Mrauk U

Mrauk U or Myohaung (Burmese မြောက်‌ဦး) is a medieval town and archaeological site in Rakhine State, Western Myanmar.

Understand
Mrauk U may seem to be a sleepy village today but not so long ago it was the capital of a reasonable sized empire where Portuguese, Dutch and French traders rubbed shoulders with the literati of Bengal and Mughal princes on the run.

Mrauk U was declared capital of the Arakan Kingdom in 1431. At its peak, Mrauk U controlled half of Bangladesh, modern day Rakhine State and the western part of Lower Burma. As the city grew, many pagodas and temples were built. Several of them remain, and are the main attraction of the city. The Arakan Kingdom fell in 1785, when it was defeated and conquered by the Burmese Empire. It was ceded to the British at the end of the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1826.

Before Mrauk U other kingdoms existed in the area. They allow for convenient day trips from Mrauk U, like Dhanyawaddy, Sambawet, Pyinsa, Vesali, Launggret, Parein and Kirt.

Visitors will note a distinct lack of billboards, which helps make Mrauk U appear like a more traditional Burmese town. The best time to visit is from November to mid-March when it's cooler in the morning with attractive mists.

By bus
Overland travel is now possible for foreigners but can be lengthy and remote with no accommodation opportunities along the way.



From specific destinations:
 * Sittwe – 1.5 hr. Most buses leave every morning, because they have onward destinations like Mandalay and Yangon. However, there will also be smaller short distance buses and pickups/vans between Sittwe and Mrauk U. Sittwe has an airport and therefore allows for incoming travel from all over Myanmar.
 * Yangon – 24 hr, 25-30,000 kyat.
 * Mandalay – The bus from Mandalay stops at Magway near the bridge across the Irrawaddy river. Mandalay to Sittwe bus cost ~ 25,000 kyat.
 * Magway – The bus leaving from Mandalay stops at Magway around 10pm near the bridge.
 * Bagan – If you starting from Bagan, you have to take a bus to Magway and switch to the bus to Mrauk U (or Sittwe) near the bridge across the Irrawaddy river or in front of the K.H.M. Fashion store. The bus from Bagan to Magway leaves the bus station near the airport at 10:00, 12:30 and 23:30, and costs 4,000 kyat. The bus from Magway to Mrauk U is about 25,000 kyat and 16 hr. A similar trip is possible via Kyauk Padaung, best ask guesthouse.
 * Ngapali – The (mini)bus from Thandwe bus station starts at 11:30 & 13:30, takes 15 hr to Mrauk U and is about 18,000 kyat. Most buses go another 2 hr further to Sittwe. The trip beyond Taungup is quite unpleasant due to the terrible condition of the road try to sit at the front where you'll feel fewer bumps.
 * Taungup – Mostly the same buses that start in Thandwe bus station (Ngapali). They will stop at 14:30 & 16:30 in Taungup and take 12 hr for about 15,000 kyat to Mrauk U. As already mentioned, the trip is quite unpleasant due to the bad condition of the road&mdash;make sure to get a decent seat in front.
 * Pyay – Served by the Yangon buses that stop in Pyay. Make sure to book in advance to get a seat. 16 hr, 20,000 kyat. Besides the buses from Yangon and by Magway, you can also take a transport to Taungup, from where a (mini)bus leaves at 14:30 & 16:30 for Mrauk U (and Sittwe), which takes 12 hr and costs about 15,000 kyat.

By boat
The journey through the backwaters and then up the river is a wonderful trip.



There were, although the current situation is unclear, 2 large ferries running from Sittwe to Mrauk: the ex-government boat (XGov, now privatised) and the Aung Kyan Moe (AKM) double-decker boat. Prices for both are US$10 (tourists) and they take 7 hr. An express boat is US$20, which takes 3 hr. You will be met at Sittwe airport by a tout selling private boats or places on private boats (5 passengers+, US$20, 6 hr, one-way), which may be useful if it goes that afternoon, as you save a night in Sittwe.

Sittwe to Mrauk U: a ferry goes M (AKM); Tu (XGov); F (Xgov); Sa (AKM) at 07:00. Express boat W 14:00 and there one more sailing of the Aung Kyaw Moe, Th (possibly W).

Mrauk U to Sittwe: a ferry goes Tu (AKM); W (XGov); F (AKM); Sa (Xgov); Su (AKM) at 07:00. Express boat Th, 07:00.

Food is available for purchase. The ferry is not in good condition, but seems safe enough. Be warned though that the ferry has been known to skip a day or two every now and then so, if relying on it for travel, keep a reasonable buffer to avoid getting stuck. Private boats are available for rent in Sittwe and may do the trip considerably faster (4 to 6 hr) for US$80 (as of 2008) depending on your negotiating skills and the number in your party. The principal advantage of renting a private boat is that you are no longer tied to the ferry schedule. In high season 2011 there were private boats leaving Mrauk U seemingly every day, which you could join for negotiated fare. Flights from Yangon arrive in Sittwe in the afternoon and it is easy to rent a boat and be in Mrauk U in the evening, which means a travel time of one day from Yangon. With the government ferry, count on at least two days to get from Yangon to Mrauk U (including flight), longer if you arrive the day before a ferry off-day.

