107KAYIN STATEEATING & DRINKINGSOUTHEASTERN MYANMAREATING & DRINKINGSOUTHEASTERN MYANMARHPA-AN
lows chock full of amenities (air-con, TV,
fridge, hot water). They’re comfortable and
new, with more rooms being added at re-
search time, but the hotel’s location, about
2 miles east of the clock tower, isn’t exactly
convenient.
Tiger Hotel HOTEL $$
(%21392; cnr Myint Lay St & Thida St; r $25; a)
Located near the jetty to Mawlamyine, this
is a modern four-storey hotel with clean but
rather musty rooms that aren’t particularly
good value.
Golden Sky Guest House BUDGET HOTEL $
(%21510; 2 Thida St; s/d $15/20; a) Also located
mere steps from the jetty, the rooms here are
large and clean, but the multicolour mish-
mash of tiles, furniture and furnishings is
not particularly attractive. Staff can hardly
be described as friendly.
5 Eating & Drinking
As with hotels, the selection of restaurants
is limited.
oSan Ma Tau Myanmar
Restaurant BURMESE $
(1/290 Bogyoke St; meals from K2000; hlunch
& dinner) This local institution is one of our
favourite restaurants anywhere in the coun-
try. The friendly and popular place serves
an almost overwhelming variety of excellent
curries, soups and stir-fries, all served with
fresh vegies and herbs and several types of
spicy balachaung (chilli-based dips). The
restaurant also doubles as an internet cafe.White TEAHOUSE $
(cnr Thitsar St & Bogyoke St; snacks from K200;
hbreakfast & lunch) This teahouse, located
near the clock tower, serves decent tea and
freshly baked naan – great for breakfast.New Day CAFE $
(3/624 Bogyoke St; drinks from K600; hbreakfast
& lunch) This modern cafe features real cof-
fee, tasty fruit shakes and a variety of baked
goods.Khit-Thit Restaurant CHINESE, BURMESE $
(New Age Restaurant; Zaydan St; mains from K800;
hlunch & dinner) A typical mixed Burmese
and Chinese menu in a quiet backstreet
restaurant.Lucky 1 CHINESE, BURMESE $
(Zaydan St; mains from K800; hlunch & dinner)
This grubby place is the closest thing Hpa-
an has to a bar and, in addition to draught
beer, also serves decent Chinese-style dishes.8 Information
The post offi ce is on a side road off Bogyoke St
on the way to the bus station.
Frustratingly slow internet connections are
available at San Ma Tau Myanmar Restaurant
(World Gate; 1/290 Bogyoke St), at the bus
ticket stalls (clock tower) and Scare Crow
Internet (Ohn Taw St); all are open from 9am to
9pm and charge K500 per hour.8 Getting There & Away
Boat
Twice a week, double-decker ferries travel the
scenic route between Hpa-an and Mawlamy-
ine. The jetty is located near Shweyinhmyaw
Pagoda. Because new bridges and roads have
made commuting by bus much faster and more
convenient, only a handful of people take the
ferry nowadays and we reckon this particular
route is on its last legs.
Boats leave Hpa-an at a very user-unfriendly
5.30am on Mondays and Fridays ($2, four
hours). The predawn departure means that you
will actually miss the best of the scenery so,
though the journey from Mawlamyine is longer,
it’s better to use Mawlamyine as your starting
point for this boat trip.Hpa-an
æSights
1 Morning Market ...................................C2
2 Shweyinhmyaw Pagoda...................... B1ÿSleeping
3 Golden Sky Guest House .................... B1
4 Parami Motel........................................C2
5 Soe Brothers Guesthouse ..................C2
6 Tiger Hotel............................................ B1úEating
7 Khit-Thit Restaurant............................C2
8 New Day ...............................................B3
9 San Ma Tau Myanmar
Restaurant ........................................D3
10 White ....................................................C3ûDrinking
11 Lucky 1..................................................C2ïTransport
12 Bus Ticket Stalls ..................................C3
13 Buses to Mawlamyine .........................C2
14 Pick-ups To Eindu................................C2
15 Pick-ups to Mt Zwegabin ...................C3