Allgemeines

Am 4.1. Unabhängigkeitstag.
The cut-throat haggling that’s more or less obligatory in some other Asian countries doesn’t apply here.
Most obvious in teahouses and cafés, kissy-kissy sounds are also used out on the street as a general call for attention – meaning anything from “Come into my shop” to “Watch out, I’m about to flatten you with my motorbike”, so don’t be surprised if you attract a few puckered lips yourself.
The standard Burmese greeting is the rather formal min-găla-ba (“blessings upon you”), although this only entered the language in the post-colonial period as a replacement for the colonial “Good morning/good afternoon”. Given that there’s no clear equivalent of “hello” in Burmese, foreign visitors have adopted min-găla-ba as an easy, all-purpose greeting, and the phrase has been embraced with gusto by the Burmese as a way of addressing foreigners. Burmese speakers themselves rarely use min-găla-ba, preferring more informal greetings, typically nei kaun la (“how are you?”) or just “hello”. You might also hear htamin sa pi bi la – literally, “have you eaten rice?”.
The words “road” and “street” are used interchangeably throughout Myanmar. In some towns streets are clearly signed, in other places signage can be nonexistent. Directions are usually given in relation to local landmarks rather than using street names and house numbers.
Men should not try to shake hands with women.
Avoid leaving gadgets plugged in during a power cut, as there may be a surge when the supply is restored.
The country’s orthodox Buddhist beliefs is a string of arcane and outlandish beliefs. A strong belief in astrology: Many Burmese will consult an astrologer when planning a new business or preparing to sit an exam. The day of the week on which one is born is considered especially important. Numerology is considered particularly significant. Ne Win’s 1987 currency reforms (see box, p.344) can be blamed on numerology, while the ultra-auspicious date of August 8, 1988 was chosen for the date on which the main thrust of the 8888 Uprising (see p.344) was launched; another rebellion was later planned for September 9, 1999, but failed to materialize. More recently, the 969 Movement (see box, p.357) chose its name (whose three digits “symbolize the virtues of the Buddha, Buddhist practices and the Buddhist community”) in overt numerological opposition to the popular Islamic cipher 786, corresponding to the opening phrase of the Qu’ran (the fact that 7 + 8 + 6 = 21 being seen as proof by the 969 Movement that Muslims intend to take over Myanmar during the current century).

Malaria Burma Überblick

Standard-Medikament für Myanmar: Atovaquon/Proguanil (Malarone) und Generika oder Artemether/Lumefantrin (Riamet).
In Myanmar ganzjährig Malariarisiko, verstärkt in Regenperioden (03-12). Zunehmende Arteminisin-Resistenzen. Mittleres Risiko (höher in der Regenzeit, geringer in der Trockenzeit) vor allem im SO (Karen, Kayah, Tenasserim, östliches Shan), besonders im Grenzgebiet zu Thailand + im Westen (SW Chin mit Grenzgebiet zu Bangladesch und Indien). Geringes Risiko in den übrigen Landesteilen. Malariafrei: Höhen >1000m + die Stadtgebiete von Rangun und Mandalay.
Die nicht sicher mit Schnelltests nachweisbare "P. knowlesi" kommt an der Grenze zu China vor und bricht innerhalb 24 Stunden aus.
The strain of malaria found along Myanmar’s eastern borders from Kachin State to Tanintharyi is resistant to chloroquine and proguanil (Malarone), and doctors may recommend that you take mefloquine or doxycycline instead.

Malaria Burma + Thailand Arzneitelegramm

Birma (Myanmar): Ganzjähriges mittleres bis geringes Risiko überwiegend in der gefährlichen tropica-Form (lt. DTG 74% P. falciparum, lt. CDC P. falciparum 60%, P. vivax 35%, der Rest als P. malariae und P. knowlesi) in Gebieten unter 1.000 m Höhe (inklusive Bagan) außer in den Stadtgebieten von Yangon (Rangun) und Mandalay (malariafrei). Risiko am höchsten in entlegenen ländlichen, hügeligen und bewaldeten Gebieten sowie an den Küstengebieten von Rakhaing-Staat. Berichte von P. knowlesi-Infektionen. Keine Übertragung in Städten und Stadtgebieten. Seltene Übertragungen über 1.000 m Höhe. Resistenzen gegen Chloroquinphosphat sowie FANSIDAR kommen vor. Resistenzen gegen Mefloquin in Kayi-Staat (Karen) sowie in östlichen Gebieten des Staates Shan. Im südöstlichen Teil des Landes sind Resistenzen gegen Artemisinin aufgetreten. Empfohlene Prophylaxe in Risikogebieten: konsequenter Schutz vor Moskitos, medikamentöse Prophylaxe nach WHO/CDC (in den Provinzen Bago, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Shan und Tanintharyi): Atovaquon + Proguanil-HCl, das hierzulande nicht zur Malariaprophylaxe zugelassene Doxycyclin oder Mefloquin (Checkliste auf Kontraindikationen ausfüllen, Patienten-Pass ausstellen). Die DTG empfiehlt die Mitnahme von Atovaquon + Proguanil-HCl oder Artemether + Lumefantrin zur Notfallselbsttherapie
(Stand-by-Therapie), seit 2011 "aufgrund seines Nebenwirkungsprofils und der vorhandenen Alternativen" jedoch nicht mehr Mefloquin.
Thailand: Ganzjähriges geringes Risiko in der gefährlichen tropica-Form (lt. DTG 44% P. falciparum, selten P. knowlesi, lt. CDC P. falciparum 50-75%, P. vivax 50-60%, Rest P. ovale) in ländlichen, vor allem bewaldeten und hügeligen Gebieten im gesamten Land, hauptsächlich entlang der internationalen Grenzen insbesondere in den Grenzgebieten der Nordhälfte, inklusive der Touristengebiete im Goldenen Dreieck sowie der Südhälfte des Landes (inklusive Küsten), im Khoa Sok National Park und auf den meisten Inseln z.B. Ko Chang, Ko Mak, Ko Phangan, Ko Phi Phi und Ko Tao. Kein Risiko in Städten wie Bangkok, Chantaburi, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Ko Samui, Pattaya und Haupttouristenzentren von der Insel Ko Phuket sowie zentrale Gebiete in der Nordhälfte des Landes. Übertragungsrisiko besteht jedoch auf einigen anderen Inseln und Touristenorten. Hochgradig Chloroquinphosphat- und FANSIDAR-resistente P. falciparum kommen vor. In Grenzgebieten zu Kambodscha und Myanmar sind Resistenzen gegen Mefloquin und Chinin beschrieben. Chloroquinphosphat-resistente P. vivax sowie P.-knowlesi-Infektion kommen vor. Aber auch Artemisinin-Resistenzen im Grenzgebiet von Myanmar. Empfohlene Prophylaxe in Risikogebieten: konsequenter Schutz vor Moskitos, medikamentöse Prophylaxe nach WHO/CDC in Risikogebieten nahe der Grenzgebiete in Kambodscha und in Myanmar: Atovaquon + Proguanil-HCl, das hierzulande nicht zur Malariaprophylaxe zugelassene Doxycyclin oder Mefloquin (Checkliste auf Kontraindikationen ausfüllen, Patienten-Pass ausstellen). Die DTG empfiehlt in den Risikogebieten die Mitnahme von Atovaquon + Proguanil-HCl oder Artemether + Lumefantrin zur Notfallselbsttherapie (Stand-by-Therapie), seit 2011 "aufgrund seines Nebenwirkungsprofils und der vorhandenen Alternativen" jedoch nicht mehr die Mitnahme von Mefloquin.

Medizinische Versorgung

In Yangon there are several international-standard medical centres (see p.93), and large towns will often have several private medical centres that are used by wealthier locals. Conditions in these clinics are variable but generally better than those in public hospitals, which are best avoided where possible.
Whichever type of hospital you use, you will typically be required to pay upfront in US dollars before receiving treatment. Outside the main cities, local pharmacies are a good place to seek help for medical problems, and you’ll often see queues of people waiting outside the better ones. In the major tourist destinations pharmacists will often speak English. Be aware that there are considerable problems with fake and out-of-date drugs in Myanmar.

Mobilfunk & Internet

Prepaid- SIM-Karten von TELENOR, OREDOO und MPT in größeren Städten, auch am Flughafen Rangun. Die beiden Erstgenannten können oft nur in den großen Städten störungsfrei empfangen werden, während MPT ein größeres Netz unterhält.
MPT has still unreliable and slow internet access. It gives the best coverage throughout the country on 2G 900 Mhz and 3G 2100 Mhz and simultaneously on an incompatible CDMA network. Ooredoo only builds up a 3G network mostly on 900 Mhz with no fall back to 2G.
Telenor is said to be the most reliable for data where it has coverage on 2G 900 Mhz and especially on 3G 2100 Mhz. They are so successful right now that their network is already congested in downtown Yangon and Mandalay, but it is still said to be the most reliable choice for data in these areas.
Nearly all guesthouses in the major tourist spots offer WiFi.

220V-Adapter

Die meisten Steckdosen sind auf europäische Stecker ausgelegt. In manche „Multi-Steckdosen“ passen neben europäischen Stecker auch die amerikanischen Flachstecker. Aber: Manche Hotels verwenden britische Steckdosen, für die ein Adapter nötig ist. In Mandalay und im Grenzgebiet zu China auch chinesische Steckdosen. Auf jedem Markt gibt es billige Adapter.

Anreise

https://12go.asia/de
Flüge

nokair.com: Täglich 25min-Flug von Mae Sot nach Yangon.
AirAsia: http://www.airasia.com/ot/en/home.page?cid=1
Flights between Bangkok and Yangon: Cheaper airlines often flying out of Don Mueang InternationalAirport (DMK).
09/2015: Im Moment bietet Nok-Air (Tochtergesellschaft von Thai) auf ihrer Homepage immer wieder Promo-Flüge vom Don Mueang (DMK) in Bangkok nach Yangon (RNG) an. Wir haben den Abendflug für 8 Dollar plus Steuern erhalten (insgesamt dann 37 Euro).
Taxifahrt vom Flughafen ist absolut problemlos - direkt nach dem Zoll, und noch im Flughafengebäude, ist ein Schalter/Desk mit großer Beschriftung TAXI. Diesen kann man, anders als in Bangkok, bedenkenlos kontaktieren. Er ist offiziell und absolut korrekt. Man nennt das Ziel, bekommt die Info über den Preis (normal 10 Dollar) und bekommt einen Fahrer zugewiesen, den man am Ende der Fahrt direkt bezahlt.
Myanmar Airways International from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and Vietnam Airlines from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Air Bagan and Golden Myanmar Airlines also fly between Yangon and Chiang Mai several times each week.
Seit Jahren fliegt Bagan Air 2 Mal die Woche von Chiang Mai nach Yangon, allerdings sind die Flüge recht teuer. Jetzt gibt es seit Anfang Oktober Konkurrenz: Golden Myanmar Airlines www.gmairlines.com/homepage fliegt 3 Mal die Woche (Di, Do und Sa) die selbe Strecke - aber mit ca. 52-75$ (derzeit noch) deutlich günstiger. Und wer mit GM einen Inlandsflug nach Mandalay nimmt, kann dort kostenlos mit dem Airline-Shuttlebus in die Stadt fahren bzw. von der Stadt zum Flughafen.

Overland from Thailand: Of the five border crossings between Myanmar and Thailand, four were fully opened in August 2013. Ranong / Kawthaung (RG166), Phu Nam Ron / Htee Kee (RG162) in Tanintharyi Region, Mae Sot / Myawaddy (RG150) in Kayin State and Mae Sai / Tachileik (RG256) in southern Shan State are open to travellers with valid Myanmar visas. The fifth checkpoint, Three Pagodas Pass between Sangkhlaburi / Payathonzu, is also open but only allows day-trips into Myanmar. Mae Sai–Tachileik: It is not possible to travel overland further into Myanmar beyond Kengtung.

Reisen im Land

Airlines:

fahrplan_fluege_national.htm + airline_infos+buchung.htm
Most domestic airlines do not sell tickets online, partly they allow you to make an online reservation and then pay once in the country.Flying internally is easy to book yourself these days...most airlines have online booking and payment...even Myanma Airways as noted above (usually the cheapest tickets, tho Golden Myanmar are a good budget carrier). Asian Wings, Air KBZ, Air Bagan, Yandanapon, Golden Myanmar, plus a few others.eg,. Asian Wings currently shows $121 US for Yangon-Mandalay (for Nov, same for Feb), Air KBZ shows $123.

