Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: INDAWGYI LAKE
To reach Indawgyi Lake, take a train as far as
Hopin
on the Mandalay-Myitkyina line (16hr
from Mandalay, 5hr from Myitkyina). From Hopin you'll need to clamber on one of the phe-
nomenally slow and uncomfortable pick-ups to
Lonton
, 40km away (3-5hr; K4000), or find
a willing motorcycle taxi driver. The trucks leave when full from a yard just south of the
station along the tracks. Pick-ups in the opposite direction leave from Lonton's main street
between 7am and 2pm - book a spot through your accommodation and the truck will pick
you up first.
ACTIVITIES
Inn Chit Thu
Between In Daw Ma Ha and Indawa guesthouses, Lonton.
Since 2013 Fauna
& Flora International (
fauna-flora.org
)
have been working with this small local organiza-
tion to develop community-based tourism in Indawgyi, with the profits being ploughed back
intoconservation projects.Theyofferkayak(K15,000/day),bicycle (K7000/day)andmotor-
bike (K10,000/day) rental, have good maps of the lake and can provide guides for K10,000/
day. Fishing and trekking trips can be arranged on request.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
WhileHopinhasplentyoffoodoptions,thechoicearoundIndawgyiLakeismuchmorelim-
ited - prepare for oodles of noodle-based meals in Lonton and the other lakeside villages.
TheonlyaccommodationatthelakeitselfisinLonton,withsingletravellersstayingforhalf-
price at both guesthouses.
HOPIN
HopinStar
PyayDoungSuRd 07462261.
Theonlyforeigner-friendlyaccommodationin
Hopin, this place is useful if your train arrives too late to make it out to Lonton. There's little
English spoken, but the owners are friendly and the simple rooms with shared bathrooms
aren't
terrible. Therearealsoafewroomswithensuite(K10,000).Breakfast isnotincluded.
K8000
LONTON
In Daw Ma Ha Guesthouse
09 3615 2269.
This very basic guesthouse by the side of the
lake has six simple rooms with mosquito nets, cold bucket showers and a few hours' elec-
tricity each evening. Breakfast isn't included but the kindly owner w
ill ply y
ou with all the
coffee-mix you can drink. Trucks from Lonton will drop you outside.
K14,000
Indawa Guesthouse
This little family-run place is the closest thing in Lonton to an official
guesthouse, and their three rooms are occasionally occupied by people attached to the small
military camp next
door
- there's no telephone though, so you'll need to cross your fingers
and turn up on spec.
$20
