101MON STATE8SOUTHEASTERN MYANMAR8SOUTHEASTERN MYANMARAROUND MAWLAMYINEfl ights are anything but consistent. Tickets can
be purchased at the Myanma Airways offi ce
(%21500, 09-871 8220; h9am-3pm), located
in a colonial-era building (no English-language
sign) behind the park on Baho Rd.
Boat
Double-decker ferries leave from the Kyaik
Hpa Nai Jetty in Mawlamyine at 12.30pm on
Mondays and Fridays for the trip up the Thanlwin
River to Hpa-an ($2, at least fi ve hours).
For boats from Hpa-an, see p 107.
Bus
For information about reaching Mawlamyine
by bus from Yangon, see p 70. It’s worth not-
ing that if you are coming from Yangon on an
evening or night bus you will have the pleasure
of getting to the edge of the bridge linking
Mawlamyine with the north only to fi nd that you
have to wait until dawn before being allowed
to cross! If you happen to be reading this bit
while you’re on the night bus, well, don’t get
disheartened – it’s only another fi ve hours until
daybreak...
Train
For trains from Yangon, see p 71.
Foreigners travelling south by train are allowed
only as far as Ye, due to insurgency in the area.
Trains from Mawlamyine:
YAN GO N Ordinary $5 to $7, upper $14 to $16;
nine hours; departures 6am, 8.15am, 11.25am.
BAGO Ordinary $5 to $8, upper $7 to $10; six
hours; 6am, 8.15am, 11.25am.
KYAIKTO Ordinary $3 to $5, upper $6 to $7;
four to five hours; 6am, 8.15am, 11.25am
8 Getting Around
MOTORCYCLE TAXI AND TRISHAW The
main form of public transport around the city,
most found on South Bogyoke Rd (Lower Main
Rd) in front of Zeigyi (short trips, K500; longer
journeys, K800). Motorcycle taxi from train/bus
station to town costs K1000.
CHEVY TRUCK Old WWII-era American style
and used as a minibus. for the town and its
environs. From the train/bus station into town
(K150).Around Mawlamyine
If you’re fi nding Mawlamyine a bit too
sleepy, you’ll be delighted to fi nd that the
town functions a great base for a variety of
day trips.
Many people save themselves time and
hassle by hiring a car (K45,000 per day) and
guide ($12) for two or three days in order to
explore fully. The best place to organise this
is through the Breeze Rest House, where Mr
Antony and Mr Khaing are both highly in-
formed and entertaining guides.BILU KYUN
.IlU"kâJn'"
Bilu Kyun (Ogre Island) isn’t quite as scary as
it sounds. Rather than a hideaway for nasty
monsters, it’s a fascinating self-contained
Mon island directly east of Mawlamyine. It
comprises 64 villages linked by rutted dirt
tracks that promise adventure.
Some of the villages on this large island are
involved in the production of coconut fi bre-
mats and even coconut-inspired and created
cutlery and teapots. You can spend an inter-
esting day exploring by taking the daily ferry
($1) at 9.45am and 10.45am from the pier
at the northern end of Strand Rd. Once on
the island, all local transport is by horse and
cart, though the more distant villages can be
linked by one of the few rattling buses.
To get back to Mawlamyine you must
be at Nut-Maw village by 3pm in order to
catch the fi nal ferry back to town. Foreign-
ers are not allowed to stay overnight on the
island (that’s when the ogres come out to
get you) and, in order to keep things run-
ning smoothly, it’s a good idea to go with Mr
Antony or Mr Khaing at Breeze Rest House.
They charge $12 for the tour, which typically
runs from 9am to 5pm.BUSES FROM MAWLAMYINEDESTINATION FARE (K) DURATION (HR) DEPARTURE TYPE
Yangon 5100 8 8am, 9am, 7pm, 7.30pm air-con buses
Bago 5100 6 8am, 9am, 7pm, 7.30pm air-con buses
Kyaikto 5100 4 8am, 9am, 7pm, 7.30pm air-con buses
Hpa-an 1050 2 6am-4pm non-air-con-buses