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“ All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!” TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET
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PLAN YOUR TRIP
YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT
Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip
Welcome to
2 6 12 14 16 18 21 27 31
Myanmar (Burma)
10 TOP
Surreal & Traditional To travel here is to encounter men wearng skirt-like longyi, women smothered n thanakha (traditional make-up) and grannies with mouths full
betel chewing EXPERIENCES
16
Month by Responsible Travel Month Key Points » Travel independently rather than in a big tour group. » Where possible, avoid using businesses owned by the government or those closely linked with it. » Spread your money around, ie buy souvenirs across the country, not just in Yangon. » Don’t compromise locals by your actions or topics of conversation. » Do talk to locals – they relish outside contact. » Contribute to local charitable causes.
Advance Reading Culture Shock! Myanmar, Saw Myat Yin To Myanmar with Love, ed Morgan Edwardson Burma/Myanmar: What Everyone Needs to Know, David I Steinberg The River of Lost Footsteps, Thant Myint U Freedom From Fear, Aung San Suu Kyi Perfect Hostage, Justin Wintle Nowhere to Be Home, eds Maggie Lemere and Zoë West
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Geographically beautiful and populated gentle people, Myanmar is also notorio for its human rights abuses. The Unit Nations, Amnesty International and H man Rights Watch are among the ma respected bodies who have called the cou try’s military rulers to account for their im prisonment and mistreatment of politic dissidents, use of forced labour, and viole crackdowns on peaceful demonstrations, witnessed in September 2007. Many countries, including the US, Ca ada, Australia and those of the Europe Union, have and continue to apply econom sanctions. In 1995 the NLD also called for tourism boycott (see p318), which led to cr icism of previous editions of this guideboo In 2010 this controversial travel boycott w ocially dropped by the NLD, who now w come independent tourists who are mindf of the political and social landscape; ho ever, those on large group package tours a discouraged. Lonely Planet believes the answer to t question of whether to visit Myanmar something that everyone has to decide f themselves; the box on p22 sums up the m jor pros and cons. If you do go, this gui has been researched and designed to ma mise how much of your travel budget go directly to local people and minimise ho much goes to the regime. The chapters on p290, p293 and p31 are all good starting points for getting grips with the past and current situation
Nearly every active paya (Buddhist temple) or kyaung (Buddhist monastery) community hosts occasional celebrations of their own, often called paya pwe or ‘pagoda festivals’. Many occur on full-moon days and nights from January to March, following the main rice harvest, but the buildup can last for a while. All such festivals follow the
Myanmar (Burma) Today ............................... History ............................. People of Myanmar (Burma) ........................... Politics, Economics & Sanctions .................... Environment & Wildlife .. Eating in Myanmar (Burma) ........................... Religion & Belief ............. Arts & Architecture ........ Aung San Suu Kyi ...........
myanmar-11-cover.indd 2
Tazaungmon, October or November Ananda Pahto Festival, January
(p51), the largest pay Shwedagon Paya in Myanmar. Is there a more stunning monument to religion in Southeast Asia? We don’t think so. In fact, the
1
sheer size and mystical aura of Yangon’s gilded masterpiece may even cause you to question your inner atheist. But it’s not all about quiet contemplation: Shwedagon Paya (p71) is equal parts religious pilgrimage and amusement park and your visit may coincide with a noisy ordination
z Manao Festival
Costumed dancing, copious drinking of rice beer and 29 cows or buՖalo sacriÀced to propitiate nats (traditional spirits) are part of this Kachin State Day event, held in Myitkyina on 10 January (p236)
April While joining in the frolics of Thingyan be fun, note that it steaming hot in My during this month. with many locals of
Learn about the big picture, so you can make sense of what you see ches, then, to everyone’s surprise, called a national couldn’t lose. But at the 1990 election the NLD won eats. The military simply refused to transfer power ted oliticians into jail. Myanmar’s trade with its neighbours (particularly and its membership of Asean, have enabled the tand increased international scorn and Western ry’s aggressive reaction to the 2007 protests (the
307 Religion & Belief ar
ch ive rch s.
