tools4fools - Pathein Travel Report, Myanmar



	Pathein (10m/asl, 16°46'57.63"N/94°43'57.71"E) from 'Myanmar trip' by Iluisitu (June 2007) From Myaung Mya: Some trucks with wooden seats plying the route til 1pm. 1200 kyats for a rear seat, 2000 for a cabin seat, worth it. About 3 hours, stops near the market so no need to trishaw to get to city center. I was told at 11am it was a big bus and not a truck. Accommodation: Just checked Taan Tan Ta guesthouse, in city center, nice small room, clean, fan, soap, towel and filtered water free. Prices start at 5$ and then up (7$ or 10$ for bigger rooms), got the room for 4$ without breakfast. The manager offers renting a bicycle for 300 kyats per hour, really expensive. The other staff of the hotel didn’t know anything about it when I asked them. About the place: Nice river view, especially at sunset and then head to the night market, not touristy, you can buy music, clothes and other stuff or eat cheap food and even local cakes. Crossing the river (50 kyats), enjoy the views of the city riverside, pagoda and nice church specially, and then explore the villages in the other side. Totally undeveloped, very friendly people, spent lot of time in family houses and visiting an old monastery, about 1 hour walking from the river (first west, straight by the main road, and then right at a big crossing, and then straight, not easy to find, I was lucky). Some small shops and food stalls along the way to the river. Visited almost all the places of interest in town as well, mostly pagodas and churches. The day market wasn’t very interesting for me, just clothes and the usual kinds of products. Some prices: Fried banana: 50 kyats Small bowl of noodle soup: 100 kyats Portion of porc meat: 25 kyats Bottled drinking water: 200-250 kyats Internet: There is no internet in town. To Ngatheingchaung: Two buses in the morning, 9.45am and 11.45am (1200 kyats). Bus stand is just five minutes from Taan Tan Ta guesthouse: walk left, cross small canal and then turn left, about 100m later in the first street to the right. About 3 hours ride, old bus but cushioned seats and quite good ride.