Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Week two starts with a journey north along the Yangon-Bagan Highway, pausing at
historic
Pyay
, famed for its pilgrimage site, Shwesandaw Paya, and the ancient city ruins
of Thayekhittaya. Continuing north, switch buses in Magwe, to reach the remarkable
temple-strewn plains of
Bagan
. A boat ride away is
Mandalay
, bigger and less exciting
than many visitors imagine, but a great base for visiting several ancient-city sites.
If the heat is getting you down, drive two hours and breathe fresh cool air in the
colonial-era getaway of
Pyin Oo Lwin
. Chill out even more around the shores of magic-
al
Inle Lake
, perhaps getting there via an overnight trek from Kalaw. Fly from Heho dir-
ect to Thandwe for some R&R on beautiful
Ngapali Beach
. Tan topped up, head north
by plane or boat to Rakhaing State's capital of
Sittwe
. Linger a day to catch its atmo-
spheric market and breezy seaside promenade, then take a river trip to
Mrauk U
. Once a
powerful, cosmopolitan city, it's now one of Myanmar's most atmospheric backwaters,
an idyllic location dotted with hundreds of ancient stupas and monasteries. Reserve a day
for another river trip to visit nearby Chin villages.
Fly back to Yangon where you can do some last-minute sightseeing and shopping, per-
haps making a day trip to the Delta town of Twante, or learning how to cooking Burmese
food in Thanlyin. Alternatively, squeeze in an overnight break in
Pathein
to pick up
some traditional paper parasols.
