Fringed by gently swaying coconut palms, Ngapali Beach is an idyllic three-kilometre stretch of white sand lapped by the clear waters of the Bay of Bengal. Just 45 minutes flying time from Yangon, the area is quickly attracting developers keen to exploit its natural beauty. Visitors can enjoy lazy days on the beach, snorkelling trips, watch fishermen land their catch at daybreak, and tuck into delicious seafood in the restaurants on the beach road.

One of the great things about Ngapali Beach at the moment is that it’s still a working beach. Fishing boats anchor off the shoreline throughout the day, heading out to sea at around 5 pm and returning at daybreak.

The catch is mostly tiny fish which are laid out on sheets of bright blue netting to dry in the sun. A few mackerel, barracuda, and squid are also landed. I’m not usually a big fan of beach break, preferring instead to head for the hills on a dirt bike when I need to unwind, but at this moment in time I love Ngapali. That could soon change though as it is about to experience a huge boom in development and tourist arrivals. I fear the fishermen and their families who live here will be booted off to make way for resorts and sun loungers will replace the daily catch. Despite the fact that I’d hate to see the beach lined with resorts, the possible silver lining is that some of the teenagers will be able to find employment within the tourism industry.

The fisherman already say they are experiencing reduced catches and cannot make enough money to sustain themselves throughout the year.