Two chefs from Ngwe Saung’s Aureum Resort show off the day’s catch. The resort has Summer packages from $165 for adults.

MYANMAR’S beach resorts are a popular choice with those who desire a more sedated New Year.

Hotels at Ngwe Saung and Ngapali are now offering special packages to entice locals and foreign residents and keep them entertained for the duration of their stay.

Amata Resort and Spa at Ngapali beach has four-day/three-night water festival packages for locals, priced at K463,000 for a single room and K320,500 per person twin share.

“The package includes roundtrip airfare, deluxe room accommodation, airport transfers, and daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as free use of the hotel’s swimming pool,” said Ma Honey, Amata’s sales and marketing executive.

Guests who take advantage of this deal will also get a 10 percent discount on spa services, 15pc discount on laundry services and 15pc off food and beverages purchased at Amata resort.

Rooms at Thande Beach Hotel in Ngapali are about 25pc cheaper this year during water festival.

“For K100,000, the guest can get one night accommodation with breakfast and also lunch or dinner. Last year the room rate was K130,000 for a person,” said Daw Khaing Khaing Kyaw, the hotel’s sales manager.

Amazing Ngapali Resort is offering a three-day/two-night package to the end of April priced at US$225 a person for foreign residents and K219,000 for locals.
A special rate for groups of 10 or more people is also available – K195,000 a person for locals and $215 for foreign residents.

The package includes roundtrip airfare, two nights twin share accommodation in a deluxe sea view villa, international or traditional daily breakfast, airport transfers, fruit tray and gifts.

“We can also arrange a half-day boat trip to Pearl Island for snorkelling and fishing, priced at K40,000 for a maximum of six people,” said Daw Ngu Wah Aung, senior sales executive at Amazing Holidays.

Ngapali Beach Hotel is offering three-day/two-night packages from April 10 to 19 for both foreign residents and locals.

The packages range in price from $190 to $210 a person for foreign residents and K190,000 to K210,000 for locals, depending on the room category. The price includes roundtrip airfare, two nights of accommodation in a twin shared room, daily breakfast and airport transfers.

Ngwe Saung’s Emerald Sea Resort Hotel is offering both three-night/four-day and two-night/three-day packages for locals, valid from April 13 to 21. Both packages are available with and without transportation from Yangon by car.

Including transfers, the two-night/three-day package is priced at K102,500 to K150,000 per person, while the three-night/four-day package ranges from K148,750 to K220,000.

Without car transfers, the price drops to K67,500 to K115,000 per person for the two-night/three-day deal and K98,750 to K170,000 for the three-night/four-day package.

“The price of all packages includes accommodation with buffet meals, traditional dance shows, a bonfire and Thingyan New Year’s gifts,” said Ma Khine Lin Maw, from the hotel’s sales and marketing department.

Aureum Resorts in Ngapali and Ngwe Saung is offering special “Summer” packages from April 1 to May 15.

At Aureum’s Ngapali hotel, the four-day/three-night package is priced at $339 per adult and $137 per child, the five-day/four-night is $410 for adults and $150 for children and the six-day/five-night package is $480 for adults and $160 for children. All packages include return airfares and airport transfers.

At Ngwe Saung beach Aureum is charging $165 for adult and $35 for children (four-days/three-nights), $215 for adults and $45 for children (five-days/four-nights) $265 for adult and $60 for child for six-days/five-nights), which does not include transportation.

Aureum Ngwe Saung also has a four-day/three-night “Thingyan” package available from April 13 to 16, priced at $205 for adult and $65 for child, including transportation from Yangon.

All Aureum resort packages include accommodation in a twin share room, daily breakfast and set dinners with one special seafood dinner and a 20pc discount on any spa and massage package.

Ngapali deals also include return airfares and airport transfers.

The Ngwe Saung Zone Hoteliers Association is even getting in on the act and will organise a traditional Rakhine-style water festival for hotel guests. The group will build a pandal at the entrance to the village and, as well as water throwing, there’ll be a group dance contest.