Faith and superstition go hand in hand in Myanmar. About 89% of the people of Myanmar are Buddhist, but many also pay heed to ancient animist beliefs in natural spirits or nats. Locals are proud of their beliefs and keen to discuss them. Knowing something about Buddhism in particular will help you better understand life in the country. Freedom of religion is guaranteed under the country’s constitution. However Buddhism is given special status. Myanmar’s ethnic patchwork of people also embraces a variety of other faiths, among which Islam and Christianity are the most popular.
850 BC
3rd century BC
According to Burmese chronicles, Abhiraja of the Sakiyan clan from India founds Taguang, 127 miles north of Mandalay; his son travels south and founds a kingdom at Rakhaing (Arakan).
The Mon, who migrated into the Ayeyarwady Delta from present-day Thailand (and from China before that), establish their capital, Thaton, and have Àrst contact with Buddhism.
exploring the machinations of Myanmar’s military government.
1st century BC Possible founding o Beikthano (name after the local word fo Vishnu), a Pyu tow east of current-da Magwe; it’s believe to have Áourished fo about 400 year
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Buddhism
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Water Festival (Thingya mid-April Taungbyone Nat Pwe Fe August or early Septemb
290 293
315 322
the edge of a chasm. Ride a colonial-era mansions. Mee monks who have taught the or feisty elderly Chin wom tattooed with intricate desi
Top Events
a week-long one at Kandawgyi Lake (p48) in Yangon.
UNDERSTAND MYANMAR (BURMA)
SHOE SHOESTRING HOESTRI STRING NG trips, • Big trips small budgets • Multicountry
CREDIT
Welcome to Myanmar (Burma) ........................... 10 Top Experiences ........ Need to Know ................. If You Like... ..................... Month by Month ............. Itineraries ........................ Responsible Travel ......... Planning Your Trip .......... Regions at a Glance .......
Get the right guides for your trip
The Mon were the Àrst people in Myanmar to practise Theravada mean in Doctrine of the Elders) Buddhism, the oldest and most conservative form of the reli ion. King Asoka, the great Indian em eror, is known to h i i h (k h h G ld L d’) d i h
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ON THE ROAD
YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE
In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips
Temples of Bagan p149
Northern Myanmar p233 Mandalay & Around p199 # ^ Western Myanmar Eastern p268 Myanmar Bagan & p166 Central Myanmar p111 Around ^ # Yangon Yangon p36 p73 Southeastern Myanmar p91
SURVIVAL 359 GUIDE PAGE
Directory A–Z ................. Transport ........................ Health .............................. Language ........................ Index ................................ Map Legend ....................
360 371 383 387 399 407
VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP
Directory A–Z Accommodation Myanmar has hundreds of privately run hotels and guesthouses licensed to accept foreigners. To get he licence they supposedly ust keep at least Àve rooms reach a certain standard. many are simple famuesthouses or minimetimes with just t, a fan that ht (when a
tiled rooms with air-con, a refrigerator and a private bath with hot water. Nearly all accommodation choices include breakfast in their rates. StaՖ Ֆ at most can also change money, arrange for laundry service (starting at K1000 per load at budget guesthouses), rent bikes, arrange taxis, sell transport tickets, and Ànd you local English-speaking guides. At night, all hotels and other accommodation op tions must À Àll in po
THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY
John Allen, Allen John Smith, Jamie Smith
ho (Mar Listi ordered b and divide with regard » budget (do $20) » midrange (do to $60) » top end (over
Business H Government o cluding post o telephone centr Monday to Frid 4.30pm. Shop day to Saturd to 6pm or la only half-d Restaura 9pm, w open bo
Look out for these icons: author’s A green or No payment oOur recommendation Ssustainable option Frequired
YANGON . . . . . . . . . . . 36 AROUND YANGON . . . 73 DELTA REGION . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Thanlyin & Kyauktan . . . . . . 74 Twante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Pathein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Chaung Tha Beach. . . . . . . .80 Ngwe Saung Beach . . . . . . .83 Around Ngwe Saung . . . . . .85 NORTH OF YANGON . . . . . . 85 Taukkyan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Bago (Pegu) . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
SOUTHEASTERN MYANMAR . . . . . . . . . . 91 MON STATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Mt Kyaiktiyo (Golden Rock) . . . . . . . . . . . .93 Mawlamyine (Moulmein) . .96 Around Mawlamyine . . . . . 101 KAYIN STATE . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Hpa-an . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 Around Hpa-an . . . . . . . . . .108 TANINTHARYI (TENASSERIM) REGION . . 110
BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMAR . . . . . . . . . .111 BAGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Nyaung U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Old Bagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Myinkaba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 New Bagan (Bagan Myothit) . . . . . . . . . 124
See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.
