We would certainly forgive you if the thought of leaving the sun-soaked array of Bagan’s ancient temples was the last thing on your mind, but the time will come none-the-less.
Bagan has so much to offer – but all good things must come to an end
Getting from Bagan to Mawlamyine via coach is a two stage journey: first via the nation’s former capital and transport hub, Yangon, then catch a second coach from there to Mawlamyine itself.
There are a few ways to get out of Bagan from Nyaung-U, the suburb dedicated to travel in and out of the region just out of town. Air, rail and coach are the three most popular, and as air travel is a little more expensive (and you don’t get to see as much of the country!), and as we’d had our fair share of trains recently, we opted for the bus south to Mawlamyine.
Ananda Temple in Bagan was one of our favourites
This marked the beginning of our long journey down the Andaman coast by land and sea, all the way from North Myanmar to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. More on this coming soon!
Bagan (Shwe Pyi Highway Bus Station) to Yangon (Aung Mingalar Highway Bus Station)
Mandalar Minn Express VIP, air conditioned sleeper coach departs 8pm, arrives into Yangon approximately 6am
Depart 8PM, check in 7.30PM – or whenever your pickup arrives
Duration – Approx 10 hours
First stop, Buy Your Tickets at Shwe Pyi bus Terminal
We found its always best to grab your tickets at the source, rather than through your hotel or an agency – cut out the middle-man and save yourselves the commission (weigh it up though, shop around – smaller guesthouses can be very fair indeed with helping you book). Jump on your electric scooter and head to Bagan’s out of town Shwe Pyi bus station in Nyaung-U. Find the ticket office there for Mandalar Minn Express and get it booked.
Connection from your hotel
When booking your ticket you should be asked where you are staying – these VIP bus companies include a pickup from your hotel.
We went for the 8pm VIP coach. The big red Mandalar Minn Express VIP coaches are quite modern and relatively comfortable. Put your seat back and try to relax, it’s a long, 10 hour journey ahead.
Arriving at Yangon’sAung Mingalar Highway Bus Station
Now this is where it gets really interesting. As the sun gently rises and the soft, almost bluish light starts to flood into the streets of Yangon, you will arrive at the very-much-out-of-town Aung Mingalar bus station.
Prepare yourselves for a little bleary-eyed chaos as you offload and try to find the Mandalar Minn Express ticket office to purchase the next leg of your journey.
Aung Mingalar resembles a small village/complex more than a bus station. Hundreds of coaches coming and going, handfuls of lovely little cafes and restaurants that are open all hours of the day and night. Of course, there are taxi drivers who will be offering you a lift into the centre of town, but that’s not where you are going. We even had a driver offer us a lift to the ticket office (its a 5 minute walk).
Our coach didn’t drop us off at the Mandalar Minn Express ticket office – that was a 5 minute walk to the east. Having a charged phone with Google Maps is invaluable here, and it’s how we found our way there.
Yangon (Aung Mingalar Highway Bus Station) to Mawlamyine
Price – 6500 MMK per person (2017)
Depart 8.30AM, check in 8.00AM
Duration – Approx 7 hours
Squeeze your way into the ticket office and grab a pair of tickets – they should look a little like the image below. Their little office is crammed full of people and luggage, so it’s not the most ideal place to wait.
Your ticket might look something a little like this…
If you catch a similar bus to us, then you will have a couple of hours to kill. Time to fill up on coffee and breakfast. We grabbed a couple of (instant) coffees on a quiet cafe on the corner, before moving ourselves and our bags over to one of the cafe restaurants in the same square as the Mandalar Minn Express ticket office.
Mohinga for Breakfast
We headed over to the local restaurant, တိုကျို, and grabbed a couple bowls of Yangon’s famous breakfast noodle broth, Mohinga. It wasn’t the most visually pleasing example of the dish, but it was a delightfully zingy, fishy delicious dish nevertheless. Our mohinga came with soft youtiao, or Chinese donuts.
Doesn’t look appetising, but it was tasty
30 minutes before your departure time, find a spot to perch in or outside the Mandalar Minn Express ticket office – we watched various coaches come and go, and a delightfully totalitarian ticketmaster/conductor shouting orders through a megaphone and over his rather portly belly at drivers and porters alike.
Eagerly waiting to board our busA real character with a megaphone…
Time to Leave Yangon, Destination, Mawlamyine
The journey south from Yangon was a pleasant one – we definitely recommend the Mandalar Minn Express VIP bus, mainly thanks to its fully functioning AC. The bus journey from Yangon to Mawlamyine takes you North first via Bago, through Waw, past Kyaikto, the connecting town for getting to see the famous golden rock of Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, Thaton and more, before finally arriving in Mawlamyine.
