Ngapali Beach

Kalaw was the final destination for our guided trip. We flew back to Yangon and the Barnwells. We were on our own now with about a week left before our flight home. The first thing we did was have dinner with Lay Lay and Cho Cho to thank them. Their advice and recommendations made our experience of Myanmar so much richer. 

Kat and I wanted to see a bit more of the country so we made arrangements to escape the city for a few days.  We looked at a number of alternatives but the simplest won. We found plane flights and booked a hotel reservation at Amata Hotel in Ngapali Beach. All seemed to be working until we returned home to find our flight reservations did not process. This made for a stressful night but we resolved it in the morning. It was a good reminder on how helpful it is to have someone handling travel details. 

The Amata turned out to be a very stylish beachside hotel complete with an infinity pool, delicious brunch and cool old truck.  

After a filling breakfast we rented a sit on top double kayak and paddled for a couple of hours. We explored the coastline paddling passed an island pagoda and weaving in and out of the fishing boats. It was nice to be on the water again. 

We walked down the to the fishing village located south of the resort. The days catch was laid out to dry. The community was known for its seafood. We had some amazing seafood dishes, including the best ceviche ever. 

    

Our 28 days nearly up we headed back to Yangon. We spent the last couple of days enjoying the company of the Barnwells and taking care of a few odds and ends (including some quality dental work at a very reasonable price). On our final day in the country all four of us came down with a bug. This was the first real sickness for Kat and I on the trip. Unfortunately it occurred the same day we were getting on a plane with travel time of over 25 hours.  This did prove that Bob and Marylynn are great people to hang with in sickness and in health. 

Our thanks go out to Bob and Marylynn, Lay Lay and Cho Cho, and all of our excellent guides - Thura, Aung, Phoo Phoo and Te.  They made our travels special by sharing their homes and culture. It was an amazing adventure. 

If you are planning a trip to Myanmar and would like contact information for our trip organizers or guides let me know.

Kalaw

We had a very scenic drive from the Cave to Kalaw. Te made it a cultural experience by pulling over at any gathering of local people working and visiting with them. One group of villagers was harvesting rice. There were approximately 25 people harvesting rice that they would keep for themselves. Had they been paid it would be about $3.50 a day.    

As we entered Kalaw Te noticed people preparing for the new moon fireworks celebration. Leaping out of the car we joined the group of partiers beating gongs, playing a large drum, and dancing. Arms in the air we danced our way up the street following a line of young woman carrying lanterns. The locals embraced us and Te quickly found himself playing one of the drums. 

The following morning we were off to the market. The local fare was all you could ask for and then some. 

The rest of the day was spent trekking. The countryside around Kalaw was a mix of field and farms with a small hilltop village where we stopped for lunch. Te was pleasantly surprised to find the film crew and stars of his favorite comedy series filming in the village. 

We eventually headed up to Hill Top Villas and a quiet evening. The days are fascinating but exhausting. A cold beer while watching sunset was the perfect way to complete the day.