Zug: RG27 + fahrplan_zuege.htm

Train journeys are often comically bouncy and timing unpredictable in the extreme.
On a few routes, such as from Mandalay up to Naba, Katha and Myitkyina, road transport is closed to foreigners.
It’s worth opting for the slightly faster “express” services, as these trains are given priority over slower local services, and are thus less likely to be delayed – tickets for the various classes cost the same, regardless of the train type. The express train from Yangon to Mandalay takes 14hr, while the local service takes 15–16hr over the same route.
Express trains may have restaurant cars, and on all trains food vendors either come on board or carry out transactions through the windows at stops.
It’s almost mandatory to book sleeper berths well in advance (these tickets can be booked up to two weeks before you travel), and a good idea to book ahead even if you’re planning to travel by upper class (generally tickets go on sale three days in advance for upper class and a day in advance for ordinary tickets). However, at intermediate stops between major stations tickets may only go on sale shortly before the train arrives.
You’ll need to head to the station yourself to buy a ticket direct from the booking office. Foreigners are usually dealt with separately from local passengers, and you will find that station staff often invite you into their offices while they write out your ticket.
09/2015: Wir wollten mit dem Nachtzug von Yangon nach Mandalay fahren und hatten auch Tickets gekauft. Als wir am nächsten Tag zum Zug kamen und einstiegen, waren wir schockiert. Die einzige Möglichkeit, die wir sahen, war sofort wieder auszusteigen. Die Qualität des Upper Class Sleeper war himmelschreiend: Uraltes Zugmaterial, Abteil und Matratzen dreckig, nicht klimatisiert, kein Platz für Gepäck. Der Expresszug Yangon - Mandalay existiert nicht mehr, Spezialpreis für Touristen existiert ebenfalls nicht mehr, jeder zahlt gleichen Preis. Wäre wichtig, dies zu wissen.
Wseat61.com/Burma.htm is the most comprehensive and reliable train travel online resource.

Bus: RG27

Longdistance buses: You will pay the fare for the full journey even if you get on or off part-way through.
Express buses: Large items of luggage are stowed in compartments underneath the coach. Ordinary buses: Bags are stored anywhere the owner can find space.
Some routes are off limits to foreigners (e.g. Bhamo–Mandalay), while elsewhere bus passengers escape permit requirements demanded of train travellers (e.g. Mawlamyine–Dawei).
It’s a good idea to book a day or two ahead for busy routes (such as Bagan–Nyaungshwe), ones where only a few buses run (e.g. Ngwe Saung–Yangon) or where you’re joining a bus part-way through its route (e.g. Kalaw).
Guesthouses can often help book tickets for a small fee (usually K2000–3000), or you can buy them either from bus stations (partly out of town), from in-town bus company offices or from local travel agents.
Tickets booked privately often include transfers to and from the bus station, particularly convenient when the station is out of town.

Boot: RG29 + fahrplan_boote.htm

The most popular routes are concentrated on the upper Ayeyarwady River, but also on the Thanlyin and Chindwin rivers, as well as from Sittwe to Mrauk U. Several sea routes link places that are difficult to reach overland, with ferries plying the waters of the Tanintharyi coast, and the trip from Sittwe to Taunggok.
Privately run “fast boats” – usually long, thin motorboats carrying anywhere between thirty and eighty passengers – follow some of IWT’s routes along the Ayeyarwady, and also cover the beautiful trip down the Thanlyin from Mawlamyine to Hpa-An, the journey down the Tanintharyi
coast and the river voyage from Sittwe to Mrauk U.

Sammeltaxi: RG31. Shared taxis and shared vans are available on some routes, from Mandalay to Pyin Oo Lwin and Hsipaw for example. Prices are typically around fifty percent more than a seat on an air-conditioned bus, and you will generally pay the full fare regardless of where you get on or off. They will usually drop you wherever you like, however, which saves on transfer costs in towns where the bus station is inconveniently located. Vehicles can be arranged either through accommodation or at shared-taxi stands in town centres.
Auto: RG30. It’s relatively easy to arrange a car and driver (from $40/day) through your accommodation or a tour operator – it’s best to work through the latter if you want anything more complicated than a day-trip. Straightforward as it may be to find a man with a car, do take care to specify exactly what is included. Useful questions to ask include how much mileage or petrol will be included, who will pay for the driver’s food and accommodation, and whether you are expected to tip or not in addition to the daily rate.

Nahverkehr: RG31

Public buses only in the largest cities. It can be a challenge to work out the routes, but is certainly an experience.
Pick-ups or lain-ka: Adapted pick-up trucks with seating in the covered back portion – which cover set routes and pick up and drop people off on the way. They usually depart when full, which may include passengers riding on the roof. If you want the most comfortable seats, in the cabin, then you can pay a little extra; a seat in the back (or on the roof ) will seldom set you back more than K600.
Taxis: RG31. Available in large towns. No meters, but drivers tend not to overcharge as outrageously as in many other Southeast Asian countries. Expect to pay around K1500–2000 for a trip across town of a reasonable length, such as from a bus station on the edge of town to a central hotel.
Tuk Tuks: RG31. Burmese-style tuk-tuks (thoun-bein) – motorbikes with roofed flat-bed trailers attached behind them, with rows of wooden benches for seats – replace taxis in smaller towns and villages, and often work out slightly cheaper, starting at K500–1000 for a short ride.
Cycle rickshaws (saiq-ka), also known as trishaws, are being edged out by motorbike taxis (on which the passenger rides pillion). The latter are much faster and normally around the same price (starting from K500 per trip).
Most of these forms of transport can also be hired (with driver) for a day, and can be arranged direct, through accommodation or via travel agents; you’ll need to bargain to get a good price. Motorbike taxis may not work out much more expensive than renting a self-drive motorcycle, while groups canoften get a good deal on a pick-up or tuk-tuk for the day.

Übernachtung

Don’t be amazed if your reservation isn’t honoured – many places, particularly budget guesthouses, are rather good at losing bookings.
TOP FIVE BUDGET GUESTHOUSES: Motherland Inn II, Yangon See p.84; Chan Myaye Guest House, Yangon, See p.84; Soe Brothers Guesthouse, Hpa-An, See p.148; Golden Lily, Kalaw, See p.233; Lily the Home, Hsipaw See p.305

Geld

Touristen müssen in Myanmar ab 1. November in Lokalwährung bezahlen. Ab 1. November 2015 dürfen Hotels, Restaurants und Souvenirläden keine Dollar mehr annehmen. Dieser Entscheid der Zentralbank in Yangon vermelden verschiedene Online-Portale. Reisende müssen dann in der Lokalwährung Kyat bezahlen, um diese wieder zu stärken.
Es herrscht eine wahre Flut von ATMs. Selbst innerhalb der Shwedagon sind mittlerweile Häuschen mit ATM installiert. Grundsätzlich können wir es sehr empfehlen, immer mit Kyat zu bezahlen. Gerade an den Sehenswürdigkeiten wird der Einfachheit halber immer 1:1000 in Dollar umgerechnet, womit man dann deutlich besser weg kommt. Dollarscheine sind absolut unnötig – wir hatten 100 Dollar dabei, die 3 Wochen im Rucksack geblieben sind. Es ist zwar weiterhin möglich, aber eher die Seltenheit, dass Touristen mit Dollar bezahlen.
US Dollar wird (wurde? s.o.) gerne als Zahlungsmittel genutzt und viele Preise, z.B. für Zugfahrkarten, Übernachtungen oder Eintritt werden (wurden) in Dollar angegeben. Daher immer auch $ in kleinen Scheinen mitnehmen.Bagan charged USD20 visitor fee and they had a horrible rate for paying in Kyat, for example. Small notes have been way more useful than the 100s.
Geldwechsel: Für größere Scheine (ab 50 Dollar oder Euro aufwärts) gibt es meistens einen besseren Wechselkurs. Die ausländischen Geldscheine müssen neu, sauber und unzerknittert sein! Wechselstuben u.a. am Flughafen Yangon, an der Sule-Pagode und auf dem Bogyoke Market. Auch in Mandalay, Bagan und am Inle-See ist es möglich, Dollar und Euro zu wechseln.
I have met a number of people this trip who’s visa /maestro is rejected at ATM’s in Myanmar Why? because their bank at home has no agreement with Myanmar. This morning a Dutch couple now stuck with limited funds and unable to get any more money. Be warned, not all has changed OK and $cash $100 bills is still king

Essen & Trinken: PC

Burmese cooks use fewer spices than their Indian counterparts; Thai cuisine’s chilli and coconut milk are notably absent; and pulses and beans are used with an abandon that would be foreign to most Chinese chefs.
Although many hotels in Myanmar do include breakfast in their room rate, it’s worth foregoing what is usually a fairly depressing offering of white bread, fried eggs and instant coffee, and venturing out to a nearby market orteashop for something tastier.
Make sure to eat your evening meal early too, as many restaurants will be closed by 9pm.
Burmese tea-leaf salad (lahpet thouq) and ginger salad (jin thouq) are also worth trying, particularly the former, which is something of anational favourite.
TOP FIVE BURMESE RESTAURANTS: 999 Shan Noodle Shop, Yangon, See p.87; Lucky Seven, Yangon See p.88; San Ma Tu, Hpa-An See p.149; Thirihayhar, Kalaw See p.234;Shan Mama, Mandalay See p.277
Shan cooking has a higher profile inside Myanmar than the cuisine of many other ethnic minorities. While some dishes are similar to their Bamar counterparts, the Shan versions are often less oily and feature more fresh ingredients, often being served with a small dish of mon-nyin jin (pickled vegetables).Shan-style buffet meals are common in Mandalay (perhaps more so than in Shan State itself ), with big colourful spreads served all day – best eaten in the morning or at lunchtime.
Markets – both wet markets selling fresh food and night markets – are perhaps a better bet for informal dining, and an excellent place to try authentic local dishes, from Shan tofu soup (see p.35) in markets across Shan State, to bein moun – rice flour pancakes smeared with jaggery syrup and shreds of coconut – in Hpa-An.
In many restaurants, free jugs of green tea (lahpetye-gyàn or ye-nwè-gyàn) and cups are left on each table, with customers often rinsing their cups out with a little of the tea before drinking from them.
Black tea (lahpet-ye) is served with lavish quantities of condensed milk. Burmese tea-drinkers are often quite specific about how they take their tea, ordering it paw kya (strong and not too sweet), chohseint (milky and sweet) or paw hseint (milky and not too sweet) – drinking black tea without sugar is
not an option.
A request for coffee (kaw-p'í) will get you a cup of hot water and a packet of coffee mix (pre-mixed instant coffee, creamer and sugar) for you to stir in yourself. If you want to try the good home-grown coffee or are just desperate for a change from coffee mix, ask for Burmese coffee (Bamar kaw-p'í), which will get you a cup of black coffee, served with sugar and lime on the side –unusual, but delicious.
TEAHOUSES: A trip to a Burmese teahouse is a great way to experience local life. These institutions are hugely popular places to meet friends, family and business acquaintances, with tables and low plastic chairs often spilling out onto the pavements. Most open early in the morning and serve up hot drinks and inexpensive meals all day – only closing when the last customers ebb away in the evening. The busiest times are usually early mornings and later in the evening, when many show live Premier League football matches at weekends. Each teahouse has its own specialities and, given the rarity of English menus, your best bet is often to point and order. Common dishes include mohinga, Shan noodles, and deep-fried snacks, with prices starting at just K100–200 for a snack or K500 for a bowl of noodles. When you sit down in a teahouse a tea-boy will bring a selection of snacks to your table unasked. When you come to leave – air kissing for your waiter’s attention (RG45) – you will only pay for what you’ve eaten. Noodle dishes and salads are generally only made to order.

Yangon: RG56

Hospitals and health clinics: RG93
Internet: RG93. There’s a decent number of internet cafés, most charging around K500/hr. In the centre, the best place is NetSky (158 Mahabandoola Garden St; daily 8am–10pm; K600/hr), a huge, a/c place with around forty machines with (by Myanmar standards) speedy connections. There’s a further trio of small internet cafés inserted into the base of the Sule Pagoda on the northwest side of Sule Pagoda roundabout. In eastern downtown, try CyberCafé, opposite the Sri Devi Temple.
Übernachtung: 09/2015.

Try Ocean Pearl Inn...around $28 for a couple, with air-con and bathroom. They also do free airport pick-up, and have a website for online booking.
I found very cozy and comfortable stay at Little Yangon Hostel. The hostel is totally new and well decorated. Complimentary breakfast, full air-conditioned, free wifi, clean bed and bathroom(share), and there is international TV chanel! The location is perfect.
Wir können das 30th Corner Boutique Hostel sehr empfehlen (nicht im Buch genannt!). 241/251, Anawyahtar Rd und 30th Street corner, Pabeldan Township Yangon – info@thecorner.com – www.30thcorner.com – Tel. +951 251818. Sehr neues und sauberes Hostel mit Zweibettzimmern und einem Dorm. 25-30 Dollar (DZ) inkl. Frühstück, das aus Localfood besteht. Sehr freundliches Personal. Der Betreiber und seine Frau sprechen hervorragendes Englisch und helfen jederzeit. Perfekte Lage (3 Minuten zu Sule-Pagode) und rund 10 Minuten zum Nachtmarkt in der 19. Straße.
Hotel Grand United Downtown: Zentrale lage in Chinatown, im obersten stock gibt es eine dachterrasse mit schönem rundumblick - auch auf die shwedagon pagode.
Agga-Guesthouse, No.88, 13 th Street, Lanmataw Township, T. 951224654, aggaguesthouse@gmail.com. Sehr zu empfehlen, sehr sauber, heiße Duschen, wifi in allen Räumen, kleines Frühstück, EZ 16.000 Kyat, Dorm. 11.000 Kyat.
Little Yangon Hostel. It is located in downtown area of Yangon, where you can access many interesting places in Yangon easily. It cost me about $13.5/night per person.
If you want a comfortable guesthouse, not so expensive, you can go in Chan Myaye guesthouse near Sule pagoda and railway station.

