तौन्गयी

Get in

thumb|upright=.8|Altar at a Buddhist monastery in Taunggyi

You can buy an express bus ticket to Taunggyi easily at car tickets sale centre, usually in markets. There are many kinds of expresses. Examples are JJ, Elite, Taung Paw Thar, Shwe Taung Yoe and Shan Ma Lay. Ticket prices vary according to the distance between where you are and Taunggyi, but it is not more than 20,000 kyat. The express doesn't pick you up, but some express companies arrange for a small van or car to take you the express gate. When you get to the express gate, all you need to do is to show your passport to a person in charge. Then you can get on the express and enjoy the ride to Taunggyi.

Get around

Taunggyi is a relatively small town and there is a conspicuous lack of taxis and rental bike services. The easiest way to get around is to walk.

See

Taunggyi is best known for the annual Fire Balloon festival held for one week near the beginning of Nov each year. For most of every day, hot air paper balloons several metres in length in the shape of various animals are launched and sent floating over the town (if they don't spontaneously combust on take-off, a relatively common occurrence). In the evening the carnival really gets going with the launching of more traditionally shaped balloons carrying cargoes of sweets and fireworks. Definitely one of Myanmar's must-see events, but be warned that hotel prices increase by about 50% during the festival. It's popular with locals, but hardly any foreigners attend.

The market in Taunggyi is worth seeing. Shan noodles and Burmese sweet tea can be purchased at low cost, and CDs and VCDs are cheap and abundant. Another attraction of the market is the abundance of Pa-O (distinguished by interesting headscarves) women selling fresh produce and inexpensive tea from the Shan hills.

Do

thumb|upright=1.4|Traditional dance

Buy

Widely available in Taunggyi is surplus military gear from the Tatmadaw. Coats, tank tops, bedsheets, bags, canteens, etc. You can find vendors all along the central marketplace. Tank top 1,000 kyat, large messenger bag 4,500, a single bedsheet is around 3,000.

Eat

There are mainly two kinds of people in Taunggyi. They are Shan and Pa Oe' ethnic groups. When you are in Taunggyi, you can see differently between Shan and Pa Oe' people, because many Pa Oe' wear their traditional black costumes and they put cloths around their heads because it is not only traditional but also to keep their heads warm since it is cold in Taunggyi. Pa Oe' foods are not popular among tourists and foreigners. But they quite like Shan noodles. If you are in Taunggyi or somewhere in Myanmar where Shan noodles are available, make sure to taste them, because they are fantastic!