Heho (Inle Lake) Thandwe (Ngapali Beach) Sittwe (Mrauk Oo)

Heho (Inle Lake)
So near, yet so far. Inle Lake is just a short flight Yangon but it feels
worlds apart from the rest of Myanmar. Located in the cool green
highlands of Shan State, it is an area of incredible natural beauty and
the lake itself sits a pleasant 870 metres (2900 feet) above sea level.
It is famous for the local Intha fishermen who row their boats using
their legs, as well as the floating markets and prolific birdlife. In this
unique wetland environment, whole villages sit on floating islands
perched above the water. Colourful hill tribes inhabit the surrounding
fertile valleys and forested mountain tops, and their hand-woven silks
are a speciality of the region.
See and Do:
*Peruse the floating markets,
whe re ethn ic gro ups in
colourful traditional dress
sell local handicrafts
* E xplo re the anc ient and
crac ked stup as of Ind ein
Pagoda
Thandwe (Ngapali Beach)
See and Do:
at your hotel bar
*Laze on the beach, or sip cocktails
r
wate
the
over
as the sun sets
the early morning
* Visit nearby fishing villages in
h
to see locals unload their catc
Famous for its miles of picture-perfect sandy beaches,
brilliant turquoise water and swaying coconut palms,
Ngapali is Myanmar’s premier beach destination. Intimate
resorts offer visitors the chance to swim, sail, kayak
and feast on fresh seafood by candlelight as the sun
sinks lazily into the Bay of Bengal. Ngapali is the perfect
place to unwind and savour those few precious weeks
in Myanmar.
Sittwe (Mrauk Oo)
The Rakhine State capital Sittwe is the gateway to the ancient city of
Mrauk Oo, the former centre of a flourishing Rakhine empire. Mrauk Oo
reached its peak in the 15th century and today has a completely different
atmosphere to Myanmar’s other ancient sites. It also gets far less tourists
and is often touted as an interesting alternative to Bagan. Be one of the
first to discover these ancient temples, which are accessible from Sittwe
by a picturesque boat ride up the surging Kaladan River.
See and Do:
*Admire Shittaung Pagoda, who
se name literally
means “Shrine of the 80,000 Ima
ges”
* Continue further up the Lem
ro River to Chin
villages, home to women with tatto
oed faces
Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight |
51
Air Mandalay Destinations
Kyaing Tong
Kyaing Tong is situated in the easternmost part of Shan State, about
halfway between the Chinese and Thai borders. A picturesque city in
itself with a vibe unlike almost anywhere else in Myanmar, the area is
home to many ethnic minority groups who live in the surrounding hills,
including the Wa, Akha, Anh, Akhu and Lahu. The morning market in
the centre of town features a colourful mixture of ethnic groups selling
locally grown produce.
See and Do:
*Eat a bowl of traditional Shan-style noodles in the
morning market
* Hire a guide and head out into the countryside to
explore the local hill tribe villages
Tachileik
Known as the gateway to the Golden Triangle, Tachileik was once
notorious for its proximity to the drug trade but now is better
known for its markets and shopping. Situated across the river
from Mae Sai, Tachileik sees plenty of Thai visitors looking to
pick up a bargain amongst the thousands of stalls of Chinesemade goods. The city is also close to the Mekong River and the
border with Laos.
See and Do:
*Shop in the sprawling markets
, which attract
hundreds of Thai visitors each day
Chiang Mai (Thailand)
This city in northern Thailand was founded 700 years
ago as the capital of an ancient Lanna kingdom.
Thailand’s second-largest city, Chiang Mai is set within
a two-square-kilometre moat and has managed to
retain many of its traditional wooden houses. The city
is the centre of Thailand’s handicraft industry and has
many popular markets. It is also a good departure point
for trekking into nearby hill tribe villages.