Transport: 09/2015. Wir können nur empfehlen, so viel wie möglich mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln durch die Stadt zu fahren. Allein das ist ein Erlebnis und obendrein mit 200 Kyat pro Strecke unschlagbar günstig. Hier hilft die gute Lage des oben genannten Hotels, da der Busstop an der Sule ein Drehkreuz ist, das von nahezu allen Bussen angesteuert wird. Einfach den Kassier/Busbegleiter an der Türe des Busses ansprechen und gewünschtes Ziel nennen. Fährt der Bus dorthin, einfach einsteigen. Wenn nicht, helfen einem die Locals sofort weiter und stecken euch in den richtigen Bus. Kommt man der gewünschten Station näher, wird man von den Busbegleitern darauf hingewiesen und läuft nicht Gefahr, am Ziel vorbeizufahren. Pures Alltagsleben der Einheimischen mit echtem Spaßfaktor.
Bustickets können nicht mehr an der Pansodan St. gekauft werden, sondern müssen an Schaltern Nahe des Hauptbahnhofs (Aung San Stadion) erworben werden.
Bus Destinations from Aung Mingalar: RG82. Bagan (10 daily; 10hr); Bago (6 daily; 2hr); Dawei (11 daily; 12hr); Hpa-An (6 daily; 7hr 30min); Hsipaw (3 daily; 16hr); Kalaw (at least 5 daily; 10hr); Kinpun for Kyaiktiyo (7 daily; 5hr); Kyaukme (1 daily; 15hr); Lashio (2 daily; 18hr); Magwe (1 daily; 12hr); Mandalay (frequent; 8–10hr); Mawlamyine (5 daily; 7hr); Meiktila (6 daily; 7–10hr); Mrauk U (1–2 daily; 30hr); Myeik (11 daily; 22hr); Naypyitaw (10 daily; 6hr); Ngapali (2 daily; 16hr); Nyaungshwe (at least 5 daily; 12–14hr); Pyay (6 daily; 6–7hr); Pyin Oo Lwin (daily; 12hr); Sagaing (1 daily; 11hr); Shwenyaung for Inle Lake (1 daily; 11hr); Sittwe (1 daily; 30hr); Taungoo (4 daily; 5hr); Thaton (3 daily; 7–8hr).
Destinations from Hlaing Thar: Yar Chaung Tha (2–4 daily; 6hr); Ngwe Saung (2 daily; 6hr); Pathein (4 daily; 5hr).
Monument Books: RG92. 150 Dhammazedi Rd T01 536306; map p.68. The best general bookshop.
Allgemein ist die Stadt glaube ich wahnsinnig am Verändern. Es wird gefühlt an allen Ecken in der Innenstadt und um den Inya See gebaut.....z.T. sehr sehr schade.
SELF-CATERING: RG91. For self-catering and food shopping, try

Market Place by City Mart (daily 9am–9pm), a well-stocked little supermarket with imported goods, a bakery and a deli in the basement of the FMI Centre (Parkson Building; go in between the escalators) on Bogyoke Aung San Road.
City Mart is the main city supermarket, with branches across Yangon including a big branch on Gyo Phyu Street (near the Aung San Stadium and bus company ticket offices just north of the centre) plus smaller downtown branches on Anawrahta Road (east of the centre near the Lucky Seven teashop), and at the junction of Mahabandoola Road and Pongyi Street west of the centre.
Ruby Mart (daily 9am–9pm), at the junction of Bogyoke Aung San Road and Pansodan Street is conveniently central, but utterly manic.

Street Food: RG89

The most popular street-food experience among tourists is on 19th Street in Chinatown.
09/2015: Nachtmarkt an der 19. Straße wirklich zu empfehlen. Neben den Grillspießen in der 19. Straße ist in der größeren und quer dazu verlaufenden Straße ein großes Angebot von größeren Straßenständen mit ausreichend Sitzgelegenheiten, die sowohl Fisch als auch Fleischgerichte zubereiten. Sehr lecker und günstig! 999 Shannoodleshop auch weiterhin zu empfehlen.
Elsewhere in the city, Anawrahta Road is arguably the king of food streets, particularly around the junction with Sule Pagoda Road (which also boasts dozens of food stalls after dark in the area north of the pagoda – the cluster of stalls outside Takafuji (see p.91) serve up a good spread of local curries and are well used to dealing with blundering foreigners.
One major caveat applies, however: Hygiene. A study in early 2014 revealed that over a third of food tested from Yangon street stalls contained Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus bacteria, both of which can lead to food poisoning (and a quarter of the samples contained these bacteria in dangerously high levels). Choosing busy stalls where food appears to be hot and freshly prepared may help reduce risks, as does patronizing stalls where vendors use plastic gloves rather than scooping food up with their bare hands. The major underlying factors – utensils washed in dirty water and poor food hygiene and storage – are more difficult to spot, however. You may prefer to save your street food sampling for the end of your trip.

Chinatown: RG67.

Wer abends ausgehen will, kann einen Bummel durch Chinatown in Yangon unternehmen: Vor allem die Mahabandoola Street und die 19th Street sind von zahllosen Garküchen und Straßenständen gesäumt, in denen sich Einheimische zum Essen treffen. Neben chinesischen Garküchen ist hier auch indisches, thailändisches und sogar japanisches Essen zu bekommen.
Yangon’s bustling Chinatown (roughly the area south of Anawrahta Road between Shwe Dagon Pagoda Road and Lanmadaw Street) is the major home for the city’s Chinesedescended inhabitants, and one of the liveliest and most enjoyable parts of downtown.

Yangon Bakehouse

A nonprofit cafe run by local women – with reasonable prices and a fantastic bakery, a real treat in a country that has never had ovens.
Steaming, boiling, grilling, poaching, fermenting and frying (often over an open fire) are our methods.

Zum Essen möchten wir das Orient Café empfehlen, welches bisher noch nicht im Reiseführer steht (170, 46th Street & corner of Bogyoke Aung San Rd; Tel.: 09401535288). Ein sehr gut besuchtes, authentisches Teehaus mit freundlicher Bedienung uns ausgezeichneten Snacks!
Märkte

Hledan produce market, southwest of Inya Lake and close to Hledan stop on the Circle Line train route, is a great place to experience daily life well off the tourist trail. Hundreds of food stalls set up each day in the surrounding streets (6–11am & 3–11pm), particularly “50ft Street” behind the market, and it’s really buzzing in the evenings as its proximity to the University of Yangon makes it a popular student hangout.
Bogyoke Market and around: RG65. Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Tues–Sun 10am–5pm, Wbogyokemarket.com. Bookending the northern side of downtown Yangon is the city’s principal tourist honeypot, Bogyoke Market – or Bogyoke Aung San Market, as it’s officially known – home to Myanmar’s most diverse and foreigner-friendly collection of souvenir shops.
Theingyi Zei Market: RG66. In the block between Anawrahta and Mahabandoola roads, bounded by Shwedagon Pagoda Rd to the west and Kon Zay Dan St to the east, daily 8am–5pm. A world away from the clean, calm and carefully manicured Bogyoke Market, Theingyi Zei is what a proper Burmese bazaar looks like, filling almost an entire city block with a chaotic crush of stalls, shoppers, sacks, boxes, bicycles, piles of rubbish and the occasional rat.

Sky Bistro: RG91. 20th floor, Sakura Tower, 339 Bogyoke Aung San Rd T01 255277; map p.60. This bistro bar atop the Sakura Tower has the atmosphere of an airport lounge but compensates with stunning city views through wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows, with the Shwedagon Pagoda magnificently floodlit after dark. There’s an extensive but expensive drinks list (draught beer K2500, glass of wine K5000) with prices slightly discounted
during the daily 6–9pm happy hour. Daily 9am–10.30pm.
Shwedagon Pagoda: RG70. Shwedagon Pagoda Rd, Daily 4am–10pm, K8000 or $9, Wshwedagonpagoda.com. Allow 2–3hr for a visit, best towards sunset. Myanmar’s greatest temple, and one of the world’s most majestic Buddha monuments. It is magical at any time of the day or night, but is particularly beautiful around sunset, when locals come to pray and the great gilded stupa seems almost to catch fire in the last of the day’s light.
Kandawgyi Lake: RG74. Boardwalk $2 for foreigners. Much of the area immediately east of the Shwedagon Pagoda and north of Yangon Zoo is occupied by the attractive Kandawgyi Lake, a crinkly-edged expanse of water wrapped up in attractively landscaped gardens and surrounded by some of the city’s prime real estate.
Inya Lake and around: RG77. Centrepiece of northern Yangon is the extensive Inya Lake (formerly Lake Victoria), created by the British in 1883 to provide water for the city. It’s now one of the city’s favourite pleasure-spots with attractive (and free) lakeside walkways along its eastern and western sides, usually busy with couples smooching under umbrellas. The area around the lake is home to some of Yangon’s premier real estate, particularly along University Avenue, on the south side of the lake.
Sule Pagoda: RG61. Landmark temple in the dead centre of Yangon, its soaring golden spire featuring in many of downtown’s most memorable views. The pagoda is particularly beautiful when illuminated at night, early evening is particularly busy and atmospheric. Sule Pagoda Rd, daily 5am–9pm, $3.
Mahabandoola Garden und Umgebung: RG61+62.

Between Sule Pagoda Rd and Mahabandoola Garden St., daily 5.30am–6pm, Free. Providing a blissful square of open green space amid the super-compacted streets of downtown Yangon, Mahabandoola Garden is a peaceful park and also a shrine to Burmese nationalism.
Yangon’s finest array of colonial architecture lies clustered in the area immediately to the east of Mahabandoola Garden and down Pansodan Street.
The Secretariat: Between Mahabandoola, Anawrahta, Bo Aung Kyaw and Theinbyu roads. The most impressive of all Yangon’s colonial monuments is the gargantuan Secretariat (also known as the Ministers’ Building), a vast red-brick Neoclassical structure occupying an entire city block, sprawling over sixteen acres and with 37,000 square metres of floor space – roughly two-thirds the size of the Paris Louvre.

INSEIN & THE CIRCLE LINE: RG78+79.

The Circle Line – or the Yangon Circular Railway as it’s officially known – describes a huge loop around the city, running for 46km and stopping at 39 stations on the way. Admittedly, it’s not the world’s most exciting rail journey, although the train’s slow pace, with glimpses of house backs, gardens and trackside life en route, is pleasant enough, and makes a change from yet more pagodas. The complete circuit takes around three hours, which is probably a bit long for most tastes. A good plan is to ride the train as far as Insein (1hr) then hop off to explore local attractions.You can stop in Danyingone station where there is a beautiful market... on the railway.
Insein: RG79. Several of northern Yangon’s most interesting attractions are clustered in the northern suburb of Insein – home of the city’s notorious Insein Prison – and easily visited in combination with a partial circumnavigation of the city’s Circle Line.

Dala & Twante: RG79+80

Warning: Recent posts on online forums and expat groups suggest the charming, rural escape has become an important hub for touts and scammers operating in the wider Yangon area. PC.
Ferry $2 one way. Boats depart every 20min from the Pansodan St Jetty (at the end of Pansodan St); the crossing takes 10min.
Take the short ferry ride over the river to Dalah for memorable views of the Yangon waterfront and for a startlingly abrupt change of scenery, offering a glimpse of authentic rural Burmese life just ten minutesfrom downtown.
Twante: RG80. Horribly crowded and uncomfortable pick-ups (K1000; 1hr) run between Dalah and Twante, leaving when full; alternatively, a
motorbike taxi will cost in the region of K6000, a taxi around K8000. For an instant taste of small-town rural life in the Burmese Delta (see p.96), within an hour of downtown Yangon, Twante is the place to go.

Region zwischen Yangon und Bagan: von Süd nach Nord

Bago: RG134. A wealth of golden stupas and some giant Buddha statues make Bago an appealing destination. 80km from Yangon, Bago sits astride the Yangon–Mandalay railway and the old highway, making it a convenient stopoff between the two cities. Am Bahnhof sind nette Teestuben, ohne den Verkehr der Hauptstraße direkt davor.
Wenn man zu Fuß zum liegenen Buddha läuft kann man neben der Hauptstraße durch kleinere Straßen laufen und Einheimische beim Alltag beobachten. Wir haben auf dieser Strecke keine anderen Touristen gesehen.
Pyay: RG82+TG. The largest city on the old Yangon–Bagan highway, Pyay lies around 275km north of Yangon (and 350km south of Bagan), sitting next to the Ayeyarwady midway between the Rakhine Yoma and Bago Yoma mountains. Most often pronounced Pyi, it is a riverside town that forms a convenient spot to break the western route between Yangon and Bagan. Boasting a quite spectacular pagoda, a collection of ancient ruins, some relaxed riverside scenery and, for the more adventurous, a series of impressive cliffside carvings well outside town, Pyay is certainly worth an overnight stay if not two nights. An enjoyable stopover on the slow road from Yangon to Mandalay, with one of central Myanmar’s best night markets.
Taungoo: RG173+TG. Well over 500 years old, the historic town of Taungoo makes for a worthwhile stop for those with time enough to break the Yangon to northern Burma slog. It's not overloaded with attractions, but there's enough to entertain for a night's stay. Just off the old Yangon–Mandalay road (National Hwy 1), and only 10km east of the newer Yangon–Mandalay Expressway, the bustling little provincial city of TAUNGOO (aka Toungoo) has a cluster of low-key sights as well as one of the region’s most appealing guesthouses. In the southwestern corner of the walled city, the fine Kandawgyi Lake is a pleasant spot for a bike ride or stroll, with an attractive string of cafés along its eastern side and the fanciful temple-style roofs of the Royal Kaytumadi hotel rising across the water.
Naypyitaw: RG175. Quite possibly the world’s weirdest capital.

