoma (Arakan Mountain Range), meaning limited road connections are rather adventurous to navigate. Historically, locals here have, unsurprisingly, looked more to the sea than inland to the Myanmar people. And it still feels a little that way. In Ngapali Beach increasing numbers of travellers are flying in to plop onto a quiet patch of the 3km stretch of palm-backed sand on the turquoise Bay of Bengal. Further north, reached via the port town of Sittwe, Mrauk U is the country’s second-most-impressive ar- WESTERN MYANMAR chaeological site after Bagan. Here angular hillocks are dotted with half-a-millennium-old temples amid a sprawling thatched-hut village. The Rakhaing people add a different slant to any Myanmar trip. Conversations are often more direct and open than elsewhere, and are usually peppered with endearing, ever-proud (sometimes exaggerated) claims of how their ancestors instilled the language and Buddhist religion in Myanmar. And then there’s the food – just-caught squid or tiger prawns, plus spicier curries and noodles – which is just better than most of the food around the country. HIGHLIGHTS Ngapali Beach ( p314) is Myanmar’s best sun spot – a 3km palm-backed white-sand stretch facing the Bay of Bengal Chin State The food! Extra spice in the same ol’ curries puts Mahamuni Ngapali’s fresh seafood ( p316) among Paya Myanmar’s tastiest meals Mrauk U The ancient Rakhaing capital of Mrauk U ( p322) rewards equally as a peaceful village (with cool ruins) and a remarkable temple-filled site The Mahamuni Paya ( p328) is the original site of the Mahamuni Buddha (now, er, in Mandalay) Chin State ( p328) teems with birds, mountain Ngapali Beach climbs and traditional cultures – only parts of it have been opened up to foreigners 312 WESTERN MYANMAR •• People www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com WESTERN MYANMAR •• Climate 313 0 50 km WESTERN MYANMAR 0 30 miles Tibeto-Burmans from the north and east Currently, Chin State has the largest pro- Hakha Shwebo in the 9th and 18th centuries. The current portion of animists of any state in Myanmar, Chin inhabitants of the state may thus be mixed but the Zo culture is fast disappearing in the dwin Budalin descendants of all three groups: Bilu, Ben- face of Christian and Buddhist missionary BANGLADESH Riv Ayadaw SAGAING er gali and Bamar. influences. Some Chin follow the Pau Chin DIVISION The Rakhaing proudly speak ‘Arakan’, a Hau religion, which is based on the wor- Gangaw Monywa Lotaw language they claim birthed Bamar (and is ship of a deity called Pasian and named Chaung U certainly related). Supposedly, the study of after Pau China Hau, a spiritual leader from CHIN STATE ‘Arakan script’ has been made illegal by a the Tidam District, who lived from 1859 to Tilin Myaing government keen to stress a Bamar line. 1948. Hau also devised the written Chin Yesagyo Matupi Myingyan language and is at least partly responsible Pauk The Rohingya for resurgent Chin nationalism. Aungthabye Paletwa Sami Mindat Pakokku MANDALAY The Burmese government denies the exist- The more traditional Zo or Chin groups Mayu Pindawa DIVISION Taungbyo ence of a Rohingya minority, a group of live in the south near the Chin-Rakhaing Lemyo River Nyaung U River Mt Victoria Bagan around one million people who distinguish border. Chin Christians from the north Teknat Mt Popa Buthidaung Meiktila themselves from the Rakhaing majority by have bombarded the area with a project Mahamuni Kyaukpadaung Maungdaw Kyauktaw K their Islamic faith. Many Rakhaing Mus- called Chin Christianity in One Century a Chauk Restricted Rd la dan Teinnyo 1 lims – Rohingya as they prefer to be called – (CCOC), the goal of which is to convert all 2 Ri Wethali (Vesali) ver Mrauk U have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh Chin to the ‘one true faith’. The govern- Kodangauk Myaungbwe Sidoktaya Salin and India to escape Bamar persecution. ment, on the other hand, has its own Bud- Dalet Yenangyaung Donpauk River Ponnagyun Minbya In recent years some have taken up arms, dhist missions in the area and is pushing RAKHAING Boister Pauktaw though there are no reports of skirmishes against both the animists and the Christians STATE WESTERN MYANMAR Kyun Sittwe Thobagwin Ngape Minbu Magwe with the government. Reportedly the Ro- in a battle for the Chin soul. (Akyab) Restricted Rd Ayeyarwady Ann Padan hingya must apply for permission to travel – The Chin National Front, a nonviolent Dalet River Hanka Kandauntgyi Bay Taungdwingyi even to visit the next village. In the past nationalist movement active on both sides Ann MAGWE DIVISION