Amata Ngapali Resort

Ngapali Beach is where Amata Hotel Group began. Founded by Win Aung and opened in 2003, the resort was the company's first venture and remains its flagship on Myanmar's Rakhine coast. It sits on more than five acres of tropical grounds, with 92 rooms spread across teak, bamboo and rattan cabanas and bungalows, most set behind thickets of tropical planting for privacy. A 400-metre boardwalk runs along the seafront. Rooms range from superior and deluxe categories to the Grand Cabana Sea View, a multi-tiered bungalow with teak detailing, a meditation nook and a deck facing the water. Cabana Cottages are two-storey beach bungalows, with the bedroom upstairs and a living room below. You can walk the boardwalk at sunset and reach the water within steps of any cabana. Dwaryawaddy Restaurant & Bar serves Rakhine, Myanmar, Thai and international dishes, including seafood barbecue, while Kissapanadi Lounge & Bar pours wine and spirits into the evening. Nibbana Spa runs alongside an outdoor freshwater pool with sea views. The nearest airport, Thandwe, is a 15-minute drive away, with direct flights of 45 minutes from Yangon. Two decades on, it still anchors the group's holdings across Myanmar.