PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to Myanmar (Burma) ........................... 210 Top Experiences ........ 6Need to Know ................. 12If You Like... ..................... 14Month by Month ............. 16Itineraries ........................ 18Responsible Travel ......... 21Planning Your Trip .......... 27Regions at a Glance ....... 31

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions

to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTAND MYANMAR (BURMA)

Myanmar (Burma) Today ............................... 290History ............................. 293People of Myanmar (Burma) ........................... 307Politics, Economics & Sanctions .................... 315Environment & Wildlife .. 322Eating in Myanmar (Burma) ........................... 328Religion & Belief ............. 338Arts & Architecture ........ 344Aung San Suu Kyi ........... 352

ches, then, to everyone’s surprise, called a nationalcouldn’t lose. But at the 1990 election the NLD woneats. 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 thetand increased international scorn and Westernry’s aggressive reaction to the 2007 protests (the

exploring the machinations of Myanmar’s

military government.

850 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).

3rd century BC

The Mon, who migrated into the

Ayeyarwady Delta from present-day Thailand

(and from China before that), establish their capital, Thaton, and

have rst contact with Buddhism.

1st centuryBC

Possible founding oBeikthano (name

after the local word foVishnu), a Pyu toweast of current-da

Magwe; it’s believeto have ourished fo

about 400 year Religion & Belief Faith and superstition go hand in hand in Myanmar. About 89% of thepeople of Myanmar are Buddhist, but many also pay heed to ancientanimist beliefs in natural spirits or nats. Locals are proud of their beliefsand keen to discuss them. Knowing something about Buddhism in par-ticular 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 andChristianity are the most popular.

Buddhism The Mon were the rst people in Myanmar to practise Theravada meanin Doctrine of the Elders) Buddhism, the oldest and most conservative form of the reli ion. King Asoka, the great Indian em eror, is known toh i i h (k h h G ld L d’) d i h

ar en f a

Ma

ch ive rch s.

Surreal & TraditionalTo travel here is to encounter men wear-ng skirt-like longyi, women smothered n thanakha (traditional make-up) and

betel chewing grannies with mouths full

the edge of a chasm. Ride acolonial-era mansions. Meemonks who have taught theor feisty elderly Chin womtattooed with intricate desi

Welcome toMyanmar (Burma)

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

1

PAGE

289GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so you

can make sense of what you see

Responsible Travel 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

Geographically beautiful and populated gentle people, Myanmar is also notoriofor its human rights abuses. The UnitNations, Amnesty International and Hman Rights Watch are among the marespected bodies who have called the coutry’s military rulers to account for their imprisonment and mistreatment of politicdissidents, use of forced labour, and violecrackdowns on peaceful demonstrations, witnessed in September 2007.

Many countries, including the US, Caada, Australia and those of the EuropeUnion, have and continue to apply economsanctions. In 1995 the NLD also called fortourism boycott (see p 318 ), which led to cricism of previous editions of this guidebooIn 2010 this controversial travel boycott wo cially dropped by the NLD, who now wcome independent tourists who are mindfof the political and social landscape; hoever, those on large group package tours adiscouraged.

Lonely Planet believes the answer to tquestion of whether to visit Myanmar something that everyone has to decide fthemselves; the box on p 22 sums up the mjor pros and cons. If you do go, this guihas been researched and designed to mamise how much of your travel budget godirectly to local people and minimise homuch goes to the regime.

The chapters on p 290 , p 293 and p 31are all good starting points for getting grips with the past and current situation

CR

ED

IT

Shwedagon Paya 1 Is there a more stunning monument to religion in Southeast Asia? We don’t think so. In fact, the

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 (p 71 ) is equal parts religious pilgrimage and amusement park and your visit may coincide with a noisy ordination

CR

ED

IT 10 TOP EXPERIENCES

Top Events Water Festival (Thingyamid-April Taungbyone Nat Pwe FeAugust or early Septemb

Independence Day, 4 Ja

Tazaungmon, October or November Ananda Pahto Festival, January

Nearly every active paya (Buddhist temple) or ky-aung (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 build-up can last for a while. All such festivals follow the

a week-long one at Kandaw-gyi Lake (p 48 ) in Yangon.

�zManao Festival Costumed dancing,

copious drinking of rice beer and 29 cows or bu alo sacri ced to propitiate nats (traditional spirits) are part of this Kachin State Day event, held in Myitkyina on 10 January (p 236 )

(p 51 ), the largest payin Myanmar.

April While joining in thefrolics of Thingyan be fun, note that itsteaming hot in Myduring this month. with many locals of

Month by Month

16 Looking for other travel resources?

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myanmar-11-cover.indd 2myanmar-11-cover.indd 2 31/08/2011 11:08:09 AM31/08/2011 11:08:09 AM

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

John Allen,Allen John Smith, Jamie Smith

#̂

#̂

NorthernMyanmar

p233

EasternMyanmar

p166

WesternMyanmar

p268

Yangonp36

AroundYangon

p73

SoutheasternMyanmar

p91

Mandalay& Around

p199

Bagan &Central

Myanmarp111

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings

and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z ................. 360Transport ........................ 371Health .............................. 383Language ........................ 387Index ................................ 399 Map Legend .................... 407

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

ON THE ROAD

Accommodation Myanmar has hundreds of privately run hotels and guesthouses licensed to accept foreigners. To get he licence they supposedly

ust keep at least ve rooms reach a certain standard.

many are simple fam-uesthouses or mini-

metimes 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. Sta 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 nd you local English-speaking guides.

