What to See around Yangon and the South

"Zeigyi Upper Market, Mawlamyine, Mon State, Burma. The temperature dropped as the sun went down, and fog fell over the city. This was good news, as we had planned on wandering the ferret warrens surrounding the big Mawlamyine markets. We came upon this game of kickball, and put our adventuring on hold to make fools of ourselves in a typically Burmese way. Mawlamyine is a part of Southern Burma that sees relatively few outside visitors, which really is saying something when you consider how few tourists visit Burma each year. Burmese are generally kind, open, and honest folk who will readily invite you into their homes for a bite to eat, or into their game of kickball - only to laugh at how incredibly bad you are when you can't keep the ball in the air for more than two seconds. I must have joined in half a dozen games while wandering the city in a single night - unexpected, and tons of fun. For those wondering, this game is called chinlone, and it is one of Burma's oldest traditional games. In typical Burmese fashion, the game is not about scoring points, but how well you play the game. Perfect."

"Diversion in the Deep South Although currently a charmingly laid back tropical seaside town, there are big plans for Dawei. A proposed deep sea port and industrial zone will turn the sleepy outpost into a major gateway to the region. With funding for the project in doubt, however, change is still some way off meaning that visitors can enjoy its off-the-grid appeal for some time yet."

"Journey Down the Salween River Although the popular government boat between Hpa-An and Mawlamyine has been out of service since 2012, it is still possible to make the classic six-hour boat journey down the Salween River between the two towns. The leisurely journey offers some picturesque scenery as well as an insight to rural life in Myanmar. Expect to pay around $12 for a one-way journey."

"An Evocative Sunset Spot Documented by Rudyard Kipling during his brief, but impactful, visit to Myanmar, the tallest and most visible stupa in Mawlamyine remains one of the city's most enchanting spots. It is a particularly fine place to watch the sun-setting over the Salween River. Just to the north is Mahamuni Paya, an equally alluring temple complex."

"The End of the Line The western terminus of the infamous "Death Railway", built during the Second World War by Allied prisoners of war, Thanbyuzayat is a worthy pilgrimage. There's not a lot to see in the town itself, but the railway station and the war cemetery, which contains 3771 graves are moving reminders of the horrors of war."