Taung Kalat (Mount Popa): RG 216.

S.v. Bagan Ri. Yangon. The quickest way to access Mount Popa is along the road past the Popa Mountain Resort. Any of the Bagan tour operators (see p.210) should be able to arrange trips up the mountain, and guides are also usually available for hire through the Popa Mountain Resort.

A colourful cluster of shrines and temples, perched dramatically on top of an ancient volcanic outcrop and celebrating the weird and wonderful world of the Burmese nat spirits. Easily the most interesting excursion from Bagan is the half-day trip to Taung Kalat (“Pedestal Hill”), a dramatic little sheer-sided, temple-topped plug of volcanic rock around an hour’s drive from Nyaung U (it’s usually, if erroneously, referred to as Mount Popa, although strictly speaking the mountain itself is the adjacent 1518m-high massif with its summit 4km to the east).
It takes around four hours to reach the summit.
mount_popa_uebernachtung.htm

Bagan: RG188.

Monywa: RG220+TG. Am Fluß NW v. Mandaly Ri. Mawlaik (Sagaing Division).
Grandioses, 40qkm großes Tempelgelände bei Mandalay. Unbedingt frühmorgens auf die Plattformen der Tempel steigen. Hoch oben ein grandioser Ausblick: Unzählige Türme, Dächer und Kuppeln erheben sich aus der Ebene, rot und braun wie die mürbe Erde des Landes. Dazwischen blitzt hier und da eine weiß getünchte Stupa oder eine goldene Pagodenkuppel auf. In der Stille des Morgennebels ist diese Stätte im ersten Sonnenlicht wie ein surrealer Traum.
Boot Bagan - Mandalay: RG209. Unbedingt Slowboat, siehe unter Mandalay.
Der Busbahnhof Bagan befindet sich mittlerweile ausserhalb. Nach Mandalay gibt es die Möglichkeit in großen Bussen (meist 8000 Kyat) zu fahren oder aber in kleinen (9000Kyat) die holen einen aber auch direkt an der Unterkunft ab und fahren einen in Mandalay dahin wohin man will.
Cycling: Slightly battered six-gear bikes are available from Aung Shwe Yi Store on Main Rd in Nyaung U, and from the San Carlo Restaurant (RG214) in New Bagan (K2000/day at both places).
Unterkunft allgemein: RG210. Bagan is no bargain, thanks to the number of visitors and relative shortage of places to stay (particular in lower price brackets). Budget accommodation is clustered in Nyaung U, although there’s a paucity of really inexpensive accommodation most rooms under $20/night are little better than basic cubicles with shared bathroom and decrepit decor. Many Nyaung U guesthouses have now constructed newer and much more attractive buildings behind their original buildings, offering far superior lodgings for around $30/night – well worth the extra cash. Similar places stretch down the main road into the village of Wet Kyi Inn, about 1km south.
Unterkunft Loose Update 2015:

Northern Breeze Guesthaus absolut top!!! No.162, Cherry Street, Easten Shwe Laung, KyanSitThar Block, New Bagan, New Bagan, 11101 Bagan. 35-40 Dollar für das DZ. Absolut saubere und tolle Anlage. Netter ruhiger Innenhof. Sehr gutes und umfangreiches Frühstück auf dem Dach des Hotels. Rührei, Omlette und auch asiatische Gerichte vorhanden. E-bikes können dort direkt und unkompliziert gemietet werden (10.000 Kyat/Tag).
Wir würden auf jeden Fall wieder in New Bagan übernachten und das „angesagtere“ Nyaung-U eher meiden. New Bagan deutlich ruhiger und gepflegter. Entfernung zu den großen Pagoden vergleichbar und mit den immer mehr Einzug haltenden E-bikes ohnehin kein Problem mehr.
New Life Motel direkt neben dem Thante Hotel in Nyaung U, 30 Dollar für ein Doppel Zimmer mit Frühstück, WIFI und warmem Wasser.
Aung Mingalar Hotel: sehr sauber, große Zimmer, gutes Frühstück.

All foreign visitors are theoretically required to pay a $20 entry fee on arrival in Bagan in exchange for a ticket valid for one week. Buses will usually stop at a government post, and the fee is also collected at the airport and the jetties. The system isn’t waterproof, however, and a few people manage to slip through the net without paying.
Nyaung U: RG1989. The heart of the busy if unremarkable small town of NYAUNG U looks surprisingly untouched by the thousands of tourists who descend on it every year. The tourist centre of Nyaung U lies southwest of the town centre proper, centred on Thiripyitsaya 4 Street (aka as “Restaurant Row”, for obvious reasons).
Essen New-Bagan: Seven Sisters in der 3rd St. - gutes und reichhaltiges Essen, zivile Preise, netter Service.
Shwezigon Pagoda: RG192. Shwezigon Pagoda St. Daily 6am–9pm. The most important pilgrimage site in Bagan, the Shwezigon Pagoda feels quite different from the other temples of Bagan – closer in appearance and atmosphere to the great working temples of Yangon than the historic monuments elsewhere in the city.
Sonnenuntergang in Bagan: Für den Sonnenuntergang gibt es ein einige spannende Plätze auf den höheren Etagen einiger Tempel. Die sind aber leider so voll mit Leuten, dass man das nicht in Ruhe genießen kann.

Wir haben uns für die Bupaya-Pagode entschieden, die an sich nicht besonders eindrucksvoll ist. Sie liegt aber direkt am Fluß und man kann die Sonne beim Untergehen auf dem Fluß beobachten.
Old Bagan: One good spot where we could enjoy the sunset all by ourselves without any of the many other tourists was the pagode just a few meters west of the That Byin Nyu pagod. The That Byin Nyu is one of the most beautiful pagodas in Bagan. From viewing point you can see That Byin Nyu and Ananda Paya, the landmark pagoda of Bagan with the golden top.

Sonnenaufgang in Bagan: Ich fand Sonnenaufgang bzw. kurz davor die reizvollste Zeit in Bagan. Die Pagoden tauchen dann majestätisch zwischen den Bäumen vor und sind teilweise noch vom Bodennebel verdeckt. Das sorgt dann für eine mystische, ruhige Atmosphäre und die Bilder haben was „exploratives“. Wir haben uns gegen 5:15 Uhr also auf den Weg zum Tayokpyi südöstlich von Old-Bagan gemacht. Auf den kann man relativ weit hoch klettern und hat dann freie Sicht auf Pagodenfelder in alle Richtungen. Es waren außer uns nur ein paar andere Leute da, die auch nicht wirklich gestört haben. Sonnenaufgang ist scheinbar bei den Touris nicht so beliebt (siehe Uhrzeit).
3 Tage: The monuments of Old Bagan (RG196) make a logical starting point, the site’s densest and most diverse collection of temples. The temples of the Central Plain – including the stunning Shwesandaw, Dhammayangyi and Sulamani – will fill a second day, perhaps with the Mingalazedi and Dhammayazika Pagoda (alle Treppenaufstiege gesperrt!) included, while a third day can be spent exploring the area between Nyaung U and Old Bagan, particularly the magnificent Shwezigon Pagoda and Htilominlo Paya, and the mural-covered Upali Thein and Gubyaukgyi Paya.
Old Bagan: RG196. Bupaya: RG197. Daily 7am–9pm. Commanding the Ayeyarwady from atop a high bluff overlooking the water, the Bupaya (“Gourd Stupa”) is Old Bagan’s most popular place of local worship, with an atmosphere of cheerful Burmese hustle and bustle quite different from other temples hereabouts. Thatbyinnyu Paya and around: RG199. Daily 8am–6pm. Dominating the skyline of Old Bagan is the monumental Thatbyinnyu Paya, one of the largest temples anywhere in Bagan. It’s also the tallest, rising to a height of around 66m, although it’s the sheer mass of the building that really impresses. Around 100m south of the temple, a small surviving stretch of Old Bagan’s crumbling city walls offers fine views over the surrounding monuments.
The Central Plain: RG200. The CENTRAL PLAIN is Bagan at its most iconic. Untrammelled by human habitation, hundreds of temples rise out of the sandy, scrub-covered plains like the archetypal remnants of some fabulous lost civilization. The scale of the temples and stupas here are nothing short of astounding. They feature several of Bagan’s most majestic monuments, including the landmark Shwesandaw Pagoda, the super-sized Dhammayangyi Paya, and the exquisite Sulamani Paya, perhaps the most perfect of all Bagan temples.
Shwesandaw Pagoda & other Sunset Viewing Temples: RG201. The stupa is one of Bagan’s most popular sunset-viewing spots (see box below), although the marvellous views over Old Bagan are slightly compromised by the eyesore Archeological Museum, and the relatively narrow terraces get horribly packed come sundown. Largely crowd-free alternatives include the Mahazedi stupa and the Mimalaung Kyaung (see p.198).
Lawkananda Pagoda: RG208. Daily 7am–9pm • Accessed by continuing past the Ashe Petleik Paya and Anauk Petleik Paya to the end of the road.
Set majestically above the river, the large and dazzlingly gilded stupa of the Lawkananda Pagoda (“Joy of the World”) dates back to the reign of Anawrahta, making it one of Bagan’s oldest such structures, although it’s been much rebuilt since. Enshrining a replica of the Buddha’s tooth presented to Anawrahta in 1059, the pagoda remains a popular place of local worship. The temple stands close to what was once Bagan’s main harbour and still commands beautiful Ayeyarwady views.

Mandalay + Umgebung

Mandalay: RG260+TG.

Direktbus nach Mrau-U
Boot ab Mandalay: RG273. Sehr empfehlenswert ist die Fahrt mit dem slowboat anstatt mit dem touristboat. Da viele Einheimische mitfahren und das Schiff mehrmals stehen bleibt zum Be- und Entladen bekommt man sehr viel vom Leben vor Ort mit. Die 5 Std. Mehr Zeitaufwand lohnen sich.
Wer einen Air Asia Flug gebucht hat, kann den Free Shuttle Bus Service von Air Asia nutzen. Der fährt in der 79 th zwischen 26 & 27 ab. Für den Flug FD 2761, der 12.45 h startet, fährt der Bus 9 am. ab. Man muss auf jeden Fall mind. 10 Minuten früher da sein und einen Pass und einen ausgedruckten Iternity/ boarding pass dabei haben.
Markedly more relaxed than Yangon and is the best place in the land for local-style entertainment. The appeal here lies not just in the city’s sights – ascend Mandalay Hill, visit the reconstructed palace, hunt down the Mahamuni Paya or any number of other Buddhist monuments – but also in the opportunities for eating, shopping and entertainment that are hard to find elsewhere in Myanmar.

Sunset over the Ayeyarwady Myanmar’s most important waterway is at its most beautiful around sunset; take it in from the riverside road, or over cocktails on the roof of the AyarwaddyRiver View Hotel. See p.279
Mandalay Hill (RG266): Most choose to pant up its lengthy covered staircases in time to see the sun go down behind the Ayeyarwady. Kuthodaw Pagoda is the pick of the several temples nearby; you could,indeed, spend a whole day in the Mandalay Hill area alone. Mandalay Hill is memorable both for its views and for the experience of joining throngs of locals doing the same.
The palace grounds: RG269. The palace itself is more impressive as a whole than for any particular part.
Unterkunft Loose-Update 2015:

Mandalay White House Hotel (4*), No.452, 19th Street (300 mtr. of Mandalay Pyin Oo Lwin Rd.), Eastern Palace Area, Aung Myay Tharzan Township, 11011 Mandalay. Tolles und sauberes Hotel für 30 Dollar (DZ) inkl. Frühstück. Das Hotel selbst ist etwas entfernt vom eigentlichen Zentrum. Da die Sehenswürdigkeiten aber ohnehin weiter auseinander liegen, ist das eher weniger ein Problem.
Hotel Tiger One. In noch akzeptabler Laufnähe zum Zentrum und Königspalast. Dank eines kleinen Nachtmarkts und vieler illustrer Bierbars drum herum insgesamt echt gut gelegen. Kleine, sehr saubere Zimmer mit Laminatböden. Extrem aufmerksames Personal, zum Empfang gab es eisgekühlte Handtücher und Saft. Gutes europäisch-birmanisches Frühstücksbüfett. DZ 35 Euro.
Ich habe mehrfach auf der Reise im AD 1 übernachtet und war immer zufrieden, hatte unterschiedliche Zimmer, alle ok. EZ für 15.000 Kyat mit Badezimmer und dem reichhaltigen Frühstück auf der Dachterrasse
Venus-Hotel: Einzelzimmer mit Klima, Bad, TV, Kühlschrank für schlappe 15 USD. Bei Langzeitaufenthalt (9 Nächte) war eine Flasche Wasser aus dem Kühlschrank pro Tag gratis. Kein Frühstück, aber das gibt’s für 500-700 Ky um die Ecke in der Teestube. Dachterrasse nur für Personal, darf man aber bei längerem Aufenthalt zum Wäscheaufhängen mitbenutzen. Bei klarem Wetter grandioser Ausblick! Liegt übrigens in Laufdistanz zum kostenlosen Air Asia Flughafenbus. Fazit: Ich würde das Venus-Hotel dem AD-1 mit deutlichem Abstand den Vorzug geben.

Essen: Schräg gegenüber des Hotels (neben der Tankstelle) ist ein tolles größeres Restaurant (klassisch unter Blechdach), in dem es sich sehr gut und vor allem sehr authentisch Essen lässt. Abends immer dicht gefüllt mit Einheimischen.

