239MYITKYINA & THE UPPER AYEYARWADYEATINGNORTHERN MYANMAREATINGNORTHERN MYANMARMYITKYINA» Journeys are fastest in autumn when water levels are high.
» In the winter tourist season there’s rarely a problem finding space aboard. Journey
times lengthen as the river levels fall. By February, sandbanks mean that the IWT ferry
will have to moor overnight, adding up to a day to southbound journey times.
» April is difficult with boats packed full of local travellers and ferries seriously overloaded.
» Bhamo to Myitkyina can prove difficult due to very low water from May to July.
» In summer, rain and high winds can make the passage very uncomfortable.
Where to Start/Finish?
North of Mandalay there are essentially only four realistic start/fi nish points for foreigners
on the Ayeyarwady adventure:
» Myitkyina Has the most reliable (if heavily booked) air connections plus several daily
trains from Mandalay. Decent accommodation is available. Myitkyina to Bhamo is the
least touristed river section and a forced stay in Sinbo is a great excuse to stay in a tiny
roadless local village, if you can cope with the very basic accommodation there.
» Bhamo No rail or bus link to Mandalay and the only air connection is an unpredictable
twice-weekly Myanma Airways flight (not recommended). However, accommodation is
good and you could fly to Myitkyina and connect to Bhamo by road. Bhamo to Katha
is the most popular single section of river trip due to the (brief) drama of the second
defile. Shwegu, part way, is an off-beat highlight.
» Katha Popular for its George Orwell connections but accommodation is basic. Three
daily trains connect to Mandalay albeit at antisocial times and from a railhead 18 miles
away. River scenery south of Katha is initially lovely but there’s no easy jump-off point till
Kyaukmyaung.
» Kyaukmyaung Jumping off at this very interesting pottery town can make sense if
you’re heading for Bagan, which you can reach across country via Shwebo, Monywa and
Pakokku. Continuing by boat to Mandalay you’ll pass Mingun but IWT ferries won’t stop
there.
How Long Will It Take?
The minimum time from Myitkyina to Mandalay by fast boat would be four days, or fi ve if
you arrived in Katha on the wrong day (services not daily). Adding a day in Katha is highly
advised anyway, as is one day in Bhamo and one in Shwegu. You could save one day by
doing the Myitkyina–Bhamo section by road. If the dates work out (three sailings a week),
the IWT ferry makes a more relaxing alternative to the fast boat on the Katha–Mandalay
section but takes a day longer southbound, maybe two days longer northbound.
What Will I Need?
» Plenty of time
» A blanket and mat for IWT overnight boats
» A cushion for fast boats
» Several passport and visa photocopies (not essential for the boats themselves but
needed for some excursions and time-savers at police checks in places you might stop
off at)
How Much Will It Cost?
Factors to consider:
» Budget accommodation for foreigners is limited in Myitkyina and Bhamo.
» Fast-boat tickets are pricier than many travellers anticipate: the Myitkyina to Manda-
lay fast-boat fares add up to K66,000.
» IWT ferries are cheaper but less frequent.
» Be sure to bring sufficient cash – like anywhere in Myanmar there is no way to get
cash transferred and while pristine US dollars can be exchanged in Myitkyina, Bhamo
and Katha, rates will be relatively poor.