Mawlamyine is known for its fantastic sunsets
Arriving in Mawlamyine
Finally you will arrive at the Mawlamyine Highway Bus Station, which is, of course, on the highway and out of town. From here you could negotiate a taxi into town or your guesthouse, or even walk into town if you are feeling fit.
The road up to the skyline…
For the latter, there’s a gorgeous walk if you head south to the next junction, then back on yourselves and up along the hill ridge that overlooks the town – there’s some incredible pagodas up here including the U Zina Pagoda, Buddha images, the Bamboo Buddha. Gorgeous sunsets and friendly monks. Just give yourself around 45 minutes to walk into town.
You don’t often see monks using phones…There’s also a Hindu temple on top – Sri Shamuganathar Swami Temple
Where to Stay in Mawlamyine
Or do as we did and choose a hotel close to the highway bus station. We stayed at the fantastic Pinlon Pann Hotel – just a few minutes walk from the station (and train station), and the owners are very friendly and will help you with all aspects of your stay and onward travel.
What to do in Mawlamyine
Mawlamyine marked the start of our journey into South Myanmar – and as much as we loved the north, including Inle Lake and Bagan, the South really offers so much more.
Romantic, rustic, dilapidated – yet still oozing with charm, there was a reason that Rudyard Kipling found inspiration in Mawlamyinefor his poem Mandalay.
You have to catch a boat over to Shampoo Island…Peaceful gardens at Shampoo Island…
From its incredible blazen orange sunsets, to Kipling’s favourite Kyeik Than Lan Pagoda, to its myriad restaurants, walks along the messy promenade and the Thanylin River – there’s so much to do here. Visit Shampoo Island, and you absolutely must make time to go to Hpa An from here.
On the terrace of Mawlamyine’s Kyeik Than Lan Pagoda…
Railways, Village Weddings, Late Night Parties, Delicious Food, Gorgeous Vistas
Quiet Villages, hidden pagodas and beautiful vistas awaited us on our hike, which was definitely one of my top experiences in Myanmar. It’s not the most unbeaten track, with multiple tours leaving Kalaw daily, but we opted for a small 3 day group trek and our experienced guide really made our journey feel special, often taking us a slightly different way to avoid larger groups.
Read on for our experience and a little guidance for trekking from Kalaw to Inle lake…
The Kalaw to Inle Trek is full of beautiful moments and vistasWe slog on through the rice paddies
Choosing a tour
After researching various tour companies we chose A1 Trekking. We walked along to their small office just off of Kone Thae street, Kalaw. We were shown the possible routes, pictures the views in wet season vs dry season (it’s crazy how different it looks).
Inle Hike Price
We opted for a two night three day hike. We paid $53USD (£42.50, 80,000MMK – 2017 prices) each, this included all our food and accommodation.
A1 Trekking’s Price Guide in 2017 – prices are quoted in $USD but you will pay in MMK (it’s always better to pay the local currency)
We were told the group size would be between 2-6 (the price is cheaper the more people there are). Our group ended up having four people. Alex and I and a French couple. The two night three day trek was a good amount of time. There was a lot of miles to cover and by day three we were relieved to reach our destination, having had a great adventure.
Our Kalaw Trek Backpacks – What We Took With Us
As we had to carry everything that we needed ourselves, the less we took the better!
Silk sleeping bag liner
Towel
Warm clothes – it can get down to near freezing temperatures
A change of clothes
Flip flops
Sun cream and sun hat
A small amount of toiletries
Valuables
I wore shorts and a t-shirt and a pair of Keen sandals – which were lightweight, great for crossing through water, though offered little support or protection. I also packed a few cereal bars and some water too, although there would be plenty of food provided and lots of opportunities to buy water.
A1 Trekking arranged for the rest of our luggage to meet us at our hotel in Nyaungshwe, so we thought that less is more.
All packed and ready to go
Day 1
Mile 0-16, Day temp. 31°c, Night temp 4°c
Our guide Elias met us at our hotel, along with our trekking companions at 8am.
When to Hike Kalaw to Inle – What Time of Year is the Dry Season?
Our trek began on the 27th November
We were incredibly lucky with the weather, Elias explained, as we had started our hike on the first day of the dry season, this meant not only would we experience stunningly blue skies and cloudless days but the landscape would still be verdant and lush before it dries to faded browns within weeks.
Getting to know our tour-mates
We shouldered our packs, and began our trek. 30 minutes outside Kalaw, the road opened out onto lush rolling hills scattered with tall fir trees.
There was something very European about Kalaw. Elias quickly explained that this was because the British brought a great number of fir and pine trees when creating Kalaw.
Then, we descended into our first rice paddy. After scrambling across small streams bridged by even smaller planks of wood our path began to weave in and out of forests. At one point Elias stopped to shave some bark off a menthol tree, (a major part of Tiger Balm) the bark smelt strongly and the tree’s fragrance lingered faintly on the air. Shortly after this some excited Burmese tourists from Yangon asked if they could take a picture with us – after which Elias explained that it is seen as lucky (or at least, a good bit of fun), to have your picture taken with a tourist.
