The next morning was a 6am start to be at the jetty before 7. The boat was due to leave at 7.30am and I needed to book my bus ticket from Thaunggok to Yangon. I had two full days in Mrauk U before I had to leave to go back to Sittwe. The boat took about 3 hours from Sittwe to Mrauk U.
Below is a picture of the time tables between Sittwe and Mrauk-U. This is correct as of February 2014. The ferrys run daily, I would book ahead if you can. The ferry actually leaves at 7.30 from Sittwe but you have to be there at 7am for check in.
Shwe Pyi Tan takes 2-3 hours and is $20. Quite a comfortable boat.
Aung Kyaw Moe takes 4-6 hours and is $10. This is very basic. Hard wooden seats line the top deck while the locals sit on the ground.
Government ship is $6 and takes 5-7 hours. Probably more basic than Aung Kyaw Moe! I didn’t take this boat so I can’t comment on it!
TImetable for ferrys between Sittwe and Mrauk U – sorry for the scribbles!
On arrival to Mrauk U I had to walk for 5 minutes to my guest house Royal city. A single room was $10 here. Immediately I dropped my bag and went off to explore with Takuma and another traveller Paul on bikes.
Lunch was at Moe Cherry by the city walls in Mrauk U. 4,000 kyat for a meal with unlimited rice and baby potatoes. It was expensive compared to other restraunts in Myanmar but definitely worth it. Cycling around on the bike I could see why Mrauk U is known as “little bagan” It doesn’t have as many huge temples as Bagan but its padogas are built on top of little hills which make the scenery very pretty.
Inside the HtukKanThein Temple
Koe thaung Temple
Koe thaung Temple
Shite thaung Temple
The sunset at Mrauk U Was spectacular. We did end up chasing it on our bikes for a better view but failed miserably!
An early night was had again to be up for the sunrise of my second and final day in Mrauk U. Although we got there in plenty of time we never saw the sunrise. It was too cloudy. We did see some fantastic rays though the clouds. Defeated we marched down and back to the hotel for a little breakfast. I headed off again to get lost in little villages, interact with some locals and take pictures of some delighted and giddy children.
These boys followed me up a hill to watch me taking photos!
I couldn’t find these on the map and the locals couldn’t name them.
The kids were very excited about the camera
Family photo time
goofs
Just after lunch it got painfully humid which meant only one thing…..a huge downpour. Caught about 15 minutes from my hotel I was soaked to the bones by the time I got back much to the amusement of onlookers and the hotel staff as I peddled my bike as hard as I could back. The rest of the day was nonstop downpour but I felt that I had got most of what I wanted to see covered. I managed to do a huge loop of the area on my bike!
The next morning was another early rise. My ferry to Sittwe was due to leave at 7am. I was on the boat for 6.30 watching all the passengers push and shove their way onto the boats. About 5 scooters were loaded onto the boat. About 3 people had to wheel each scooter onto the ferry on a plank of wood. There was a few hairy moments were I thought it would fall off into the water but they all made it safe and sound!
Mrauk U jetty
Getting a scooter on the boat
The ferry took about 5 hours and was 10USD. It was a two decked boat and the journey was very cold. The locals cuddled up together in a crowd with blankets and hot drinks and I shivered under my scarf. The sunrise was very pretty this time round. It lit up the whole area and it made me sad that I couldn’t spend another day there.
pretty
The sunrise I wanted the day before
At midday I got off the boat and headed for my guesthouse Sun Moon which I’d booked two days before. The staff here are very friendly and the woman has passing English….even though the room was definitely not nice I would stay here again in a heart beat as the owners are so lovely. Exhausted I took a nap and woke up in time to get to The Point for the sunset. The owners of Sun Moon gave me their bike for free and pointed me in the right direction. The cycle took about 20 minutes.
I enjoyed 2 hours in the dwindling sun paddling in the water of the Bay of Bengal, posing with locals on the beach, playing with dogs, watching some beach soccer and reading my book. The sunset was spectacular also.
Met a group of girls on the beach. They wanted a picture with me….I wanted a picture with them
canine companions
Back at the guest house I met a tour guide who gave me a history lesson on Rhakine state, educated the owners on where I was from and also my relationship status (they were very shocked that I was travelling alone) and gave me a history lesson on Myanmar and spoke a bit on the genocide that happened in the state at the hands of Muslims.(I didn’t feel entirely comfortable with the conversation as political talk can get people into trouble) After this I said my farewells and I was given lots of water and snacks for my trip back and even a hug from the woman at the guest house. Being the first Irish girl at the premises had its perks.
5am I was collected from the guest house to be at the jetty in time for the boat which was due to leave at 6. It didn’t leave until 6.40 and it was thoroughly packed! The boat again took about 10 hours and due to a little bit of food poisoning and or motion sickness it was a long ride indeed. The boat arrived in at 4pm which was also the time that my bus left for Yangon. In a panic the immigration officer put me on the back of a moto taxi. The driver reeked of whiskey as he flew down the road. He managed to get me on my bus just before it left (late again!) at 4.20 and he laughed as I thanked him profusely in Burmese Jay Su Thim Ba Day!
Unfortunately I don’t have the contract details for Sun Moon guest house. But if you ask one of the locals who speak English they should be able to direct you!
In Mrauk U I stayed at Royal City Guesthouse. It is only about 5 minutes walk from the jetty. A single room with a shared bathroom is $10 and it included breakfast. The staff were really friendly and helpful.
Telephone: +95 502 400
TPtravels 
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