Page 110 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

108 The DelTa anD wesTern MyanMar Chaung Tha
rent snorkelling gear from Mr George; see opposite), although there are no facilities,
and not much shade either.
arrIVal anD DeParTUre ChaUnG Tha
Arriving at the beginning of the main road through Chaung Tha, you’ll almost immediately pass the Belle Resort and Shwe
Ya Minn (on the right and left respectively). The bus/minibus “station” (an open space in the middle of a small square of
shops) is about another 750m down the road.
2 By bus It’s best to buy bus tickets at least a day in advance, Ask at any of the tour company offices (see box opposite)

particularly in peak season. Tickets can be bought at the or your hotel.
bus station or possibly through your hotel. By boat Travelling to Ngwe Saung, a more comfortable
Destinations Pathein (6 daily; 2hr); Yangon (2–4 daily; 6hr). (but considerably more expensive) alternative to
By motorbike taxi It’s possible to travel directly from motorbike taxi is to charter a boat (2hr; K100,000–
Chaung Tha to Ngwe Saung by motorbike (2hr; K20,000), 150,000 for up to five people), though be prepared to
a fun if bumpy ride through the wild and hilly coastal wade ashore like a shipwrecked sailor with your bags
hinterlands, with three short ferry crossings en route. held high.
aCCOMMODaTIOn
There are loads of places to stay in Chaung Tha, but most are drab and poor value. Weekends can get insanely busy;
things are slightly quieter, and rates more negotiable, during the week. As with other places along the coast, the
government electricity supply operates only from 6pm to 6am. More upmarket places have their own generators, but
even then additional power may only be available from around 1pm to 4pm. Most places slash rates or close entirely
during the rainy season.
Amazing Chaung Tha Resort Main Rd T09 777 123 more stylish than pretty much everywhere else in the
700 Wamazingchaungtharesort.com. A well-run hotel village and at a very competitive price, with attractive
with homely rooms with big, draping curtains, slightly old- bungalows set around peaceful gardens overlooking the
fashioned furniture and beds covered in flowers. The very sea, plus a spa and smallish pool. $70
helpful staff are as much of a highlight as the rooms Hill Garden Hotel North of the village T09 4957
themselves. There’s a pool that’s watched over by dolphin 6072. A peaceful retreat from the beachside hubbub, set
statues (or maybe they’re whales?) and far too many fairy amid fields a 10min bike ride north from the village. There
lights stretched out around the gardens. $80 are rustic wooden cabanas, which come with either a
Belle Resort Main Rd T042 42112, Wbelleresorts shared bathroom (cold water only; $40) or en-suite hot
.com. Chaung Tha’s most appealing place to stay, rather water bathroom ($55 with a/c). There’s a small, and for

MEINMAHLA KYUN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
For a truly off-beat adventure in Myanmar’s Delta region you can’t do better than the
Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary. a visit to this reserve, which isn’t far from the town
of Bogale southeast of Pathein, combines wildlife-watching, boating and the opportunity
to get a glimpse of intensely rural Delta life. The sanctuary was formed in 1986 in a joint
partnership with Fauna and Flora International (Wfauna-flora.org) and the Myanmar
government, and is focused on preserving a swampy region of mangroves and forest
which is home to estuarine crocodiles, otters and even rare Irrawaddy dolphins – as well as
hundreds of species of birds.
Very few international tourists visit the park and facilities are still basic. You don’t need a
permit to go, but you do need to get permission from the sanctuary headquarters in Bogale,
which is based inside the Forest Department building on Strand Road. To make a visit
worthwhile, you should plan on spending at least one night in the reserve (making for a 3–4
day round trip from Pathein). Conservation ngO FREDa (T01 243827, Efredamyanmar@gmail
.com) have a guesthouse intended for sanctuary staff, but tourists are normally welcome to
stay. To get to the sanctuary from Bogale, you will need to rent a small boat for around K50,000
(plus fuel) from the waterfront in Bogale or via the sanctuary staff. Make sure you take food
and water with you.

098-137_Myanmar_B2_Ch2.indd 108 30/06/17 2:20 pm