Mingun: RG287, nördl. Vorort am A-weddy. The small, village-like town of MINGUN is, for many visitors, the most appealing of the many attractions surrounding Mandalay. By making a trip here, you’ll get historical attractions, a look at village life and a delightful ferry ride, all rolled up into one ball. The place would likely be ignored today were it not for King Bodawpaya, who in 1790 decided to build the gigantic Mingun Pagoda here.
Amarapura: RG282. Spektakuläre Seebrücke, HT-Ausflug 11km ab Mandalay Ri. Süden. The bridge stretches 1200m across pretty Lake Taungthaman. Loose Update zur Brücke:

Vielleicht hatten wir zu viel erwartet, aber die U-Bein Brücke war bei weitem kein Highlight. Es lag evtl. am eher schlechten Wetter. Die Brücke wird mittlerweile an sehr vielen Stellen durch Betonpfosten gestützt und hat so viel von ihrem Charme verloren.
Von „besonders stimmungsvollen Impressionen“ konnte keine Rede sein! Es gab zahlreiche einheimische Touristen, die ausnahmslos nicht traditionell gekleidet waren und die sich gegenseitig mit dem Mobiltelefon, i-phone, Smartphone fotografierten und dabei nicht nur die Brücke blockierten, sondern auch noch die einheimischen Fotografen arbeitslos machten. Die „Sitzbänke und Schatten spendenden Pavillons“ luden auch nicht zum Verweilen ein, denn sie waren zu Verkaufsständen umfunktioniert worden. Zum Ausgleich gab es dort, wo die Brücke über Land führt, neben und unter ihr Berge von Müll zu sehen. Persönliches Fazit: Die U Bein-Brücke ist eine Holz-Beton-Konstruktion, die von einer Seite des Sees zur anderen führt und die den Ansturm der Touristen nur noch ihrem Mythos verdankt. Zwar kann es sein, dass ich nur einen schlechten Tag erwischt habe, das Ganze aber als „Highlight“ einzuordnen, finde ich schon ein wenig übertrieben.

Sagaing: RG286.

The low-key city sits just 25km south of Mandalay on the opposite side of the Ayeyarwady River, which slides lazily past its eastern flank.
Sagaing, der Ort, den man wegen seines schöneren Pagoden-Hills im Vergleich zu Mandalay gesehen haben muss.
Outside Mandalay, Sagaing is the only place in the area with foreigner-licensed accommodation – and there’s one whole hotel to choose from. They also rent out bicycles (K3000/day).
Top-Restaurant Lucky-7, Sein Kone Qt; Tel. 09-5165266
Inwa- und Yadanabon-Brücke: Tipp: Die Yadanabon-Brücke kann man zu Fuß in beiden Richtungen überqueren mit toller Aussicht auf Sagaing, die Inwa-Brücke (inkl. Fotos) und den Fluss. Erst dann wird man sich so richtig bewusst, wie gewaltig Pagoden sind (und man selbst ist).
Sagaing Hill: Access from Thall Ta Pan St • Daily 24hr • Covered by Sagaing-Mingun combination ticket (see box below); K300 camera fee, usually only collected from road entrance • Motorbike taxis cost around K2000. Around 250m high, splendid Sagaing Hill pokes its omni-spired head out just north of the city centre. The views from the top are predictably fantastic, though for some the ascent from Thall Ta Pan Street (around 25min) is the best part of the experience.

Bahnstrecke Mandalay - Lashio

MANDALAY - LASHIO RAILWAY: RG300. 280km. Between Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin, it relies on a series of zigzags and reverses to climb a steep escarpment onto the Shan Plateau. More dramatically, near Nawnghkio the single strand of track soars 102m above the Dokhtawady River on the famous Gokteik Viaduct.
Loose Update 2015: Allgemein empfanden wir die landschaft zwischen Pyin oo Lwin und Lashio alles andere als traumhaft, soweit der blick reicht sind die berge mehr oder weniger komplett kahl geschlagen. vor allem landwirtschaft prägt hier die gegend.
Pyin Oo Lwin: RG295. NO v. Mandalay Ri. Lashio auf 1070m. "Bravo Hotel". Das Städtchen hat üppige Gärten, viele Pagoden, Moscheen und Kirchen, liegt abseits vom Touri-Pfad. Home to large ethnic Indian and Nepali communities, the descendants of soldiers and labourers from across the subcontinent who moved here under British rule. Today, many run shops selling the fruit wine, jam and woolly jumpers for which Pyin Oo Lwin is known, and mosquesand Hindu temples abound.TT2015: The place is overrun by the military - generals are pulling down the old houses and building McMansions. Not much charm left - and that was 4 years ago.
In der nacht war es im Jänner in Pyin Oo Lwin eiskalt (ca. 5° C), auch das zimmer war daher sehr frisch temperiert (ca. 15 ° C).
Anisakan-Falls: RG297. 8km von Pyin U Lwin Richtung Mandalay. Free • Motorbike taxis (K5000 return) depart from the roundabout near the Green Luck Petrol Station, or take a Mandalay-bound pick-up (K300) to Anisakan and walk the remaining 2km. Just outside the village of Anisakan, the plateau on which Pyin Oo Lwin is situated drops away dramatically into a forested canyon, carved out by a tributary of the Dokhtawady River as it plunges down the Dat Taw Gyaik waterfall to the valley floor.It takes 45 minutes to walk down from the road to the foot of the falls.
Goktei-Bahnviadukt SW. v. Kyaukme, Burmas höchste Brücke. RG300.
Kyaukme: RG301+TG. NO v. Mandalay/Pyin Oo Lwin Ri. Lashio. Set between Pyin Oo Lwin and Hsipaw, Kyaukme is less well-known than Hispaw but just as well worth visiting for a bit of trekking in Shan State's spectacular mountain scenery from a base that lacks the more tourist-orientated scene of Hsipaw. Loose Update 09/2015: Kyaukme ist unverändert touristisch wenig erschlossen. Man wird hier mitunter als Ausländer noch "bestaunt". kyaukme_trekking_tt2015.htm.
Absolut empfehlenswert ist aus unserer Sicht eine Tour mit dem Guide Thura (thuranaing84@gmail.com sowie www.thuratrips.page.tl und +95-0947308497). Wir haben von 8.00 bis 18.00 Uhr eine Ein-Tagestour mit ihm verbracht. Dabei sind wir rund 3 Stunden mit dem Moped in die umliegenden Berge gefahren, haben dort eine zweistündige Tour auf einen der höchsten Berge gemacht (samt Besuch in einer kleinen Gurkha-Siedlung) sowie rund 2 Stunden in einem der Bergdörfer verbracht. Entscheidender Punkt der Tour war die Bekanntheit von Thura. Für die Gurkhas wie für die Palaung war es selbstverständlich, uns in ihre Häuser einzuladen, so dass uns direkter Zugang zum Alltag der Menschen gewährt wurde (einschließlich Teilnahme an einer Trauerfeier). Die Ein-Tages-Tour hat 30.000 K pro Person gekostet (wobei wir pro Person einen Moped-Fahrer hatten; wären wir selbst gefahren, hätte es 28.000 K gekostet). Thura bietet auch 2- und 3-Tages-Touren an, bei denen in Bergdörfern übernachtet wird.
Hsipaw: RG301. NO v. Kyaukme Ri. Lashio. Mega-Verkehr, Wanderungen in der Umgebung: RG304.

Thein Daung Pagoda: 2.5km south of Hsipaw • Daily dawn–dusk • Free. Also known as Sunset Pagoda, Thein Daung Pagoda offers great views out over Hsipaw and the hills that bracket the town and river. To get here, head south along the Mandalay–Lashio road and cross the Dokhtawady River. Just beyond the bridge there’s a decorative gateway by the roadside – the pagoda is a thirty-minute walk uphill from here.
Das wohl negativste Erlebnis unserer sonst wunderschönen Myanmarreise hatten wir in Hsipaw, das sich ja mit unberührten Trekkingtouren rühmt. Wir buchten eine Tour über "Lilly The Home", dürfte eine der gängigen Touren in Shan und Palaung Dörfer gewesen sein...wir marschierten jedenfalls bei 38Grad 4 Stunden zwischen brandgerodeten Hängen bergauf - ein Alptraum! Vor allem, weil in der Bevölkerung keinerlei Verständnis für die gefährdete Natur bestand.

Lashio: RG306. Interessante Grenzatmosphäre an der chinesischen Grenze. 1988 komplett abgebrannt.

Region Meiktila-Kalaw-Pindaya-Inle (v. West nach Ost)

Meiktila: RG179. This little-visited crossroads town has a beautiful lakeside setting, a clutch of quirky temples and stand-out street food. The attractive lakeside town is one of the most enjoyable places to break the journey north from Yangon to Mandalay. The town stands at something of a crossroads, with connections west to Bagan, east to Lake Inle and north to Lashio, as well as to Mandalay and Yangon. It’s also one of central Myanmar’s prettiest and most enjoyably low-key destinations, with its shrine-studded lake, bustling market and tree-lined streets, although present appearances belie the town’s turbulent past. In the middle of town is Meiktila’s beautiful lake, fringed with shrines and stupas and crossed by two bridges. Next to the southern bridge you’ll immediately notice Meiktila’s most memorable landmark, the striking Phaung Daw U Pagoda, constructed in the form of a large boat.
Kalaw: RG228, TG.

Sits atop the misty blue mountains of Burma's Shan State, the town enjoys stunning views of the area and serves as an excellent starting point for what could easily be considered the country's most picturesque region. Trekking is Kalaw's main attraction. With cool nights, delicious food, and a laidback atmosphere, Kalaw is more than just a starting point for treks. There's much to be seen by the traveller willing to take the time to look.
Its lazy, carefree air often tempts visitors to stay on for a couple of extra days, taking a few leisurely walks on the hill-tracks surrounding the town, and making full use of some pleasing culinary opportunities. Part of Kalaw’s appeal is its invigorating climate. Winter evenings can get decidedly chilly, and you’ll likely need to do something with long sleeves. The town lies a full 1300m above sea level.
Thein Taung Kyaung: RG229. Accessed from Union Highway, Daily 24hr, Free. For a bit of gentle exercise, take a walk up the covered staircase leading to the Thein Taung Kyaung, a small monastery overlooking the town. The views from the monastery are predictably good, and you’ll also have the option of taking off into the hills on tracks leading behind the complex.
Shwe Oo Min Paya: RG230. Shwe Oo Min Rd, Cave daily 5am–7pm, Free. From town, take Min St south and turn right onto University Rd, then right again after 500m just over 1km south of town, the Shwe Oo Min Paya is well worth the trouble of getting to, especially if a visit to Pindaya is not on your schedule. Like the eponymous complex in that town (RG236), the most interesting part of this complex is a cave stuffed to the gills with golden Buddha statues. With hundreds and hundreds of them here already, and more being added all the time, it’s almost like a Buddha warehouse; the path snakes around 150m into the hill, with glittering, golden views at every turn.
Wanderungen um Kalaw: RG232. The town’s many travel agencies (see p.231) can organize day-trips for around K15,000, or half-day trips from K7000, though it’s quite easy to take off on safe routes yourself. For a little taster, try walking uphill to the west of town, past the Pine Breeze hotel (see opposite); turn right at the junction, then left to wrap around the pagoda on a dirt path. A mere fifteen minutes from Kalaw, you’re already in the countryside, with easy paths leading to small villages and across the hills beyond.
2015: Mit dem pick- up kommt man gut von Kalaw nach Nyaungshwe (mit Umsteigen in Shwenyaung) Man muss sch einfach an die Bushaltestelle in Kalaw setzen und in einen der pick- ups einsteigen die dort unregelmäßig fahren.
Loose 2014: Das Pine Breeze Hotel hat uns sehr gut gefallen. Große saubere Zimmer mit Balkon. Tolle Aussicht. Hauseigener Transport zu den Pindaya Höhlen. Gepäcktransport zur Bushaltestelle. Sehr freundliches Personal. Gutes und sehr reichliches Frühstück. Auschecken um 18:00 ohne Mehrkosten. Gutes Preis/Leistungsverhältnis (DZ 40 US$ incl. Frühstück).

Die Fahrt Richtung NO von (Kalaw -) Aungban nach Pindaya gehört zu den schönsten des südlichen Shan-Staates.
Pindaya: RG235.

Es gibt einen schönen Trek von Kalaw nach Pindaya, spart die 2K Eintritt für Pindaya.
Set around the pretty Pone Taloke Lake, it is a typical Shan State town, a small, relaxed affair with a bustling market and friendly locals. Many visitors find themselves here for one reason alone – the fantastic Shwe Oo Min Cave above town, which is filled with thousands upon thousands of gleaming Buddha statues. Most see the cave, eat lunch and then zoom straight back to Inle or Kalaw, but it’s certainly worth sticking around for the night – not only will you be one of very few travellers staying here, but you’ll be able to see the cave at the crack of dawn, before the tour buses arrive.

