Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting Around
Motorcycle taxis are found on just about every corner in Mawlamyine (short trips K500;
longer journeys from K1000).
For destinations outside of town you'll want a driver. This can be arranged at Breeze
Guest House, or you can call
Ko Min Naing
(
09 730 75120, 057-22247)
, who has a new
car and speaks a bit of English.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Around Mawlamyine
If you're finding Mawlamyine a bit too sleepy, you'll be delighted to find that the town
functions as a great base for a variety of easy and worthwhile day trips.
Many people save themselves time and hassle by hiring a car (per day K60,000) and
guide (per day $15) in order to explore fully. The best place to organise this is through
the Breeze Guest House, where Mr Antony and Mr Khaing are both highly informed and
entertaining guides.
DON'T MISS
BILU KYUN
Bilu Kyun
(Ogre Island) isn't quite as scary as it sounds. Rather than a hide-away
for nasty monsters, it's a beautiful and fascinating self-contained Mon island direc-
tly west of Mawlamyine. Roughly the size of Singapore, Bilu Kyun comprises 78 vil-
lages that are home to more than 200,000 people. It's a green, fecund place, home
to palm-studded rice fields and fruit plantations, and has the jungly vibe of a trop-
ical island - without the beaches. Many of Bilu Kyun's villages are associated with
the production of various handicrafts and household items, from coconut fibre-
mats to slate tablets.
There's public transportation to Bilu Kyun, but the boats run a confusing sched-
ule from a variety of piers. The local authorities also require notice to visit Bilu Ky-
un, so the best way to approach the island is via a day tour with Mr Antony or Mr
Khaing at Breeze Guest House. They charge $30 per person for the tour, which
typically runs from 9am to 5pm, circling the island, stopping in at various craft
workshops and even tacking on a swim stop. The fee covers transportation and
lunch.
At research time, foreigners were not allowed to stay overnight on Bilu Kyun.
