Page 174 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

172 SoutheaStern MyanMar Myeik and around
HTEE KEE–PHU NAM RON BORDER CROSSING
opened in august 2013, the border crossing between Htee Kee in Myanmar and Phu
Nam Ron in Thailand is the closest crossing point to Bangkok, and is being increasingly
used by tourists as an entry/exit point between the two countries. Minibuses have a
monopoly on the route between dawei and Htee kee (3hr; k20,000), and you can book
them from the bus offices on ye road. once you’re stamped out of Myanmar at Htee kee,
it’s 5km through no-man’s-land to the Thai border post at Phu nam ron, which you can
cover either on foot or by hitchhiking. From Phu nam ron, there are buses to kanchanaburi
(2hr), and thence to Bangkok.

ZAT SAR AW Myanmar Paradise Beach has individual wooden bungalows
Myanmar Paradise Beach Zat Sar Aw beach, with terraces and hammocks set on a sublime sweep of
Maungmagan T09 4985 1256, Wmyanmarparadise palm-backed white sand. Basically, it has the whole beach
beach.com. Way out towards the very end of the Dawei bliss thing down. You’ll need to call to organize transport
3 Peninsula and currently the only place out here to stay, the out to them. K30,000

eatInG
DAWEI Tavoy Kitchen 234 Phyar Rd T09 455 192 525. With
Awaryoung Corner of Arzarni Rd and Pakaukku candle-lit tables, plenty of delicious tamarind and plum
Kyaung St T059 21887. A popular teahouse with outdoor juices and a short list of neatly presented, if slightly
seating, Awaryoung produces a good range of snacks and toned down, Thai dishes (mains K5000–6000), this is
excellent noodle salads. English menu available, mains easily the most popular place with foreign tourists. The
K1000–1500. Daily 7am–10pm. free local sweets to finish off your meal
★ Daw San 506 Hospital Rd T09 4987 2584. A low-key are a nice touch. Mon–Sat 10am–3pm & 5–11pm,
Burmese restaurant, which dishes up delicious curries all Sun 5–11pm.
afternoon. The beef curry is particularly good, but there are Yar Tha Some Café Myotwin Rd T09 968 291 318.
plenty of vegetarian options available too. A meal with side This small café is aimed squarely at passing travellers and
dishes will cost around K2500. Daily 11am–8.30pm. has a very unexpected, and rather welcome, selection of
Dream Journey 661 Pakaukku Kyaung St T09 500 cakes, coffees and juices (all around K600–800). Daily
7091. This café serves up reasonably priced cheesecake, 9am–9.30pm.
fruity yoghurt and coffee (espresso K500) – the latter is
particularly popular with fatigued teachers from the school MAUNGMAGAN
opposite. The helpful owner, Zin Wai, speaks excellent ★ Esso Restaurant Southern end of the beach. Esso
English. Daily 7am–10pm. might just be a simple beachshack restaurant
Pale Eikari 572 Ye Yeiktha Rd T059 21282. A kind overlooking the sands of Maungmagan, but their curry
of upmarket beer station, this garden restaurant is a crab (K7000) and prawns with cashew nuts (K6000)
popular nightspot with well-to-do locals dining on fairly could easily turn out to be among the best meals you’ll
average, but quite expensive, Chinese and Thai food (mains have in southern Myanmar. Wash them down with fresh
K6000–7000) and enthusiastically drinking draught beer. coconut juice and you have the making of a meal fit for a
Daily 6am–10pm. beach-bum king. Daily 8am–9pm.
DIreCtory
Banks KBZ Bank (Nibban Rd) and Ayeyarwady Bank currency exchange. Neither ATM currently accepts
(Arzarni Rd) both have ATMs; the former also offers MasterCard.

Myeik and around

Thanks to its location far from the reins of power, MYEIK – Tanintharyi’s largest
city – enjoys a rather exotic reputation, as it’s surrounded by tropical waters and
floating villages of Salone sea gypsies. And in many ways, the town lives up to
expectations. With its crumbling colonial architecture, bustling fish markets,

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