Elias carving out the menthol bark…
Ye Aye Lake – Our First Stop
After a few hours we came to a collection of dams at Ye Aye Lake, where we stopped for our first break. Elias handed out tiny sweet Chinese clementines and locally made peanut brittle. After which Elias advised us we might want walking sticks for the next part of the day. This was not understatement; minutes after leaving the dam we were faced with a slippery scramble up a steep slope, the sticky clay-like mud making it a challenging ascent.
Passing more lakes and winding over and under fallen trees, the terrain began to change into lush jungle.
Up and up we climbed, until we were rewarded with one of many awesome views – a rugged hill-line laced with fruit bushes, and in the distance a hill top meditation temple.
Day 1 Lunch Stop – Ko Mont Tee View Point Restaurant
On top of one of these beautiful hills was our lunch stop at the Ko Mont Tee View Point. I really didn’t need to pack any cereal bars, we were incredibly well fed throughout our trip. Freshly made chapatis and pumpkin soup complemented Elias’ freshly made guacamole, which he proudly proclaimed, was only made by a few guides, so we were lucky. Even though he was worried he had oversalted it, it was delicious. After more fruit and as much guacamole as we could manage, it was time to re-trace our steps back to the path to continue the trek.
After a few hours we passed a local village and stopped to visit a school and meet some local children.
In the golden afternoon sunlight the path opened out onto a grassy verge. We stopped to do a bit of bird watching.
As evening drew in, we were surprised that our route took us onto a train track, Elias assured us it was quite safe, no more trains would be running today, we began to walk along it.
15 minutes later we met some local boys playing by the side of the track, and we stopped to talk to them. We also had an extra trekking companion at this point, a dog had been walking with us since the last village, Elias thought he was probably walking to the train station, where his owner’s family lived.
Local dogs are very wary of children (who tend to terrorise them) so he was sticking with us for company/protection. Sure enough, he made himself scarce when we met the boys but once we had said goodbye to them we saw him waiting for us a little way up the train track, a little more than a stones throw away (intentionally).
We all fell into step, one behind the other and continued hopping along the railway lines. Suddenly the dog’s ears pricked up and he ran into the bushes on the side of the line, we then heard the sound of a train slowly making its way towards us. Not phased, Elias lead us to the side of the track, where there was a space big enough for us all to stand as an engine towing a single carriage passed at a leisurely speed, it wasn’t a scheduled train – most likely delivering luxuries or even money according to Elias
I felt slightly less relaxed walking along the train track now. At least the trains move very slowly around here. Our doggy friend came back once more and we fell into line again.
As we continued along the track I noticed how, had we not stopped to talk to those boys, we would have made it to this point – if the train had passed us here, there wouldn’t have been any gaps either side of the track for us to avoid it. Ten minutes later, we finally arrived at Myin Daik Station, and I was very relieved to step off of the railway sleepers and onto the platform.
From Myin Daik Station it was still an hour’s walk to our first homestay. Feeling weary, we put one foot in front of the other in the going darkness. Just as it became hard to see in the failing light, we arrived at our wonderfully rustic home for the night, complete with outside squat toilets, a large outside basin to ‘shower’ from and a delicious dinner.
The delicious, delicious food created by ‘chef’, who motorbiked around the countryside to our destinations to provide us with these delicious feasts
Our beds were set out on a wooden platform, in a large room that housed the family shrine. Part of Buddhist etiquette is to never have the soles of your feet facing a shrine, so our pillows were set up so we would have our feet facing out towards the door.
All very weary from the day’s exertions we called it a night, agreeing to get an early start and be on the road again before 7am the next day.
Day 2
Mile 16- 30, Day temp. 29°c, Night temp 3°c
The nights get COLD! The early mornings get even colder, as 6am approached the thought of leaving the comfort of our beds seemed daunting.
Luckily we all shared this view and slowly but surely, after a delicious local breakfast of rice and egg (steaming in the cold morning air), we were all ready to leave by 8am. We said our goodbyes as we thanked our host family and set off. Leaving later meant that the route would be busy, so Elias set a quick pace up the hill and out of the village.
The early morning sun drives the cold awayWe begin the hike earlyKeep an eye out for the orb weave spiders
Just as we were beginning to feel we had left the main roads well behind we came to one! We stopped at a small shop for some refreshments. A delivery of snacks arrived and we marvelled at how much you can fit on a motorbike!
Full laden…
We left before too may more groups arrived, Elias ever keen to beat the crowds.
It wasn’t long before it felt like we were miles away from main roads again and back amongst beautiful farmland.
