Myanmar (Burma) - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 564

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Boats to Inle Lake leave from the Main
Canal on the western edge of town.
Another much quieter canal, Mong Li,
runs through the centre of Nyaungshwe
and a wander alongside it is a good way
to get a sense of local life. here are three
sizeable monasteries - Hlaing Gu Kyaung ,
Shwe Gu Kyaung and Kan Gyi Kyaung
- on its eastern bank.
he most holy pagoda in Nyaungshwe
is Yadana Man Aung Paya , on Phaung
Daw Side Road, which has an unusual
stepped golden stupa. In the northeast of
town is the Cultural Museum (Tues-Sun
10am-4pm; $2), although it's more
interesting for its brick and teak building
(an old Shan palace) than for its exhibits
of Buddha statues.
here are many one- and two-day treks
around the town, through rice fields,
hills and villages, as well as a popular
three-day route to Kalaw (see p.562).
he roads around the lake are also great
for cycling , and you can rent a bike
through accommodation and travel
agencies (see below). hey should be
able to suggest destinations, but one
good bet is the Red Mountain Winery
(daily 9am-6pm; T 081 209366,
W

By train The train line between Shwenyaung and Thazi
(which has connections to Yangon and Mandalay) is
exceptionally scenic, particularly the final Kalaw-Thazi
stretch.
Destinations Kalaw (daily; 3hr 30min); Thazi (daily;
11hr 30min).

INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information The o cial Myanmar Travel &
Tours o ce is on Strand Rd (daily 8.30am-5pm).
Bicycle rental Guesthouses and tour agents have bikes
for around K1500/day. Active & Authentic, Kyaunn Taw
Shayt St ( E [e-mail]) has mountain
bikes for $12/day.
Boat trips Trips on the lake can be arranged through
your accommodation, with freelance boatmen (who
congregate on the Main Canal), guesthouses or travel
agents - prices generally start around K15,000 (or
K22,000 during festivals); it's well worth an extra K5000 to
include Indein in the itinerary. A trip down to Thaung Tho
costs K30,000, while visiting the Southern Lake will set
you back K50,000.
Travel agents Numerous o ces in town offer boat trips,
trekking and transport services, including Sunny Day Tour
Services, Main Rd (daily 7am-8pm; T 09 428315116;
E [e-mail]), and Mr A Tun Travel Agency,
Yone Gyi Rd ( T 09 43197443, E nanmyasein1985@gmail
.com). Freelance operators include Joseph Aung Tha
( T 083 40092 or T 09 49403388, E thaungjoe@gmail
.com).
Trekking guides Most travel agents offer trekking,
charging around K7000 (half-day) or K10,000 (one day).
Prices vary more for the popular three-day trek to Kalaw,
with Pyone Cho from Lotus Restaurant ( T 09 428313717,
E [e-mail]) offering one of the lowest
prices at K40,000 per person plus K8000 for boat transfer.
Bags can be transferred to Kalaw for K5000 each. Trekking
prices typically apply to two or more people; solo travellers
pay more.

7

redmountain-estate.com), around 4km
southeast of town and signposted from
the main road. It's possible to sample
the wines (K2000 for four) and to have
lunch in the restaurant.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Trains arrive at Shwenyaung, a town 12km north on the
highway, and many buses also stop there instead of
heading into Nyaungshwe. From Shwenyaung it's 30min
to Nyaungshwe by tuk-tuk (K1000/person or K5000 to
hire) or taxi (K10,000). A government fee of $10 to enter
the Inle Lake area is charged at a permit booth on the
northern edge of Nyaungshwe. Leaving Nyaungshwe, tuk-
tuks to Shwenyaung depart from north of the market on
the Main Rd.
By plane For Heho airport (1hr; see p.563) take a tuk-tuk
(K12,000) or taxi (K20,000).
By bus You can buy tickets from the May Bus Ticket & Taxi
Services Centre ( T 081 209176 or T 09 428326117) on the
Main Rd in Nyaungshwe.
Destinations Bagan (2 daily; 8hr); Bago (2 daily; 10-11hr);
Hsipaw (daily; 12hr); Kalaw (6 daily; 2hr); Mandalay (2 daily;
8hr); Yangon (2 daily; 12hr).

ACCOMMODATION
There is a lot of pressure on the accommodation in
Nyaungshwe, with some former budget favourites
increasing their prices by 50 percent or more from 2012
to 2013. In high season some travellers have slept in
monasteries or even hotel restaurants after arriving
without reservations.
Aquarius 2 Phaung Daw Pyan Rd T 081 209352,
E [e-mail]. An understandably popular
option, as much for its friendly welcome as for its rooms
(although the garden and the knick-knacks decorating
the place add character). The cheapest use fans and have
shared b athro oms; for $5 more you can get en-suite
facilities. $20