Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TRUNKS AND TIMBER
Interesting, albeit expensive, day-trips to a working elephant camp , three hours away in
the foothills of the Bago Yoma mountains, can be arranged (ideally with a few days' no-
tice) through the Myanmar Beauty Guesthouse or Mother's House Hotel . The camp is
home to some sixty elephants, usually divided into working groups of six to eight animals.
Elephants are used to help transport logged timber out of the mountainous jungle, and vis-
its generally involve watching one of the various groups at work, after which you might be
given the chance of taking a ride on one of the elephants or feeding them some bananas.
Visits by car or pick-up leave at 5.30am and cost around $125 per person in a group of
two(withper-personpricesfallingforlargergroups).Youmaybeabletoarrangeaslightly
cheaper ($90-100pp) trip through Mother's House by taking a motorbike instead - though
it's a long slog on the back of a bike (and not much more comfortable by pick-up). Prices
include permit, lunch and guide.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: TAUNGOO
By bus Buses stop at various bus company offices along National Highway 1. A motorbike
taxi to Myanmar Beauty Guesthouse or Mother's House Hotel costs K1500.
Destinations Bago (2 daily; 4hr); Hpa-An (2 daily; 7hr); Kalaw (1 nightly; 10hr); Mandalay
(2 daily; 7hr); Meiktila (4 daily; 5hr); Naypyitaw (5 daily; 2hr 30min); Pyin Oo Lwin (daily;
10hr); Thazi (3 daily; 5hr); Yangon (4 daily; 5hr).
By train The railway station is on the south side of the centre, just inside the city walls.
Destinations Bago (3 daily; 4hr 30min); Mandalay (3 daily; 8-9hr); Naypyitaw (3 daily; 2hr
30min); Thazi (3 daily; 6hr); Yangon (3 daily; 7hr).
GETTING AROUND
By bicycle Central Taungoo is compact enough to be covered on foot, although renting a
bicycle from Myanmar Beauty is a nice way to explore, especially if you want to go out to
Kaunghmudaw temple.
By motorbike taxi A motorbike taxi from one of the out-of-town guesthouses to the centre
costs around K1500.
ACCOMMODATION
AmazingKaytu OffYangon-MandalayRd 05423977, amazing-hotel.com . Neat,mod-
ern little hotel set slightly off from the main road. Standard rooms upstairs (with TV, a/c, hot
water and fridge) are pokey and old-fashioned; superior rooms downstairs cost just $6 extra
and are much more attractivel y d ecorated - albeit also on the small side, and with an over-
whelming smell of mothballs. $43
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