Thanks to its more temperate climate and rainfall, the Shan state is Myanmar’s agriculture capital
We passed lots of men and women harvesting the rice, fruit and chillies. We came across Alex’s dream, on the left a whole field full of chilli plants and on the right a field of crimson chillies, left in the sun to dry.
We hadn’t covered that many miles when my left heel had began to hurt. I’d strained my Achilles tendon once before on a long hike and was worried it was happening again. Keen to take the strain off it, I switched to my flip flops. I managed OK despite the the path being pretty uneven, muddy and steep at times; but this was more favourable than aggravating my ankle.
We soon came to our second rest point of the day (I could get used to this!), where we were offered tea and snacks got a chance to see some traditional weaving.
The bag the lady was weaving would take her 3-4 days depending on the size and complexity and she sells each bag for around £2 each.
A Traditional Shan-Burmese Village Wedding
Before we had a chance to leave this village we came across a wedding. Elias spoke to some locals who explained that anyone from the neighbouring villages were free to come and go as they please as the two day celebration unfolded. We were then invited to rest and enjoy some tea salad with the wedding guests. Today was to be a day of many breaks and snacks! We sat ourselves in the shade of tents erected especially for the occasion and got talking to some of the serving women, dressed in beautiful traditional formal clothes. The colour of their head scarf represented their tribe.
Me with some wedding guests – their headpieces were absolutely gorgeousThey invited us into their shelterWe drank tea, ate their sweet sunflower seeds and even pickled tea leaves
It was very humbling to encounter such generosity in a place where everyone lives a very simple, humble lifestyle.
Reluctant to leave but aware there were still a lot of miles to cover today, the pace quickened once more.
Our path took us over a rickety bamboo bridge and through fields filled with the thrum of honey bees and the flutter of tiny white butterflies which feasted on the nectar of mustard flowers.
Through fields of corn and yet more chillis we finally spotted a village in the distance. It was extremely hot by lunchtime and we were pleased to get off the path and have another glorious rest. After our food it was time for a short siesta. After a brief encounter with some tiny puppies…
…we were finally on the road again. Climbing a particularity steep hill, we came across a coppice of trees that opened onto a small collection of beautiful, crumbing old pagodas, which Elias fondly termed a ‘Mini Bagan’.
I loved this place (and actually preferred it to Old Bagan, when we did visit that later). As we left, we passed some of the oldest and most stunning banyan trees that I’ve ever seen.
The countryside slowly grew more rugged, the suns golden reflection lit the limestone rock of the mountains ahead of us.
It turned out that the village we were heading to was found through a valley in these mountains, up a steep path. As we began the trip up, we met a bit of local traffic, as many tour groups converged with farmers driving oxen carts back from the fields.
As we trod the dusty red path – lined thickly with bamboo either side – towards the village, the descending darkness began to blanket us once more. We noticed how much colder it had become already. When we reached our home-stay, hasty ‘showers’ were on the cards before it grew much colder.
Pat Tu Pauk Village – Party Central For Tourists
We walked up through the darkening evening, and the smells of wood fires and hot meals rolled past us, urging us on to get to our homestay for the night. We were expecting a quiet little hilltop village – but in fact we were greeted by a group of young tourists hanging out of a Myanmar beer-clad hut shouting “Welcome to the party in Myanmar guys!”.
Elias later told us that Pat Tu Pauk had turned into a bit of a spring board for hiking in the local areas, and it now hosted big parties of travellers who stayed up until the wee hours drinking and singing – all the while villagers and monks alike are trying to sleep ready for a hard day’s work.
It’s a fascinating blend of old Myanmar – an isolated farming village and monastery with no power and no running water – filled with tourists from across the world, and a huge cell tower loomed across the horizon. A sign of things to come for these remote parts of the world.
The Homestay
There were no hot showers on the trek, just cold water from barrels to wash with. As it got down to 6°c at night, 4°c the previous night, I definitely didn’t brave washing my hair or washing that much at all! As quick as could be and bent double behind the low concrete wall shielding me from the houses opposite (the walls around the washing area were certainly not built to hide a tall woman), I washed, dried and hastily put on all my warmest clothes!
A little cleaner and very much refreshed we enjoyed another relaxing evening and another delicious meal, accompanied by a kitten that fell asleep on Alex’s lap and a few cold beers. Perfect.
Chef cooks us up a feast, and the kitten makes herself at home
Day 3 mile 30-43, Day temp. 34°c, Night temp 5°c
By day three my ankle was painful with every step I took so there was no way I was wearing my Keens. Elias was worried I was choosing to wear flip flops, explaining that the path would get even harder today. For our half day hike, cramming 13 miles into half a day, on the hottest day so far… this was a daunting statement, and he wasn’t exaggerating.
