375TRANSPORTBOAT^Spice Roads (%0066 2 712
5305; http://www.spiceroads.com))
Bangkok-based operation,
offering two 14-day itinerar-
ies (including eight days
of riding) from $2150 per
person. One follows part of
the old Burma Road from
Pyin Oo Lwin to Mandalay.
Boat
A huge fl eet of riverboats,
remnants of the old 1920s-
era Irrawaddy Flotilla
Company (IFC), still ply
Myanmar’s major rivers,
where the bulk of traveller-
oriented boat travel gets
done. Some boats are ram-
shackle (but certainly lively)
government ferries. Others
date all the way back to the
British era and others still
are old-style IFC liners con-
verted for luxury cruises.
The main drawback of this
mode of travel is speed – or
lack thereof. Boat trips for
many routes are loosely
scheduled in terms of days,
not hours.
There are 5000 miles of
navigable river in Myanmar,
with the most important
river being the Ayeyarwady
(Irrawaddy). Even in the dry
season, boats can travel from
the delta region (dodging
exposed sandbars) all the
way north to Bhamo, and
in the wet they can reach
Myitkyina.
Other important rivers
include the Twante Chaung
(Twante Chanel), which links
the Ayeyarwady to Yangon,and the Chindwin River,
which joins the Ayeyarwady a
little above Bagan. The Than-
lwin River in the east is only
navigable for about 125 miles
from its mouth at Mawlamy-
ine, though the fi ve-hour trip
to Hpa-an is one of the coun-
try’s most scenic waterway
journeys.
It takes great expertise
to navigate Myanmar’s wa-
terways. Rapidly changing
sandbanks and shallow water
during the dry season mean
the captains and pilots have
to keep in constant touch
with the changing pattern of
the river fl ows.
In addition to the rivers,
it’s possible to travel along
the Bay of Bengal between
Sittwe and Taunggok (north
of Ngapali Beach).BORDER CROSSINGSMyanmar’s land borders are closed to foreign tourists, except for three specifi c cases
detailed here, each of which is subject to special conditions. No bus or train service con-
nects Myanmar with another country, nor can you travel by car or motorcycle across the
border – you must walk across. Have your visa ready before you get to the border (see
p 369 ).
Overland links could change at some point in the future. Most of Myanmar’s neigh-
bours actively covet Myanmar ports and are planning on investing for infrastructure
projects to eventually criss-cross Myanmar by road. This may mean connections from
Danang, Vietnam (through Laos and Thailand) to Mawlamyine, and up through central
Myanmar, across the Indian border at Morei to New Delhi.To/From Mae Sai, Thailand
North of Chiang Rai it’s possible to cross to Tachileik (p 197 ). Travellers are issued a 14-
day entry permit, not a visa, at the border for B500. You can travel to Kengtung, but can-
not continue anywhere else (even if you have a regular tourist visa).
Travellers wanting to exit Myanmar here can do so with the 14-day permit, or if they
have a permit from Myanmar Travels & Tours (MTT) in Yangon.To/From Ranong, Thailand
This exit is generally closed for outgoing tourists, though it’s possible to cross into Myan-
mar from Thailand on a ‘visa run’. See p 105 for more.To/From Ruili, China
You can only enter or leave Myanmar from this border with China on a package in both di-
rections. Coming from Kunming you should book a multiday ‘visa-and-package trip’ – you
can’t go on your own – to cross the border at Mu-se and on to Lashio. It’s about Y1400
($200). Ruili is about 20 hours from Kunming by road, and Lashio is a fi ve-hour trip from
the border, but you can stay in Mu-se if necessary.
Heading in the other direction, MTT in Yangon and Mandalay quoted us deals from
Lashio to the border, including a permit, guide, car and driver for one/two/three passen-
gers, for $170/220/255. Once across the border, onward connections to Kunming and
Dali are straightforward. For more details see the boxed text, p 267.