Myanmar (Burma) - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 560

Thein Taung Paya

Thein
Taung
Paya

KALAW

0 200

metres

Bus
Tickets Bus

Tickets

Ever
Smile

Fire Station

U N I O N H I G H

Soe Thein
Massage

Sun Shine

Sam's Trekking

Sikh Temple

KBZ
Bank

Rural Development
Society

Cyber
World

Market

Aung Chan
Tha Zedi

Sky Net

7 JP

Trekking
Service

Shwe Lin
Lun Paya

N

Hsu Taung
Pye Paya

ACCOMMODATION
Golden Kalaw Inn
Pineland Inn

2
1

CHERR Y STREET

EATING AND DRINKING
Dream Restaurant
Hi Snack and Drink
Pyae Pyae

2
3
1

Police Station

Train Station

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane A taxi to Heho airport, around 35km northeast
of Kalaw, costs K22,000 and takes an hour. Plane tickets
are available from Winner Hotel on the Union Highway.
Destinations Mandalay (10 daily; 25min-1hr); Nyaung U
for Bagan (10 weekly; 1hr-1hr 15min); Thandwe (2-3
daily; 1hr); Yangon (17 daily; 1hr 10min-3hr).
By bus Tickets are sold from outlets on the main road
including the helpful Sun Shine (daily 8.30am-8.30pm;
T 081 50294 or T 09 36201202), and buses arrive and
depart from the same area.
Destinations Aungban (3 daily; 20min); Bagan (2 daily;
6-8hr); Bago (2 daily; 10hr); Hsipaw (daily; 12hr 30min);
Mandalay (daily; 6-8hr); Nay Pyi Taw (daily; 7hr);
Shwenyaung for Inle Lake (3 daily; 2hr); Taungoo (daily;
8hr); Thazi (3 daily; 4hr); Yangon (frequent from 4.30-
9.30pm; 10-11hr).
By pick-up or tuk-tuk Vehicles run regularly to Aungban
junction, for connections to Pindaya, daily from 7am-6pm.
By train The train station is less than 1km south of
the town centre and is on a line running from Thazi to
Shwenyaung (the station for Inle Lake), which is very
scenic, particularly on the Thazi-Kalaw stretch. There are
connections to Yangon and Mandalay from Thazi.
Destinations Shwenyaung (daily; 3hr 30min); Thazi
(daily; 11hr).

By taxi A taxi to Pindaya takes 1hr 30min and costs
K30,000 one-way, K35,000 return, or K55,000 to visit the
caves then carry on to Nyaungshwe. Arrange this through
guesthouses or travel agents.

ACCOMMODATION
While it's still possible to find a cheap room in Kalaw, most
of the newer places cater to the growing number of tour
groups that come here to trek.
Golden Kalaw Inn 5/92 Nat Sin Rd T 081 50311 or T 09
5210635, E [e-mail]. The rooms are
small and need more than a lick of paint, and a private
bathroom costs an extra $3, but they're clean and the
price includes a choice of five local breakfasts and a warm
welcome from th e o wners. It's a better bet than the
Golden Lily nearby. $9
Pineland Inn 5/36 Union Highway T 081 50020
or T 09 5280662, E [e-mail]. Often
overlooked by backpackers, despite offering decent
value, perhaps because the reception area is less
inviting than the rooms themselves. Economy rooms
have lino floors and share clean bathrooms; you get
wooden floors and basic en-suite facilities for an extra
$2, while upstairs rooms ($18) are in better condition
and warmer at ni ght. T ry to get a room at the back as the
highway is noisy. $12