Yangon to Singapore - Flight

Following on from my previous post, we had over 12 hours to wait at Yangon airport before our flight. With my partner being very ill on the night bus, we decided to check into the hotel across from the airport. This was called Season's Hotel and was very overpriced at $50 for 8 to 12 hours! However we didn't have much choice and got some much needed sleep. Please note this hotel is very basic and dated but handy if needed.

We checked out about 4pm just over 3 hours before our flight so we could check in and get some food. Yangon's International Terminal is very small with limited seating and only one coffee shop. Don't plan to arrive too early at the airport as there isn't much there, even once you go through passport control, it is very limited.

Our flight was with Jetstar at a reasonable price of $148 for two people including 15kg luggage. Check in was swift and opened about 2 and half hours before departure.

Passport control and security checks were very quick and easy, just make sure you have your departure card filled in beforehand. At this side you have a choice of one restaurant and one cafe. We picked the restaurant which cost nearly 20,000 kyat for two waters, soup and a burger which seemed pricey! Food was ok.

We boarded the plane on time and left on time. The planes were fine, we got asked to sit in front of an emergency exit free of charge as the plane wasn't full. This meant we had lots of extra leg room. The trolley service selling drinks and food passes down once during the flight with several currencies accepted.

The plane landed on time at 11.45pm after the 1hr 30min time difference. Again on on this side passport control and luggage collection was quick.

Singapore airport offers you a lot when you arrive including a range of shops and places to grab some food and drinks. They also have several ATM's including an HSBC one that doesn't charge you a fee to use.

After that, we located the airport shuttle service and paid S$9 (singapore dollars) for a minibus to our hostel downtown.

4 out of 5

Mandalay to Yangon - Night Bus

Our final travel in Myanmar required transport from Mandalay to Singapore. The cheapest way for us to do this was a night bus to Yangon then a flight to Singapore. Flying straight from Mandalay was not direct and pretty expensive.

We picked the latest bus possible from Mandalay with Elite Express at 10.30pm. This took around 8 hours and cost 20,200 kyat per person.

We arrived at Mandalay bus terminal around 10pm for checkin and soon boarded the VIP bus. Again we were the only foreigners on the bus however this didn't matter as we only had one stop, Yangon.

The bus itself was clean with big comfy chairs and blankets. You get given a little snack box, bottle of water and can of coca cola. The chairs also have screens to watch films or listen to music. Films ranged from Despicable Me 2 to Iron Man 3 whilst the music were greatest hit albums apart from 16 pages of songs dedicated to Westlife (didn't realise how many songs they had)! 

Plenty of room

The journey was smoother than other trips in Myanmar but it was still be very bumpy. We stopped once near the capital for a 30 minute break around half 1. My partner was very unwell on the bus being sick a few times but the staff were very helpful even though they only spoke limited English. They allowed us to pull over one more time for my partner to get off for a few minutes. 

Screens for everyone 

After this, we managed to sleep and rolled into Yangon at 5.45am, ahead of schedule. The Yangon bus station is very hectic with lots of taxis. Make sure you know how much your taxi trip should be in advance otherwise you'll get ripped off.

We jumped in a taxi to the airport for 6,000 kyat between us which took about 30 minutes.  Then only a 12 hour wait until our flight!

4 out of 5 

Bagan to Mandalay - Minibus

After a fantastic few days in Bagan exploring we decided to move onto our next stop, Mandalay. Our second two days in New Bagan we stayed at Arthawka Hotel which I can highly recommend, especially if you want a pool after a hot day of exploring the temples!

The hotel had minibus (19 seater) tickets available to Mandalay for 9,000 kyat per person. This seemed reasonable and included pick up from the hotel as the bus station is quite far out. The bus company is called Pyi Taw Aye Express. The only two times available were 5am or 9am and it takes 5 hours, we picked the latter with pick up at 8am.

Old 19 seater minibus

We were picked up on time by a pick up struck along with other backpackers and travellers. We then drove up to Old Bagan and across to Nyaung-U where we arrived at Pyi Taw Aye Express bus office. We had expected to depart from the new bus terminal which must just be used for when you arrive to make more money from you for taxis.

The bus itself was quite old and only had a boot big enough for three suitcases with most backpacks being put under seats inside the bus. We departed not long after picking up many locals on the way. The bus at times got very crammed with locals standing up and  aisle ways full of backpacks. This also meant the bus attendant had the door open for large parts of the journey which made it very hot!

