Taungoo

Introduction

Taungoo, also spelled Toungoo and formerly known as Toung-ngú, is a district-level city in the Bago Region of Myanmar, sitting roughly 220 km from Yangon toward the north-eastern end of the region. Mountain ranges rise to both the east and the west of the city, framing it on either side.

For football followers, the city is home to Hanthawaddy United Football Club, which is based in Taungoo.

Getting there

Taungoo sits roughly 275 km from Yangon. The old road took about 6–7 hours; the new road cuts that to 3–4 hours, so road travel is the quicker option if you're coming from the south.

By train, Taungoo is about halfway to Mandalay from southern destinations including Bago. The track is rough in places, but it's far from the most uncomfortable rail journey in the country. Meals on board are unexceptional — try the pork noodles — and getting to the meal car can be an interesting experience in itself.

Getting around

Taungoo works best as a midpoint stop rather than a place with a dense local transport network, so plan on straightforward, low-key options. If you're travelling the Yangon–Mandalay corridor by train, the town sits roughly halfway between southern destinations such as Bago and Mandalay, making it a natural break in the journey; the track is rough in places, but this is far from the most uncomfortable rail journey in the country. Long-distance buses are the main way travellers reach Taungoo and the same services connect it onward, with tickets issued per leg — for example, a separate ticket for Taungoo–Meiktila. Keep your ticket, since it carries your destination, date and company details.

• Within Taungoo there is no metro, tram or formal city bus network; for local trips, ask your hotel or guest house for advice on what's available on the day.
• Local buses don't run to a fixed timetable — they depart when full or when the driver is ready.
• If you arrive via Yangon, buses leave from Aung Mingalar bus station, where each company has its own terminal for each destination, signage is in Burmese script only, and destinations are organised by street; staff help is a real advantage.
• Lean on your hotel or guest house staff, who can advise on transport and often help arrange it.
• The climate is hot throughout the year, and the months before the monsoon are especially hot, so plan walks for the cooler parts of the day and carry water.
• Travellers reach Taungoo overland by train or long-distance bus, then continue on foot, by local arrangement, or by onward bus or train.

Where to stay

Taungoo has a cluster of guesthouses and hotels, with the widest choice at the southern end of the main drag and along Pauk Hla Gyi Street in Min Gyi Nyo Quarter. The Myanmar Beauty properties are the local mainstay: Guest House I sits in the north part of town just above the market, in the middle of the action, with basic rooms whose screened upper walls let in the breeze and keep mosquitoes out, and a helpful, knowledgeable staff. Two internet cafes are next door, taxi motorcycles wait a block away towards the church, and a local coffee shop and a beer garden with excellent food are within a short ride or walk. Guest Houses II, III and IV are at the south end of the main drag beside a rice paddy, with teak floors.

• Myanmar Beauty Hotel 2 – at the southern end of town next to rice fields and a farmers' village; standard and superior rooms, all with private bathroom, warm shower and A/C; superior rooms are large with panoramic views over the paddies towards the Karen mountains, and breakfast is enormous with home-made traditional dishes and fruit.
• Golden Guest Inn – on Pauk Hla Gyi Street in Min Gyi Nyo Quarter, reachable by cycle taxi.
• Hotel Amazing Kaytu – in OhtKyautTan.
• Myanmar Thiri Hotel and Pan Swedaw Hotel – further options in town.
• Mother House – another place to ask about.

If you are on a budget, the Myanmar Beauty guesthouses are the obvious first stop; book ahead in the high season, as rooms in this range are limited.

Food & drink

Taungoo has no listed restaurants or bars in the source material, so there is nothing specific to recommend for eating or drinking here. Plan on finding your own meals locally rather than relying on any named venue.

What to see and do

Taungoo itself is mostly a base for excursions into the surrounding hills. The main draw is Thandaung Gyi, an old colonial hill station reached by a winding route through teak forests that takes about two hours one way. Several routes lead up and down; the cheapest way is to find a truck from the central square in Taungoo, while a more comfortable ride can be arranged by calling ahead to a guesthouse in the village so they can organise a car for you. Alternatively, you can find a motorcycle driver in Taungoo. The area has been open since mid-2013, and while a passport check is usually not required, bring copies anyway. Expect plenty of armed forces around, though the checkpoint is run by a welcoming tourism ministry; you may be asked your religion. At the top there is a tea plantation, and the village has multiple guesthouses if you want to stay overnight.

• Visit Naw Bu Baw, a mountain held in high regard by Karen Christians and said to be guarded by the lady of the same name. It is accessed through Thandaung Gyi — not to be confused with the newer relocated Than Daung at the bottom of the mountain.
• Stop for fishhead soup (muhinga) at the small restaurant between Happy Restaurant and the mountain — look for a small building with two tables and a baby hammock inside. Ask prices first.
• Ride the local pick-up that goes up the mountain, but note it only runs in the early morning.
• Head about two hours from Taungoo to Pho Kyar elephant camp if you love nature and elephants.

When to go

Taungoo is hot all year, so plan around heat rather than seasons. The winter dry season brings scarce rain, making travel and sightseeing generally straightforward; temperatures stay hot, so treat this as the drier stretch of the year rather than a cool one.

The pre-monsoon months are especially hot, with the heat shaping your day — the most comfortable activity comes early and late. The summer wet season overlaps those hot months, so early in the season you get both high heat and regular rain; later, rain becomes a steady feature of a visit.

Three days in Taungoo

Day one: Arrive in Taungoo, the quiet Bago Region town also written Toungoo or Toung, and settle into your guesthouse. Accommodation clusters around the Min Gyi Nyo Quarter, where Pauk Hla Gyi Street holds options such as Myanmar Beauty Guest House, Golden Guest Inn, Hotel Amazing Kaytu and Myanmar Thiri Hotel. Once you have your bearings, take a gentle wander through the streets and get a feel for local life; meals are simple and Burmese, and the pace is slow. If you have energy left, a stroll along Pauk Hla Gyi Street in the evening is an easy way to end the day.

• Check in around Min Gyi Nyo Quarter
• Walk Pauk Hla Gyi Street
• Eat local Burmese food

Day two: Use Taungoo as a base for the surrounding countryside. The town sits within reach of the mountain scenery that draws travellers to this part of Bago Region, and a day out exploring the area around Taungoo rewards those who lean toward unhurried travel. Keep the afternoon loose; long bus journeys link Taungoo with Yangon, Mandalay, Bago and Meiktila, so confirm your onward transport while you are in town. Back in the evening, return to your guesthouse for a quiet night.

• Explore the countryside and mountain views near Taungoo
• Confirm onward transport to Yangon, Mandalay, Bago or Meiktila

Day three: Spend your last morning within Taungoo itself. Browse the local streets and markets at an easy pace, and if a match is on, Hanthawaddy United Football Club gives you a reason to linger. Check out of your guesthouse and head for the bus; services from Taungoo connect onward to Yangon and Mandalay, making a smooth finish to three days in the town.

• Morning wander through town
• Check out and catch your onward bus