Going all the way from Dawei city to the southernmost Dawei beach takes about 3h, the longest motorbike ride I have ever done in my life, but I feel ready for it. It can’t be worst than going to Tizit beach…
However, going to the south of the Dawei Peninsula on a motorbike and coming back the same day doesn’t sound like a plan, so I will sleep at Paradise beach, one of the two beaches where is possible to sleep southern than Dawei city. There are only two beaches where you can sleep further south of the Dawei Peninsula: Paradise beach and Sin Htauk beach. You don’t have a lot of offer down here and not on a budget too.
After talking to a very nice Portuguese guy at Hello Dawei, I booked a tent to sleep in Paradise beach at the only “resort” available in there. Breakfast is included and they have their own restaurant open till 9 pm.
I leave Dawei before 9 am heading to Myin Kwa Aw Beach, the southernmost one in the peninsula. Then I will go to Paradise beach.
From Dawei to Myin Kwa Aw Beach
Until more than halfway down, the street is ok, but then it starts to get worse, that’s why the journey is so long. I’m sure it would be faster if this street was a good one. Anyway riding a motorbike here is already rewarding. The most beautiful part is when you reach the mangrove area, but until then you cross villages where kids scream “hello” with the brightest smile in their’s faces. I was surprised how so many kids still looked surprised to see me and said hello euphorically. It’s undoubtedly a happy ride. But once you get to the mangrove area you are sure the ride was worthy.
The street connecting Dawei to Myin Kwa Aw Beach might be one of the most scenic in Myanmar. It goes just next to the river and if one side of the street is the mountain, the other is the immense blue without a visible end. What a beautiful street. This might be one of the most beautiful streets in the world. I was so mesmerized to ride it that I couldn’t avoid stopping consequently for pictures of those wonderful sights. Dawei Peninsula is Goddamn worthy to visit.
However, I’m already feeling very tired of the long ride once I reach my destination: Myin Kwa Aw Beach. The southern you go the more untouched the land looks and the fewer people you see.
Myin Kwa Aw Beach is an enormous beach that has nothing but one food stall that I’m not even sure that sells something. I don’t see anything and just one person sitting there totally solo. It’s a weird feeling to be there. The beach is so huge and so empty… There are no palm trees but a very untouched looking area. The very last piece of the street to get here is under construction and it is made of small little rocks that don’t make me comfortable to ride. I need to ride so slow!!! For that reason, I decided not to proceed to the very last pagoda on land: Myat Shin Maw Pagoda that doesn’t seem so far from Myin Kwa Aw Beach. But having in mind previous experiences, I’m sure it will take much longer than expected to reach, and I’m already so tired and so hungry that I don’t even think twice. After 10 minutes at Myin Kwa Aw Beach, I go back.
I don’t think Myin Kwa Aw Beach is particularly beautiful, but the drawn patterns on the sand designed by the waves truly are. This might be one of the most beautiful sands that I’ve seen.
The wavy patterns remain untouched and so perfectly designed on the sand. The sand is dark grey and so soft. It feels like walking on cotton. I’ve never stepped on the sand like this before. Even feeling so tired, it was worth to visit Myin Kwa Aw Beach, one I’m sure not many tourists dare to go.
Lunching at Aut Kyauk Wap beach
On my way back, and not far from Myin Kwa Aw Beach is Aut Kyauk Wap beach, the closest one with food. I’m starving and I need to stop for food. There is a very good looking place here. A restaurant with some fancy beach benches and swinging chairs. That’s where I’ll have lunch accompanied by 5 dogs and a wonderful view of the sea. It is called the Village Natural Cafe on maps.me, and they have an English menu. I ordered some prawn curry that was beyond delicious, but it wasn’t cheap too. It might have been the most expensive meal I had in Myanmar, more than 10000 kyats. If compared to Western prices it wasn’t actually much money for the quality of the food. If you are in a mood to treat yourself after such a long ride, this is the place.
I took a long relaxing break at Aut Kyauk Wap beach. The view is very beautiful, but the place doesn’t call for a swim. After enough rest, I’m on my way to Paradise beach and its famous terrifying street.
Street to Paradise beach bungalows
I’ve been told that this is the hardest beach to get to in Dawei Peninsula. I’ve been listening that is scary to ride there and too narrow, through dirt paths in the middle of the forest. If it is scarier than the street to Tizit beach, I’m definitely not up to ride there. But I already knew this, so I knew about the alternative. And that alternative is to ask for local help. Apparently, these locals are already used to scared tourists, so if you pay 3000 kyats to a man, he will ride you to Paradise beach bungalows. There is a motorbike repair shop just before the junction to Paradise beach bungalows. There is where I should ask for help, but the guy was busy. There was a crazy tourist there trying to go to Dawei city, but she didn’t have a motorbike or any means of transport.
She wanted someone to take her to Dawei. WTF!!! How did she end up alone in the middle of nowhere?? Someone brought her here… Doesn’t she ask for help at Paradise beach bungalows?? This girl barely spoke English and even I couldn’t get properly how the hell she was there and what does she want to do. There are some really crazy people traveling. She looked kinda drunk or stoned, I have no idea. The guy at the repair shop was asking her 50000 kyats to take her back to Dawei.- I remind you that we are at the junction to Paradise beach, which means about 70km away from Dawei city. If you visit this place you will understand my astonishment. You just don’t go out of Paradise beach without a way to go back to Dawei. That is just stupid and idiot. It’s relying too much on your luck or money.
Anyway, as the repair shop guy was occupied, he managed to call a villager to take me to Paradise beach. He will ride my motorbike and I’ll be on the back. Then, he will have to walk all the way back as I’m staying at the beach and my motorbike too, and it is not so near. I’m glad I made the decision of not even trying to go on my own or this ride would scare the shit out of me.
Even on the back of the motorbike, I didn’t feel that safe. The street is so narrow and steep and bumpy and scary OMG! No way I would ever ride it. But I’m sure it’s ok for experienced riders…
A video of the street to get to Paradise beach:
People kept on telling me that it was bad, and I could confirm. Indeed it is bad. It was the worst access to a beach ever. You can also walk till there, but I will spend the night at Paradise beach bungalows and I have a motorbike and I don’t want to leave it behind as I was advised not to do it.
I thank very much the local who helped me and take a deep breath of relief of my choice. I enjoy the rest of the day at Paradise beach.
Here is a video of the 10 Dawei beaches I visited:
You can buy bus tickets within Myanmar HERE!
