Myanmar (Burma) - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 574

AYEYARWADY RIVER TRIPS
The stretch of the Ayeyarwady River north of Mandalay is much less frequently travelled by
foreigners than the route to Bagan (see p.552). Although the scenery is no more spectacular,
other than in the brief “second defile” (a narrowing of the river) between Bhamo and Katha,
it's more rewarding for the scope it offers for interacting with local people. The route can also
provide access to rarely visited villages: in addition to Bhamo and Katha, boats typically stop
at Shwegu (between Bhamo and Katha) and Kyaukmyaung (between Katha and Mandalay),
both of which have simple guesthouses.
The government has closed the river north of Bhamo to foreigners. This means that
although you can take a train to Myitkina, for example, you can't start a river trip from
there. Since the road to Bhamo is also closed, the easiest way to do the whole available
route is to fly into Bhamo then take the boat south; the cheapest is to take a train to Katha
(via Naba), travel upriver to Bhamo by boat, and then take the boat south again. Upriver
travel is, of course, slower than downriver and all travel times depend on the season due
to varying water levels (times given here are for November or December). On overnight
trips, passengers sleep on the boat, almost always on the deck, although cabins are
available on some services.
There are two travel options open to foreigners: government-run IWT ferries, and boats
operated by the private company N Mai Hka. The former are much cheaper but also much
slower - for example, it takes at least 30 hours to travel from Bhamo to Mandalay on the
IWT ferry (deck ticket $12), but as little as 22 hours with N Mai Hka (deck ticket $30). The N Mai
Hka services may not run in peak season, though, as the boats are sometimes used on the
Bagan-Mandalay route instead.
Affordable meals are served onboard, or you can buy a curry for around K1000 when the
boat stops at a village. Bring warm clothes as it can be cold in the mornings, plus a sleeping
mat and blanket if you will be sleeping on the boat.

7

make it easy to get a sense of provincial
life. Heading northeast from Mandalay
instead, towards the Chinese border,
treks from Kyaukme or Hsipaw offer the
opportunity to stay in ethnic minority
homes in traditional mountain villages.

and is closed to the public, but the
Tennis Club beside it is still active. Further
north on 5th Street is the District
Commissioner's House , a large brick and
wood building, and close by is the red
half-timbered Police Commissioner's
House where Orwell lived, which is still
used by the police today.

KATHA
An engagingly low-key place to hang
around for a day or two, the small
riverside town of Katha was the model
for Kyauktada in George Orwell's novel
Burmese Days (see box, p.578). Although
Orwell modified the plan of the town a
little, it's possible to seek out several of
the colonial buildings that played a part
either in the novel or in Orwell's life in
the town.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Foreigners are not allowed to travel by road between
Mandalay and Katha.
By train The nearest mainline train station is at Naba,
30km northwest of Katha. Shuttle buses between the two
take 1hr; in Katha they leave from near the fire station.
There are four trains daily from Naba to Mandalay
(8-12hr); the fastest and most reliable departs at 1pm.
By boat The IWT o ce on Strand Rd, opposite the main
jetty, sells tickets for ferries to Bhamo (3 weekly; 10hr; $4)
and Mandalay (3 weekly; 21hr; $9). The small N Mai Hka
counter ( T 075 25413 or T 09 6813472), also on Strand
Rd, sells tickets for their fast boat upriver to Bhamo (daily;
8hr; $20). If you're heading downriver, in theory you can
join the N Mai Hka boat to Mandalay (daily 6pm; 17hr;
$30) which begins at Bhamo, but staff are often reluctant
to sell tickets. The N Mai Kha services may not run in peak
season (see box, p.577).

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
At the southern end of the town centre is
the British-era jail , which is still in use.
North of the centre, on the east side of
5th Street, is the former British Club ,
which was central to Burmese Days . It
now functions as an association o ce