Train 61 - Yangon to Bagan
Ever since our initial trip to Myanmar in 2001, we have been thinking of making a return visit. That road trip with our guide offered the benefit of local knowledge to experience Myanmar when it was just beginning to open up to mass tourism. We wanted to reconnect with our guide and also to see what Myanmar is like after the intervening years. After many postponements, we finally went back in May 2019. This time we organised our own itinerary and included several train journeys, a must-do nowadays on our trips.
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| Busier Yangon, with more traffic and flashy cars |
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Tickets for Train 61 - 600 km from Yangon to Bagan
but comforting to know we have insurance! |
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Airy, open windows with good views
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| Some things don't change - like toddy palms, |
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shady rain trees and bullock carts
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| and ploughing paddyfields the old way |
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Village kids at a lay-by rush for foodstuff
distributed by train passengers |
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| Sumptuous lunch bought at train stop |
Riding Train 61 from Yangon to Bagan
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After 17 hours of continuous rocking, rolling and
bouncing, the welcome sight of Bagan train station |
Mount Victoria
Situated in Chin state, Mt. Victoria (3,053 m) is the third highest mountain in Myanmar. Mt Victoria National Park is a UNESCO site of Outstanding Universal Value as well as an Asean Heritage Park. In 2001, Mt Victoria (Nat Ma Taung) was difficult to access due to travel restrictions. Now open to tourists, we made sure to include it in our itinerary. We hired a car and driver and stayed in Kanpetlet, the nearest township to the national park. Unfortunately, it was not the right season for the spectacular rhododendrons of Mt Victoria but nonetheless scenery was wonderful and we had exciting birding.
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| Our base at Floral Breeze Hotel |
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Great views from our accommodation
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| Forest-clad hills as far as the eye can see |
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| Thick rhododendron forest cover the hills |
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| Pleasant hike under the cover of trees |
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Strong winds shape some of the trees
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| Just 200 m elevation to cover before the summit |
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| Finally made it to the top of Mt Victoria |
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| with thanks and homage to the Enlightened One |
Gokteik Viaduct
The Gokteik viaduct in Shan state crosses the Gokteik gorge and connects Pyin Oo Lyin and Lashio. This railway bridge, at 102 m above the gorge, was the highest structure of its kind when it was built in 1901. It is the highest railway bridge in Myanmar and even today ranks as one of the largest railway trestle in the world. Many tourists take the ride on the train to marvel at this super structure and experience the thrill of going over the Gokteik Viaduct.
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Excitement mounts as we catch glimpses
of the viaduct on the other side of the gorge |
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| First view of the Gokteik Viaduct covered by mist |
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| Train slows down on approaching the viaduct |
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and creeps over the creaking structure as
we peer down and see the gorge and river |
One and a half minutes of nail-biting suspense
as the train slowly goes over the viaduct
Hsipaw to Mandalay via the Gokteik highway
The bus trip from Hsipaw to Mandalay turned out to be quite extraordinary. We already had our thrills riding the train over the Gokteik Viaduct and thought nothing of the bus trip. As it happened, we were in for another round of excitement. Part of the route involved what to us was the most winding road we have ever experienced, with hairpin bends, zig-zags and twists. From an elevation of about 1000 m asl, the road drops into the gorge at around 400 m asl before climbing steeply up again onto the highway.
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| The road winds downhill, with our bus |
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| tailing many heavy lorries and..... |
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| we join the long line of traffic heading down, |
with the bus taking hairpin bends and switch-backs
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| We stop on the side to allow traffic going up to pass |
and then continue steeply downhill,
negotiating the twists and turns in the road
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Relief on seeing the bridge over the river at the
bottom of the gorge before going uphill
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on a similarly suspenseful route - commendable
road courtesy with downhill traffic giving way |
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| One daring driver on the Gokteik highway |
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Looking at the tortuous road we had
driven on and feeling happy to be safe |
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thanks to the good luck charm on the bus, our
expert driver and his tape of Buddhist prayers |
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The hairpins and switchbacks of the Gokteik highway
are part of the tolled Mandalay- Muse Highway |
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