Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of benefiting the local community (your $5 entry fee goes to the government's archae-
ology department).
Hanlin Village
VILLAGE
Coming all this way without visiting the archaeological sites would be inexplicable, but
Hanlin village is a magical place in its own right. Unpaved ox-cart tracks link an incred-
ible plethora of decaying old stupas that create the feeling of an untouched mini-Bagan.
It's best appreciated when the area is viewed from behind
Maung San Monastery
with
its obvious golden
zedi
.
Near the market is a collection of
inscribed steles
and stone slabs in now-forgotten
Pyu script. Within the
Nyaung Kobe Monastery
, a museum room displays various an-
cient, but unlabelled, archaeological finds. Another minor attraction is the little
hot
spring area
where villagers collect water from circular concrete-sided well-pools and
bathe in two bigger basin-pools.
Getting There & Away
Hanlin is about 12 butt-kicking miles southeast of Shwebo. There are two routes here.
One follows the canal beside the bus station for 6 miles to Bo Tè village. From there,
turn left (across the canal) on the first significant road. This soon degenerates into an out-
rageously rutted ox-cart track that is slowly being upgraded. Fork left at the only other
junction. The other, quicker route takes you south of the bus station, before turning left
and travelling for 6 miles down an unsealed rocky track that leads to Site 29 and the vil-
lage. Going either way by car or three-wheeler would be excruciatingly uncomfortable.
It's marginally less painful by motorcycle: with a driver you'll pay at least K10,000 re-
turn from Shwebo.
AYEYARWADY RIVER TRIP PLANNING
At the time of writing, foreigners were barred from taking fast boats, with the ex-
ception of the daily express from Katha to Mandalay, and all local boats. Foreigners
are not allowed to travel to or from Myitkyina by boat. Several companies offer lux-
ury cruise trips along the Ayeyarwady, albeit rarely more than a few times a year.
See
Click here
for details.
Which Boat?
Travellers cruising the Ayeyarwady used to be able to choose between the slow
IWT ferries or the much quicker fast boats, or alternate between the two. But since
