Almost close enough for a long day trip, or better as an overnight trip from Yangon, the quaint river town of Pathein (ပုသိမ်မြို့) offers visitors an engaging experience with history and tradition, and the chance to meet heartland Myanmar.
Most travelers pass through Pathein, taking the bumpy narrow roads for a couple more hours to the beige-sand beaches of Chaung Tha or Ngwe Saung, but Pathein is worth more than just a rest stop. The town is one of the many around Myanmar that claims to be the fourth largest, but you never get the impression you are in a large city. Despite the Burmese view that Pathein is a modern, prosperous delta town, part of the town’s charm is its old world feel, with dilapidated merchant buildings, a slower pace and a few ancient churches.
Pathein was once the most important delta port, rivaling Yangon. Its former colonial name, Bassein, may have been a corruption of a Burmese word for Muslim, as the trading town once supported a large Indian and Arab population. Today, there is still a small Muslim population, and a handful of mosques are scattered in and around the Strand waterfront.
Pathein’s main focus is not on the roads or rail lines that connect it across the watery plains, but on the port, on the east bank of the Pathein River, a tributary of the Irrawaddy River. Up until earlier this year it was possible to take a slow, scenic boat journey from Yangon to Pathein, but now the improved roads have reduced the travel time to 3 hours, and the boat from Yangon only goes as far as Myaungmya, an hour or so away from Pathein. Buses leave from 6am to the mid-afternoon to Pathein from the western bus station, Dagonayer or Hlaing Thar Yar Bus Terminal, 45 minutes from downtown Yangon, costing 3000-6000k for a pleasant drive through the delta.
Few foreigners linger in Pathein, and locals are friendly. The first foreigner to visit was British adventurer Ralph Fitch who visited between 1586-88, calling the settlement Cosmin. At this time, the biggest ports in lower Burma were Thanlyin, Dallah, Mottama and Bago. Present-day Pathein owes its growth to its importance as a trading port during the short era of Portuguese imperialism, and the later colonial period. You will see on your journey to Pathein that rice is the main crop, but sesame, peanuts, maize, tobacco and chilies are also grown on the fertile alluvial soil.
The main market, located right next to the main jetty area where boats and barges are loaded and unloaded, is the place to visit in the morning to see the workings of this town. A number of the merchant buildings are Chinese owned – look for the red lanterns. The most appealing aspect about spending time in Pathein is the old-fashioned shops in the downtown area
Commanding a small hill next to the Strand and market is the stunning Shwemokhtaw Pagoda, famous for the pounds of gold, silver and bronze, and clusters of diamonds, rubies and gemstones in its top umbrella. The Buddha image in the south shrine is said to be one of the four crafted from the original Bodhi tree and set adrift from Sri Lanka.
One of the nice things about Pathein compared to Yangon is the lack of cars. Most people walk or use motorbikes. You can hop on a rickshaw and head to one of the workshops making Pathein’s most famous product, parasols. For over a century, family workshops have made umbrellas and parasols by hand. The best known enterprise is Shwe Sar traditional umbrellas workshop (653 Tawyakyaung Road, Pathein. Phone 042 25127 or 04 9722500 or 04210 25401, www.myanmar-parasol.com, [email protected]), about 2 miles north-east from the centre of town, where you can see the parasols being assembled and painted, originally for royalty as protection from the sun, and for use by monks and nuns. Treated parasols are waterproof and don’t fade.
Closer to the centre of town, there are a few umbrella shops on the main street south. Parasols are as little as 2000k, and larger umbrellas up to 3m in diameter can be ordered. In this area also look for the century-old Roman Catholic cathedral with its interesting green exterior. Nearby is a Hindu temple.
One of the other treats of Pathein is its food, with riverside bars offering cold beer and great views, and food stalls set up at night, north of the Strand. There are a couple of good Burmese food options near the main Shwemokhtaw including Shwe Zin Paw next to the bus ticket offices and opposite the only place to change foreign currency, the CB Bank. Local specialty is a sticky rice pancake, a legacy of the Muslim snack halawa.
For places to stay, most backpackers head to the Taan Taan Ta at 7 Merchant Street (042-22290) where rooms are $15, or nearby on Mingyi Road are a range of guesthouses and hotels including the La Pyae Wun at Mingyi Ra (042-25592) and the Paradise, both around $20-30.
Pathein is a world away from Yangon, and if you need a break from the bustle of the big city, it is the perfect getaway. This quirky little town is more than a gateway to the beaches in the Bay of Bengal.
by Keith Lyons