Baronga couple of decades about half a million Ro- of the India-Myanmar border, would like to Kyun Sakhanmaw Yebok 2 River hingya fled to Bangladesh, though by the create a sovereign ‘Chinland’ to be divided mid-1990s half that many were repatriated into the states of East Zoram (the current Restricted Rd to Myanmar following agreements between Chin State in Myanmar), West Zoram (part Kyaukpyu Ma-ei River Mindon Myayde Sane Thayet Yangon (Rangoon) and Dhaka. of southeastern Bangladesh plus Tripura in, WESTERN MYANMAR India), Central Zoram (the state of Mizo- Yinnbye Lamu Kyun Ramree River Isarbyin The Chin ram in India) and North Zoram (Manipur Bay of Manaung Taunggok In hilly and sparsely populated Chin State, in India). Rumours of activity spread dur- Channel (Taungup) Bengal Paukkaung River the people and culture exhibit a mixture ing the research of this book in late 2004. Manaung Taunggok Sinte Pyay (Prome) Manaung Padaung of native, Bengali and Indian influences This was a unified area before the British Kyun Shwedaung similar to that found among the Rakhaing, came along. Ayey BAGO 2 DIVISION with a much lower Burman presence. As Thandwe arwa (Sandoway) Nattalin Ngapali Beach in Rakhaing State, there have been clear CLIMATE Lontha dy Andwe Kywe (Andrew Bay) Myabyin Riv governmental efforts in recent years to Those wishing to dodge the heat or rains Kyaukkyi Thabyugyaing Thandwe Myan-aung er Gyobingauk River promote Burmese culture at the expense of outside the high season (about October to Chin culture, and many Chin have fled west March) will find that downpours or jellyfish Minhla Kyeinthali Kyeintali AYEYARWADY Sitkwin to Bangladesh and India. will discourage much fun at Ngapali Beach. River DIVISION Of Tibeto-Burman ancestry, the Chin Sittwe and Mrauk U receive more rain than Letpandon I N D I A N O C E A N Kanthaya people call themselves Zo-mi or Lai-mi most of the country – about 500cm per year. To Yakyi (Yegyi) Hinthada (both terms mean ‘mountain people’), and Sudden rainstorms during the monsoon (35km) Gwa share a culture, food and language with the (mid-May to mid-September) are danger- Zo of the adjacent state of Mizoram in India. ous if travelling by boat to Mrauk U, or PEOPLE by the Rohingya insurgents)? Although Outsiders name the different subgroups between Sittwe and Taunggok. But rains The Rakhaing the first inhabitants of the region were a around the state according to the district in do bring surfable waves to Ngapali Beach. Much of western Myanmar is home to the dark-skinned Negrito tribe known as the which they live, eg Tidam Chin, Falam Chin Cyclones and tropical storms tend to occur fascinating Rakhaing ethnic group, which Bilu, later migrants from the eastern Indian and Haka Chin. just before and after the rainy season. is in itself a controversial topic – are the subcontinent developed the first Hindu- Traditionally the Chin practise swidden Rakhaing actually Bamar (Burmans) with Buddhist kingdoms in Myanmar before (slash-and-burn) agriculture. They are also DANGERS & ANNOYANCES Indian blood, Indians with Bamar charac- the first Christian millennium. These king- skilled hunters, and animal sacrifice plays Malaria precautions should be taken during teristics or a separate race (as is claimed doms flourished before the invasion of the a role in important animistic ceremonies. monsoon season. Seven people were killed 314 SOUTHERN RAKHAING •• Ngapali Beach www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN RAKHAING •• Ngapali Beach 315 0 2 km when their boat was hit by a chance storm No topless or nude bathing is allowed. NGAPALI BEACH 0 1 mile Island’ off the south end of the beach. Cor- in late 2004, while heading from Sittwe to Surfing is possible during monsoon sea- al’s not super – there are some towering A B Mrauk U (see p322 for details). son (mid-May through to mid-September), cones to swim around – but there’s plenty when malaria precautions should be taken. INFORMATION of bright red and blue fish to follow. About Government Telephone Centre....1 A2 GETTING THERE & AROUND Most hotels stay open all year, but it’s quiet anyone you ask can help arrange a trip. Telephone Centre......................(see 8) Thandwe (Sandoway) is the major access from April to October. 1 Telephone Centre....................(see 12) Another boat trip most hotels arrange is point for visitors headed to Ngapali Beach. The December 2004 tsunami essentially to Pirate Beach (US$17 to US$20), a full-day SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Most arrive by air from Yangon. Two long had no impact here.