Mit am besten gegessen auf der Reise haben wir im Tein Sein Restaurant. Danke für den Hinweis mit den leckeren Plätzchen!
Shwe Oo Min Cave: RG 236. Daily 6am–6pm; elevator 9am–noon & 1–4pm, K3000. Accessible on a variety of paths from Shwe Oo Min Rd, about a 30min walk south of town, or take a motorbike or taxi to the elevator. It’s wise to head up as early as you can, for the site is at its magical best, and most refreshingly tourist-free, around dawn. Another little tip: take a picture of the mountainside before you head on up, since this will aid navigation once you’re there and when you’re coming back down.
Hsin Khaung Taung Kyaung: RG236. Daily 24hr, Free. Accessible on a variety of paths from Shwe Oo Min Rd, about a 15min walk south of town.
This large, captivating monastery, made from carved teak wood, is well worth tracking down if you’re in Pindaya for more than just a few hours. It’s quite easy to visit this on your way to or from Shwe Oo Min – it’s downhill to the north of the cave, along a dirt track from one of the covered arcade exits. Few visitors make it this way, so expect a bit of attention from local monks and children.
Wandern: RG237. The three-day route from Kalaw to Inle Lake is absolutely fantastic (see box, p.232), but there are also trekking opportunities around Pindaya itself; best is the five-hour hike up to Yazagyi, a Padaung village up in the mountains. Ask at the Golden Cave hotel (see below), or the Old Home Tour Information Centre (T081 66188) on the crossroads beside the market. Both charge around $15 per person per day including food, plus a small donation for accommodation at a monastery.
Pone Taloke Lake: RG237. Pindaya life revolves around this pretty lake, and given the lack of much else to do, you’re pretty much guaranteed to find yourself wandering along its banks if you’re overnighting in Pindaya. It’s best appreciated from Green Tea restaurant on its western bank, and there’s a nice monastery at its northern end; in addition, the lake also makes a lovely sight during the silence of night-time, when twinkly lights are turned on
around the shoreline.

Wanderung Kalaw-Inle: 2-3 Tage, RG231 (Agenturen) + RG232.
If there’s one must-do activity in Eastern Myanmar, it’s taking a multi-day trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake. Even more enjoyable than taking a boat ride on the lake itself, it’ll give you a gentle workout, striking countryside views and a peek into minority culture, all in one. While it’s quite possible to walk from the lake to Kalaw, almost nobody does it this way – heading from west to east, it’s downhill most of the way, and you get the lake as a reward at the end.
Nyaung Shwe: TG+RG238+246. Gateway zum Inle. 10.000K entry fee, wenn man nicht zu Fuß kommt.

One of Myanmar’s most pleasant places to stay – head to the bars or night market and you’ll meet travellers who arrived with the intent of staying one night, yet ended up basing themselves here for a week. Just get on a bicycle and you’ll be able to roll through fantastic countryside to bathe in hot springs (see p.248), or sample local wines at a vineyard (see box, p.244).
Set among the mountains of the nation's Shan State. The town itself is pleasing too, being quite rustic with a small-town feel, and featuring its own ancient pagodas. If possible, spend at least three nights, but four would be ideal. The lake tours (that include visits to the workshops) take an entire day. We opted for a half-day tour that included visits to floating villages, floating gardens, outstanding views of the fishermen and surroundings and a trip to an old fish-farming centre, which was a perfect place to watch the sunset.
Being at a higher elevation than destinations such as Yangon and Mandalay, the weather in Nyaung Shwe is much cooler.
Übernachtung Loose Update:

Book ahead or you might have to stay at the local monastry (very simple accomodation, outside bucket- shower)
Aquarius Inn sehr empfehlenswert, im Red Star Restaurant gleich daneben kann man gut Essen. Außerdem kann man sich hier auch Fahrräder ausleihen (1500 Ky. pro Tag). Daneben gibt es noch eine gute indische Kneipe.
Zawgi Inn: Etwas östlich von den meisten Unterkünften und damit deutlich ruhiger und relativ idyllisch: Zawgi Inn. Vermietet werden ca 12 (habe leider nicht nachgezählt) großzügige Zimmer mit eigenem Bad für 30$/Nacht (März 2015), von denen jeweils zwei in einem Bungalow zusammengefasst sind. Alles liegt in einer sehr gepflegten Anlage mit viel Grün. Wenn man vor dem Zimmer auf der eigenen "Terasse" sitzt (Bambusliegestühle), könnte man fast das Gefühl entwickeln, im Dschungel zu sitzen. Die Zimmer sind sauber mit Holzfußboden - sehr angenehm (keine Klimaanlage, aber Ventilator). Der Eigentümer ist sehr nett und hilfsbereit aber nicht aufdringlich. Auch die Mitarbeiterinnen sind total nett und serviceorientiert - nachmittags bekommt man kostenlos Kaffee auf der eigenen Terasse serviert. Das Frühstück ist ausgezeichnet: Viel frisches Obst und die Marmelade zum Toast ist bspw. nicht in kleinen Portionen rationiert, sondern in richtigen Gläsern vorhanden. Es handelt sich um lokale Erdbeermarkelade aus dem benachbarten Taunggyi.Adresse: 122, Nandawun Street, Nyaung ShweTel: 081 209929 / 09 5024610 E-Mail: zawgiinn@gmail.com
Gold Star Hotel. Wir hatten ein sehr großes schönes mit Holz verziertes Doppelzimmer. Es war sauber und das Frühstück war auch super.
"Palace Nyaung Shwe" - nur zu empfehlen! Adresse: Nandawon 6, Aung Chan Thar Quarter, Phaw Daw Pyan Street, Telefonnummer: +95 - 081209274 Da es nicht mitten im Zentrum liegt (aber nahe der Win Massage), bekommen viele Leute nichts von diesem tollen und gemütlichen Platz mit. Und da es noch so neu ist, kennen es auch viele Taxifahrer noch nicht. In unserem Urlaub waren die Übernachtungen dort das Highlight. Die Angestellten sind super freundlich und bemüht, die Zimmer wunderschön und groß und bei Einzug liebevoll mit Rosenblättern dekoriert. Immer Strom und warm Wasser und sogar eine Badewanne gibt es auch:) Das ganze hat für 2 Personen 35 Dollar gekostet und Fahrräder gab es für 2 Dollar den ganzen Tag, abends auch umsonst.

Ein echter Tipp ist ein neues Cafe/Restaurant in einer kleinen Seitenstraße (Nähe AGD Bank!). „The french touch“ (No. 23 Myo Lac Quarter, Kyaung Taw Shayit Street, Nyaungshwe – frenchtouchnyaungshwe@gmail.com - +95 932853203) bietet Shan-Küche und französische Backspezialitäten. Das Cafe ist wunderschön eingerichtet und bietet absolute Ruhe und einen tollen Rückzugsort. Der Besitzer ist Fotograf und stellt sein Werke im Restaurant aus. Allein das ist wirklich sehenswert: Eine Mischung aus Tradition und Moderne (Bsp. Padaung-Frauen und moderne Fototechniken/Bearbeitungen). Jeden Abend um 19.30 Uhr findet im Cafe eine kleine Kinovorstellung statt. Der Film zeigt das Leben eines jungen einheimischen Mannes auf dem See und heißt dementsprechend „The son of the lake“.
A bike trip to the Red Mountain Winery, run by a Frenchman, is an excellent way to spend a few hours or can be part of a full-day bike tour. The wine is outstanding, not just for being Burmese, and the restaurant is inexpensive and offers the best views that we've seen in the country thus far.
The Monastery Quarter und Bike-Tour: RG240. Bike-Ausleihe: RG241.
Nantha: RG241. 1km south of town. It’s well worth the short walk south to the small village of Nantha, a charming place that provides an Inle Lake vibe without the need to leave dry land – stilt-housing, friendly locals and a rural atmosphere whose tranquil air is broken only by the regular put-putting of boat engines. Look hard enough and you’ll find a tiny teahouse and small shop; far easier to spot is the huge Buddha statue sitting at the village’s north end.
Bus nach Yangon: Shwe Nan Taw-Express (SNT) (19.000 Kyat), die beste Gesellschaft in Myanmar. Pick-up zum Junction, dort umsteigen in den VIP-Bus. Ankunft in Yangon gegen 6 Uhr morgens. Wer bei der Buchung hartnäckig ist oder im Büro der Gesellschaft bei der Ankunft in Yangon freundlich fragt, wird auf einem Pick-up kostenlos in die Nähe der Sule-Pagode gefahren (Dabei aber nicht dort aussteigen, wo alle Fahrgäste ausgeladen werden, sondern sitzen bleiben und bis zum Büro der Gesellschaft weiterfahren und erst dort aussteigen – dies ist gleich neben dem zentralen Entladeplatz). Achtung!!! Fahrt in die Innenstadt kann morgens in der Rushhour gut 2 Stunden dauern.

Inle: RG246. Boot Trip lt. RG247.
- Thiq Tha Kyaung (Forest Monastery): RG247. Sitting pretty up a steep hill to the east of Maing Thauk is the gorgeous “forest monastery”. From lake level you’ll be able to make out the stupa at its front; the lake views from here are excellent, if somewhat sullied by electricity wires.
- Kaung Daing hot springs: RG248. Daily 8am–6pm • Old wing K5000, new wing K9500 • 40min by bicycle from Nyaungshwe, or K7000 return by
  boat. Located off the west side of the lake, and easily reachable under your own steam from Nyaungshwe, the fantastic Kaung Daing hot springs are a real treat to those who’ve been travelling hard.
- Further south: RG249: If you’re prepared to stump up more for a boat, and spend a bit more time on a noisy vessel, the south end of the lake is relatively untouristed.

Kayah Staat: RG251. S.v. Shan.

Loikaw: RG251+TG. O.v. der Hauptstadt. Loikaw is the capital of Kayah State, one of the least visited but more picturesque places we’ve found in Burma (Myanmar). The state is home to mountain-top pagodas, volcanic lakes, mysterious caves and a vast array of ethnic groups. Most of the region’s attractions are natural, such as lakes and caves, and trekking is popular. Hill-top pagodas provide stunning views of the area, stretching all the way to the Shan mountain range. You’ll also find that the Kayah people are friendly and intrigued by the relatively unusual sight of foreign tourists.

Enklave Tachileik-Kengtung

RG: Foreigners are still barred from taking overland transport to or from areas west (ie, almost all of Myanmar), meaning that you’ll face a steep fee to fly.
Tachileik: RG256. Though plenty of hills and minority villages lie in the surrounding region, trekking in Tachileik is not as yet permitted. Grenzübergang nach Thailand. At the time of writing it is not permitted to travel overland to Taunggyi. You can only officially travel overland in one direction from Tachileik and that's north to Kengtung. This is a 160 kilometre road taking approximately four to five hours and gets more and more scenic the closer you get to Kengtung. The road winds its way along a narrow and picturesque river valley so there are plenty of bends but the surface is good. You are in theory free to travel to Kengtung and employ a trekking guide on arrival though the Ministry may still try to push a compulsory guide on you anyway. TG.
Kengtung: RG252+TG. Tolle landschaftliche Lage im 4-Länder-Eck. A picturesque town of some 60,000 inhabitants, Kengtung is built on low hills around Naung Tung Lake. It is overall a pleasant destination in its own right with a better choice of accommodation than in many similar-sized towns (though without a great selection of eateries), and is surrounded by impressive scenery and numerous traditional hilltribe villages.
A small Shan State city surrounded by Akha, Lahu and other colourful ethnic groups, yet almost entirely tourist-free – and even more tempting now that restrictions have been lifted on the nearby Thai border.

Südwest-Küste: von Süd nach Nord

Pathein: TG+RG96. A bustling riverside town located about 190 kilometres to the west of Yangon, and a convenient side-trip on your way from Yangon to either Chaung Tha or Ngwe Saung. Boasting a scenic riverfront, a series of impressive pagodas, riverside night market and local hand-made umbrellas known as parasols, Pathein is worthy of a night or two on your Burma itinerary. The largest settlement in the Delta, breezy PATHEIN is one of Myanmar’s more enjoyable provincial capitals, and although most foreign visitors pass straight through, is well worth an overnight stop for its colourful array of temples, including the landmark Shwemokhtaw Pagoda.
Das Guesthouse Golden Myanmar, Maharbandula Road No. 6, hat mittlerweile eine Touristenlizenz und ist ABSOLUT empfehlenswert!!! Es war in meinen 4 Wochen in Myanmar das einzige Guesthouse, in dem ich eine frisch duftende Bettwäsche vorgefunden habe!
Chaung Tha: RG102+PC. If you’re looking for a picture-postcard tropical beach with deserted sands, unspoilt coastal scenery and nothing to break the silence save the sound of a distant cocktail being discreetly mixed, then CHAUNG THA definitely isn’t the place to come. A quiet Bay of Bengal coastal beach town, is a long stretch of sand that's home to some of Burma’s most affordable beachfront accommodation. It's popular with weekend beach goers from Yangon with a slow but steady flow of Western travellers. The vast shoreline provides plenty of refuge.
Unterkunft: Das bezaubernde Hill Garden hat auch DZ für 15 $, breakfast included!!Die Telefonnummer von Wiliam Restaurant lautet: 042 - 423 77
Ngwe Saung: RG105+TG. A near endless stretch of whitish sand and bluish waters found on Burma's Bay of Bengal coast just south of Chaung Tha. It's a beach for serious beach lovers - that is, those who seek a beautiful beach and nothing more as there's nothing much else to do. Still refreshingly unspoilt despite its relative accessibility and number of good places to stay and eat. It sees far more foreign visitors than nearby Chaung Tha, and with good
reason thanks to its fine swathe of wide golden sand stretching north and south of the small village for kilometre after kilometre.
South from Ngapali along the coast to Gwa: The beautiful swathe of coastline south of Ngapali is open to foreigners but remains largely
unexplored. A few adventurous travellers village-hop up or down the coast, stopping off in Maw Shwe Chai, Kanthaya and Gwa (all of which have basic accommodation) en route.
Ngapali: RG108. Schönster Strand des Landes. Malariagefahr. Asked to vote for their favourite Burmese beach, nine out of ten travellers will most likely plump for NGAPALI. Ngapali is very spread out, and transport is in short supply. Occasional tuk-tuks and pick-up trucks ply the main road, but it’s probably easiest to arrange something through your accommodation. Bicycles are also hard to find.
Sittwe: RG112.

