any recent in-country flight info?

We%26#39;re heading back to Myanmar in late September/early October, and are wondering if anyone can provide any recent info on flight schedules. I%26#39;ve heard on Thorntree that there have been big cutbacks...has anyone had recent experience you can share?

any recent in-country flight info?

All three airlines cancel the Bagan flight due to no tourist and fly only to Yangon-Mandalay-heho-Kyaing Tong- Tachilake and either Sittwe or Daiwai (Tavoy) during previous months.

However, Yangon airway fly back to Bagan as per their schedule and I believe other two air lines too but they fly once a day only. Before they fly twice a day to Bagan ,Mandaly and Heho , the toursit spot.

Usually, toursit back at September and October .So, they will fly back.

any recent in-country flight info?

Thanks for the info, mgzaymin.

We%26#39;ve been once before, and are planning on getting a littler farther afield this time. We%26#39;re going to head back to Mandalay upon arrival to meet up with a driver/guide we met last time and really adored. We%26#39;re hoping to do some more %26#39;exploration%26#39; via road from there.

Our last trip, we did the usual Bagan-Mt Popa-Mandalay-Inle-Yangon-Bago circuit. This time, we%26#39;re going with a lot less structure -- we%26#39;re basically going to see what comes. Do you have any recommendations about places we could explore via car from Mandalay as a kind of road trip, we%26#39;re thinking about 5 nights? Last time we did go check out the snake pagoda, and did the ';ancient cities'; tour...so not looking to do that again. We were thinking of checking out Pyin U Lwin, which we didn%26#39;t get to last time, and then...? Do you have any suggestions?

After Mandalay, we want to head back down to Yangon and go to either Chaung Tha or Ngwe Saung since they%26#39;re both drivable from Yangon. A lot of travel agencies are trying to steer us away from Chaung Tha because ';only locals like it, not tourists'; -- but we LIKE interacting with locals! Do you think we%26#39;d be disappointed in it? Not looking for luxury, but to meet some more wonderful Myanmar people and make new friends there. We plan to stay at the beach 3 nights, then back to Yangon for 2 before heading out.

We love your country, and can%26#39;t wait to return. Any insights you can share would be greatly appreciated!

First , I get information that Air Mandalay did not fly to Bagan in this month too.

For Mandaly, they fly every day, morning flight.

From Mandaly, you can drive to Pyin Oo Lwin and Thibaul (Si Paul).After visiting Pyin Oo Lwin and Thibaul, you can drive to Monywa , which is about 5 to 6 hrs drive from Pyin Oo Lwin. As usual, most of the Myanmar visit are pagoda and temple , so I am not sure you still interesting.However , you can visist following in Monywa.

1. Thanbode Temple, over 500000 buddha images built in 1930.

2. The Bodhitahtaung Temple , over 1000 siting buddha images under 1000 bodhi trees.

3. Recently open the world tallast standing Buddha statue.

4. Powintaung caves, situated in cliff which houses over 400000 images. It consists of 947 sandstone caves dug out of the hills and considered by archaeologists to be the richest collection of mural painting and Buddha%26#39;s statues.

From there you can drive through Pyay and then proceed to Chaung Thar.

Than something like this.

Day 1. Arrive Yangon.

Day 2. Fly to Mandalay and meet your driver and proceed to Pyin Oo Lwin. Visit Pyin Oo Lwin and Thibaul. Overnight at Pyin Oo Lwin.

Day 3. Drive to Monywa. Visit 1~3 . Overnight at Monywa.

Day 4. Visit Powintaung caves and back to Monywa. Overnight at Monywa.

Day 5. Drive to Pakkoku (about 4 hrs drive). Overnight at Pakkoku or continue drive to Pyay.

( Here, I am not so sure about how many hours to Pyay , but I think about 8 hrs.Also on Pakkoku, I am not sure, you can get the decent hotel or guest house in Pakkoku. So get your driver advice.)

From Pyay, you can proceed to Chaung Thar without come back to Yangon.

O.K, now Chaung Thar and Ngwe Saung.

Ngwe Saung is more expensive than Chaung Thar and in terms of beach , it is much more cleaner and more clear water .

