Wethali, often written Vesali or Waithali, is an ancient Rakhine site north of Mrauk-U associated with the early urban kingdoms of Arakan. It predates the better-known Mrauk-U temples and helps explain why this part of western Myanmar has such a dense archaeological landscape.
The remains are low-key compared with Shite-thaung or Koe-thaung, so the site rewards travellers who are interested in historical geography rather than dramatic temple silhouettes. Visiting Wethali broadens a Mrauk-U trip from the 15th- to 18th-century capital into the earlier sequence of Rakhine settlement and Indian Ocean connections.