Locals crammed on

The roads are quite poor on this journey and we were in for a very bumpy ride. At one point you drive along train tracks across a bridge as the roads aren't accessible.

No longer a bridge!

We stopped at another of their offices in Myingyan to pick up a few more locals and have a ten minute toilet break. After this we didn't stop until not long before 12 for lunch, we just nipped across to a small shop for a couple of snacks.

The last leg of the journey was a bit smoother  as you hit the newer highway. A few more pick ups and drop offs before you get into Mandalay. The bus drops you off at your hotel which is good however we had difficulty finding ours. Finally we managed to locate the hotel and we arrived not long after 2.

3.5 out of 5 

Inle Lake to Bagan - Bus

We opted for a day bus to Bagan from Inle Lake and contacted JJ Express about there day bus, which I'd read about online, however they only now do a night bus. We managed to book a day bus through our hotel for 12,000 kyat opposed to 19,000 kyat for the night bus. Lots of travel agencies offer tickets to Bagan but I had previously heard from other people not to get the minibus.

We were picked up at 7am from our hotel and thought we would be taken back up to the junction at Shwenyaung junction, but after picking up a few other travellers we were taken around the corner to the bus office in Nyaung Shwe. We then waited until around 7.50am when the coach arrived and we quickly boarded and set off.

However, about 5 minutes later we stopped on the side of the road just outside of Nyaungshwe for what turned out to be nearly an hour. We weren't told anything and didn't leave until 9am, I have no idea why they pick you up so early when it could easily of just picked you up at 9am. Slightly infuriating!

The first of many stops!

After this, we set off for Kalaw but again stopped before here at one of their bus stations for a ten minute break even though we'd probably only just done about an hour of driving. Once we got moving again we picked up a couple more people in Kalaw and began the drive through the mountains.

The first bit of the mountain drive is full of bends but our driver seemed to know the roads well and didn't hold back. This was no problem for us and just before 12, we stopped for lunch at a little roadside restaurant.

After 30 minutes, we set off again but the driver seemed to be more laid back now and a lot slower. Then we stopped for the bus to be cleaned, thankfully only for ten minutes.

Throughout the journey, we picked up and dropped off local people which wasn't a problem. The bus was never more than half full and we had a couple of very loud local films playing on the screens which we followed and they were awful!!

The second half of the journey felt much quicker as the roads weren't too bad and we looked to be good for time! We made one final stop at there offices in Kyaukpadaung so the driver could wrap up a gift in a box. He then went off on the back of a moped with a local for 20 minutes and finally reappeared at the bus so we could leave again. Unbelievable.

We finally made it to Bagan's new bus terminal  at about 4.30pm and to finish off the day we got ripped off for a taxi. To get to New Bagan they wanted 20,000 kyat!! We now know that it should be 7,000 and we ended up paying 12,000 kyat. Oh well, we made it.

2.5 out of 5

Yangon to Inle Lake - Night Bus

After searching around online for which bus companies to use in Myanmar, the main ones coming up were JJ Express and Elite Express. With only a couple of days in Yangon and unsure about where the station was, we asked about booking a bus with our hotel. 

They could only offer overnight bus tickets to Inle Lake with Taung Paw Thar Express for 20,000 kyat each. They said it was a vip bus with 2 + 1 seats and reclining seats. We decided to go for it.

We got a taxi to the bus station north of Yangon two hours prior to check in for the bus from advice by our hotel. At 4pm, it took nearly two hours in traffic and cost 10,000 kyat between 4 of us. At the bus station we checked in and boarded the bus and we left at 6.15pm with a full bus.

Our bus for the night 

The seats were very comfortable and big with plenty of leg room. You also got a small pillow, blanket, drinks and snacks for the journey.

A couple of negatives with the bus included the fact they didn't turn all the lights off and they had the standard local film showing on the highest volume! Make sure you have an ipod with you and maybe an eye mask.

Lights on, volume up!

It also stops three times, once after three hours around 9pm, then about 1am and another time around 4am. Thankfully these stops make you arrive a little later, we got dropped off at Shwenyaung at 6am.

From here, you have to get a taxi down to Nyaungshwe which cost 8,000 kyat between 4 of us. On the way you stop at the ticket office to buy Inle Lake tickets which costs 12,500 kyat each.

Thankfully our hotel let us check in at 7am with a room free! If your on a budget and looking for a double room I recommend Aung Mingalar Hotel for early check in.

3.5 out of 5