On the Road AROUND BAGAN . . . . . . . . 126 Mt Popa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Salay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Pakokku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Monywa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130 Around Monywa . . . . . . . . . 132 Myingyan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 YANGON–MANDALAY HIGHWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Taungoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Nay Pyi Taw . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Meiktila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 YANGON–BAGAN HIGHWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Pyay (Prome) . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Around Pyay . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Magwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
TEMPLES OF BAGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 THE TEMPLES. . . . . . . . . . . 153 Old Bagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 North Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Central Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Myinkaba Area . . . . . . . . . . 161 New Bagan Area . . . . . . . . . 163 South Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Nyaung U Area . . . . . . . . . . 164
EASTERN MYANMAR . . . . . . . . . 166 THAZI TO INLE LAKE . . . . . 167 Thazi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Kalaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Pindaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
INLE LAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177 Nyaungshwe . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 The Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Around Inle Lake . . . . . . . . 188 KENGTUNG & BORDER AREAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Kengtung (Kyaingtong). . . 193 Tachileik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 KAYAH STATE . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Shwebo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247 Around Shwebo . . . . . . . . .249 MANDALAY TO LASHIO . . . 250 Pyin Oo Lwin . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Around Pyin Oo Lwin . . . . .255 Kyaukme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257 Hsipaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258 Around Hsipaw . . . . . . . . . .262 Lashio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263
THE FAR NORTH. . . . . . . . . 266 MANDALAY & AROUND . . . . . . . . . . 199 WESTERN MANDALAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 MYANMAR . . . . . . . . .268 AROUND MANDALAY . . . . 223 Amarapura. . . . . . . . . . . . . .224 Ayeyarwady Bridges . . . . .225 Inwa (Ava) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225 Sagaing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228 Mingun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Paleik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Yankin Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
NORTHERN MYANMAR . . . . . . . . . 233 MYITKYINA & THE UPPER AYEYARWADY . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Myitkyina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236 Around Myitkyina . . . . . . . . 241 Myitkyina to Bhamo . . . . .242 Bhamo (Banmaw) . . . . . . .242 Around Bhamo . . . . . . . . . .244 Bhamo to Katha . . . . . . . . .244 Katha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245 Katha to Kyaukmyaung . . .246 Kyaukmyaung . . . . . . . . . . .246
RAKHAING STATE . . . . . . . 270 Ngapali Beach . . . . . . . . . . .270 Thandwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 Sittwe (Akyab) . . . . . . . . . .275 Mrauk U (Myohaung) . . . .279 Around Mrauk U . . . . . . . . 286 CHIN STATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 Mt Victoria (Nat Ma Taung). . . . . . . . . .287 Kalaymyo (Kalay) . . . . . . . 288
River
DHAKA
BANGLADESH
Riv
er Kawlinn SAGAING DIVISION
Ye-U Shwebo
Kalaymyo
Mawlaik
Tamu
Homilin
Putao
Sumprabum
Mogok Namhsan
Lashio
Bhamo Ruili Mu-se Namkham
KACHIN STATE Myitkyina
Katha
Indawgyi Lake
Hpakant
Khamti
Pangsaw Pass
Hkakabo Razi (19,321ft)
in River
Ra
0 0
LAOS
Inle Lake Fishermen, ruined stupas and floating markets (p177)
VIETNAM
Kalaw Trek out to minority villages (p170)