See and Do:
gh, the centre
*Visit the impressive Wat Pra Sin
of the old city
lively night
* Shop for hand-made goods at the
market
52 | Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight
Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight |
53
Air Mandalay Destinations
Dawei
Dawei, which the British called Tavoy, is about 30 miles (48km)
from the mouth of the Dawei River on the coast of Tanintharyi
(Tenessarim) Division. It is one of the oldest ports in Myanmar and
was mentioned by the merchant traveller Ralph Fitch, who in 1583
became the first Englishman to set foot on Myanmar soil. Dawei is
a prosperous town, with many of the richest families owning fleets
of fishing vessels or rubber plantations. As is usual with the typical
and conservative Myanmar use of wealth, it is not apparent to the
casual eye. It is a quiet, peaceful little town, proud of famous as
“Moung Ma Kan” beach.
Myeik
Myeik (Mergui) is between the sea and low hills with pagodas, monasteries and government
buildings. It is a busy port town and a centre for the fishing, pearl, rice, preserved and dried fish,
birds’ nests and rubber industries. There is a flourishing cultured pearl industry but for centuries
Myeik natural pearls have been on par with rubies in value and attraction, much sought after by
the Myanmar royalty and the aristocracy. These natural pearls were harvested by the Salon or
Moken people, who are sometimes referred to as sea gypsies.
Kawthaung
Kawthaung is included in Tanintharyi Division in the southernmost
part of the Union of Myanmar. At the mouth of Parchan river there
is Kawthaung Cape (Formerly Victoria Point) which is in the southern
most part of Myanmar.
Half of the town is going up along the slope. The town is an important
border point with products such as seafood, palm oil and rubber. You can
observe the states of King Bayintnaung in Kawthaung which is a symbol
of Myanmar Patriotism. The world’s largest pearl was discovered in the
Makha lauk pearl oyster exploration area in the north west of Zardatgyi
Island in Kawthaung Township. By visiting, the Taninitharyi Division, you
will be refresh yours clear by breathing fresh sea breeze and observing
the scenario of the beautiful sunset and rocky sea beaches.
54 | Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight
Air Mandalay Offices
YANGON
MANDALAY
NYAUNG U
(BAGAN)
HEHO
TAUNGGYI
TACHILEIK
KYAING TONG
THANDWE
(NGAPALI)
SITTWAY
CHIANG MAI
No. 146, Dhammazedi Road, Bahan Township, Yangon 11201, MYANMAR
Tel: (+95.1) 525 488, 501 520, 534 144
Fax: (+95.1) 525 937
E-mail: [email protected] (general inquiries)
[email protected] (flight reservations)
[email protected] (marketing inquiries)
Website: www.airmandalay.com
Airport Traffic: (+95.1) 720 309, 652 754
Room (1), SY Building, Ground Floor, 78th Street between 29th & 30th Streets
Chan Aye Thar San Township, Mandalay, MYANMAR
Tel: (+95.2) 61513, 64554, 68061, 68062
Mobile: (+95.9) 5095993
Mandalay Internation Airport - Tada Oo Township, Mandalay Division.
Airport Traffic: (+95.2) 87577
Main Road , Lanmadaw ,Ywa Thit Ward, Nyaung U, MYANMAR
Tel: (+95.61) 60774
No. 3, Min Road, Heho, MYANMAR
Tel: (+95.81) 63059, 63066 and (+95.9) 5280446
No. 112, Thiri Mingalar Building (Ground Floor)
Bo Gyoke Aung San Road, Taunggyi, Southern Shan State, MYANMAR
Tel: (+95.81) 21330
No. 1/155 (ta), Sam Sai (kha) Ward, Bogyoke Aung San Street, Tachileik, MYANMAR
Tel: (+95.84) 51385
Lwae Mauy Street, Kyaing Ngan Ward, Kyaing Tong, MYANMAR
Tel: (+95.84) 22790
No. 14, Min Te Street, Ngapali, Thandwe Township , MYANMAR
Tel: (+95.43) 42666, 44044
No. 102, U Oak Ta Ma Road, Kyaung Tat Lan Ward, Sittway, MYANMAR
Tel: (+95.43) 21638
Mobile: (+95.9) 5680606
Doi Ping Mansion (107), 148 Charoen Prathet Road
Chiang Mai 50100, THAILAND
Tel: (+66.53) 818 049
H/P: (+66.81) 882 7294
Fax: (+66.53) 818 051
E-mail: [email protected]
Air Mandalay - The Golden Flight |
55