Ayeyarwady Dolphins, Sagaing Region

Ayeyarwady Dolphin Community Based Ecotourism started in 2014, and now has over 350 members from 8 villages in Mandalay and Sagaing Regions.
The main purposes are:
(1) to create sustainable income for local community
(2) to maintain the unique culture of co-operative fishing
(3) to support dolphin conservation.

Local communities have full self-determination for participation, as well as their own systems for providing tourism services. They created and registered the Dolphin Community Conservation Association (DCCA) in 2018, to formalize their group and strengthen teamwork. The group has an effective leadership committee, and follows democratic processes for electing representatives, developing rules, regulations and guidelines for dolphin watching, as well as setting prices and benefit sharing mechanisms.

The DCCA is actively involved in dolphin conservation activities, including joint patrolling to prevent illegal fishing, dolphin promotion and awareness. In 2018 the DCCA won an award from for “Best Community Involvement in Tourism”.

 

Sights around the village

Tour sightseeing can be conducted at eight CBT villages ( Sinkyn village, Aye kyun village, Sein Pan kone village , Myae Zunn village , Myint Ken Gyi village ,Sithe village , Yawr Thit village and Indown village) for ancient pagodas, monastery, local handicraft and, foods as well as learning and participating in local people’s culture, agriculture activities, daily lifestyle.

Tourists can visit Sheinmaka Tawyagyi, Myanmar’s first wildlife sanctuary there can be seen the ancient culture and artifacts as well as study one of Myanmar’s endemic species called Eld’s Deer (Golden Deer) and interesting bird species. Bird watching activity is highly recommended along the Ayeyarwady and around the community areas for different avian fauna species such as water birds, grassland birds, Myanmar Endemic bird as well as migratory birds.

The other attractions for tourism are Nantaw Kyun Village, the temporary palace of Bodawpaya and the ancient wooden monastery in Thonesel Bay village.Through Indaung CBT Village, tourist can visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pyu ancient city in Wetlet Township. Visiting the sand beaches adjacent to CBT villages for playing, birdwatching, and camping.

Activities

  • Dolphin watching in the river
  • Observing the unique culture of co-operative fishing between cast-net fishermen and dolphins
  • Bird watching and take please in the nature of CBET environ
  • Biking and Bullock Cart riding around the local communities
  • Observing of local people lifestyle and handicrafts (weaving, oil production with cattle, pottery, etc.)
  • Learning to cast-net technique
  • Studying and participating in the traditional beliefs of the local people ( Spiritism, local foods)
  • Learning and making traditional snacks and foods together
  • Learning and participating in local people’s agricultural activities together
  • Observing and enjoying of local people daily lifestyle ((Example: grazing cows, picking vegetables)

  

When to visit Village

The best time for visiting is between October and May of the year.

Indawmahar guest house
Address:
Lonton village, Indawgyi Lake, Kachin State
Call: +95 (0) 936 152 269
Email:
Website: –
Location: Indawgyi Lake
Price: K7000
No. of Rooms: 8
Getting There
  • Route 1

                By Zet-Craft

                Dala Jetty to Phayar Ngote To Junction (30 mins Drive)

                Phayar Ngote To Junction to CBT Kyaikthale (15 mins)

  • Route 2

                By Car

                Downtown to Hlaingtharyar BOC (1 hour Drive)

                Hlaing Thar Yar BOC to Phayar Ngote To Junction (30 mins)

                Phayar Ngote To Junction to CBT Kyaikthale (15 mins)
 

 

Select different types of transport for information and click on maps to expand.

Getting There

The closest airport to Indawgyi Lake is Myitkyina. To get there, you will need to get to the town of Hopin by pick-up or car, and then take the train to Myitkina. Alternatively, you can hire a private car direct from Indawgyi Lake to Myitkyina.

It is about 15 minutes to Myitkyina airport from the town centre and railway station, and a taxi should cost no more than K5000; a tuk-tuk will be slightly less.

Detail Timetable and pricing information below: 

Myitkyina to Yangon
Myitkyina to Mandalay
Myitkyina to Bhamo

To find out more about flights, go to getting around Myanmar by air.

There is a daily bus from Lonton Village on Indawgyi Lake to Mandalay at 1PM.

The next closest bus station to Indawgyi Lake is Hopin, which you can reach by pick-up or car. There are regular daily buses from Hopin to Myitkyina, YangonMandalay, and Katha – but the journey is a rough and slow one, so most people prefer to take the train.

To get to Hopin, you can hire a private car from Lonton village on Indawgyi Lake; cost is around K100,000 and will take two hours. You can also take a shared pick-up truck (K5000, around 3 hours). Pick-ups pass through the main road through Lonton, picking up customers; they drop you off in Hopin by the railway station.

 

To find out more about bus travel, go to getting around Myanmar by bus.

The closest train station to Indawgyi Lake is Hopin, which you can reach by pick-up or car.

There are several daily trains from Hopin to Mandalay (17 hours), Myitkyina (4 hours) and Naba (for Katha) (4 hours). On this route there are ‘Express’ and ‘Slow’ – you should always take the Express if possible.

To get to Hopin, you can hire a private car from Lonton village on Indawgyi Lake; cost is around K100,000 and will take two hours. You can also take a shared pick-up truck (K5000, around 3 hours). Pick-ups pass through the main road through Lonton, picking up customers; they drop you off in Hopin by the railway station.

 

To find out more about train travel, go to getting around Myanmar by train.

You can hire a private car in Myitkyina to take you on a return trip to Indawgyi Lake. The drive will be around five hours from Myitkyina to Lonton and a 3 day/2 night-return trip is recommended – click here for more info and a quote.