Joe Louis gets around Inwa on horse and carriage
During my time in Myanmar I got around the countryside using all sorts of transportation. In cities I traveled by cab, public buses, and even an old railway. Between cities I rode larger buses and hiked by foot. On the lake I floated along in a long canoe. Around Mandalay, motorbike was the easiest way to zip from one place to another.
For some reason, the only viable mode of transportation in Inwa is horse and carriage. Perhaps the handsome cabbies union has a strong presence on the small island near Mandalay. I enjoyed the throwback feeling of getting around the former Burmese capital via the mostly fumeless carriage ride. It would be even better if there were two lanes for the horses to gallop along instead of continually playing a game of chicken between carriages coming and going.
When first disembarking the shuttle boat to Inwa there is knoll where twenty or so horse carriages loiter around waiting for incoming tourists. There is also a restaurant in the area. I found that most drivers were charging $6 for a tour of the island, but the price was somewhat negotiable. I haggled probably a little too hard, but being a solo traveler I didn’t have as much leverage as couples and families. In any case I made sure we agreed on the same price and confirmed with my driver (his friend would later try to overcharge me upon returning at the end of the trip).
The tours are pretty standard, lasting a few hours and taking passengers across the island to temples and monasteries in the area. The major sights are the Bagaya Monastery (made of teakwood), The Ava Watch Tower, the Lawka Tharahpu Pagoda, and the Maha Aung Mye Bonzan Monastary (brick). Of all of these I enjoyed the eakwood monastery the most. At one of the Pagodas I eavesdropped on a group that had its own docent providing historical information about the sight, but after Bagan I was already a bit templed out.
See what other blogs are saying about the horses in Inwa:
“The last of our former Burmese capitals took us on a longboat ride across a swift river to Inwa (Ava). The most common form of transport is on the back of a horse cart . . . the novelty of the horse cart wore off in about 5.3 seconds, as our rears took a beating. I was immediately in desperate need of a massage, or even better, a chiropractor visit. Then, we just experienced the dusty and bumpy road.”
–With Husband in Tow
“The best way to get around is by horse and cart which is bumpy but in no doubt fun. Note the horse and carts charge by the hour (around 6,000 Kyat ($6)) but the circle takes roughly 2 hours so expect to pay 12,000 Kyat ($12). There’s also a $10 entrance fee for the Mandalay Archaeological zone which covers the attractions of Inwa along with others dotted throughout Mandalay (e.g. Mandalay Palace).”
–Live Less Than Ordinary
