Mawlamyine

The last few days have been eventful to say the least. I found myself continually swept along with a tide of humanity as I made my way south of the capital.

It began with the insanity of the bus station in Yangon with cars and people everywhere and music booming out of giant speakers then moved to the pilgrims at Mt Kyaiktiyo all jostling to board trucks to get to the Golden Rock.

The Golden Rock is an amazing place to visit, best viewed at sunrise and sunset and definitely worth staying up there for a night. Getting back down was a case of pushing and shoving like a local to board one of the trucks to take me to the town below.

One of the highlights of this part of Myanmar for me was a full day spent near Hpa An with a fabulous local guide who was informative and friendly. He took me kayaking through the most stunning scenery, watching local people go about their daily lives. We also spent time in some amazing caves full of locals because it was a public holiday.

The journey south to Mawlamyine was made on a small open boat cruising languidly down the Irrawaddy, watching the scenery float by, visiting a beautiful old monastery on the way and then seeing on of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen.

The old colonial buildings here range from beautifully restored to almost ruins. I’m sure it was quite different when George Orwell lived here. In contrast, the pagodas and mosques sparkled and shimmered in the sun, obviously well loved and cared for.Read more