Arakan State draws almost 16,000 visitors during Thingyan 

By DMG 19 Apr 2022

DMG Newsroom
19 April 2022, Sittwe 

Arakan State received nearly 16,000 local and foreign visitors over the Thingyan holiday, according to the state’s Directorate of Hotels and Tourism. 

Myanmar’s westernmost state drew 15,917 visitors from April 9-17, of whom 260 were foreigners. The most visited destinations were Ngapali Beach, Mrauk-U, Sittwe and Kyaukphyu, according to the directorate. 

The state drew large crowds of visitors due to the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic has been brought under control and a sense of normalcy has returned to Arakan State, the assistant director of the Arakan State Directorate of Hotels and Tourism, U Soe Min, told DMG. 

For many locals in Arakan State, 2022 marked the first time in three years that they were able to celebrate Thingyan, the Buddhist New Year. From 2019-2021, fighting between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army (AA), and then the Covid-19 pandemic, largely kept revellers off the streets of Arakan State during the traditional water festival. 

Last week hundreds of thousands of people took part in Thingyan festivities held in parts of Arakan State controlled by the Arakan Army. However, much of the rest of the country boycotted the water festival to show their opposition to Myanmar’s military regime.