We were extremely relieved when we stopped after the first couple of hours, when we finally came to a road again.
We watched as the group behind caught us up, then got picked up in the back of a truck, I was envious! A little ways down the road we we made it to the ticket office, where we were to buy the Inle lake entrance fee (tourist tax) of around 15,000MMK (£7, $10USD), which is meant to go towards preserving the lake and developing the community in the Shan State.
Inle Lake entrance fee kiosk – 15,000MMK Fee that lasts for 5 days. Though once you are in you would rarely be checked if you stayed for longer
We walked along the road for a while, stopping for a break at a small collection of roadside shops.
Despite being incredibly foot sore, my injured ankle, the tough hiking and the heat it was all worth it. The views on day three were the best yet.
Spectacular mountains covered in dense, lush jungle contrasted with red earth which reminded me of the Australian bush. how amazing that we had seen landscapes akin to European pine forests, dense jungle and the bush! What beautiful country Myanmar is.
Finally, Inle Lake is in sight!
Looking out at our route and descent towards Inle, we had one final challenge: a steep scramble down a muddy rocky maintain path, complete with giant mosquitoes hungry for fresh blood!
After a walk with a few lost cows, we finally made it to the point were we had to say goodbye to Elias (after an exquisite lunch at Green Gold, G&G Restaurant, of course)
Chef pulled out all the stops for our last meal!
We walked down towards our boat and began to see the beautiful wetland fields that surround the lake.
It was finally time to say goodbye to the excellent and knowledgeable Elias, who had seen us through this incredible sunny adventure.
We boarded our small longtail boat and were soon on the water, cruising past beautiful floating gardens…
Boarding the longboatThe lake is a highway for boats of all shapes and sizesInle Lake’s floating villages
…houses on stilts and incredible wildlife including kingfishers, greebs and trees filled with stalks.
Out on the lake we passed the famous paddle boat fishermen (although he wasn’t the real deal, we later fund out, just someone posing for tips!)
The not so fisherman posing for tips
…and after an hour came to the town of Nyaungshwe, our destination and rest. What a way to arrive! Many days of R&R are in order and a nice hot shower.
We truly recommend A1 Trekking and especially Elias – what an incredible adventure.
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When it comes time to leave and you are wondering where to go next and how to get there, check out our Inle to Bagan via bus post.
Getting from Nyaungshwe (Inle Lake) to Bagan via Bus on a Budget
No matter how accustomed you get to easy going life in Nyaungshwe village, with its criss-cross of quiet golden sunlit roads, and the eternal lapping of the azure waters of Inle Lake, there comes a time when all who visit must leave. But where to go next, and how to get there on a budget?
Just a few snaps from our time in Inle
For many, it’s Mandalay, but we decided to skip the former royal capital and head over to the gorgeous Bagan, and its myriad sunbathed temples.
Nyaungshwe to Bagan by Bus or Train?
With our mostly happy memories of the Yangon to Kalaw train behind us, and the fact that we would have to connect from Nyaungshwe to Shwenyaung, back to Thazi, then up to Mandalay and eventually Bagan, it’s considerably cheaper and more convenient to just catch a coach.
Information at a Glance
VIP Sleeper Bus from Nyaungshwe to Bagan
Cost – 16,000MMK per person – Dec 2017 (Likely to be more expensive now due to 2018 update)
Inle to Bagan Cheap Bus Tickets – Book Via Hotel or DIY?
In many situations in Myanmar, booking onward transport via your hotel is often your best and only option (usually the smaller guesthouses give the best deal as they aren’t trying to make money off you), but it certainly is worth researching all your options…
We checked in with our hotel for prices for a bus from Inle to Bagan and they quoted us 60,000MMK each (£31, $40USD) – a little expensive considering we got from Yangon to Kalaw for a fraction of the price.
We wanted to go on a VIP sleeper bus, as we heard that they were the best chance we had of having a comfortable journey and night’s sleep, and save a little money on the accommodation.
A quick check on 12goAsia revealed the price of the ideal bus at 30,000MMK each, a little more reasonable, but once again we knew that we could avoid the website’s booking and agent fees by just finding the tickets ourselves. Fortunately the 12goAsia website tells you which company the coach is run by, so with a little more research we found the company, Bagan Minn Thar, had a ticket office in town.
Our Nyaungshwe to Bagan coach ticket
Where to Get Inle to Bagan Bus Tickets
We booked our tickets direct at the ‘Bagan Minn Thar Bus Station’ on Yone Gyi St near the corner of Kyaung Daw Anauk St (look for the big red sign saying Bagan Minn Thar Bus Station on the front). It shows up as ‘Bagan Minthar Express’ on Google Maps. An attendant helped us who spoke great English.
You need to inform the attendant where you are staying and they will arrange pickup for you – they will write the pickup time on your ticket.
