Accommodation reports

The Great Wall Hotel has opened in Mandalay a five-storey building with 85 guest rooms equipped with hot and cold showers, televisions, mini-bars and air conditioning.

In Kalaw, the Honeymoon Villa offers modern facilities, friendly services and comfort in the hill station town, not to mention a romantic name.

Inle Resort

The Inle Resort opened in July on the eastern short of the lake, a 30 minute boat ride from Nyaung Shwe. It offers 12 duplex cottages as well as an impressive lobby and public area building. The opening of the Inle Resort follows the successful launch of the Mandalay City Hotel, owned by the same group that developed the Inle Resort.

The Palm Beach Resort on Ngwe Saung Beach offers 31 suites with all the amenities of a luxury resort. All of the rooms open onto their own verandas and resort facilities include a swimming pool and a restaurant that serves Myanmar and western food.

The Pyay Strand Hotel in Pyay opened in July on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River with 32 guest rooms that feature televisions, mini-bars, air conditioning and telephones.

Also in Pyay, visitors can stay at the Smile Hotel, located in downtown with 22 rooms. Facilities include hot and cold showers, televisions, air conditioning and mini-bars.

Sunny Paradise Resort

The Sunny Paradise Resort in Ngwe Saung Beach is set in a lush tropical setting overlooking the Bay of Bengal. It features 33 bungalows and 45 superior guest rooms luxuriously appointed and stylishly decorated with traditional furnishings. The resort also offers an outdoor swimming pool, a children’s playground and water sports facilities.

Developers of The Lisu have announced that the opening of the eco-resort will be delayed until October 2006, in time for the high season. It will house eight African safari bungalows and offer overnight rafting expeditions on the Ayeyarwady River. Departure dates for packaged tours will be on Tuesdays and Fridays, to coincide with Air Bagan’s new Putao service.

Flight information

Air Bagan

Myanmar’s first privately-owned airline, Air Bagan, began operations in late 2004 with a leased Fokker aircraft and flights to Bagan, Mandalay and Heho. Since then the airline has added additional aircraft to its fleet and more destinations, including Tachileik, Kyaing Tong, Myitkyina, Dawei, Myeik and Kawthaung. In August, the airline introduced the luxury Lotus Class, which features exclusive check-in facilities and transportation, extra-wide seats, and specialty foods. Starting October, Air Bagan will begin offering flights to Pathein on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

In September, Myanmar Airways International cancelled its flights between Yangon and New Delhi.