lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

AROUND YANGON DELTA REGION76few years younger than Yangon’s ShwedagonPaya, making it over 1000 years old. One cornerof the compound commemorates KingBayinnaung’s (also spelt Bayint Nyaung) defeatof a local rebellion.Near the southern entrance is a 100-yearoldsitting bronze buddha in Mandalaystyle. Instead of focusing on the floor, thebuddha’s eyes stare straight ahead. Alongthe western side of the zedi stand some oldbronze buddhas.Other SightsPottery is a major cottage industry inTwante, which supplies much of the Deltaregion with well-designed, utilitarian containersof varying shapes and sizes. The potswere made in huge thatched-roof sheds inthe Oh-Bo Pottery Sheds (aiu"fup'lup'=n'") inthe Oh-Bo district south of the canal, about15 minutes’ walk from the dock.8Getting There & AroundThe easiest way to hit up Twante from Yangon isvia a short cross-river ferry and a ride on a publicjeep or pick-up truck. Pedestrian ferries fromPansodan St jetty (near the foot of Pansodan Stand opposite the Strand Hotel) take passengersacross the Yangon River to Dalah (round tripK2000, fi ve minutes) – remember that you’llneed your letter of permission from MTT inYangon (see boxed text, p 74 ); the process involveswriting a letter stating that you don’t planto stay overnight and that you will ‘not engagein any way of any of matters of political natures’.There’s another brief form, to be copied in triplicate,and will need your passport. The entireprocess took us only about fi ve minutes anddoesn’t cost anything. You’ll need to hand overa copy of the permit when buying tickets for theriver crossing ferry at Pansodan St JettyArriving at the jetty in Dalah, a variety ofvehicles will compete to take you to Twante; aseat on a pick-up costs K2000 (45 minutes), amotorcycle taxi will take you there and back forK10,000 and a taxi for about K17,000.By far the most enjoyable way of getting toTwante is to take the slow ferry from Yangon. Fordetails on this trip, go to p 70 .The return ferry to Yangon leaves late in theevening, and since an overnight stay is not allowed,your best bet is to return to Dalah bypick-up or motorcycle.Technically, from the ferry dock to ShwesandawPaya a horse cart shouldn’t cost more thanK500, but in reality you’ll pay K1500 return withwaiting time.Patheinpusim'%042 / POP C200,000Pathein, Myanmar’s fourth city and the mostimportant delta port outside Yangon, lies inthe heart of a major rice-growing area thatproduces the finest in Myanmar, includingpawsanmwe t’ămìn (fragrant rice). Thegrowth of the delta trade, particularly riceexports, has contributed to a general airof prosperity in the city, which has a busy,buzzy atmosphere. Most travellers only stopoff on their way to the beaches, but the workshopsthat produce colourful, hand-paintedparasols, along with the shady, tree-lined villagelanes to the northeast of the market, areworth a little more than this token glance.Adding to the allure is the fact thatPathein can be reached by boat. The overnighttrip, where large boats are laid up onthe mud flats like dinosaurs taking their lastgasp of air, is a rare window on the patternand pace of the everyday lives of locals in theDelta region.HistoryThe town was the scene of major clashesduring the struggle for supremacy betweenthe Mon and the Bamar. Later it became animportant trade relay point for goods movingbetween India and Southeast Asia. Thecity’s name may derive from the Burmeseword for Muslim – Pathi – due to the heavypresence of Arab and Indian Muslim tradershere centuries ago. The colonial Brits – ormore likely their imported Indian civil servants– corrupted the name to Bassein.Today, Pathein’s population includes largecontingents of Kayin (Karen) and Rakhaing.Once part of a Mon kingdom, Patheinis now home to only a few Mon. During the1970s and ’80s, the Kayin villages surroundingPathein generated insurgent activity thathas since generally calmed.1Sights & ActivitiesThe following sights don’t charge an admissionfee.Shwemokhtaw PayaBUDDHIST STUPAerámue#;.ur;"Looming with grace over central Pathein isthe golden bell of the Shwemokhtaw Paya.This large complex is unusually well layeredin legend. One states that it was originallybuilt by India’s Buddhist King Ashoka in305 BC. Standing just 7.5ft tall, this original