The Bagan Minn Thar ‘Bus Station’ is on the corner of Kyaung Daw Anauk St and Yone Gyi St
Pick Up
Our arranged pickup time from the lovely Princess Garden Hotel in Nyaungshwe was at 7.30pm. Evidently we were the last to be picked up as our very full tuk tuk arrived around 15 minutes late. We managed to squeeze in and were outside the bus very shortly afterwards.
The Bus, and the Journey from Nyaungshwe to Bagan
Get on board and get yourself comfortable, as it’s going to be a long and winding ride through the mountains.
There were plenty of reviews online about this route that slated that their driver was a little too enthusiastic and drove too fast, and that the constant curves in the road will make you sick, but we found that not to be the case.
The bus itself was a fairly modern, comfortable Japanese Kōnan Coach. The lights are dim enough for you to doze off if you sleep well whilst on the move (we struggled).
The Bagan Minn Thar coach resting at Shwe Yee Oo outside Kalaw
The Route
The coach takes you up to the main highway via Shwenyaung (Nyaungshwe’s nearest rail station), He Hoe, Aungpan and through Kalaw – where after a lengthy climb up through the mountains we stopped at a cafe/services Shwe Yee Oo, The Golden Highway Tavern. Here I got off the bus whilst Ruth slept and I sampled some somewhat stale curry and rice from the canteen.
The coach carries on up through the Shan Hills and down across the hot plains of Northern Myanmar for around 7 hours – with a few stops along the way for a few locals to jump on and off – before eventually arriving at the Bagan Shwe Pyi Highway Bus Terminal, in Nyaung-U, just outside of Bagan. Though our coach must have made good time as we arrived a whole hour early at around 4.30.
Arrival
Now the potentially awkward timing of this sleeper coach comes into play. You could simply catch a taxi into New Bagan and find an early morning cafe, or like us, arrive early at our hotel (our hotel very kindly allowed us to check into our room very early indeed).
Bagan is famous for its sunsets, but by the time you arrive you may be able to catch a sunrise!
Getting into Bagan from the Bus Station
Bagan’s bus station is located well away from the centre – about 10 minutes drive or so. But don’t fear that you will be stuck for transport even in the wee hours, as we were quickly surrounded by many taxi drivers a soon as we disembarked.
Bagan’s bus station has a bit of a reputation for its taxi drivers trying to overcharge. If saving money means a lot to you then stay smart, don’t feel rushed. A good bargained down rate for any taxi ride from here is meant to be around 10,000MMK.
Personally, we chose the wonderful Emerald Bagan Hotel, due to its closeness to the bus station. It is just a 5 minute walk away, but as it was so late/early we decided to grab a quick taxi hoping it would be cheap – but they did charge us a (relatively speaking) large amount for a 30 second drive up the road.
Update – As of November 2018, it is now mandatory for coach companies dropping off at Nyaung-U Bus Station to provide a drop off service to their guesthouse. Even with this new rule, taxi drivers have still tried to scam travellers by stating that this service is not for foreigners. Ignore this – look for your minibus with the Bagan Minn Thar branding.
It makes sense that they have introduced this rule as clearly the overcharging taxi drivers were becoming a problem!
Bagan offers a horizon of pagodas in all directions, as far as the eye can seeThe Dhammayazaka temple was one of our favouritesBagan is a busy tourist hotspot, and finding a place to watch the sunset – such as here at Law Ka Ou Shaung temple can be tricky, but worth it!
Let Us Know
Please let us know if this guide for getting from Inle to Bagan by bus was useful for planning your journey in Myanmar in the comments below.
We were warned by a few locals that it wasn’t common for westerners to take the trains north, “take the coaches, it will be much more comfortable”, and “why would you want to do this?”, were just some of the reactions we got as we tried to source our tickets in the hot streets of Yangon.
18 hours of total travel time later, profuse sweating, and a pretty rough ride, it was easy enough to look back on those words of warning and see the truth in them.
Our Thazi-Kalaw Express train roars up through the mountainous jungle
That said, find out how to get from Yangon to Kalaw by train (and eventually Inle Lake) was one of the most rewarding experiences of our trip. All our apprehensions dissolved away as train slowly trundled out of Yangon at 15mph and the wider, golden sunrise-bathed Burmese countryside opened up around us. We travelled how the locals do, and saved a little money at the same time.
After all, why else do we travel but for adventure?
Ruth takes in the cooler air as we ascend the mountains to Kalaw
The Destination – Kalaw – Why Go There?
Walking down the streets of Kalaw, with its Victorian-era hotels, cool evenings and mornings, you might be forgiven for thinking you were in a British seaside town (it’s the large and pretty dangerous potholes in all the pavements that give it away).
