139YANGON–MANDALAY HIGHWAYSIGHTSBAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMARSIGHTSBAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMARNAY PYI TAWwith you, including a one- or two-night stop in a
village or jungle camp along the way (from $300
per person for two people, including accommo-
dation, meals and transport).
Road travel east across the Sittoung River,
towards Loikaw, is also restricted.
Bus
Most buses leaving Taungoo originated else-
where. Generally stops are at private bus com-
pany offi ces scattered along the old
Yangon–Mandalay Highway, just south of the
turn-off to the ‘centre’. It’s easiest to have your
local accommodation arrange a seat.
Yangon (K3500 to K4300; nine hours; depar-
tures 7am, 7pm) Buses with and without air-con.
Nay Pyi Taw (K1800; 3½ hours; departures
7am, 9am, noon, 2pm)
Meiktila (K4000; 6½ hours; departure
10.30am) Minibus, no air-con.
Mandalay (K6500; 10 hours; departure
6.30pm) Air-con bus.
Train
The Taungoo train station (%23308) has a mili-
tary presence, following some Karen ‘attacks’ on
trains passing in the night.
Nay Pyi Taw
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%067 / POP C925,000
In 2005, following the tradition of Burma’s
ancient kings, the military relocated Myan-
mar’s capital to a more strategically central
location, about 240 miles north of Yangon. At
untold expense (some reports have it at over
$4 billion), Nay Pyi Taw was built on scrub
ground amid rice paddies, villages and small
towns such as Pyinmana on the old Yangon–
Mandalay Highway. Most government minis-
tries and their staff have been relocated here,
but with a couple of exceptions the diplomatic
community have dug in their heels in Yangon.
Absurdly grandiose in scale, Nay Pyi Taw
(one translation is ‘Royal City of the Sun’)
is a sprawling, shoddily constructed city
with eight-lane highways, 24-hour electric-
ity, and zones for shopping, government
housing and hotels, ministry buildings and
generals’ homes. Apart from the roadblocks
that protect the roads leading to the gener-
als’ mansions, ministry buildings and the
parliament, it’s surprisingly open. Visits to
some of its sights, including a giant gilded
pagoda and a zoo and safari park, allow you
to mingle freely with locals while putting a
dollar or two into the private economy. 1 Sights
You don’t come to Nay Pyi Taw for the sights
so much as for its surreal atmosphere. Be-
sides, the city is very much a messy work in
progress.
If approaching from the new Yangon–
Mandalay Expressway, you’ll fi rst enter
Nay Pyi Taw along the ‘hotel zone’ of Yarza
Thingaha Rd. At the road’s northern end
near the Thabyaegone roundabout (one of
the city’s several gigantic, grassy road hubs)
is the newly built convention centre, Mani-
yadanar Kyauk Sein Khanma. This is the
location of the quarterly jade and precious
stones fair, Emporium – about the only time
Nay Pyi Taw fi lls up with visitors. Next door
is the Gems Museum and northeast of the
roundabout is the Water Fountain Garden.
Continue northeast from here to the Yar-
za Thingaha roundabout and hang a right
to fi nd the Uppatasanti Paya, Nay Pyi Taw’s
main sight. If you’re approaching the city
from the old Yangon–Mandalay Highway
via the long-established town of Pyinmana,
you’ll hit the golden pagoda fi rst.
Be careful where you point your camera in
Nay Pyi Taw: photography of offi cial build-
ings or military offi cials is prohibited. The
giant statues of three kings (Alaungpaya,
Anawrahta and Bayinnaung), seen in some
publicised photos of Nay Pyi Taw, are in a
military zone in the hills to the east, and are
not accessible to the public.TRAINS FROM TAUNGOODESTINATION FARE ORDINARY/UPPER ($) DURATION (HR) DEPARTURE
Mandalay 7/17 9 11.18am, 12.15pm, 12.45pm
Nay Pyi Taw 2/6 3 2.15pm, 5.24pm
Thazi 4/11 5 11.18am, 12.15pm, 12.45pm
Yangon 5/13 7 8.40am, 11.40am, 1.10pm, 2.15pm