"A road, literally, less travelled." a Magwe Travel Page by planxty

So goes the old Scottish song about Loch Lomond. If you are travelling North from Yangon towards Bagan ( a fairly normal travellers itinerary) the buses tend to use the "high" road. I decided on a more leisurely approach and went via Pyay (Pyi / Prome) and Magwe, spending a night in each.

There are limited options for foreigners to stay (two licensed establishments) and I think these two facts combine to make it a place where you really are an object of curiosity.

The youngsters openly stare at you, and when I went for a meal (see restaurant tip), I literally had a gaggle of waiters hovering round staring - not offensively, just out of curiosity, I think.

Magwe, also spelt Magway and Magwey, is the capital of the Division (administrative area) of the same name. It is a town of about 300,000 souls and is quite nondescript really, although pleasant enough for one or two days.

If you don't fancy the longish overnight bus ride to Bagan, and if time isn't a factor, I would recommend this slower route with one caveat. Do NOT, and I can't stress this enough, do NOT get the Hilux jeep from Magwe to Bagan inless you are of a seriously masochistic turn of mind. i will post a tip about this in the transportation section for Nyaung U (the main tourist town for Bagan).

Perhaps it was just coincidence, but I did see the most dramatic sunset I saw in the whole country here, and that, for me, would be reason enough for coming.

Here are a few photos of some of some of the lovely people I met in Magwe.