Page 173 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

Dawei anD arounD SoutheaStern MyanMar 171
Perhaps the most drop-dead gorgeous of all the beaches is Po Po Kyak or “Grandfather
Beach”, which is around a two-hour motorbike ride from Dawei. It’s a vast curl of
tinsel-white sand backed by lush jungle, with a small river at one end. For the moment
it’s completely undeveloped, so take food and water with you.

arrIVaL anD DeParture DaWeI anD arounD
By plane Dawei’s small airport has daily flights to Yangon. Mawlamyine (11 daily; 6–7hr); Myeik (7 daily; 6–7hr);
At the time of research there were no flights south to Yangon (11 daily; 12hr); Ye (11 daily; 4hr).
Myeik, but this is likely to change. The terminal is 3.5km By train Dawei has two railway stations: the main one,
north of the town centre (K1500 by motorbike taxi, K4000 6km east of the main market (K2000 by motorbike or
by tuk-tuk). Tickets are available from Sakura Ticketing K4000 by tuk-tuk), and Dawei Port, 2.5km south of town –
Centre, at the junction between Pagoda Rd and Ye Rd it’s best to get off at the main station (the first one you
(T059 22444). arrive at southbound), as the shunt between stations takes
Destinations Yangon (daily; 1hr). eons. A single train departs each day at 6am for Ye
By bus Buses stop at Dawei’s Highway bus station, a 15min (rumoured to be the slowest train in the country), where
drive east of town (K4000 by tuk-tuk or K1500 on a everyone switches trains before heading on to Mawlamyine 3
motorbike taxi). Tickets are available from the bus company and Yangon.
offices that are concentrated on Ye Rd, just north of the Destinations Ye (daily; 9hr).
junction with Nibban Rd. Minibuses to the Htee Kee–Phu By boat It used to be possible to travel between Dawei,
Nam Ron border crossing (see box, p.172) depart from Myeik and Kawthaung by boat. These services stopped a
Dawei daily. Book a seat in advance through your couple of years ago, but it’s worth asking around to see if
accommodation. they’ve restarted.
Destinations Htee Kee–Phu Nam Ron (daily; 3hr);
GettInG arounD anD InForMatIon
By motorbike taxi A trip to the airport or bus station will around Dawei, renting a motorbike is a useful option. Focus
set you back K1500, while the long ride out to Maungmagan Rental Service (688 Pakoku Kyaung Rd; T09 422 190 130)
costs around K15,000. rent out motorcycles for K8000/day. They supply maps of
By pick-up Pick-ups to Maungmagan and Launglon (both the Dawei Peninsula, with all the beaches and drive times
K1500) leave from around the market on Arzarni Rd. between them marked.
By tuk-tuk A short trip around town will cost K1000– Information Run by a locally based expat, the Southern
1500. A tuk-tuk to Maungmagan will cost a fairly steep Myanmar website (Wsouthernmyanmar.com) is regularly
K15,000. updated with information about the region.
By motorbike Given the excellent potential for day-trips
aCCoMMoDatIon
DAWEI Zayar Htet San 566 Ye Yeiktha Rd T059 23902,
Garden Hotel 88 Ye Rd T059 22116, Wgardenhotel Ehotelzayarhtetsan@gmail.com. Reminiscent of a
dawei.blogspot.com. Housed in an 1842 villa, this hotel is Cubist painting from the outside, Zayar Htet San
much larger than it looks from the street. The lofty rooms certainly stands out on this quiet street. Once inside, the
range from cramped $15 singles with fans and shared rooms are comfortable and nicely designed, with
bathrooms to attractive (though still a/c-free) $35 rooms. wooden floors and tasteful decoration, and are very
Breakfast not included. $20 good value overall. The in-house restaurant, however, is
Sein Shwe Moe 577 Ye Yeiktha Rd T059 24073. While worth missing. $40
its owners may be a little slow to smile, this small, lemon-
yellow hotel is extremely clean, and though the rooms are MAUNGMAGAN
small, they’re very cheap – the four single rooms with fans Coconut Guesthouse Maungmagan T09 423 713
are just K10,000. Breakfast not included. K16,000 681, Ecocoguesthouse95@gmail.com. While there are
★ Shwe Moung Than 665 Pakaukku Kyaung St a few places to stay in Maungmagan, this is the pick of the
T059 23764, Eshwemaungthan22@gmail.com. This bunch, with ten simple, fan-cooled rooms in bungalows a
smart hotel ticks all the boxes. The comfortable rooms are short walk from the beach. With charming staff and a
bright and decently sized, and the staff are incredibly chilled-out restaurant on-site (breakfast not included), it’s
helpful. Rooms vary in size, but all are clean and good value a good enough reason to stay in Maungmagan. The beach
for money. $20 is a 5min walk away. $25

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