Pyay

Introduction

Pyay, once anglicised as Prome, is the principal town of its township in Myanmar's Bago Region, set on the bank of the Irrawaddy River to the north-west of Yangon. The town grew up as a trading point: the British Irrawaddy Flotilla Company established the current settlement in the late 19th century as a transshipment stop for cargo moving between Upper and Lower Burma, and Pyay remains an important trade centre for the Ayeyarwady Delta, Central and Upper Myanmar and Rakhine State.

It is also the terminus of the Yangon-Pyay Railway, the first railway line in the country. History sits close to the surface here: the Buddhist monk and classical poet Shin Raṭṭhasāra, prominent in the Kingdom of Ava, died in Pyay and has a mausoleum in his honour, and Rear Admiral Charles Austen, brother of the novelist Jane Austen, also died here.

Before you go

Pyay is an ancient city with a modern face, and most travellers come here for one reason: the ruins of Sri Kshetra, the old Pyu city. Beyond the ruins, the religious sights are the draw — a giant sitting Buddha south of the city and the Shwebontha Muni Pagoda in nearby Pa Daung. The city is also home to three universities.

Western tourists are still relatively few here, so set your expectations accordingly: this is a place where you come for the archaeology and the pagodas rather than a well-worn tourist trail. Plan your time around Sri Kshetra and the Buddha image to the south, and allow for the excursion to Pa Daung.

Getting there

Pyay sits on the Irrawaddy and is reached overland by bus, train or boat. Long-distance buses use the Highway Bus Station, a few kilometres east of the train station, and the town works as a stopover on the Yangon–Sittwe and Yangon–Mrauk U routes. Buses also connect Pyay with Bagan, Ngapali (via Taungup), Pathein, Thandwe, Taungup, Sittwe and Mrauk U; the mountain stretch through Taungup can be very bumpy at certain seasons, so prepare for a rough ride. From Yangon the bus takes around eight hours.

Pyay Main Station is in the centre of the city, though the ticket counter is not open all day, so ask locally before heading there. Trains run daily from two stations in Yangon, central and Kyemyindine, with the central departure being the quicker of the two; ordinary seats and upper class are both available for the whole distance. The Pathein train stops at Hinthada and Kyankin, but does not cross the Irrawaddy, so the last stretch from Kyankin to Pyay is covered by local transport, and boats are an option too. A local ferry leaves Bagan on Sundays and arrives the following day, and another leaves Yangon on Fridays. Pyay Airport, about five kilometres east of the centre, has no scheduled flights from other Myanmar cities.

Getting around

Use the Main Roundabout, with its Aung San statue at the centre, to get your bearings: most destinations in Pyay are close to it. If you stay in one of the guesthouses in the centre, the main sights and Pyay Main Station are within walking distance, and the town's straight, broad streets make strolling easy. The Shwesandaw Pagoda, a gilded landmark on a low hill in the centre of town, is a straightforward walk from the middle of the city.

For anything beyond the centre, take a motorbike taxi or a shared pickup along the main roads. Shared pickups are the cheapest way to cover longer distances, while a private ride to the Highway Bus Station, which sits well east of the centre, costs a little more; either way, keep small kyat notes on you. Several guesthouses rent bicycles, a good middle-ground option for the flat streets and the riverside. Pyay Main Station is unusually convenient, but the ticket counter is not open all day, so ask locally about times before you go. Note that on the Pathein route the train does not cross the Irrawaddy for the final stretch into Pyay, so you'll need local transport or a boat for that last leg. There is no local city bus network for sightseeing, and no metered taxi fleet or app-based ride-hailing is described, so arrange rides through your guesthouse or by asking locally.

Where to stay

Most places to stay cluster around the main roundabout, so you can base yourself centrally and walk to most of what Pyay offers. For a family-run option that is cozy and clean, try Pan Ga Ba Guest House on Merchant Street, one block from Myat Lodging House; the rooms are a little outdated and moldy, but the people are very helpful and the breakfast of papaya, samosa and spring rolls is a highlight. Smile Motel, between the main roundabout and Shwe Sandaw Pagoda, has old but decent rooms on the first floor in a very central location, with comfortable beds, bathroom, TV, fridge and air conditioning, plus friendly staff and bell boys. Myat Lodging House on Bazaar Street, north of the post office, is not clean or comfortable, so it is best treated as a fallback.

