THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Myanmar - page 354

NYAUNGSHWE BY BICYCLE
Nyaungshweissurroundedbydelightfulcountryside,andtakinga bicycletrip ishighlyre-
commended.Thereareanumberofappealingoptions,includingtheRedMountain winery
and the Khaung Daing hot springs ; you can actually work both into a circular route by tak-
ing a boat (around K6000 after haggling) between Khaung Daing and Maing Thauk. It's
easy to find the road heading east, then south, from Nyaungshwe, though since this is not
entirely pleasant, it's far better to take minor paths. One highly recommended course starts
south of Nyaungshwe at Nantha village. You'll enter the village immediately after passing
the Buddha statue; take a left turn at the tiny T-junction. After passing through an almost
tunnel-like thicket of bamboo, the road veers left; turn right instead, onto a dirt track just
before the small bridge. This path heads through bucolic farmyard scenery to a charming
village, after which you'll be spat out onto the main road to Maing Thauk. If you'd like to
head this way back to Nyaungshwe too, the paths starts almost opposite Aung Thit Sar , a
tiny juice bar just north of a distinctive pink-painted building.
TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
Active & Authentic Kyaung Taw Shayt Rd 094 2102 8796,
[e-mail] . There are umpteen places in which to rent a bike in town,
but this one is simply a cut above the rest. For a start, they have bikes which would make a
Dutchman go weak at the knees: a little pricey at K12,000 for the day, but worth it if you're
planningalongtrip.Theyalsorentoutglassesandhelmets,whilethecheery,English-speak-
ing staff can arrange excellent full-day trips (K25,000). Daily 8am-9pm.
Lotus Restaurant Museum Rd 094 2831 3717. Though this restaurant is not the best of
places to eat, its staff can rustle up excellent half-day to two-day treks around Nyaungshwe
(K5000-25,000/person), including the reverse-of-norm route all the way to Kalaw (around
K35,000 in a group of three).
ACCOMMODATION
Nyaungshwe has by far the best and widest range of accommodation in Eastern Myanmar -
no real surprise, since it has by far the most tourists too. Also note that if you're prepared to
make a greater Inle outlay, there are higher-end options dotting the lakeshore. Wi-fi is sur-
prisingly good for an out-of-the-way Burmese location, but don't count on it working at all
hours, or indeed on all days.
Amazing Yone Gyi Rd 081 209477, amazing-hotel.com . Rooms here aren't quite as
amazing as you'd expect for the price, and service standards occasionally leave something to
be desired. Nevertheless, it's one of the co mfies t options in town, with a pleasing canalside
location and an excellent on-site restaurant. $150