Myanmar (Burma) - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 532

Kandawgyi and Inya lakes
Boasting great views of Shwedagon Paya
to the west, the boardwalk (K2000)
around Kandawgyi Lake is a good place
for a walk. he best sunset views of
Shwedagon are from the Karaweik
complex (K300) on the eastern side of
the lake, which includes several
restaurants. here's less shade at the much
larger Inya Lake to the north, but the
southern shore is the site of Aung San
Suu Kyi's home. he road was off-limits
when she was under house arrest but
there is little to see other than the
entrance gate, which has a couple of
National League for Democracy flags and
a picture of her father, General Aung San.

sure that you negotiate very carefully as
some of them are less than honest; a fair
price is K5000 for 1hr 30min.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane The airport is around 15km north of downtown
Yangon, and has separate domestic and international
terminals which are a 5min walk apart. Taxis into town
cost K7000 from the taxi counter in the international
terminal; independent drivers offer cheaper seats in
shared vehicles. The taxi counter at the domestic terminal
charges K9000. Crowded buses to Sule Paya (1hr; K200), in
downtown Yangon, run during the day but don't stop very
close to the airport: turn right out of the international
terminal, walk for around 20min to the junction, take a
right and then cross the road to catch a south-bound bus.
Buses back to the airport leave from one block south of
Sule Paya.
Destinations Bhamo (6 weekly; 2hr 40min-3hr 35min);
Heho (16-17 daily; 1hr 10min-3hr 5min); Mandalay (22
daily; 55min-2hr 10min); Nyaung U (13 daily; 55min-2hr
55min); Pathein (2 weekly; 35min); Sittwe (3-4 daily; 1hr
20min-3hr); Tachileik (4-5 daily; 3hr 20min); Thandwe
(4-5 daily; 50min-3hr 30min).
By bus Yangon has two major bus terminals: Hlaing Thar
Yar in the northwest (for the delta region) and Aung
Mingalar in the north (for most other destinations). Both
are around 20km out of the city centre and should take
about an hour to reach by taxi (K6000-7000). Local buses
run from Sule Paya to both Aung Mingalar (at least 1hr;
K300) and Hlaing Thar Yar (at least 1hr 30min; K300).
Allow plenty of time however you travel though, as the
tra c can be terrible. Most bus companies have o ces
on Kun Chan Rd, near the Aung San Stadium (daily
7am-7pm), and some offer transport (around K1000) to
the appropriate bus station.
Destinations Bagan (2 daily; 11hr); Bago (6 daily; 2hr);
Chaung Tha (daily; 9hr); Hpa-an (daily; 11hr 30min);
Hsipaw (daily; 14hr); Kalaw (daily; 10hr); Kinpun for
Kyaiktiyo (daily; 5-6hr); Mandalay (7 daily; 8-10hr);
Mawlamyine (2 daily; 8hr); Meiktila (daily; 9hr 30min);
Nay Pyi Taw (10 daily; 5hr 30min); Ngwe Saung (1-2 daily;
8hr 30min); Pyay (3 daily; 6hr); Pyin Oo Lwin (daily; 12hr);
Sagaing (daily; 11hr); Shwenyaung for Inle Lake (daily;
11hr); Thandwe for Ngapali Beach (daily; 18hr).
By train Yangon Central Railway Station is to the north of
the main grid of downtown streets, most easily reached
from Sule Pagoda Rd. Advance tickets must be booked at the
Myanmar Railways Booking O ce on Bogyoke Aung San Rd.
Destinations

7

Hledan Market
Hledan produce market (daily
6am-11pm), southwest of Inya Lake and
close to Hledan stop on the Circle Line
train route (see p.536), is a great place to
experience daily life well off the tourist
trail. Hundreds of food stalls set up each
day in the surrounding streets (6-11am
& 3-11pm), particularly “50ft Street”
behind the market, which is really
buzzing in the evenings as it's a popular
student hangout.

Kyauk Taw Gyi
A huge seated Buddha makes Kyauk Taw
Gyi pagoda (daily 6am-6pm; free),
situated around 14km northwest of the
centre - close to the airport and infamous
Insein prison - one of Yangon's most
impressive Buddhist sites. It was carved
from a single piece of marble near
Mandalay in 1999, then brought to
Yangon by boat and train. You can reach
it by train yourself (it's close to Insein
station on the Circle Line; see p.536) or
by taxi (around K6000).

Dala
he easiest way to get a taste of small-
town life in the Ayeyarwady delta is to
take a ten-minute ferry ride from the
Pansodan Street jetty on Strand Road,
straight across the river to Dala township
(daily 5.30am-9pm; K2000 or $2 each
way). Motorbike drivers wait on the other
side and offer half-day tours, but make

Bagan (daily; 17hr 30min); Bago (8 daily;
2hr); Dawei (daily; 23hr 30min); Kyaikhto for Kyaiktiyo
(3 daily; 4hr 30min); Mandalay (3 daily; 16hr 30min);
Mawlamyine (3 daily; 9hr); Nay Pyi Taw (5 daily; 9hr
15min-10hr); Pyay (daily; 8hr 30min); Shwenyaung (daily;