Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Today, the town's economy is set to benefit from the construction of a new harbour, a
joint venture between Myanmar and India, next to the municipal market.
Sights
Most of Sittwe's action runs along the Main Rd, which parallels the Kaladan River.
during the day, hundreds of noisy fruit bats fight with equally noisy crows before head-
ing off at dusk - there's a great view of their migration from the roof of the Shwe Thazin
Hotel.
Central Market
MARKET
(Strand Rd; 6am-6pm)
Focussed on the 1956 municipal market building, there's lots go-
ing on here from dawn up to noon and beyond - it's well worth popping by before your
boat or plane leaves. Head straight past
longyi,
fishing-net and vegetable stands to the
fish and meat area, where stingrays and gutted eels and drying sharks make quite a scene.
In the bay, small boats jostle for space to unload their catch.
the water and Strand Rd filled with simple wood homes, where traders hawk brown and
sticky rice - some bound for Bangladesh.
View Point
LANDMARK
(Strand Rd)
The riverside Strand Rd leads about 1.5 miles south to a smashing loc-
ation called the View Point, where you can sip on a beer or eat at the somewhat over-
priced
Point Restaurant
(Strand Rd; mains 1000-6000K; 9am-9pm; )
as the sun sets
over the Bay of Bengal. Just west, in front of a closed naval base, is
Sittwe Beach
, a
broad, grey-brown strip of sand.
It would make a long but pleasant walk, otherwise auto rickshaws, known locally as
thoun bein,
will take you there and back for 5000K, taxis for 10,000K.
Rakhine State Cultural Museum
MUSEUM
(Main Rd; K2000; 9.30am-4.30pm Tue-Sat)
This museum features two floors of Rakhine
cultural goodies that benefit from just barely enough English subtitles. On the first floor
are displays on local customs, such as models showing off some of the 64 traditional
