lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

BIRD-SPOTTINGMyanmar isn’t known for its environmental awareness and the nation’s few nationalparks and protected areas are largely inaccessible to foreigners. Moeyungyi Wetlands(miu"yân'"äkI"ernk'kâ='"), about an hour northeast of Bago and close to the village of Pyinbongyi,is the one real exception to this rule.The wetlands originally started life as an artificial water storage reservoir in the 19thcentury, but over time the reservoir naturally morphed into a 15-sq-mile lake and marsh.Sitting on a migration route of birds fleeing the icy Siberian winter and attracting thousandsof local waders, the wetlands will bring a big grin to any birder’s face. The lastcensus revealed some 125 different species including great flocks of egrets, cormorants,white stalks and large numbers of the beautiful swamp hen (purple gallinule) as well assarus cranes with their brilliant red heads.Your best chance of seeing exotic birds is from December to February and duringthis time a small ‘resort’ offers excellent boat tours (up to six people) on the lake for $15per person for about two hours. As well as the boat driver, you will be accompanied by aguide – normally the very knowledgeable and informative Mr Aung Ko Oo. The boat willtake you whizzing over the lake to the marshy reed beds in the centre where the birdscongregate in vast numbers.Should you want to stay, the resort offers accommodation (%70113; per person $55)in floating houseboats from November to March. The price includes three meals and aboat ride and it’s essential that you book in advance. The rooms, though novel, are somewhatoverpriced and even serious birders may prefer to make a half-day tour from Bago.The resort is privately owned by Myanmar businesspeople, though the wetlandsthemselves belong to the government (see p 21 ).Sandalwood or from some hotels for aboutK12,000 per day.NORTH OF YANGON85NORTH AROUND OF YANGON 8 AROUND 8 NGWE SAUNGAround Ngwe SaungELEPHANT CAMPAround half an hour’s drive from NgweSaung is an elephant camp (admission$5, elephant rides $5; h8am-noon). Thoughthe dozen elephants here are working elephants,the camp itself is purely for touristsand no logging actually takes place.It’s possible to go for a half-hour elephantride through the forest – the romance ofwhich wears off in about 30 seconds. If youthought horses attracted a lot of large bitinginsects, just wait until you get on theback of an elephant!The camp used to be government run butis now a joint venture tied to the TreasureResort in Ngwe Saung, which in turn isowned by Tay Za (p 21 ).The camp is located approximately halfwaybetween Ngwe Saung and Pathein. Toget there, hop on any outbound bus, or TomTom at Sandalwood can arrange a motorcycletaxi for about $10.Taukkyaneq;k'äk®−%01 / POP C5000On the road to Bago, beyond Yangon’s airportat Mingaladon, you reach Taukkyan,where you will find the huge Taukkyan WarCemetery, maintained by the CommonwealthWar Graves Commission.It contains the graves of 6374 Alliedsoldiers who died in the Burma and Assamcampaigns of WWII. There is also amemorial bearing the names of the almost27,000 soldiers who died with no knowngrave. Slowly, as you walk around readingthe names of those who died and the epitaphscommemorating them, the heat of thesun seems to fade and the noise of the roadrecedes, leaving you alone in the silence ofyour own thoughts in this immensely sadplace.You can get to Taukkyan on bus 9 (9) fromYangon or aboard any Bago-bound bus fromthe Aung Mingalar Bus Terminal (p 71 ).