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MANDALAY & AROUND

MANDALAY

Air

A daunting 28-mile drive south of the centre,

Mandalay’s huge, gleaming airport is nominally

international, thanks to two daily fl ights to Kun-

ming, China. All other services are domestic.

The government-run Myanma Airways (MA;

Map p 206 ; %36221, 87458; 81st St, 25/26;

h9am-2pm) has a lacklustre reputation and

sells its own tickets directly, generally only pos-

sible one day ahead. Use an agency for Air Man-

dalay (AM), Asian Wings (AW), Bagan Air (BA)

or Air Kanbawza (AK) – the latter two airlines

owned by Tay Za (p 26 ) and Aung Ko Win (p 373 )

respectively.

 Boat

Unless otherwise stated, all boat services listed

start from or near Gawein Jetty (Strand Rd at

35th St), the exact point varying somewhat ac-

cording to river levels.

BAGAN

For a readers’ report of a boat ride to Bagan, see

p 120. There are several options:

GOVERNMENT SLOW BOAT (deck/cabin

$12/33) Departs at 5.30am Wednesday and

Sunday, taking 13 to 15 hours when water levels

are OK. Should you beach on a sandbank (quite

possible in February and March) it might take

a day longer. Buy tickets one day before sailing

at IWT (Map p 200 ; %36035; 35th St; hsales

10am-2pm). See p 21.

MALIKHA 2 ($36, nine hours) A private express

boat with view deck. It departs 7am on certain

days in season. Frequency varies widely from 24

trips a month in January to barely one per week

in March. Book ahead through hotels, agents or

Malikha Travels (%72279; http://www.malikha

-rivercruise.com; 26th St, 82/83)

SHWEI KENNERY ($33, nine hours) Similar to

Malikha 2, but runs to Bagan only a few times per

season. See p 221.

CRUISE BOATS River lovers can opt for one

of several sleep-aboard tours (see boxed text,

p 214 ). These tend to be very pricey and are sold

as part of a package. Read very carefully what’s

on off er. Some packages are as long as fi ve days,

four nights, but as the journey itself takes only a

few hours, such packages may simply be using

the boat as a hotel while doing over-priced land-

based tours. Is that really what you want?

KATHA & BHAMO

GOVERNMENT FERRY ITW ferries to Bhamo

(deck/cabin $9/54, three to fi ve days) depart at

6am on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Useful

stops en route include Kyaukmyaung ($4, 11 to

15 hours) and Katha (deck/cabin $7/42, at least

two full days). Carefully read the boxed text on

p 239 before jumping aboard. Tickets are sold

on departure. Double-check schedules with IWT

(Map p 202 ; %36035; 35th St). See also p 21.

FAST BOAT Departures are at 5am once every

two days to Katha (K45,000, around 14 hours),

where you’d have to change boats for Bhamo.

MANDALAY AIR ROUTES

Sample rates with peak-season schedules

DESTINATION PRICE $ FREQUENCY AIRLINES

Bhamo 45 Thu, Sun MA

Heho 42 several daily AM, AW, BA, AK

Homalin 55 Tue MA (permits required)

Kalay(myo) 85 Mon, Fri AW

Kengtung 95 Sat (via Tachilek)

Tu e

BA

MA

Khamti 70 Sun MA (permits required)

Kunming 281 2 daily China Eastern

Lashio 70 irregular AW

Myitkyina 95

70

Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun

Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat

BA

MA

Nyaung U (Bagan) 42 daily AM, AK, BA

Putao 105 Tue, Sun BA (permits required)

Tachileik 95

65

daily

Thu, Sat

BA

MA

Yangon 92 several daily AM, AW, BA