The hilltop town of Kalaw was often sought out during British colonial rule as a place to escape the stifling heat of the plains, and is today the perfect place to begin a guided, multi-day trek to Inle Lake – which is exactly what we did.
There’s plenty of cheap accommodation, good eateries and choice of reputable trek companies to choose from. Most trekkers will pick up your luggage from your hotel in Kalaw and deliver it to a hotel of your choice in Nyaungshwe (Inle Lake’s main town) so you can travel lighter when you hike – so best to book your Inle Lake hotel in advance.
Kalaw at night
Which Train to Get?
There are a couple of options for getting the train from Yangon to Kalaw
If you are a glutton for pain, then you could take the direct slow 141 train from Yangon that leaves at 11am and arrives the next day in Kalaw at 1.15pm (this train has no sleeper compartments).
Or do what we did, and take a faster ‘express’ (still 13 hours) train and stop overnight at the crossroad town of Thazi, before catching the slow 141 train as above .
We went for option 2.
Yangon to Kalaw Train Itinerary
Day 1 – 12 hrs, 12 minutes
5.30-5.45am – Arrive early at Yangon Central Train Station to secure your seat on board (best to book in advance, see below)
6.00am – Depart Yangon Central Train Station on the 11 Express Train
6.12pm – Arrive in Thazi, stay overnight in a hotel, we highly recommend the Wonderful Guest House
Day 2 – 6 hrs, 15 minutes
6.15am-6.30am – Arrive at Thazi Railway Station to purchase tickets. Ask for help from hotel if possible with booking
7.00 – Depart Thazi on the 141 slow train to Kalaw
1.15pm – Arrive at Kalaw
Take in the early morning light as the train rolls out of Yangon
Getting Tickets for the Yangon to Kalaw Train
There are a number of ways to grab your ticket in Yangon, we think the best is to go and do it in the person. Take your passport and cash of course. There are online options for grabbing your tickets, but as the website take a cut, along with the local agent that needs to deliver your tickets, the cost effectiveness of travelling via train is soon negated.
Picking up your tickets between 1-3 days in advance? You need to go to the Advance Booking Office, which you can find on Bo Gyoke Rd near the Sakura Tower. It’s open 7am-3pm.
Booking same day, or the previous day after 3pm. Go to the main train station. The large, British-designed station is unmistakable, and you want to enter the entrance on the left side. Head to the kiosk that is first on the left, near the entrance (not the one in the middle of the entrance) with the green signage – this kiosk is for trains that go north to Mandalay and Bagan – see the pictures below for reference.
The entrance to Yangon Central Rail Station is on the left side. From the walkway on Pansodan Street going north, you can go down the steps, go to the left entrance and then the first kiosk on the left with the green signage
We booked the day before, after 3pm, so we had to go to the main station. The gentleman we spoke to on the kiosk spoke English so we had no problem. We asked for the Upper Class ticket, but I’m pretty sure they would assume that foreigners would want this class rather than the Ordinary Class.
Ticket cost – Yangon – Thazi – 7350 Kyats per person (2017)
Our Upper tickets for the Yangon to Thazi train. Note the coach and seat numbers on the right
There are ordinary class tickets available for 3700kyats too, so if you really want to save and don’t mind hard seats and being squished in with a few more locals and their baggage, then go for it.
Getting on the Train
Arrive on the morning of your departure with some time to spare so you can find your train and compartment. Remember you are grabbing the number 11 train.
Check the compartment and seat numbers on your ticket. Get comfortable and settle down for a long, hot adventure ahead.
The Journey
Myanmar Railways operates on the old British railway system that was created in the 19th century, and hasn’t been much maintained since. Therefore, expect a pretty bumpy journey throughout, and low speeds. The 13 hour journey ahead will be hot, so you can open your window and keep plenty of water available.
The 6.00 11 express train rolls out of Yangon Central
Although not as exciting as tomorrow’s journey, there’s plenty to see as the rickety train grinds and bumps through rice paddies, little villages and fields, all the while you can spy distant gleaming gold pagodas and the wheels of Myanmar’s economy slowly turning as everybody goes about their everyday lives.
Keep an eye out for the occasional golden pagoda
The train makes plenty of stops at stations along the route, where a myriad of locals will efficiently board the train with drinks, beers, snacks, water, local produce and fruit, before quickly jumping off as the train rolls out again. There are some pretty delicious and simple dishes to be had, often rice with some form of sambal and dried fish served in plastic containers or even banana leaf. Don’t be afraid to grab something if you desire – the prices are very cheap.
We paid for a type of sambal in banana leaf – delicious and full of various spices
To be honest, the toilets in Upper Class are fine, just a hole in the floor of the train – a much better experience than we had on some of the more expensive upper class sleeper berths in Vietnam. Just don’t use the toilet in the stations out of respect!