Superb natural setting, at the point where the Kaladan River and other inland waterways drain into the Bay of Bengal, with views of endless water and distant hills in every direction, while the battered traces of old colonial architecture, thanaka-smeared Rakhine and lively market make the town one of Myanmar’s more personable provincial capitals. Faded colonial architecture, gorgeous marine views and one of the country’s most absorbing local markets offer a memorable slice of old-world Myanmar.
Strand Road: Sittwe’s most interesting street, it runs along the east side of the centre. On the far side of the main market building the jetty offers beautiful views across the smooth waters of the Kaladan estuary to the hills opposite, of myriad boats, and of Sittwe’s low-slung waterfront houses nestling amid the palms.
View Point: RG117. K2000 by tuk-tuk – although it’s also perfect for a late afternoon walk. The best place to appreciate Sittwe’s superb natural setting is at the beautiful View Point (or just “The Point”), 3km south of town along the peaceful waterfront road. There’s also a small café here (daily 6am–9pm) – great for a beer while watching sunset over the waves.
The increasing number of tourists, business travellers and aid workers passing through Sittwe means that accommodation can often be surprisingly difficult to find – this is definitely one place where it pays to book ahead.
Boot Taunggok (N.v. Ngapali) - Sittwe

Ferry from Sittwe to Mrauk U: RG117.

Take a fast or slow boat down the tranquil Kaladan River to Mrauk U for tantalizing glimpses of deepest rural
Myanmar.
Es fahren inzwischen täglich Boote zwischen Sittwe und Mrak U, auch wenn die Schlepper am Flughafen in Sittwe gegenteiliges behaupten und versuchen , ein überteuertes Privatboot anzudrehen. Sog. "Speedboote" (nicht besonders schnell, dafür kann man kaum rausgucken) in 3,5h für 20$ und die staatlichen Boote (Mi, Fr. in 5-6h für 6$). Mit den Speedbooten von Mrak U zurück erreicht man auch problemlos die täglichen Flüge von Sittwe, die alle erst am Nachmittag gehen.
Schnellboote Shwe Pyi Tan, Tel.: 043-22719, 09-4959 2709 So und Mi um 7.30 Uhr (check in 6:30 Uhr) in etwa 2,5 Std. für US$20. Von Mrauk U zurück am Mo und Do um 7.30 Uhr (check in 6 Uhr). IWT-Fähre regulär Di und Fr um 7 Uhr in etwa 5–8 Std. für US$6 nach Mrauk U. Private Boote ab US$150 bis etwa US$200 für hin und zurück.
WICHTIG: man sollte versuchen sich ein Taxi /Transport ab Hafen Mrauk U im Vorfeld zu organisieren. Ggf. über das GH. Ein Taxi kostet etwa 4000 Kyat. Am Hafen selbst nehmen die Mopedfahrer gerne schon mal 10 000 Kyat :-). Empfohlen wurde uns: Mr. Nyi Nyi Soe, (T) 092-5387 1546. Sein Taxi für 4 Pers. kostet 3000 bis 4000 Kyat.

Mrauk U: RG119. PC.

Direktbus von und nach Mandalay.
Auf den grünen Hügeln spektakuläre Königspalast-Ruinenstadt weitab vom Touri-Strom.
The historic capital of the kingdom of Arakan, with monumental fortified temples (such as the magnificent Shittaung Paya, pictured) and hundreds of stupas scattered across a beautiful landscape of wooded hills and twisting rivers and lakes.
Das Mrauk U Hotel ist nun nicht mehr staatlich, sondern in Privatbesitz. Das Ehepaar, das das Hotel managt, ist SEHR, SEHR hilfsbereit und freundlich und tut alles Mögliche, um das Hotel für Gäste noch attraktiver zu machen. (z.B. kämpfen Sie für WLAN, was es in Mrauk-U bisher nicht gibt)
Mrauk U Vesali Resort: gemütliche kleine Anlage mit tropischem Flair, sehr rühriges Personal, gute Küche mit super Frühstück, leider kein Strom von 24.00-05.00 Uhr und daher weder AC noch Fan über Nacht Leihfahrräder kosten 2 $ pro Tag und werden bei Bedarf zum Resort gebracht
Shittaung Paya: RG122. A magical grotto of medieval Burmese art, packed with spectacular sculptures and carvings.
Htukkanthein Paya, Mrauk U: RG123. Perhaps the most iconic of all Mrauk U temples, with its fortress-like exterior and richly decorated
subterranean corridors within.
The area south of the centre is relatively devoid of ancient monuments, although you can still see the modest remains of the old Laksaykan Gate, leading through to the gorgeous Laksaykan Lake.
CHIN VILLAGE TRIPS: With Chin State mostly off limits (see box, p.218), a day-trip from Mrauk U along the sylvan Lemro River to a series of nearby Chin villages is the easiest way to meet people from this large ethnic minority group, best known for the practice of tattooing the faces of their womenfolk.

Chin Staat

Unzugänglicher Staat im NW von Burma und S von Assam. Nur organisiert bereisbar.
Mt. Victoria NP: Zerklüftete Landschaft bis 3100m, Gipfel mit gigantischer Aussicht, leicht erreichbar, nur einige Stunden von der nächsten Straße.
Nat Ma Taung (aka Mount Victoria), most easily accessible from Bagan. Rising from dense forests, the upper reaches of the mountain form a so-called “sky island”, with alpine plant and bird species characteristic of the Himalaya, along with other local endemic flora and fauna. Trips cost a minimum of around $1000 for two people for a four-night visit.

Sagaing Division: Nordwest-Burma

Mawleik: TG+RG222. Abgelegen im NW, N.v. Chin Staat. Set on the west bank of the Chindwin River, roughly located midway between Monywa to the south and Homalin to the north, Mawleik is an enthralling little village that, while decidedly out of the way, offers simple and affordable accommodation, a decent choice of places to eat and a selection of low key but interesting attractions. If you're looking for a place to put your feet up for two or three days of downtime, Mawleik could be a good option. While theoretically connected to roads, the Chindwin River remains the main point of access for just about everyone, and with (water levels permitting) multiple boats daily passing in both directions - to Homalin in the north and to Kalewa and Monywa in the south - it isn't too difficult to get here or leave.

Kachin-Staat: Nordost-Burma, von Süd nach Nord

Indawgyi Lake: RG325. Take a train as far as Hopin on the Mandalay–Myitkyina line (16hr from Mandalay, 5hr from Myitkyina). From Hopin you’ll need to clamber on one of the phenomenally slow and uncomfortable pick-ups to Lonton, 40km away (3–5hr; K4000).
Despite being Myanmar’s largest lake, beautiful but remote Indawgyi Lake is well off Myanmar’s tourist trail. The few travellers who do the rough journey to get here do so to enjoy the peaceful natural environment, spending days hiking in the hills, kayaking across or cycling around the lake, and exploring remote Shan villages that have just a few hours’ electricity each evening.
The lake is part of the Indawgyi Lake Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1999 in an effort to protect the area’s bird and animal species, which include several endangered species as well as gibbons, gaur, banteng and wild elephant.
HPAKANT: An incredible ninety percent of the world’s jadeite is mined in and around Hpakant in Kachin, north of Indawgyi Lake. It is impossible for foreigners to get beyond Nyaung Bin at the northern tip of Indawgyi Lake without tough-to-score permits.
Myitkyina: RG320.

Capital of Kachin State, a fascinating place. It was largely destroyed in the three-month Battle for Myitkyina during World War II and few old buildings survive, but what it lacks in history it makes up for with variety. It’s a major centre for the six hill tribes that comprise the Kachin (RG353), as well as substantial communities from the Indian subcontinent – churches decorated with geometric Kachin patterns stand alongside mosques and Sikh gurdwara – with everyone speaking Burmese as the lingua franca.
While travel restrictions limit day-trips outside the town, one straightforward excursion is to head north along the Ayeyarwady to the site of the Myitsone Dam (RG322) and the confluence of the Mali Kha and N’Mai Kha rivers that is considered the source of the Ayeyarwady.
Loose-Update: Myitkyina zählt nicht gerade zu den Perlen des Landes. Wenn man es aufgrund der Bootsfahrt von Bhamo nach Myitkyina (oder umgekehrt) zwangsläufig erreicht, kann man es en passant anschauen. Sollte die Boots- oder Busfahrt jedoch aus Sicherheitsgründen nicht möglich sein und hat man nicht dringende Geschäfte dort zu erledigen (oder eine Weiterreise nach Putao vor etc.), kann man es sich sparen.
On Kachin National Day (January 10) each year Myitkyina hosts the Manau festival, originally a nat-propitiating ceremony and now an important expression of Kachin unity. The town stops for days of feasting and dancing, with the focus on Manau Park north of the town centre.

TT2015_12: Currently the only way to travel between Myitkyina and Bhamo is by plane. Road and river are still closed.
Boot nach Bhamo: Atemberaubende Fahrt mit lokalem oder Touri-Boot ab Mandalay bzw. Katha durch Schluchten und Bambuswälder. Besonders eindrucksvoll im Nord-Teil von Katha (s.u.) bis Bhamo (RG312): The main spectacle along the Ayeyarwady between Bhamo and Katha is the 13.5km second defile where the river narrows dramatically from 2km wide to just 200m across,and flows through a tight s-bend. Mandalay - Katha auch möglich mit Zug, aber: Since you aren’t allowed to get to Bhamo by road (??? siehe unten), the easiest way to do the whole available route is to fly into Bhamo then take the boat downriver; the cheapest is to take a train to Katha (via Naba), then travel upriver to Bhamo and back by boat.
In Myitikina hörte ich von Einigen,daß ihnen die Flussfahrt nach Bhamo offiziell untersagt wurde.Andere,die ohne viel Fragen auf das Boot gingen,hatten keine Probleme..
Bus Bhamo - Mandalay:Vor Ort haben wir erfahren, dass es zweimal täglich Busse von Bhamo nach Mandalay gibt. Abfahrt ist 12:30Uhr und 14:00Uhr, Tickets kann man (am besten am Vorabend) am kleinen Busbahnhof kaufen. Wer vorne sitzen will, sollte lieber zwei Tage im Vorraus buchen. Ich glaube, wir haben pro Person 15000 gezahlt. Die Fahrt ist streckenweise sehr schön und geht auch teilweise direkt am Ayeyarwady entlang (auch in der engen Schlucht!). Aber es war auch die abenteuerlichste Fahrt unserer Reise: die Busse sind hochgebockt und voll geländetauglich, was auch nötig ist, weil die Straße über eine Strecke von ca. 4 Stunden eine Katastrophe ist. Langsam wird trotzdem nicht gefahren. Und so gibt´s neben der üblichen Karaoke-Beschallung entsprechende Geräusche (die Spucktütchen werden fleißig benutzt, und der Vorhang an den Fenstern wird mitunter als Taschentuch eingesetzt). Also nichts für schwache Nerven, aber sicher der schnellste und günstigste Weg nach Mandalay. Wir sind um 14Uhr gefahren und waren ca. um 4Uhr am nächsten Morgen da.
Bhamo: RG309. Nettes Städtchen mit schöner Umgebung zum Wandern und Radfahren. It’s a pleasantly relaxed place, punctuated with aged rain trees, dark teak houses and busy markets.
Loose Update: Friendship Hotel: Einzelzimmer TV, Klima, Gemeinschaftsbad, 10 USD. Außer den im Reiseführer genannten Hotels mit Ausländerlizenz (Friendship und Grand Hotel) hat noch das Paradise Hotel eine Lizenz für Ausländer. Es macht inklusive der Zimmer einen guten Eindruck. Preise reichen von 15 (Single Standard) bis 40 USD (Luxury Double). Alle mit Klima, Bad TV und Frühstück. Könnte eine ernste Konkurrenz für das „Friendship“ werden.
Thein Pa Hill: RG310. 10km north of Bhamo • Daily dawn–dusk • Free • Cycle north towards Sampanago (see above) and turn left just before you reach Shwe. Kyina Pagoda, which will bring you to the bamboo bridge (Dec–June only; K300/person). When the bridge is out of service, a long-tail
boat (K300/person; K200/bike) ferries people across the river. Beyond the river go straight until you reach the second village, where there’s
a small turning that leads to the riverbank; Thein Pa is a few kilometres further north. It’s also possible to take a boat here from Bhamo (see p.312). A ninety-minute bike ride north of Bhamo, the path up Thein Pa Hill is lined with meditation halls, monastery buildings and small pagodas, and there are beautiful views from the hilltop over the Ayeyarwady’s midstream islands. While the hill makes a tranquil picnic spot, the real attraction is the trip out here from Bhamo, the path winding along sandy riverbanks and over a 400m-long bamboo bridge that’s swept away by the monsoon rains each year.
Putao: RG327. Regenwald-Idylle, in der Ferne schneeglänzende Himalaya-Berge, noch kaum Touris. Besteigung des Hkakabo aufwändig zur organisieren. Anreise nur mit Flugzeug, am besten via Reisebüro in Rangun. Touren nur mit Permit, s.a. putao_trekking_tips.htm:

30km N von Putao liegt das Dorf Sangaung, ca. 1.5h Fahrt. Ab dort keine Straßen mehr, Tagesmarsch zum Dorf Zeyardum. Von dort Pfad vorbei an einigen Camps, in denen übernachtet werden kann, bis hinauf zur Schneegrenze bei ca. 2500 m im Winter.
Von Putao in einer Woche zum unberührten Phangram Razi (4600m). Oben soll sich ein kristallklarer See befinden.
In einer Woche zum Phonyin Razi (4560m), der höchsten Erhebung im Ponkan-Massiv.

