Taungup

Taungup or Taunggok (Burmese တောင်ကုတ်မြို့) is a town (pop. 158,341 as of 2014) in the Rakhine State, the westernmost state in Myanmar.

Understand
Taungup is not particular famous or special regarding sights and things to do, but it is a convenient transport hub between Mrauk U, Sittwe, Pyay and Ngapali, because some accommodations are available for tourists. Since Myanmar has increasingly opened up, travel in the far western, formerly closed part of the country is becoming more popular. Expect to see Taungup grow in the next couple of years due to its location.

By bus


From specific destinations:
 * Thandwe (for Ngapali) – Many buses and pickups/vans per day do the 2-3 hr trip. 3,000 kyat. Some touristy buses go into Ngapali directly.
 * Mrauk U – At least two buses leave for Taungup. 12 hr, 15,000 kyat.
 * Pyay – Prepare (your stomach) for a very bumpy ride through the mountains at certain seasons. 4-7 hr. 4,000-10,000 kyat.

Get around
Taungup is a small town; everything can be reached on foot, including the harbour. If you have heavy luggage, a motorbike taxi can be an option for the 4 km.

Do
There is not much here to do; only a few foreigners visit which helps preserve the traditions.

Buy
Try in the center near the river and north of the bus station.

Drink
Some restaurants serves beer, but there is no bars.

Sleep
There are about 15 or 20 guesthouses where you can find rooms for in the US$10-20 range. The cheaper rooms often have no windows and consist of only a bed and a fan. For US$15 you can get a more decent aircon room in low season. Most guesthouses, also open to western tourists, are nearby the junction north of the bus station.



Go next
The main bus transport is via the bus station in the center just a little south.


 * Pyay – Famous for the nearby and ancient Pyu city.
 * Ngapali – Has the most beautiful beaches in Myanmar, but is mostly a resort place with few budget options.
 * Mrauk U – Famous for is ancient sights and traditional, surrounding Chin Villages.
 * Sittwe – Used to be the transport hub for Mrauk U and allows for an alternative route by boat. The boat leaves Wednesday & Saturday, 06:30 from the harbour, and arrives at 15:30. Tickets are sold at office at the street north from the bus station by the guesthouses towards the market, just after the wide open junction.