Things To Do In Dawei

What is Dawei?

Dawei is located in Tanintharyi region, southern Myanmar. Dawei is the capital city of Tanintharyi region and also it was named as an ASEAN Clean Tourist City Standard Township in 2020. It was formerly known as Tavoy. Dawei is surrounded by mountains, hills, waterfalls, beautiful beaches, hot springs, islands and many historical pagodas full of natural scenery, tourist attractions and it is the best place for nature lovers.

Things To Do In Dawei

There are many activities and things to do in Dawei. I want to mention those activities below in this article. You can visit historical pagodas, mountains, beautiful beaches, islands, museums, markets,  (CBT) in Dawei and can do many activities in these places. I recommend the following activities to do in Dawei; 

1. Historical Pagodas in Dawei

Dawei has many historical pagodas which are Shin Koe Shin Pagodas, Shwe Taung Sar Pagoda, Shwe Thar Lyaung Pagoda, Myaw Yit Pagoda, Standing Buddha Statue, etc. When you visit these historical pagodas, you can study  the histories, cultures, traditions and architecture of Dawei..

• Shwe Taung Sar Pagoda is located in the centre of Dawei. It’s one of the famous  pagodas in Dawei. Within the pagoda area, there are 28 Buddha Statues, Law Ka Marazein Statue and a museum. Many festivals are held at the Shwe Taung Sar Pagoda. Thadingyut festival and Tazaungdaing festival are the most celebrated festivals.

• Shwe Thalyaung Pagoda is located in Kanine Dar Village, Dawei Township, Dawei District, Tanintharyi. It is an image of the second biggest reclining buddha in Myanmar. Every year, local people celebrate the festival at the ShweThalyaung pagoda in February.

• Myaw Yit Pagoda is located along the coast of Maungmagan Beach, Kan Pani village, Launglone township, Dawei district, Tanintharyi. This pagoda is situated on the shore, surrounded by the blue sea and photogenic rocks. It's about 25 miles from Dawei. One side is built by a bridge to the other side and Myaw Yit is very popular for its amazing view and fresh breeze, and pleasant surroundings.
  

• Shin Koe Shin Pagodas are nine unique pagodas in Dawei. So, make sure you visit at least one of these pagodas to get a sense of local religious traditions. The Shin Koe Shin Pagodas are Shin Hsandaw Shin Pagoda, Shin Dat Wel Pagoda, Shin Zalun Pagoda, Shin Okaw  Pagoda, Shin Pin Khayu Pagoda, Shin Tauk Htein Pagoda, Shin Mokhtee Pagoda, Shin Taunt Po Pagoda and Shin Maw Pagoda. These nine pagodas are different pagodas in different areas but their histories of pagodas are connected. I want to  recommend that when you reach Dawei, you should visit Shin Koe Shin Pagodas. For more information  you can read the full article of Shin Koe Shin Pagodas.
  

• The Standing Buddha Statue is located in Bamaw Quarter, Dawei township. The height of the statue is 27 taung (approximately 12.34metres) and it was built in 1302 (Myanmar calendar) and the English calendar is 1940. This pagoda is situated in downtown Dawei. So, you can easily visit there and  get a peaceful feeling.

2. Hiking

Dawei has many mountains for adventurers and nature lovers. Mountain hiking is one of the ways to do a sport for your health. When you go hiking, you can see the whole city view and the sunrise or sunset view at the top of the mountains. The best season for hiking is the cold season which is from November to February. Most of the famous mountains are Sabar mountain (East Popa), Taung Moe Taung mountain, Ka Nan mountain, Myint Mo Lett Khat mountain, A Phan Phay mountain and Htin She Taung or Pine mountain because they have amazing views and beautiful attractions. You can read a full article of  Mountains in Dawei. 

3. Beach Hopping

The Dawei district is a popular beach paradise as it has many beautiful beaches. Among them, I want to recommend that you visit Maungmagan beach, Tizit Beach, Grandfather beach, Sin Htauk beach, Paradise beach, Pa Nyit Beach and Mayin Gyi (Nabule beach). These are the best beaches of Dawei.

