The journey through the backwaters and then up the river is a wonderful trip (contemplative and delightful). The government run ferry runs from Sittwe to Mrauk U every Mon/Tue/Thu/Sat from Sittwe at 07:00 (8 hours, US$4) and from Mrauk U to Sittwe every Tue/Wed/Fri/Sun at 07:00 (8 hours, US$4). Deck chairs are available for rent (US$0.50) and food is available for purchase. The ferry is not in great condition but seems safe enough. Be warned though that the ferry has been known to skip a day or two every now and then so, if relying on it for travel, keep a reasonable buffer to avoid getting stuck. It is not possible to rent a boat in Mrauk U so, if you arrive by ferry, you'll most likely depart by ferry. A fast ferry (3 hours, $20) discontinued operations in 2005.
Private boats are available for rent in Sittwe and do the trip considerably faster (4 to 5 hours) for US$50-80 depending on your negotiating skills and the number in your party. The principle advantage in renting a private boat is that you are no longer tied to the ferry timings. Flights from Yangon arrive in Sittwe in the afternoon and it is easy to rent a boat and be in Mrauk U in the evening which means a travel time of one day from Yangon. With the government ferry, count on at least two days to get from Yangon to Mrauk U, longer if you arrive the day before a ferry off-day.
Buses leave for Sittwe and Yangon every morning but Foreign Independent Travelers are not permitted to travel to Mrauk U overland.
In Mrauk U you can either walk, rent a bicycle (available from most hotels), hire a trishaw, or hire a horse cart.
Foreign nationals must pay a US$5 fee in Mrauk U. The official counter is in the Shittaung Pagoda but the government fee collector will track you down sooner or later if you miss him.
Mrauk U was declared capital of the Arakanese kingdom in 1431. At its peak, Mrauk U controlled half of Bangladesh, modern day Rakhine State and the western part of Lower Burma. As the city grew, many '''pagodas''' and '''temples''' were built. Several of them remain today, and is the main attraction of the city.
The '''Archaeology Museum''' (Free), just inside the '''Royal Palace''' has a collection of artifacts from the Mrauk U sites - Buddhas, slabs with inscriptions, Wethali era coins, paintings that show Mrauk U in its heyday, and an excellent model of Mrauk U that will help you get your bearings. Crumbling walls is all that remains of the '''Royal Palace''' itself.
'''Chin Villages''' Day trips to semi-remote Chin villages can be arranged at most hotels (US$40).
'''Wethali''' Now a small village but fifteen hundred years ago Wethali was the capital of an ancient Arakan kingdom. While temples are probably buried under the many mounds that dot the area, the only thing to see today is the layout of the palace and a statue known as the '''Great Image of Hsu Taung Pre'''. Wethali is a pleasant two hour outing from Mrauk U by car, or all day outing by bicycle.
'''Mahamuni Paya''' This pagoda is 40km (forty bumpy kilometers!) north of Mrauk U and once housed the mahamuni Buddha that now resides in the Mahamuni Paya in Mandalay. There are several ancient artifacts on view at the Paya and at the small museum near the shrine. Hire a jeep (US$30-US$50) for a day outing to Wethali and the Mahamuni Paya from Mrauk U.
Southwest of the temple area there is a market.
This region is quite remote, and therefore the prices are somewhat higher. A bottle of Myanmar Beer is about 2500 kyat.
There are no real luxury hotels in Mrauk U.
The area around Mrauk U is restricted and all foreign travelers must sleep in the town itself. For day trips, see the See and Do sections.