Chaung Thar have more local and but lots of decent hotels and guest house where tourist can stay. Since , you have give your nick name as ';thebeerhunter'; I%26#39;m sure that you will enjoy more in Chaung Thar because of seafood.Seafood are cheaper and more availiable in Chanung Thar and more local restaurant than Ngwe Saung.

So, head for Chaung Thar but I just want to remind you that September and early October is consider still rainy season and may not be much people in beach. So , prepar to arrive on weekend. In the weekdays no much people.

Onbehalf of my country and my people, thank you very much for consider to return to our country ,especially, in this hard time.

mgzaymin, thanks very much for the wonderful recommendations!! I%26#39;ve got a lot more reading up to do in my Myanmar guide, on some of the places you have recommended. I really appreciate you taking the type to reply back in such detail.

Even though we%26#39;ve seen many already, seeing more stupas, temples, and buddhas is still very interesting to me (where we are from there aren%26#39;t any of these at all!) so Monywa sounds like a great location to head to after Mandalay %26amp; Pyin U Lwin. I%26#39;ll read up some more on Pokkaku and Pyay as well, and we%26#39;ll see how to work all these in to our plans.

Thank you for being honest about Chaung Thar beach. We%26#39;ve decided that this is likely where we will head at the end of our trip. As it works out, we%26#39;re looking to head there on a Thursday or Friday, following your weekend advice -- so it seems meant to be!

We sent off for our visas this weekend. I%26#39;m really looking forward to our return trip very much!

Since you%26#39;re based in Yangon -- what recommendations within the city or close by do you particularly recommend? Last trip, we did the usual things -- Bogayoke Market, Shwegedon Pagoda, Sule Paya, went and checked out the riverfront, and the Strand Hotel...also did a lot of just wandering around to get a feel of the place. What additional things do you recommend someone to see in-town? Overall we%26#39;re planning to spend about 3 nights in Yangon this trip.

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and information here. It%26#39;s very difficult to get up-to-date information on Myanmar from outside the country, so thanks for participating in a forum like this to keep us informed!

Have just come back from 2 weeks in Myanmar.

Did 4 domestic flights in the morning with Yangon Airways - all were fine. No time changes and all on time - fantastic service. No problems at all.

Yangon - Bagan

Bagan - Mandalay

Mandalay - Heho

Heho - Yangon

Very helpful and all exactly to the schedul when we booked them a month before - no delays. Better than the BMI flight I took when I got back into the UK! Delays and bagae issues! Yangon Airways were far better!

Hi ChantelleG,

Thanks for the info! It%26#39;s so difficult getting recent information for travelers in country now.

Would you mind sharing some info about your trip? Where did you stay? What did you see? What were prices like? How was the weather? Etc.

I love personal trip reports, and they are really helpful for others (like me!) who are in the midst of planning a trip.

Any info you wish to share would be really appreciated!

Hi, thebeerhunter,

I was away from internet . Here is the some tips near Yangon.

Thanlyin (Syrium)

Once the center of foreign trade for all lower Myanmar. In 16th century Syrium was home to trading port of Portuguese, Dutch, French and British merchants. Later the Portuguese adventure de Brito established his own private kingdom. The ruin of a Catholic church built by an Italian missionary in the 18th century can still be seen today. During the colonial days the British have imported some one millions of Indian for rice cultivation. Syrium still host a great numbers of Indian population though Myanmar citizen but their customs and way of life are still very much determined by the Hindu religion.

Here you can visit Kyauktan, the pagoda in the river too.(Yelai Pharyar)

Twantay

24 km from Yangon, reachable by road in an hour or by boat in about two hours on the Twantay Canal. The boat trip provides a view of the life along the canal while Twante itself provides interest as a center of pottery and hand-woven cotton cloth. There are over fifty pottery works. This craft has been handed down from generation to generation and is still carried on in the time-honored tradition. Twantay pottery is recognized and distributed throughout the country. Thousands of water pots flower pots, basins, jars of from 5 to 25 viss capacity are produced daily.

But I have to check and revert to you is I am not sure, what effect by cyclone on this two places.When I get the information I post you again.