Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Whether or not you're not planning to overnight at
Ngwe Saung Beach
, the trip here
on a motorbike taxi (K18,000 return) is highly recommended. The route, which takes
about two hours, is through wild and glorious country and involves three river crossings
on small wooden country boats that have just enough room for the motorbike and a
couple of passengers. You will pass serene beaches and several rustic villages amid the
forests as you whiz over tracks and trails between shocking-green rice paddies.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
MEINMAHLA KYUN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Since 2012, Fauna and Flora International (
www.fauna-flora.org
)
, the world's oldest
conservation organisation, has been working with the Ministry of Environmental
Conservation and Forestry to help promote eco-tourism in Myanamar. One of the
locations they are focusing on is
Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary
( 045-45578; of-
fice in Bogalay)
, a swampy, mangrove-covered island in the south of the Ayeyarwady
Delta that can make for an adventurous three- or four-day return trip from Yangon.
The 137-sq-km sanctuary is the premier place to see wild estuarine crocodiles in
Myanmar and, if you're lucky, you may also spot rare Irrawaddy dolphins. Between
November and February it's also the pitstop for vast numbers of migratory water-
birds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. On the aptly named Turtle Island, 7
miles south of Meinmahla Kyun, turtles nest and hatch between October and
March. It's possible to take a day trip to this island and camp there overnight.
Aside from the wildlife, the great attraction of this trip is experiencing life in the
delta, where the main livelihood activities are rice farming, fishing and crabbing.
This also makes it a great destination for fresh seafood.
The sanctuary headquarters is in
Bogalay
, 92 miles southwest of Yangon. Ex-
daily at 6am from Phone Gyi Jetty (K12,000; six hours); the IWT ferry leaves daily
at 6pm from Lan Thit Jetty (deck class/private cabin $5/25; 12 hours). Bogalay
can also be reached by bus (K3000; five hours) with departures roughly every two
hours during the day from Hlaing Thar Yar Bus Terminal.
You must first register with the park headquarters in Bogalay - this process will
be much smoother and quicker if you let them know you're coming in advance.
From Bogalay, the park staff will organise return boat transport to Meinmahla Kyun
(K70,000 per boat for up to eight people). You can also book canoe tours along the
mangrove-lined creeks on the island (K30,000 per day, up to three passengers),
and basic accommodation at the ranger stations (K15,000 per person) with mat-
tresses, sheets and mosquito nets provided.
