Ngapali

We spent the past week on the Bay of Bengal, in the beachside town of Ngapali, after flying down from Bagan. Two short flights of under an hour each on the turbo props that zip in and out of the airports.  Land, people off, load more people, take off...  72 seats and rarely full.  It was absolutely a beautiful beach with velvety soft, white sand and clear, warm water. I was amazed it was so clean as there was no trash on the beach.  Our bay curved several miles in a gentle crescent with an island off shore where fisherman would take you to snorkel.  Lining the beach were rows of fixed palapa umbrellas and chaise lounges for the dozen or so resorts.  Very few tourists!  We were once again the only Americans with the majority of tourists French. Our resort had a huge beautiful pool facing the beach, but it was so cold it was a challenge to get in. Nights and mornings were surprisingly chilly.  Family owned restaurants with names like Green Umbrella, Sunset View, and Blue Sky lined the beach just a short walk from our hotel.  I love sitting at tables in the sand, watching the sun set with a drink, and the slow colorful evolution of day into night.  There were no bars, no discos, no noise!  Like the early days in Thailand or Bali, but without the crowds!  Sunsets were electric colored hues from red to gold with layers of oranges in between.  Our first night we hit happy hour at the first place we could walk to, tired from a day of travel.  Mojitos were in order and we settled in for the evening.  Fisherman took their boats out at night and you could see their lights dotting the horizon line like tiny sparkling jewels.  I learn that they never fish during the full moon, but never why.  We enjoyed fresh tiger prawns, red and white snapper, squid, and crabs, all pulled from the sea and bought that morning.  Everything was delicious.   Whereas in Bagan they gave you a dish of freshly sliced fruit when they bring you the check, here they fried a baby banana in butter and honey and it just melted into your mouth, about four tiny bites.  The days became a week. We did little but eat, walk, swim and lounge.  We were lucky that while we were there, wonderful longtime friends of ours from Switzerland were staying two months, as they do every winter, to escape the harsh cold in Europe.  We hadn’t seen one another for many years and it was a special treat to have several dinners and walks on the beach, catching up and reminiscing.  In Myanmar no less!  And by happenstance, or luck, we were there for the super moon and the total lunar eclipse!  Incredible to be on the beach in Southeast Asia, sipping a drink, and watching the show!  In my exuberance, I howled at the moon.  A few people caught my drift and we all laughed and danced in the sand.  It was difficult to leave.  We could have stayed much longer.  But we had a flight to catch...off to the capital of Yangon.