lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

130

BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMAR

AROUND BAGAN

deal to see the sights, or show you to local

pagodas or where tattooing is done.

Tha Pye No Guest House GUESTHOUSE $$

(%21166, 23166; 68 Myoma Rd; r K12,000-20,000;

a) If you need things like 24-hour electric-

ity, satellite TV, minibar fridge or even a

night dress, then the newly built superior

rooms here are a reasonable choice. Instant

pot noodles, coff ee or green tea constitute

breakfast. Skip the cheaper cell-like rooms,

which share a bathroom with a cold shower.

8 Getting There & Away

Minibuses shuttle to and from Monywa (K1300,

three hours) leaving at 6am, 9am, 11am and 2pm

from the corner of Tinda and Aung Taw Mu Sts.

From the main bus station on Myoma Rd there

are three services daily to Mandalay (K3000,

seven hours).

Ferries to Nyaung U (K3400, two hours) leave

at 5am, 10am and 1.30pm.

Mony wa

mu®râ;

%071 / POP 180,000

Pronounced in two syllables (mon-ywa),

Monywa is an engaging if slightly scrappy

trade town that makes a sensible stopping

point if you’re looping between Mandalay

and Bagan via Pakokku. A series of interest-

ing attractions in the surrounding country-

side (p 132 ) can happily fi ll a couple of days,

and for the adventurous few who boat-hop

the Chindwin, Monywa is the logical start/

end point. The town itself is big, hot and fl at,

with relatively little to see beyond the mar-

kets and the pleasant Chindwin riverside

setting, though two large, central pagoda

complexes, Shwezigon Paya and Su Taung

Pye Zedi are well worth a wander.

 4 Sleeping

Breakfast is included in all three hotels

reviewed. If these three are full, you’ll be

stuck with the central but miserable Golden

Arrow Hotel (%21548; Bogyoke Rd; s/d from

$10/16) or the inconveniently located Great

Hotel down by the bus station.

Win Unity RESORT HOTEL $$

(%22438, 22013; [email protected]; Bo-

gyoke Rd; s $35-50, d $45-65, tr $60-80; ais)

Easily Monywa’s swankiest option, the Win

is a series of tile-roofed modern bungalow

rooms set on the lakeside, less than half a

mile north of the central area. They’re all

irreproachably neat and comfortable, but

think low-rise condo rather than colonial

gem. Lake-view rooms (s/d/tr $50/65/80)

command a premium. Beware that the nine

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Monywa e#0400m00.2miles

To Monywa Hotel‚ ‚

(550m); Win Unity

Resort (1100m);

Budalin (19mi)

‚

To Immigration

(4.5mi;

Kyaukka (12mi);

Shwebo (64mi)

‚

To Bus Station (1mi);

Thanboddhay Paya

(7mi); Giant Buddha

(12mi); A Myint

(15mi); Mandalay

(85mi)