Pyin Oo Lwin Cool off at this hill station (p250)
200 km 120 miles
Top Experiences ›
Hsipaw Springboard for discovering tribal village life (p258)
CHINA
Hsipaw Kyaukme Minigun Pyin Oo Shan Lwin Monywa Plateau Sagaing Mong La Amarapura Mandalay SHAN MANDALAY STATE Kyaukse CHIN DIVISION Pakokku Mong Ping r STATE Myingyan Paletwa ve Nyaung U Pindaya Kengtung Kunhing Ri Mt Victoria Bagan Mt Loilem Meiktila Loi-Mwe Teknaf (10,016ft) Popa Taunggyi g Salay Namsang Maungdaw on Kyaukpadaung ek Nyaungshwe M Mrauk U MAGWE Kalaw Inle Tachileik Minbya DIVISION Minbu Lake Mae Sai Magwe Sittwe RAKHAING Taungdwingyi STATE Pyinmana Chiang Rai NAY PYI Loikaw TAW Lawpita
Hakha
Tiddim
r
ve Ri
Bagan Amazing plain of ancient temples (p113)
INDIA
a aputr Brahm
Ch
in indw ChR iver
20º N
Mrauk U Discover the former Rakhaing capital (p279)
ng es
Ga
THIMPHU BHUTAN
ind w
in
(TIBET)
r
CHINA
Ri ve
Ayeyarwa dy
› Myanmar (Burma)
Thanlw
Ay
rwa eya dy
kha
i ng
10º N
12º N
14º N
90º E
92º E
Shwedagon Paya Dazzling temple in Yangon (p43)
er KAYIN STATE
Pasauwng
94º E
Andaman Islands (INDIA)
Chaung Tha Beach Ngwe Saung
ANDAMAN SEA
Mouths of the Ayeyarwady
96º E
Ye
98º E
Ranong
Bokpyin
100º E
Tanintharyi
Myeik
Palaw
TANINTHARYI DIVISION
Dawei
Yebyu
Sangkhlaburi
Three Pagodas Pass
Payathonzu
Kawthoung
Myeik Archipelago
Zalut
Maungmakan
of Mottama
Bago Kyaikto YANGON Thaton Hpa-an Yangon DIVISION Pathein Kawkareik Mae Sot Twante Myaungmya Kunyangon MON Mawlamyine Dedaye Letkhokkon STATE Kyaikmaraw Setse Thanbyuzayat Gulf
a
Yakyi AYEYARWADY DIVISION
iver
16º N
Yo ma Yom
Hinthada
Riv
Gwa
Kanthaya
KAYAH STATE Taungoo
ung R
Ngapali Beach Superb sand, sun and seafood (p270)
Bay of Bengal
Ngapali Beach
Padaung
Pyay Shwedaung BAGO DIVISION
o
18º N
Manaung Kyun Thandwe
Taunggok
Yinnbye Kyaukpyu Kyun Ramree
y Yangon-Man dalay Expressway
Bag
Sitto
Gulf of Thailand
BANGKOK
THAILAND
102º E
104º E
CAMBODIA
Mt Kyaiktiyo A gilded, gravity-defying rock (p93)
VIENTIANE
OUR STORY
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born. Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.
OUR WRITERS John Allen Coordinating Author; Bagan & Central Myanmar, Temples of Bagan, Western Myanmar Before his first visit to Myanmar in 2001, ‘John’ took advice from experts and fellow travellers on whether he should go to what he knew was a brutal military dictatorship. He found a country brimming with beautiful sights and gentle people who were delighted to have the chance to interact with those from beyond their borders. A freelance author and photographer who has produced many guides for Lonely Planet since 1999, including several in Southeast Asia, John was delighted to return to the country a decade later as the coordinating author of this guidebook. Allen John Smith Around Yangon, Eastern Myanmar, Southeastern Myanmar, Yangon ‘Allen’ first visited Myanmar in the late ’90s while working as an English teacher in Bangkok. Despite several subsequent visits, never did he suspect that later he’d be authoring the very book that first guided him there. A native of Oregon transplanted to Southeast Asia, Smith is a freelance writer and photographer who likes writing about and taking photos of food most of all, because it’s delicious. Jamie Smith Mandalay & Around, Northern Myanmar ‘Jamie’ is the author of several travel guidebooks covering Southeast Asia. And like many frequent visitors to the region, it’s Myanmar that has long been his favourite destination thanks in great part to the stoic humanity and spontaneous delight of its long-suffering people. When not researching travel publications, Jamie is most likely to be found in suburban Belgium, coastal England or in Azerbaijani jazz clubs playing the same old blues riffs he learnt 20 years ago in Japan.
Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd ABN 36 005 607 983 Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reasonable care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about 11th edition – Dec 2011 the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxiISBN 978 1 74179 469 4 mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use. © Lonely Planet 2011 Photographs © as indicated 2011 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 Printed in China All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.
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