A great way to see a hidden side of Myanmar is taking a boat between Mandalay and Bagan on the Irrawaddy River. You’ll catch a glimpse into the life of local riverside villages: women doing laundry in the river as kids play in the water around them, and fisherman canoeing against the river’s tide. You’ll see gold dredging boats, fisherman huts built on floating bamboo rafts, flocks of cranes, water buffalo, and more on this scenic ferry ride.
Although taking a boat is not the fastest way to get between Bagan and Mandalay (busses take 6-8 hours), it’s probably the safest and most enjoyable.
Here’s what to expect if you decide to skip the busses and trains, to take a scenic ferry from Bagan to Mandalay (or ferry from Mandalay to Bagan) down the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar!