222MANDALAY & AROUND
MANDALAY
KALAW & TAUNGGYI (FOR INLE LAKE)
BUS Almost all buses to Taunggyi (K10,000
to K12,000, around 11 hours) run overnight via
Kalaw and the Inle Lake junction. Operators
include the following:» (^) Shwe Taung Yo (Map p 206 ; %09 5311918; 32nd
St, 82/83) At 6pm (K12,000 with 4pm transfer).
» (^) Taung Paw Thar (Map p 206 ; %09 91028717;
32nd St, 81/82) At 6.30pm (K12,000 with 4pm
transfer).
» (^) Shwe Mann Thu (Map p 206 ; %22365; 32nd St,
82/83) At 7.30pm (K10,000, no well-timed transfer).
» (^) Chandar Aung (Map p 206 ; 24th St, 81/82)
Operates the only day-time bus (no air-
conditioning), but currently refuses to carry
foreigners.
SHARED TAXI The only public-transport option
for foreigners that isn’t overnight is a shared
taxi from Aung Yedana (%24850; 25th St,
81/82) leaving for Taunggyi (front/back seat
K27,000/25,000) around 8am. Price includes
pick-up from any central Mandalay hotel. Add
K8000 to be dropped off in Nyaungshwe.
KYAUKME
Yedena (Map p 206 ; %36196; 81st St, 31/32)
Has a 1pm bus to Kyaukme (K4000) from the
Pyi Gyi Myat Shin bus station.
MONYWA
Hourly buses depart between 7am and 4pm
(K1700, 3¼ to four hours) from the relatively
central Thiri Mandalar bus station (Map p 202 ;
89th St, 21/22), operated by several compa-
nies including Mahanwe, AGB and Yadanabon
(%61500). In the past some drivers have proved
reluctant to allow foreigners on the bus.
PYIN OO LWIN
SHARED TAXI Regular departures (back/front
seat K5000/6000, two hours) from the corner
of 27th and 83rd Sts (Map p 206 ). Alternatively
have your hotel book for you with Shwe Mann
May (%38685) or other operators.
PICK-UP TRUCKS Depart when full. They oper-
ate (front/back K3000/2000) till mid-afternoon
from the corner of 28th and 83rd Sts (Map p 206 ).
SHWEBO
Buses depart roughly hourly (K1700, three
to four hours) until mid-afternoon from Thiri
Mandalar bus station. Companies include Aung
Nang Man (%72193).
TAUNGOO
Shwe Mann Thu departs at 9pm (K9000, eight
hours) from the main bus station. No ‘ferry’.
YANGON
Countless companies operate air-conditioned
buses (K10,400 to K12,000, around 10 hours).
Most run overnight, leaving Mandalay between
5pm and 8.30pm, but there are also daytime
buses. Options include the following:
Shwe Mann Thu (Map p 206 ; %22365; 32nd
St, 82/83) Departures at 6am, 7am, 8am, 9am,
7pm, 8.30pm and 9.30pm.
Shwe Mandalar Express (Map p 206 ; %73211;
32nd St, 81/82) Departures at 8am, 5pm, 6pm,
7pm and 8pm, with bus-station transfer at 3pm.
Mann Shwe Pyi (Map p 206 ; %09 6502246;
32nd St, 82/83) Departures at 8.30am, 8pm
and 8.30pm, with free bus-station transfer at
5pm. Comfy air-conditioned buses with recliner
seats and free drinking water.
Train
The train station (Map p 206 ; 30th St, 78/79)
is relatively central, saving a long commute to
an outlying bus station. Just inside the main
ground-fl oor entrance, an MTT sub-offi ce
(h9.30am-6pm) can sell tickets at 10% com-
mission if the queues upstairs look too daunting.
8 Getting Around
To/From the Airport
Neither city buses nor pick-up trucks go to
the airport. Seven Diamond Express (p 206 ;
%22365; 32nd St, 82/83) charges only
K10,000/4000 per car/person in private/
shared taxis, but booking a day ahead is advised.
Cheaper hotels will order you an airport taxi for
K12,000. Taxis on the street might charge more,
as they’ll fi nd it hard to get a return ride. From
the airport, you’ll pay K10,000 to town if you use
one of the counters on the arrivals fl oor. Free-
lance taxis are liable to charge more.
Bicycle
On foot, Mandalay’s vast size can rapidly be-
come overwhelming. Buses are confusing and
motorcycle/taxi fares can mount up. Renting a
bicycle is a good solution for random explora-
tion. You can rent one for around K1500 per day
from ET Hotel, a shop opposite the Royal Guest
House and from Mr Jerry.
Motorcycle & Taxi
Mr Jerry (Map p 206 ; 83rd St, 25/26; h8am-
6.30pm) rents drive-your-own motorcycles at
K10,000 per day. Motorcycle taxis are reason-
ably easy to fi nd near hotels and on downtown
street corners. Clunky old Toyota Corolla taxis
can be found outside bus stations, but Manda-
lay’s distinctive ‘blue taxis’ cost about half as
much. These are teeny Mazda pick-up trucks with
room for four or so in the covered cab. Reckon on
around K2000 to the Gawein Jetty from down-
town. Charter all day for about K15,000/20,000
in town/to the ancient cities (Amarapura, Inwa
and Sagaing). Guesthouses can help you fi nd a
reliable taxi or motorcycle driver.