At night, all hotels and other accommodation options must ll in po

ho(Mar

Listiordered band dividewith regard » budget (do$20)» midrange (doto $60)» top end (over

Business H Government o cluding post o telephone centrMonday to Frid4.30pm. Shopday to Saturdto 6pm or laonly half-dRestaura9pm, wopenbo

Directory A–Z

PAGE

34

PAGE

359

p149Temples of Bagan

Look out for these icons:

o Our author’s recommendation S A green or

sustainable option F No payment required

YANGON . . . . . . . . . . . 36

AROUND YANGON . . . 73DELTA REGION . . . . . . . . . . . 74Thanlyin & Kyauktan . . . . . . 74Twante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Pathein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Chaung Tha Beach . . . . . . . .80Ngwe Saung Beach . . . . . . .83Around Ngwe Saung . . . . . .85NORTH OF YANGON . . . . . . 85Taukkyan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85Bago (Pegu) . . . . . . . . . . . . .86

SOUTHEASTERN MYANMAR . . . . . . . . . . 91MON STATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93Mt Kyaiktiyo (Golden Rock) . . . . . . . . . . . .93Mawlamyine (Moulmein) . .96Around Mawlamyine . . . . . 101KAYIN STATE . . . . . . . . . . . . 104Hpa-an . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Around Hpa-an . . . . . . . . . .108TANINTHARYI (TENASSERIM) REGION . . 110

BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMAR . . . . . . . . . .111BAGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113Nyaung U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Old Bagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Myinkaba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123New Bagan (Bagan Myothit) . . . . . . . . . 124

On the Road

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

AROUND BAGAN . . . . . . . . 126Mt Popa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126Salay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128Pakokku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129Monywa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130Around Monywa . . . . . . . . . 132Myingyan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135YANGON–MANDALAY HIGHWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Taungoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Nay Pyi Taw . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139Meiktila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141YANGON–BAGAN HIGHWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143Pyay (Prome) . . . . . . . . . . . 143Around Pyay . . . . . . . . . . . . 145Magwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

TEMPLES OF BAGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . 149THE TEMPLES . . . . . . . . . . . 153Old Bagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154North Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156Central Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . 159Myinkaba Area . . . . . . . . . . 161New Bagan Area . . . . . . . . . 163South Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Nyaung U Area . . . . . . . . . . 164

EASTERN MYANMAR . . . . . . . . . 166THAZI TO INLE LAKE . . . . . 167Thazi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167Kalaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170Pindaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

INLE LAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177Nyaungshwe . . . . . . . . . . . . 178The Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184Around Inle Lake . . . . . . . . 188KENGTUNG & BORDER AREAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192Kengtung (Kyaingtong) . . . 193Tachileik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197KAYAH STATE . . . . . . . . . . . 198

MANDALAY & AROUND . . . . . . . . . . 199MANDALAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201AROUND MANDALAY . . . . 223Amarapura. . . . . . . . . . . . . .224Ayeyarwady Bridges . . . . .225Inwa (Ava) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225Sagaing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228Mingun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230Paleik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Yankin Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

NORTHERN MYANMAR . . . . . . . . .233MYITKYINA & THE UPPER AYEYARWADY . . . . . . . . . . . 235Myitkyina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236Around Myitkyina . . . . . . . . 241Myitkyina to Bhamo . . . . .242Bhamo (Banmaw) . . . . . . .242Around Bhamo . . . . . . . . . .244Bhamo to Katha . . . . . . . . .244Katha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245Katha to Kyaukmyaung . . .246Kyaukmyaung . . . . . . . . . . .246

Shwebo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247Around Shwebo . . . . . . . . .249MANDALAY TO LASHIO . . . 250Pyin Oo Lwin . . . . . . . . . . . 250Around Pyin Oo Lwin . . . . .255Kyaukme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257

Hsipaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258Around Hsipaw . . . . . . . . . .262Lashio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263THE FAR NORTH . . . . . . . . . 266

WESTERN MYANMAR . . . . . . . . .268RAKHAING STATE . . . . . . . 270Ngapali Beach . . . . . . . . . . .270Thandwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274Sittwe (Akyab) . . . . . . . . . .275Mrauk U (Myohaung) . . . .279Around Mrauk U . . . . . . . . 286CHIN STATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287Mt Victoria (Nat Ma Taung) . . . . . . . . . .287Kalaymyo (Kalay) . . . . . . . 288

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ExpresswayYangon-Mandalay

OUR STORYA 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 fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces 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’.

John Allen Coordinating Author; Bagan & Central Myanmar, Temples of Bagan, Western Myanmar Before his fi rst 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’ fi rst 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 fi rst 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 cover-ing 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-suff ering 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 riff s he learnt 20 years ago in Japan.

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 98311th edition – Dec 2011ISBN 978 1 74179 469 4© Lonely Planet 2011 Photographs © as indicated 201110 9 8 7 6 5 4 3Printed in ChinaAll 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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