"Mt. Phon Kan Razi Trek" nur mit Führer, TOP-Aussichtsberg nach Dschungeltour, Gesamtdauer 16 Tage.

Hukaung-Tal Wild-SG, 6500 qkm, an der ehemaligen Ledo-Road, die von Ledo im indischen Arunachal Pradesh durch den Kachin Staat bis nach Mongyu an der chinesischen Grenze führte.

Kayin + Mon Staat: von Nord nach Süd

Grenzübergang Mae Sot - Myawaddy: RG149+150. TT2015_12:
The road between Myawaddy and Mawlamyine is now traffic both directions every day, before it alternated.
The narrow road from Myawaddy to Kawkareik snakes over the Dawna Mountains in a single lane, and traffic is strictly one-way – westbound one day, eastbound the next. You’ll need to check in advance in which direction traffic is flowing unless you plan to spend the day watching the frenetic border-town activity in Myawaddy.
The Myanmar border post (daily 6am–5.30pm) is on the west side of the Moei River. Foreigners can use a small immigration office, rather than queuing with the locals. From here, it’s a short walk over the Friendship Bridge to the Thai side of the border (6.30am–6.30pm Thai time) and a 50 baht pick-up ride to Mae Sot’s bus station, from where there are direct buses to Bangkok (6 daily; 8hr) and Tak (hourly; 1hr 30min). From Tak there are direct buses to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang and Mae Sai. Chiang Mai to Mae Sot takes 5-6 hours by bus and then it's just 3 hours or so to Hpa-an after having crossed the border, which takes no more than a few mins.
Kyaiktiyo / Golden Rock: RG140+141.

One of the holiest places in the country, Kyaiktiyo is a major draw for Buddhist pilgrims, with thousands visiting every day during the November to March pilgrimage season. The site also pulls substantial numbers of non-believers, attracted by the pagoda’s spectacular location, rising out of a huge gold-covered boulder – the Golden Rock – which is itself perched rakishly on a granite slab high up in the Eastern Yoma Mountains.
While the rock itself is impressive, getting up to it is a large part of the experience. The starting point is the town of Kinpun and the full 11km hike takes at least four hours. Most people shorten the walk by cramming into the back of an open truck; these leave Kinpun when full and take 45min to reach the Yathetaung terminal. The trucks cannot progress any further, and it takes around an hour to walk up to the top, a winding route that takes you past innumerable teahouses and souvenir stalls. It’s even possible to be carried up by sedan chair (from K4000 each way).
2015: Falls man oben auf dem Berg übernachtet und morgens zurück ins Tal fahren will: Am frühen Morgen herrschen chaotische Zustände an der LKW-Haltestelle. Die LKW werden bereits bei der Ankunft noch während der Fahrt von Passagieren "geentert". Es empfiehlt sich, für die Fahrt ins Tal einen Platz in einer Fahrerkabine zu buchen. Kostet 2000 Kyat mehr, ist aber stressfreier und weniger gefährlich. Oder man wartet etwas. Nach 10 Uhr entspannt sich die Situation. BTW: die LKW fahren mittlerweile ganz nach oben.
It’s worth pressing on past the rock for fifteen minutes to reach Kyi Kann Pa Sat, where you can join locals throwing coins up onto a ledge for good luck. They don’t see many foreigners on this side of the mountain.
It is worth taking time to explore beyond the crowded main plaza, where several quiet trails lead across the mountains. For a short, sharp walk follow the path down past Yoe Yoe Lay hotel to a T-junction. The left-hand path leads 2.5km downhill to Moe Baw Waterfall.
Update 07/2015: Die gesamte Anlage war leider etwas vermüllt, was einen faden Beigeschmack hinterlassen hat.

Thaton: RG142. A rewarding place to spend the day wandering through neat streets and poking around the lively market, part of the attraction being that very few foreigners stop here. Energetic types may wish to climb up the covered staircase to Mya Thapaint Pagoda, 1.5km due east of the market, for beautiful views over ranks of palm trees to the shimmering sea – now almost 16km to the west.
Boat trip along the Thanlyin River from Mawlamyine to Hpa-An: RG154. The 3-4h trip is one of southern Myanmar’s most attractive journeys. Most people choose to go from Mawlamyine to Hpa-An, leaving the best of the scenery to the end of the trip.
Hpa-an: RG143, TG.

The small town is a great place to stay while exploring the dramatic mountains and Buddha-filled caves nearby. Hpa-An is tucked away in the centre of some spectacular limestone ranges not far from the Thai border but is only a five-hour or so drive from Yangon and a mere hour on a decent road to Mawlamyine. Furthermore, with the opening of the Thai/Burmese border at nearby Myawaddy, the town has suddenly become less remote and we expect tourist traffic to increase in the near future.
Bikes are available to rent from Soe Brothers (K2000/day) and Than Lwin Oo (K1500/day).
Good sunset views with a limestone karst backdrop can be enjoyed at serene Kan Thar Yar Lake, a twenty-minute walk south down Thitsa Street; at sunset, the riverside Shweyinhmyaw Paya, a pagoda in the northwest of town, is particularly popular. Fabulous views of the Thanlwin River and its surrounding fields and limestone hills can also be enjoyed from the pagoda on Mount Hpar Pu (RG144), reached by taking the ferry across the river from near Shweyinhmyaw Paya; once across, a twenty-minute walk through a village and another thirty minutes uphill will lead you to the pagoda.
Mount Zwegabin: RG145. 10km south of Hpa-An, Tuk-tuk from Hpa-An K5000; motorbike taxi K2500. From certain angles, the limestone bulk of Mount Zwegabin erupts from the landscape like a giant molar tooth. While it may look impossibly steep from downtown Hpa-An, there are two beautiful paths to the summit of the 725m-high mountain, making it a rewarding half-day hike.
For many people, staying overnight at the mountaintop monastery to watch sunrise is the highlight of a trip to Hpa-An. At the time of writing it was possible to sleep on mats in a basic dormitory (donation expected), but Hpa-An’s immigration department periodically clamps down on the practice – check at the Soe Brothers Guesthouse before you drag your backpack up here.
Kyauk Kalat Pagoda: RG145. 10km south of Hpa-An, between Kaw Kyaik and Taw Bon villages. Daily during daylight hours; closed
noon–1pm, Free. Motorbike taxi from Hpa-An K2500, tuk-tuk K5000. Balanced on a bizarrely shaped limestone pinnacle with frangipani trees sprouting from cracks in the rock, Kyauk Kalat Pagoda, 7km south of Hpa-An, is the area’s most arresting sight.
Saddan Cave: RG146. Daily Nov–April only, Free; boat trip K1500/person, Motorbike taxi from Hpa-An K3500, tuk-tuk K5000–7000. In a hard-to-find spot 28km south of Hpa-An, at the southern end of the jagged limestone ridge, lies Saddan Cave, the most dramatic of the region’s caverns.
Übernachtung Loose Update: Das Galaxy Motel hat einfache ac- Zimmer mit Du/WC (Einzelzimmer 15$, Doppel 20$, ein Family-Zimmer 40$), eine tolle Dachterasse mit Blick auf die Stadt und das Umland. Das Personal ist extrem hilfsbereit und freundlich, man kann dort Touren zu den Sehenswürdigkeiten bzw. Mopeds mieten. Sehr zu empfehlen! Ecke Thisar und Thida Road
Tel. 058 - 21347, 09 5661863

Mawlamyine: RG150+TG.

Mawlamyine is situated some 300 kilometres southeast of Yangon on the southern side of the mighty Salween, overlooking the river's scenic estuary and Gulf of Martaban. Filled with crumbling colonial architecture and set against a backdrop of pagoda-topped hills, Mawlamyine makes a great base for exploring nearby sights.
"By the old Moulmein pagoda lookin' lazy at the sea…," wrote Rudyard Kipling on his 1889 visit and we reckon probably not a lot has changed since in this very sleepy, yet absolutely charming town. Moulmein, officially renamed Mawlamyine, was in former times the British capital of Lower Burma, and is now capital of Burma's Mon State and even officially weighs in these days as the country's fourth largest city (after Yangon, Mandalay and Nyapitaw), though it seems to be barely a city and certainly not large.
There's a great feel to this cosmopolitan little town. Watch the world go by from market tea shops, check out the sunsets from waterfront cafes, look lazy at the sea from ancient hill-top pagodas and meet what we reckon are some of the friendliest of the country's inhabitants; this can easily keep most visitors happy for a couple of days plus quite a few visit-worthy sites are located within easy striking range of town. We found enough good and varied cafes and eateries to keep you going for a few days too but nowhere's perfect - and Mawlamyine's downside is a rather pitiful accommodation choice.
Loose Update Restauranttipp: Klasse fanden wir es im Bone Gyi, Strand Road 1-B, ca. 7 Fußmin. südlich des OK Hotels. Eine Mischung aus Touristenrestaurant und Treff von in der Stadt lebenden Ausländern und der einheimischen Oberschicht. Umfangreiche Speisekarte, von der malaysischen Fried Noodles mit Prawns und Wachtelei waren wir absolut angetan. Etwas höherpreisig, dafür gibt es eine leckere Suppe gratis vorab.
Loose Update Übernachtung: Das She Myint Mo Tun ist recht neu und liegt sehr ruhig etwas außerhalb (mit dem Motoradtaxi 500 kyat ins Zentrum), neue und schöne, gepflegte ac-Zimmer (Du/WC) für 35-45 $. Swimming pool, europäisches und einheimisches Frühstück. Scheint noch ein Geheimtipp zu sein, wenig los. Rezeption teilweise etwas unbeholfen. tel. 95 57 27347
Mawlamine Asia Road, Nähe südl. Busbahnhof und Bahnhof

Tanintharyi (Tenasserim Distrikt)

Solange Birmas größte Brücke bei Mawlamaying noch nicht fertig ist: Eine der reizvollsten Regionen Südostasiens. Wenige und unbequeme Verkehrsmittel. Endlose Sandstrände, Hunderte von Inseln, Korallenriffe, Dschungelberge und mächtige Flußmündungen mit lebhaften Hafenstädten oder beschaulichen Fischersiedlungen.
HTEE KEE / PHU NAM RON BORDER CROSSING: RG162. Opened in August 2013, the crossing between Htee Kee in Myanmar and Phu Nam Ron in Thailand is one of the least used crossings, despite being the closest to Bangkok, largely due to Tanintharyi’s inaccessibility from the rest of Myanmar. Minibuses have a monopoly on the route between Dawei and Htee Kee (4hr; K30,000), which at the time of writing was still a dirt road and impassable during rainy season. Once you’re stamped out of Myanmar at Htee Kee, it’s 5km through no-man’s-land to the Thai border post at Phu Nam Ron, which you can cover either on foot or by hitchhiking. From Phu Nam Ron there are buses to Kanchanaburi(2hr; 70 baht), and then to Bangkok.
Dawei (Tavoy): RG159. Eine der am besten erhaltenen Städte Südostasiens. Spektakuläre, urwüchsige Küstenlandschaft, zum Baden weniger geeignet. Gigantische Hafenpläne.Shwe Moung Than Hotel, good value rooms U$14. This incl. good AC, ensuite, breakfast.
Myeik (Mergui): RG162. Einer der schönsten Küstenorte in Burma. Extreme Wachstums-Pläne. RG159: At the time of research it was possible to travel overland as far south as Myeik. Between Myeik and Kawthaung, foreigners were still required to travel by boat (RG161) or by plane.
Loose Update 2015: In der Tat ziemlich schmuddelig. Hätten wir uns eigentlich sparen können.
Kawthoung ganz im Süden bis Myeik: 24 h Bus auf Rüttelpiste oder Boot (RG161) / Flugzeug.
KAWTHAUNG - RANONG BORDER CROSSING: RG166. The Kawthaung–Ranong border crossing straddles the Kra Buri or Pakchan River. Boats
(100–150 baht one-way) cruise from one side to the other while the crossing is open (daily 6am–5.30pm, Myanmar time). There’s one short stop close to Kawthaung for Myanmar passport control, and another closer to Ranong for citizens of ASEAN member states, before you reach Thai passport control. Once outside the Thai border post, there are ATMs and it’s a 20 baht pick-up ride to Ranong bus station.

Sonnenuntergang in Bagan: Für den Sonnenuntergang gibt es ein einige spannende Plätze auf den höheren Etagen einiger Tempel. Die sind aber leider so voll mit Leuten, dass man das nicht in Ruhe genießen kann.

Wir haben uns für die Bupaya-Pagode entschieden, die an sich nicht besonders eindrucksvoll ist. Sie liegt aber direkt am Fluß und man kann die Sonne beim Untergehen auf dem Fluß beobachten.