191INLE LAKEEATINGEASTERN MYANMAREATINGEASTERN MYANMARAROUND INLE LAKElook for the narrow alley with the rainbow-
coloured umbrellas halfway down the block
south of the Hotel Empire.
Lyan You CHINESE, BURMESE $
(Bogyoke Aung San Rd; meals from K3000; hlunch
& dinner) Lyan You has Skol and Dagon beer
on tap and above-average Chinese food – we
recommend the special assorted noodles
and short ribs in soy sauce.
Shwe Min Thu Café TEAHOUSE $
(Gold Mine; Bogyoke Aung San Rd; snacks from
K400; hbreakfast & lunch) Near the post offi ce,
this humble teahouse has posters of London
on the walls and hot tea, coff ee and cakes to
warm your belly on cold mornings.
Saung Oo SHAN $
(Chin Thae St; noodles from K500; hbreakfast &
lunch) North of the centre on a lane off the
main drag, this popular noodle house serves
hearty bowls of Shan-style noodle soup.
Sein Restaurant BURMESE $
(Bogyoke Aung San Rd; meals from K2000; hlunch
& dinner) Locals crowd into this busy res-
taurant at the north end of town for tasty
Chinese food and Myanmar set-meals with
all the trimmings. The fried snakehead fi sh
goes down a treat.
8 Information
There is no tourist offi ce, but hotels can advise
on tours and transport. Also see http://www.lonely
planet.com/myanmar-burma for further infor-
mation on travelling in Myanmar.
Public Internet Access Centre (Bogyoke Aung
San Rd; per hr K500; h8.30am-9pm) Fast
access; near Bogyoke Park. There are several
other internet cafes along Bogyoke Aung San
Rd, most open from 10am to 10pm and charg-
ing K300 per hour.
Shan Pyi Thar (%24549; 8 Bogyoke Aung San
Rd; h9am-6pm) There’s no English-language
sign, but this ticket agency is located roughly
across from Hotel Empire. It’s the place to buy
airline tickets as well as change money.
8 Getting There & Away
Air
The airport at Heho, about 22 miles west of
Taunggyi, has regular fl ights to Yangon, Manda-
lay, Nyaung U (Bagan) and other cities – see p 174.
A taxi from Heho to Taunggyi costs K25,000; a
cheaper but less convenient option is to hike the
near mile to the Hwy and wait for a pick-up truck
or bus to Taunggyi (K2000, 1½ hours).
Air Mandalay (%21330; h8am-5pm Mon-Fri
& 9am-1pm Sat & Sun) has an offi ce on Bogyoke
Aung San Rd, as does Air Bagan (%24737;
h8am-5pm Mon-Fri & 9am-1pm Sat & Sun),
which is owned by Tay Za (see p 21 ). Bus
Buses leave Taunggyi from several stands
around town. The offi ces of companies run-
ning long-haul bus and van services to Yangon
(K10,000; 2pm; 16 hours) and Mandalay
(K6000; 5pm; 12 hours) are found along the
west side of Bogyoke Aung San Rd, just south of
Hotel Empire. The offi ce for buses to Nyaung U
(Bagan; K11,000; 4am; 10 hours) can be bought
around the corner, on Nagar Pwat Kyaung St.
Share taxis to Mandalay (K25,000 per person, 8
to 10 hours) can also be arranged here.
Buses to Kalaw (K2500; 1pm, 2pm & 3pm; 3
hours) and Pindaya (K2000; 1pm & 1.30pm; 4
hours) leave from the Maw Cherry bus stand
(Circular Rd West), about a mile north of the
town centre. Any of these buses can drop you in
Shwenyaung or Heho. To get to the Maw Cherry
bus stand, charter a taxi at the market in or front
of Hotel Empire for around K1500.
For buses from Yangon, see p 70.THE BORDEAUX OF BURMA?Myanmar probably isn’t the fi rst place
that comes to mind when you think
of fi ne wine, but all that may be set to
change with the increasingly robust
vintages coming out of two Shan state
wineries. Myanmar Vineyard (%in
Yangon 664 386; http://www.myanmar-vineyard.
com), located at Aythaya, 3 miles west
of Taunggyi, was founded 1999 by Ger-
man entrepreneur, Bert Morsbach. The
vineyard sits at an elevation of 4290ft
on well-watered, limestone-rich soils,
providing good growing conditions for
Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon
Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Moscato
grapes. Red Mountain Estate (% 209
366; http://www.redmountain-estate.com)
located in a valley just outside Nyaung-
shwe, grow similar varietals, as well as
Pinot Noir.
Both vineyards are open daily for
tours and tastings – see the websites
for details. You can reach Myanmar
Vineyard by taxi, or on any pick-up
travelling between Taunggyi and Shwe-
nyaung; Red Mountain is within cycling
distance of Nyaungshwe.