Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ducing
single
s to a couple of more decent river-facing rooms upstairs. All have shared bath-
rooms.
K8000
Ayarwady Guesthouse
Strand Rd 075 25140.
This old-school Burmese guesthouse has a
collection of neat but small rooms, all of which have shared bucket showers. Try to get one
oftheroomswitha/candriverviewsatthefrontofthebuilding(K14,000)-theroomsatthe
back also play host to cockroaches from time to time. The hotel offers gue
sts a use
ful sketch
map of town, although the representation of the town centre is misleading.
K12,000
KantKaw
StrandRd 07525144.
ThenorthernmostofKatha'sStrandRdguesthouses,this
little place has friendly owners, har
d beds,
shared Burmese-style bathrooms and - the height
of luxury in Katha - a Western loo.
K10,000
EATING AND DRINKING
Katha has a particularly good
night market
(daily 5-9pm) with various options beyond the
typical fried rice and skewers, including fresh fruit lassis and good curry-and-rice combos.
The market is held on a street running away from the river, just south of the fast boat jetty
and locally known as “Night Market Street”.
JetSun
NightMarketSt.
Thissmallteahouseisoneofthefewplacesopenearlyinthemorn-
ing, and therefore the best option for a breakfast of sweet tea and hot paratha before you get
on the ferry to Mandalay.
Daily 5am-6pm.
Shwe Sisa
Strand Rd.
Riverside restaurant offering grills and tasty stir-fries, draught beer,
Premiership football and a balcony overlooking the river. Barbecued fish is their speciality.
Daily 9am-10pm.
Yangon Myin Myin
Market Rd 075 25558.
Near the entrance to the main market
(Burmese only sign - look for the Golden Island Rum advert), this popular restaurant serves
upexcellentBurmesecurrieswithfreshvegetablesandarangeofsidedishesforK2500,with
an unusual tamarind-spiked jaggery for dessert. Few vegetarian options.
Daily 9am-9pm.
DIRECTORY
Bank
Ifyou'reinneedofcashandhereduringbankinghourstheCBBank,twoblocksback
from the waterfront, can exchange US dollars, but there's no ATM in town - yet.
Internet
Ozone Internet (24hr), hidden down an alley behind the waterfront, has a decent
connection for K500/hr.
Katha to Mandalay
The broad ribbon of the Ayeyarwady flows almost straight due south between Katha and
Mandalay, through low denuded hills that have been intensively logged for teak - elephants
haulingtreetrunksandbargesloadedwithlogscanstillbespottedalongtheriver.Justbefore