Near the river, Pyay Strand on Strand Road has bright, big rooms with bathroom and TV, though comfort varies from room to room, so ask to see yours before checking in. Lucky Dragon, just north of Pyay Strand Hotel, is one of the more expensive options and includes all amenities, such as a swimming pool. Hotel 3D on Shwe Tite Tan Street offers small but cheap rooms with a bottle of water and WiFi. Rates at several of these places are highly negotiable and volatile, so do not arrive late without a reservation.

Food & drink

For curries, head to May Ywet War Myanmar Restaurant on Kan Street, a block north of San Francisco — it's the standout among the city's restaurants. Grandma's Restaurant, northwest of the night market, serves good Western and South Korean food. On the riverfront, Hline Ayar Restaurant is great for sunset and has an extensive English menu. San Francisco Restaurant on Strand Road is not considered good value for money. For something more hands-on, Eat Hotpot BBQ and Cafe on Highway 2 offers serve-yourself all-you-can-eat hotpot and BBQ.

For an evening drink, look south of the main roundabout, where you'll find bars serving beer, some with English menus. Jade Dragon on Market Street, three blocks south of Pyay Say Gyi Market, does coffee, tea and little snacks. Romeo Cold Cafe, just before Pyay Say Gyi Market along Strand Road, is another riverside option good for a chill and tea.

What to see and do

Pyay's most photographed sight is the giant seated Buddha at Sehtatgyi, at the eastern foot of Shwe Sandaw hill. Climb to Shwe Sandaw Pagoda on the hill itself for the best angle on the statue, or take the stairs if you would rather not pay the lift. Another pagoda west of the city, reached by crossing the bridge, gives you a wide view over Pyay and the surrounding countryside.

South of the city, Shwe Myethman Pagoda in Shwedaung village is known for its Buddha wearing glasses, with the 80 Buddhas Monastery and several other pagodas within a short radius. Further south, across the bridge in Pa Daung, Shwe Bontha Muni Pagoda houses a Buddha said to be one of three replicas of the Maha Myat Muni. For the region's older history, head east to the ruins of Sri Ksetra, a Pyu city inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list along with Halin and Beikthano; the site is best explored by motorbike, tuk-tuk or a sturdy bicycle, and the Tharaykhittaya Archaeological Museum in its middle displays funerary urns, silver coins and bowls, jewellery, carved Buddhist and Hindu figures and votive plaques found among the ruins. With half a day to spare, travel south along the river to Akauk Taung, where Buddhas are carved into the cliff and are best seen from a boat; you can also stop and walk up the mountain to the temples and Buddhas on top.

When to go

Pyay is hot all year, so your choice of season is mostly about how much heat and rain you can handle. The pre-monsoon stretch is the fiercest, with the mercury climbing well above comfort before the rains arrive; sightseeing in the middle of the day is draining, so plan early starts and shaded breaks. The wet season begins in May and brings the first relief.

Rain falls through the summer months, but far less heavily than in Yangon or Sittwe, so downpours tend to interrupt rather than wash out a visit — expect humid, hot days and green countryside, with travel and outdoor sights still workable between showers. The dry season runs from December to April with little rain, and December to February is the milder part and the most comfortable time to be outdoors, making it the obvious window for walking and exploring the surroundings. March and April turn fiercely hot before the monsoon, so if you visit in the later months, expect intense heat and plan around it.

Three days in Pyay

Day one: Start in Pyay itself, getting your bearings in a town whose history reaches back to the Pyu and to Sri Kshetra, and whose colonial chapter is bound up with the Irrawaddy River and the British Irrawaddy Flotilla Company. Take in Shwebontha Muni Pagoda, with its Buddha image, and let the river set the pace of the afternoon.

Day two: Use Pyay as your base for the surrounding country. Pa Daung and the Western plan of the old city reward a slower look, and the story of Shin Raṭṭhasāra and the Kingdom of Ava gives context to what you see. Keep the evening free for the Irrawaddy, which has shaped the town's life from the days of Upper and Lower Burma onward.

Day three: Turn to the wider region. Buses from the Long Highway Bus Station connect Pyay with Bagan, Ngapali, Taungup, Sittwe and Mrauk, and the Pyay Railway links the town with Yangon, so you can push on toward Rakhine State, the Ayeyarwady Delta or Central and Upper Myanmar depending on your route.