• Maungmagan Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Dawei. It is located in Launglone township, Dawei district, Tanintharyi (and is the second longest beach in Myanmar). And also it is the closest beach of the city with about 12 km distance from Dawei. It takes 30 minutes to drive by car or motorbike. Maungmagan has many bungalows and seafood restaurants. So, you can swim, relax, eat fresh seafood, look at the sunrise & sunset view at the Maungmagan beach.

• Tizit Beach is located in Tizit Village, Launglone Township, Dawei District, Tanintharyi. It is a fishing village and it's about 20 miles or approximately 32.1 km from Dawei. It is a beautiful beach  with clear water. You can relax, swim, take photos along the beach, study the fisherman's life and watch the sunset.. Tizit beach has several seafood restaurants, so you can eat fresh and delicious food.

• Grandfather Beach is located in Nyaung Pyin village, Launglone township, Dawei district, Tanintharyi. It is 71 km away from Dawei and takes 2 hours by car or motorbike. It is a beautiful beach with crystal clear water and soft white sand. It is the best place to relax, take photos, swim and watch the sunset view at the beach.

• Sin Htauk Beach is located on the southern Dawei Peninsula, Launglone township, Dawei township, Tanintharyi. It is 71 km from Dawei. Firstly, you must go from Dawei to Kyauk Twin village in about 2 hours. And then you can go two ways, water way and land. If you go by water way, you need to walk through the mangrove forest for 30 minutes. Or if you go over land, you must drive along the hill. At the top of the hill, you can see a bungalow and an amazing sea view. Sin Htauk Beach is a perfect beach for nature lovers.

• Paradise Beach is surrounded by nature and a beautiful beach of Dawei. It is 69 km from Dawei and you must drive 2 hours and 30 minutes. It is so quiet and you can hear each sound of the wave clearly. Paradise beach is good for trekking and relaxing.

• Pa Nyit Beach is located in Pa Nyit village, Launglone township. It is 27 km from Dawei.  It is shaped with stretches of white sand and crystal clear water with a lot of fishing boats. It has no restaurant so you should take snacks and drinks with you when  you go and relax at the Pa Nyit Beach.

• Mayin Gyi Beach (Nabule beach) is located in Nabule village, Ye Phyu township, Dawei district, Tanintharyi. It is a beautiful beach and it's also quite large so it never feels crowded, even if you visit at the weekend. Nabule beach has a pagoda at the end of the beach. It takes around 2 hours from Dawei by motorbike or car. It is one of the most popular beaches of Dawei and it has  white sand and large rocks. You can relax and take photos along the beach.
  

4. Must Visit Boat Trip to Moscos Island 

Moscos Island is located in  Launglone Township. Moscos island is also known as Loung Lone Boke island and it is the best place for Snorkeling when you visit Dawei. Here we can see the famous Nemo fish and lots of coral. Moscos Island was designated as a natural reserve in 1927. It is located west of Maungmagan Beach, a popular beach in Dawei district. You can read a full version of Boat Day Trip to Moscos Island.

5. Visiting Tanintharyi’s Cultural Museums

The cultures of Tanintharyi are ancient and traditional , there are many folk songs, traditional dances, dialects and the extraordinary Moken sea culture. The languages of Tanintharyi are Dawei and Myeik dialects. Dawei has a Tanintharyi region cultural museum and the Payagyi museum. 

• Tanintharyi region cultural museum is located on Seik Kan Thar Road, Sanchi Quarter. Here you can see Dawei culture and traditions and Moken ethnic groups in the region. 

• The Payagyi museum is located within the Law Ka Marazein area that displays and maintains ancient relics. So, it has many stories about Dawei's people, ancient artifacts, ancient traditional dresses, ancient carvings, famous Dawei's people of photos and  biographies of those people  who include  U Kyaw Yin, General Ba Htoo, U Ngwe Gaing, Thura Ma Chit Po and many famous Dawei’s people. U Kyaw Yin was the first balloonist of Dawei and he innovated the hot air balloon (Mee-Bone-Pyan in Burmese). General Ba Htoo was an important person who cannot be left out in the effort who called for the freedom of Burma, from the British and the Japanese Revolution. U Ngwe Gaing was a Burmese artist who worked in both oil and water color. He received the Alinga Kyaw Zwa Award and is a popular artist of Dawei. Ma Chit Po received the Thura medal for her bravery in 1950. Thura Ma Chit Po statue is located in her native town which is Kamyaw Kin village, Launglone Township, Dawei. So, you can study the whole history of Dawei and tradition in a museum.

