Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CHINDWIN RIVER TRIPS
Monywa is the major port on the
Chindwin River
, the main tributary of the Ayeyarwady,
which runs north from here for almost a thousand kilometres. Cruises along the Chindwin
offer a chance to see a part of Myanmar still virtually untouched by tourism, striking deep
into Sagaing Region and following the river as it runs close to the Indian border.
A number of
luxury cruises
run regularly along the Chindwin, particularly in later July/
August, directly after the monsoon, when water levels are high. The main vessel is the
RV Pandaw
(
pandaw.com
), a luxury colonial-style vessel; seven-day cruises are run
year-round between Monywa and Homalin, flying into Homalin and then heading back
downriver. It's a memorable experience, although expensive, with prices starting at around
$3000 per person (including flight). Longer (ten- to eleven-night) and even pricier cruises
are also available on other vessels - such as the
Orcaella
(
belmond.com
),
Paukan
(
paukan.com
) and
Ananda
(
sanctuaryretreats.com
)
, which start from Mandalay and in-
clude a trip up and down the Chindwin before depositing passengers at Bagan. Cruises
typically stop at (heading north) the riverside towns of Kani, Mingin, Moktaw, Kalewa
(Kalay),MawleikandSittaungbeforereachingHomalin;journeysendinginBaganusually
visit Kani and Mingin on their way back down the river.
An alternative to an organized cruise is to arrange an
independent trip
, staying in local
guesthouses and travelling on local
IWT ferries
,
which stop at all the main riverside set-
tlements. You'll need to arrange the necessary permits and reservations through a travel
agent in Yangon or Mandalay (allow several weeks), however, and the week-plus trip is
still likely to cost in excess of $1000 per person, with costs varying depending on exactly
how far upriver you plan to go.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: MONYWA AND AROUND
Monywaisnowaloteasiertoreachbyfromthesouthfollowingtheopeningofthenew
Aye-
yarwady bridge
,
although it's still a bit of a dogleg. If you want to visit without the bother
of catching public transport and overnighting in Monywa it's just about possible to visit the
town plus Pakokku as a (very) long day-trip from Bagan or Mandalay - count on around $90
from the former, and $60-70 from the latter.
By bus
The bus station is about 1km south of the centre. Count on around K1000 for the
ride by motorbike taxi into town. Heading to Pakokku (3hr) and Nyaung U (4hr) there are a
couple of daily minibuses plus regular but slower and uncomfortable pick-ups.
Destinations
Hsipaw (daily; 11hr); Mandalay (hourly; 3hr 30min); Pyin Oo Lwin (daily; 3
daily; 7hr); Shwebo (hourly; 3hr).