There are some concerns regarding the security on the boat, robberies have occurred.

Get around
The surrounding area is not restricted to foreigners anymore, except maybe for the Chin villages. Up to date information can be obtained from MTT (Myanmar Travel and Tours, governmental agency) in Yangon.

In Mrauk U you can walk, rent a bicycle (available from most hotels or along the street), hire a trishaw, tuk tuk or a horse cart. Renting a bicycle (2,000 kyat) is a good idea, especially if you want to see the sights out of town. It's also possible to rent a bike per day or per hour.

See
Foreign nationals must pay a 10,000 kyat city fee in Mrauk U. The official counter is in the Shitthaung Pagoda, but the government fee collectors will track you down sooner or later, e.g. at the royal palace, if you miss them, or you might be lucky.

For the ruins go early in the morning. This will allow for some different pictures with the palace still wrapped in morning mist.

Just walking around, especially around Shitthaung gives you a good view of many picturesque and interesting sights. Walking or riding along the more remote tracks reveals sights normally not seen by tourists.





Out of the city further sites, such as Mrauk U itself, exist. They can be explored using local transport or by rented motorbike.



Do
You will be quite busy with visiting all sights. However, just riding around with the bicycle in the nearby villages is a worthwhile experience. Around Mrauk U there are further sights and former kingdoms.



Buy
Change money before you get to Mrauk U as exchange rates are reportedly to be very bad. Likewise, withdraw money before Mrauk U, in case the ATM there is not working.



Eat
Just walk around in the area of the guesthouses and near the market, and you will see many options. Also, many of the more price intensive hotels have their restaurants open to non-guests, with the expected cleanliness standards.



Drink
This region is quite remote, and therefore the prices are somewhat higher. A bottle of Myanmar beer is about 2,500 kyat.

Sleep
Most guesthouses can be found along.

Go next
Road travel is increasingly popular. In the past it was only possible to fly into Sittwe and take a boat to Mrauk U (or the other way around) due to travel restrictions for tourists. Tickets can be bought at the bus station, the agents in the city or your guesthouse/hotel, but compare prices.


 * Sittwe – Not particularly interesting, more a transport hub for in- & outbound travel from & to Yangon. Many buses leave from the Highway Bus Station north of the city. But there are also local pickups and so available leaving starting from 07:00 until afternoon. They costs from 5000 kyats to 10,000 kyat. Also boats are available to Sittwe. One leaves in the morning at 07:00, takes 3 hr and costs 20,000 kyat. Try: 09 49660076, 09 421720296, www.mraukutraveler.com, www.mraukukyawmoe.com, (email-)mraukukyawmoe@gmail.com. For more information on boats have a look at.
 * Taungup – Is nothing special, but there exist some tourist accommodation options. It can be a convenient hub for road travel between Mrauk U, Sittwe, Pyay and Ngapali. There are at least two buses a day heading for Ngapali with a stop in Taungup. The trip is quite unpleasant due to the terrible condition of the road: expect to arrive very tired, and try to get a decent seat in front. 12 hr, 15,000 kyat.
 * Ngapali – Has the most beautiful beaches in Myanmar, but is mostly a resort place with few budget options available. There are at least two buses a day heading for Thandwe Bus Station, 6 km away from Ngapali at the highway, with a stop in Taungup. Please note the remark before about the terrible road conditions. 15 hr, 18,000 kyat.
 * Bagan – One of the most famous attractions in Myanmar. There are no direct buses available to Bagan, you will have to take a bus to Magway (09:00 & 12:00, 16 hr, 24-27,000 kyat) or Mandalay (08:00 & 10:00) and get off at Magway or (19 h, same price as Mandalay). From there it should be easy to catch onward transport, pickup/van or another bus. Make sure the bus does go there (Kyauk Padaung), especially when boarding the bus. Often the ticket seller and the bus are different companies, because passengers are shuffled around depending on availability. The Kyauk Padaung route is preferable, because Kyauk Padaung is very close to Bagan and you can visit Mount Popa on the way to enjoy the sunrise on top of the pagoda. 20 hr, 28,000 kyat.
 * Pyay – Famous for the nearby and ancient Pyu city. Mostly served by the morning buses to Yangon that start in Sittwe. 16 hr, 20,000 kyat.
 * Mandalay – Famous for the U Bein Bridge, the Buddha face washing, as well as the nearby mountains by train. 09:00, 21 hr, 25,000-30,000 kyat.
 * Yangon – Most buses to Yangon start in Sittwe and leave early morning between 06:00 & 09:00. You have to get to the bus station early, even at 05:30 to ensure you get a seat, or book sufficiently in advance. The first bus starting in Sittwe will arrive in Mrauk U around 07:00, The last bus is between 12:00 & 13:00. All buses will make a stop in Pyay after 16 h. Duration 24 hr, costs 25,000-30,000 kyat.