THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Myanmar - page 222

over Hpa-An to Mount Zwegabin. The decor is rather odd in places (some rooms are dec-
orated with huge posters of tropical i slan ds), but common areas are nice and it's one of the
better-value hotels in this price range. $35
Soe Brothers Guesthouse 2/146 Thitsa St 058 21372; map . The rooms are decent in
this long-time budget favourite - small but cool and clean - but the main draws are the staff,
who are expert at dealing with travellers' needs, and the common areas which add to the
fun an d f friendly atm osphere. There's a small sleeping-mat dormitory upstairs. No breakfast.
Dorm $4 , double $12
Than Lwin Oo Guesthouse Thida St 058 21513; map . At the time of research this guest-
house had only just been licensed for foreign guests. While it's not as foreigner-savvy as the
Soe Brothers , it's a good alternative, as long as you can handle the intense purple paint job
bothoutside andin.Roomsareveryclean andthere'sagreatlittle r oofte rrace andfreewi-fi,
the only downside being that none of the bathrooms has hot water. K8000
Hotel Zwekabin Hpa-An-Mawlamyine Rd, 6km south of Hpa-An 058 22556,
[e-mail] ; map . A 10min drive from Hpa-An, this resort-style hotel
sits at the foot of a limestone outcrop with partially obscured views of Mount Zwegabin. The
more expensive bungalows are very spacious with small verandas, but the cheaper rooms are
in a small multistorey block. All rooms are pleasantly decorated, with a/c, and there's a res-
taurant on-site, though the location might be too quiet for some. Free wi-fi. $70
EATING AND DRINKING
Hpa-An's markets are the most interesting and low-cost places to eat, although the offerings
atboththemorningandnightmarketsaresomewhatnoodle-centric.Sweet-toothedtravellers
should seek out bein moun - crispy rice-flour pancakes smeared with jaggery syrup and
sprinkled with coconut shreds.
New Day Bogyoke Rd 058 21325; map . Bright and canteen-like, this bakery is possibly
the only place in Myanmar where you can have cappuccino with a potato curry and puris for
breakfast. Cheesecake and other baked treats are also on the menu. Daily 6am-6pm.
San Ma Tu Bogyoke Rd 058 21802; map . This place has a well-deserved reputation
for great Burmese food, which means that it's often full of foreigners. Choose a vegetarian
(K500) or meat (from K1500) curry from their wide selection, and it will be served with ten
side dishes, soup and tea. Rice is an additional K500. Daily lunch and dinner.
ShweHtoneMaung SchoolRd; map . Thisbustlingteahouseservesupdeliciousbowlsof
noodles,hotdrinks,juicesandsinfulfriedsnacksthroughouttheday-preparetogetaddicted
to the banana fritters they serve at breakfast. English menu available. Daily 6am-10pm.
Shwe Myint Mo 2 Pagoda Rd 058 21362; map . Serving Burmese food with Indian un-
dertones as well as particularly tasty soups and salads, Shwe Myint Mo also has three beers