Ngapali Beach festival returns for second year in shadow of return to conflict in Arakan State

By DMG 12 Nov 2022

DMG Newsroom
12 November 2022, Thandwe 

The Saung Oo Festival will be held for the second time at Ngapali Beach in Arakan State’s Thandwe Township on November 21 as part of a tourism promotion campaign, according to the Arakan State Directorate of Hotels and Tourism. 

The festival was first held in November 2021 and is again taking place this year with a view toward attracting visitors to Arakan State, including its preeminent tourism beach destination Ngapali, said U Tin Tun Aung, director of the Arakan State Directorate of Hotels and Tourism. 

“Last year, we organised the festival for the first time after Covid-19 prevalence reached under 5 percent, to give the message that people can visit Ngapali Beach now,” he said.  

“The beach was thronged with visitors for Thingyan [in April of this year]. There were also visitors throughout Thadingyut and Tazaungmone [in October and early November]. We want to increase the momentum. This is why we are organising the festival for the coming tourist season.” 

The festival last year drew visitors from townships across Arakan State including Sittwe, Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw, but fewer visitors are expected this year due to instability in the region, said Daw Khin Mar Thy, owner of AZ Hotel in Ngapali Beach. 

“The majority of hotels in Ngapali Beach have no guests now, partly because people travelled for Thadingyut and Tazaungdaing. I don’t think there will be many visitors because of tensions in the region,” she said. 

Fighting between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army is ongoing across multiple Arakan State townships, with conflict between the two sides rekindled in August after more than a year of relative peace. 

Fair activities and sporting events including volleyball, tug-of-war, sand painting, and cycling will be held during the 2022 Saung Oo Festival, according to the Arakan State Directorate of Hotels and Tourism.