Myanmar (Burma) - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 570

and has buses running east to Pyin Oo Lwin and Hsipaw.
Hotels and tour agents can often arrange tickets for a
small fee, and there are also many bus-company o ces
and ticket agents in the blocks between 80th to 83rd sts
and 30th to 33rd sts. Some bus companies offer transport
from the centre to the appropriate bus station.
Destinations Bago (2 daily; 10hr); Hsipaw (2 daily; 6-8hr);
Kalaw (3 daily; 6hr 30min); Nay Pyi Taw (5 daily; 4hr);
Nyaungshwe for Inle Lake (2 daily; 9hr); Nyaung U for
Bagan (6 daily; 7-8hr); Pyay (2 daily; 13hr); Shwenyaung
for Inle Lake (3 daily; 8hr 30min); Taungoo (2 daily; 7-8hr);
Yangon (6 daily; 7-10hr).
By train The train station is centrally located on 30th St
78/79. If you don't want to queue upstairs, you can
buy tickets from the government tourist information
office on the ground floor, for a commission of around
fifteen percent.
Destinations Hsipaw (daily; 10hr); Myitkyina (3 daily;
20hr); Naba for Katha (3 daily; 8-12hr); Nyaung U for
Bagan (daily; 8hr); Yangon (3 daily; 15hr-16hr 30min).
By boat Government services to Mingun depart from a
pier at the western end of 26th St (daily 9am; K5000
return). Most other boats leave from Gawain Jetty, at the
western end of 35th St.
To Bagan Three private companies run tourist services
(9hr), departing at 7am but not running every day:
N Mai Hka (upper floor of railway station, 30th St 78/79;
T 09 6813472, W nmaihka.com; $40), Malikha 2
(between 77th/78th & 32nd/33rd sts; T 02 72279,
W malikha-rivercruises.com; $42); Myanmar Golden
River Group (MGRG) (38th St 79/80, W mgrgexpress
.com; T 011 202734; $45). All include breakfast, and
MGRG includes lunch. The government slow boat (at
least 13hr; $18) leaves at 5.30am on Wed and Sun; the
service is run by IWT (35th St; daily 9.30am-4.30pm;
T 02 36035).
To the north N Mai Hka services run daily to Katha (14hr;
deck $20, cabin $40) and Bhamo (18-22hr; deck $30,
cabin $60), but during high season they may use the
boat on the Bagan route instead. An IWT slow ferry runs
to Bhamo (at least 3 days; deck $12, cabin $54) via Katha
at 6am on Mon, Thurs and Sat.
By pick-up Pick-ups to Pyin Oo Lwin (K2500) run daily
from 5am-5pm, departing when full from the corner of
28th and 83rd sts. They are most frequent early in the
morning and scarce after 3pm.
By shared taxi Duhtawadi bus company runs shared
taxis to Hsipaw (K15,000; 5-6hr) from its o ce in town
(31st St 81/82; T 01 61938). Aung Yedana (25th St 81/82;
T 01 24850) has shared taxis to Kalaw and Inle Lake
(around K25,000) and will pick you up from your hotel.
Several operators have services to Pyin Oo Lwin (K7000;
2hr), collecting passengers from their hotels, plus there
are morning departures from the corner of 27th and

83rd sts. Try Seven Diamond (see Information and Tours)
for shared taxis to various destinations.

INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tour agents Daw San San Aye, 81st St 23/24 (daily
8am-8pm; T 02 31799); Seven Diamond Express, 25th St
82/83 (daily 8.30am-8pm; T 02 65865) and 82nd St
26/27 (daily 8.30am-8pm; T 02 30128; E mdl.sdm
[e-mail]).
Tourist information The MTT o ce (daily 8am-9pm;
T 02 60356) is on the corner of 68th and 27th sts.

GETTING AROUND
Bicycle or motorbike rental Several places rent out
bikes and motorbikes, including Mr Lim, just outside ET
Hotel , 83rd St 23/24 (daily 7.30am-7.30pm), and Mr Jerry,
83rd St 25/26 (daily 7am-7pm). Both charge K2000/day
for a bike, and from K10,000/day for a motorbike. A ride
around downtown Mandalay is not for the faint-hearted,
but it's quieter further west.
By bus or pick-up Mandalay's public transport system is
very confusing and it's best to ask locally for advice on
which bus to take. The junction of 26th and 84th sts is a
good spot to pick up a bus.
By trishaw This traditional form of transport has not yet
been entirely superseded by motorbike taxis. Expect to pay
around K1000 for a trip within the centre.
By taxi It isn't hard to find taxis, whether motorbikes or
cars. There are small motorbike taxi stands at many street
corners, and if you stay in the main budget accommodation
district you'll be inundated with offers. As a guide, a short
trip on a motorbike taxi should cost around K1000.

7

ACCOMMODATION
There is a lot of pressure on budget accommodation in
Mandalay these days, so book ahead in high season.
Dynasty 81st St 24/25 T 02 35801, E hoteldynasty
@myanmar.com.mm; map p.572. The 22 rooms in this
hotel aren't bad by Mandalay's budget standards: the
windows are small and some of the bathroom grouting
needs attention, but the bedr oom s are clean and you get
a/c plus a fridge and small TV. $20
★

ET 83rd St 23/24 T 02 65006, E ethotel129a@gmail
.com; map p.572. This guesthouse deserves kudos for
renovating its rooms in 2013 without putting up the price
(the exact opposite of some rivals). The cheapest fan
rooms have shared bathrooms and are on the rooftop,
while for $25 you can get a/c and a bathroom; the $20
singles are particularly good. There's wi-fi throughout. $18
Fortune 31st St 82/83 T 02 66 548; map p.572. The decor
is stuck in a time warp, but the rooms here are actually
decent enough. You don't get a bathroom at the cheaper
end, but you d o ge t a/c. Some rooms lack curtains, others
lack windows. $25