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Date of the journey:- February 2020
Distance travelled:- 325 miles
A night bus was the only option available to us when it came to leaving Nyaung Shwe and going to Hpa An. The tickets were purchased from the JJ Express agency stall in Nyaung Shwe main Street. The cost was 25000 Kyat per person, including pick up from our accommodation at the Thousand Island Hotel, even though it was just around the corner.
The transport arrived to collect us from our hotel at 1620 hrs for the 2 minute transfer to the JJ Express bus pick up point. Arriving a few minutes late, the bus rounded the bend and pulled up. Backpacks loaded on the bus, we took our seats in the 2 + 2 formation, leaving at 1645 hrs.
Water and blankets were provided and the bus made suitable food/toilet stops throughout the overnight journey. Again, during the night the bus was cold with the air conditioning on all night. Crossing the State border from the Mandalay Region into the Bago Region required us to get off the bus. It was just for a simple check by the police. Meaning us waiting around for about 10 minutes. Other than that, it was an uneventful journey.
Arrival in Hpa An was at 0730 hrs the following morning, after a reasonably smooth trip. The bus driver was flexible as to where people could get off. We managed to alight at the bottom of the road where our proposed accommodation was.
Hotel Glory was a short 5 minute walk from the bus drop off. This was our choice of hotel, which we booked through Booking.com. Having checked in and gone to our room, we soon realised that the room and hotel weren’t for us. So a short discussion with the reception and a message to Booking.com we left in search of alternative accommodation.
On the walk to the Hotel Glory, we passed the Vintage Hpa An Hotel. Retracing our steps back, we went in to see if it was an acceptable place to stay. Not only was it acceptable, but they also had availability.