Arrive at Thazi – 6.12
Arrive in Thazi with the setting sun. Always worth having some charge left on your phone to make sure you are getting off at the right stop.
When you disembark you can either get on a horse and cart to your chosen hotel, or just walk – it’s a 15 minute stroll – but it may be a walk in the dark depending on the time of year.
Where to Stay in Thazi – Accommodation and Hotels in Thazi
As of 2017, there are only two guesthouses in Thazi with licenses for foreigners. The Moonlight Guesthouse is the most written about, but we stayed in the ‘Wonderful Guest House’, which comes highly recommended!
Booking a room in advance may be possible, but you would have to give them a call as they don’t have a website or email address. Google lists their number as – +95 9 793 969068. You shouldn’t have to book in advance however – we were the only ones staying here apart from one other person.
Unfortunately, we can’t remember the price we paid for the room, but it wasn’t expensive. We had an issue with our hot water, but the young chap came up immediately and fixed it for us. The room was spacious, had air conditioning, and we were provided with a takeaway breakfast box complete with sandwiches, fruit etc the next morning.
The lovely guesthouse organised a horse and cart to the station and the son of the owner even helped us book our tickets for the onward journey.
What to do in Thazi?
Thazi isn’t a town a tourist would normally aim to visit. It’s a simple, noisy crossroads town for rail and road. Time and energy-wise, there’s probably the opportunity to grab something to eat, get a shower and go to bed.
We asked our guesthouse about food options, and they said there were a few Chinese restaurants around. We found a rough and ready Myanmar beer sponsored place that we wouldn’t recommend (see the green noodles above!). There are probably some other options around if we would have looked harder, or maybe you could stock up on food before you leave the train.
Day 2 – Thazi to Kalaw – Slow Train 141 at 7.00am
We got down to the station early, as you can only book tickets on the day. It’s definitely worth asking your guesthouse if they can help you book the onward tickets, otherwise you should be able to book in the person (just don’t expect the kiosk attendant to know any English).
Plenty of activity at Thazi Train Station, even this early in the morning
Lots of delicious snacks just waiting to be bought
The locals are friendly, especially this little pooch!
Just before 7am, our train finally rolls in
On board the train, the sun finally starts to warm the cool morning
Remember that this train is the slow one from Yangon that left 11am the day before.
When we boarded we found our seat to be occupied! Fortunately the helpful train attendant managed to ask the rather disgruntled gentleman who was in our seats to move (we later figured that this guy was some kind of high ranking officer, as members of the Myanmar military kept coming on board and saluting him).
Gorgeous Scenery
The slow train begins its ascent up the mountain range roughly 1 hour into the journey, and quite honestly, this part of the trip makes the whole escapade completely worth it. The old diesel train roars up through slowly ascending bamboo forests, making a series of switchbacks and ‘zigzags’. The air becomes slowly cooler and the vegetation more temperate. You can lean out of the window and take in the whole curve of the train as it struggles up the track.
The journey starts low and slow again, but with just a hint of the mountains that the train will be climbing soon enough
See the every day goings on of life in Northern Myanmar
As you climb ever higher, the old infrastructure put in by the British becomes more apparent
We were told that the railway is an integral part of the local region, and we could see why. At each and every beautiful stop, we would see lots of locals, many with different varieties of bananas, fruits, foods walk beside and through the train.
Arriving in Kalaw – 1.15pm
Finally, you will arrive in the township of Kalaw. Jump off and talk to a taxi driver – we grabbed a tuktuk to our hotel.
Kalaw
Take the time to enjoy this incredible place! Walk the streets, take in the very welcome cool evening air. Grab a meal – we sampled the up-market Thirigayha 7 Sisters, the cheap bar Emerald Restaurant for lunch and the fascinating Thu Maung restaurant, which will allow you to sample a local, Shan-style platter (there’s some weird stuff in there!) with your chosen dishes.
Find a Trekking company and hike to Inle Lake – we went with A1 Trekking, our guide Elias we would highly recommend.
Kalaw is stunning
Is the Train Worth It?
Flights from Yangon to Kalaw or Inle Lake’s nearest airport, Heho, come in around 140,000 kyats, plus the taxi fee of around 15-30,000 kyats to Nyaungshwe – total 170,000 kyats (£86/$110USD)
VIP buses cost 20,000-27,000 per ticket (£13/$17USD)
The train costs around 9,200 kyats (£4.50 or $6USD)
Cost wise, the train obviously comes out on top, with the VIP coach not far behind, with the flights considerably more expensive. In terms of luxury, of course it’s the other way round. We argue that the train is the best way to experience your surroundings – it stops regularly and you get views that you just can’t on a coach – and it’s the best way to immerse yourself in the country whilst trundling along at 30mph.
A big shout out to Mark over at Seat61, whose expert information in the field made this journey possible!