6. Visit To Local Markets

The Dawei local market is the best place to see traditional and local products, and local life of Dawei. Dawei has two main markets which are Si Pin Tharyar Zei and Pyan Kya Zein (Strand market).

• Si Pin Tharyar Zei is located downtown near the general administration office. In this market you can buy fresh fruits, vegetables, dried fishes, fruits jams, meats, flowers, home products, and also have some local textiles and a few handicrafts from Dawei.

• The other main market is Pyan Kya Zein (Strand market) and it is located on Strand Road, Dawei township, near Dawei river. In this market you can specially  purchase many varieties of fresh seafood, vegetables and fruits. It has many fish traders and you can buy fresh and cheap food. Also available are dried fishes, fruits, jams, meats, flowers, home products, some local textiles and a few handicrafts from Dawei.

7. Night Markets in Dawei

After you visit the city around Dawei, you can chill out in the night markets. Dawei has two night markets which are Mingalar night market and DDPC night market. Mingalar night market is located south of Si Pin Tharyar Zei and DDPC night market is located beside the DDPC Shopping Center and Kannar road. At the two night markets you can buy Thai foods, Japanese foods, Chinese foods, European foods, BBQ, fruit juice, soft drinks. Go to the night markets to enjoy these foods and relax.

8. Visiting to the Hot Springs in Dawei 

Tanintharyi region is the best place for nature lovers as it has many natural tourism destinations. In Dawei District, there are 3 hot springs which are Maungmagan hot spring, Kalonehtar hot spring and Pe Deak hot spring. If you visit the Tanintharyi region, you should visit the hot springs to get good blood circulation, relax your body and get good skin. You can read more details of natural hot springs in Tanintharyi here.

9. Waterfalls Hopping in Dawei

Dawei has many waterfalls and the best time to visit them is in the rainy season which is from May to October. These waterfalls are Taw Gel waterfall, Sin Koe Yap waterfall, Angel waterfall, Tizit waterfall, Thayetchaung waterfall, Thin Gan Tone waterfall and Kalonehtar waterfall. You can read a full article of Natural waterfalls in Dawei.

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 10. Must Visit Community Based Tourism (CBT)

Community Based Tourism is to do, learn, feel by yourself and share with other people your experiences. Dawei has three Community Based Tourisms (CBTs). They are Kalonehtar CBT, San Hlan CBT and Tizit CBT in Dawei District, Tanintharyi Region. Visit the CBT sites to enjoy and  study local life, nature and environment. Community based tourism (CBT)  is a way to improve the livelihood for the local people. CBT can get sustainable development for local people's life in the area and tourism.

• Kalonehtar CBT is located in Ye Phyu Township. In breathtaking scenery. At the CBT site, travelers can see a traditional medicine (herbage) garden, go trekking, eat lunch near the stream, relax  at hot springs, Visit souvenir shops to buy local products and drink organic fruit juices at the hot spring. You can read a full version of Kalonehtar CBT.
  

• San Hlan CBT is located in San Hlan Village, Launglone Township, Dawei District, Tanintharyi Region.  The San Hlan CBT site was implemented in 2018. The Community Based Tourism site is situated at the edge of San Hlan village. You can read the full article of San Hlan village and CBT.
  

• Tizit CBT is located in Tizit Village, Launglone Township. It is about 20 miles or approximately 32.1 km from Dawei. In Tizit CBT, you get  the  chance to dive deep into local fishing livelihoods, have hands-on fishing experiences and eat delicious local food on the beach as a picnic. And you can also relax, swim, take photos and look at the sunset view along Tizit beach. If you want to  know about fisherman life and Tizit CBT,  you can read this article - Must Visit Fisherman Village of Tizit.
  

Conclusion

The beautiful Dawei city is one of the best beach paradises not just in Myanmar but also in all of Asia. From its pristine beaches, mountains and riverside towns you'll find an array of activities by joining a city tour of Dawei that's sure to not only satisfy your taste but also keep all ages happy! So, you should go and visit Dawei and share your experiences . Don’t miss the CBT programs, they are my favorites.

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