lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

TRAINS FROM TAUNGOO139DESTINATIONFARE ORDINARY/UPPER ($)DURATION (HR)DEPARTUREMandalay7/17911.18am, 12.15pm, 12.45pmNay Pyi Taw2/632.15pm, 5.24pmThazi4/11511.18am, 12.15pm, 12.45pmYangon5/1378.40am, 11.40am, 1.10pm, 2.15pmwith you, including a one- or two-night stop in avillage or jungle camp along the way (from $300per person for two people, including accommodation,meals and transport).Road travel east across the Sittoung River,towards Loikaw, is also restricted.BusMost buses leaving Taungoo originated elsewhere.Generally stops are at private bus companyoffi ces scattered along the oldYangon–Mandalay Highway, just south of theturn-off to the ‘centre’. It’s easiest to have yourlocal accommodation arrange a seat.Yangon (K3500 to K4300; nine hours; departures7am, 7pm) Buses with and without air-con.Nay Pyi Taw (K1800; 3½ hours; departures7am, 9am, noon, 2pm)Meiktila (K4000; 6½ hours; departure10.30am) Minibus, no air-con.Mandalay (K6500; 10 hours; departure6.30pm) Air-con bus.TrainThe Taungoo train station (%23308) has a militarypresence, following some Karen ‘attacks’ ontrains passing in the night.Nay Pyi Tawen¨p–'etC'%067 / POP C925,000In 2005, following the tradition of Burma’sancient kings, the military relocated Myanmar’scapital to a more strategically centrallocation, about 240 miles north of Yangon. Atuntold expense (some reports have it at over$4 billion), Nay Pyi Taw was built on scrubground amid rice paddies, villages and smalltowns such as Pyinmana on the old Yangon–Mandalay Highway. Most government ministriesand their staff have been relocated here,but with a couple of exceptions the diplomaticcommunity have dug in their heels in Yangon.Absurdly grandiose in scale, Nay Pyi Taw(one translation is ‘Royal City of the Sun’)is a sprawling, shoddily constructed citywith eight-lane highways, 24-hour electricity,and zones for shopping, governmenthousing and hotels, ministry buildings andgenerals’ homes. Apart from the roadblocksthat protect the roads leading to the generals’mansions, ministry buildings and theparliament, it’s surprisingly open. Visits tosome of its sights, including a giant gildedpagoda and a zoo and safari park, allow youto mingle freely with locals while putting adollar or two into the private economy.1SightsYou don’t come to Nay Pyi Taw for the sightsso much as for its surreal atmosphere. Besides,the city is very much a messy work inprogress.If approaching from the new Yangon–Mandalay Expressway, you’ll first enterNay Pyi Taw along the ‘hotel zone’ of YarzaThingaha Rd. At the road’s northern endnear the Thabyaegone roundabout (one ofthe city’s several gigantic, grassy road hubs)is the newly built convention centre, ManiyadanarKyauk Sein Khanma. This is thelocation of the quarterly jade and preciousstones fair, Emporium – about the only timeNay Pyi Taw fills up with visitors. Next dooris the Gems Museum and northeast of theroundabout is the Water Fountain Garden.Continue northeast from here to the YarzaThingaha roundabout and hang a rightto find the Uppatasanti Paya, Nay Pyi Taw’smain sight. If you’re approaching the cityfrom the old Yangon–Mandalay Highwayvia the long-established town of Pyinmana,you’ll hit the golden pagoda first.Be careful where you point your camera inNay Pyi Taw: photography of official buildingsor military officials is prohibited. Thegiant statues of three kings (Alaungpaya,Anawrahta and Bayinnaung), seen in somepublicised photos of Nay Pyi Taw, are in amilitary zone in the hills to the east, and arenot accessible to the public.YANGON–MANDALAY BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMAR HIGHWAY SIGHTS NAY PYI TAW