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1SightsHoused in a former British jail in the centreof town, the Thandwe market (h6am-4pm)is where a handful of daytripping guestsfrom beach resorts go in search of a ‘realdeal’ market. Vendors sell medicinal herbs,clothes, textiles, some souvenirs, hardwareand free-market consumer goods. Across thestreet on the north side is the Suni Mosque,Thandwe’s largest of five.Three golden stupas stand on hilltops atfour points around Thandwe. None are spectacularin themselves (and all the namesrhyme with each other), but each offersexcellent viewpoints of the town’s tin roofs,peeking out of a sea of palms and hills.The tallest, Nandaw Paya, a mile west ofthe market, was supposedly erected in AD761 by King Minbra to enshrine a piece of arib of the Buddha. The long shrine facing thestupa to the south houses some nice woodcarvingreliefs of Buddha’s life.Just east of town, right across a smallriver about half a mile from the market, theSandaw Paya was supposedly built in AD784 by Rakhaing King Minyokin to housea Buddha hair, and was rebuilt by the Burmesein 1876.Across the river (north past the bus stationand east on a stone road about 1.3 miles fromthe market), the Andaw Paya is the loweststupa but has revealing glimpses of the river’sfork from the hills east. It claims to house aBuddha molar relic and dates from AD 763.8Getting There & AwayPick-up trucks from Ngapali run every 30 minutes(K500; one hour). Pick-ups to Taunggok(K2500; four or fi ve hours) run several timesdaily from a small station a couple of hundredyards north of the bus station (across the river).Sittwe (Akyab)cc'etâ%43 / POP C200,000Rakhaing’s capital Sittwe (pronounced ‘Sit-TWAY’ by Burmese, ‘Sigh-TWAY’ by Rakhaing)may look scrappy but it sits in anincredible spot – where the wide, tidal KaladanRiver kisses the big fat Bay of Bengal.Most foreign travellers skedaddle to MraukU as soon as possible. Those willing to lingerhere will find a lot to like.There’s good sunset viewing at dusk, plusa fish and fresh produce market that’s oneof Myanmar’s more fascinating. You’re alsolikely to be swarmed by chatty monks atone of the Buddhist museums in town. Themix of locals – Rakhaing, Muslims, IndianHindus, Burmese – is also more pronouncedhere than in other major Myanmar cities.HistoryPrior to the Burmese invasion of the MraukU kingdom in 1784 there was little morethan a village here. Fifty years later, Sittwe’seconomy underwent a boom when Britishforces took over during the first Anglo–BurmeseWar. The British moved the state capitalhere from Mrauk U and named the placeAkyab after the local pagoda, Ahkyaib-daw.Incoming wealth from cargo trade withCalcutta fuelled the construction of somefine colonial mansions, but much of thegrace was lost under heavy WWII fightingbetween the British and Japanese forces.Today, the town’s economy is set to benefitfrom the construction of a new harbour – ajoint venture between Myanmar and India –next to the municipal market and a rail linkto Ann-Minbu which will go via Mrauk U.1SightsMost of Sittwe’s action runs along the MainRd, which parallels the Kaladan River. Theairport is about 1.5 miles southwest of the centre;the main boat jetty is about 2 miles north.Central MarketMARKET(Strand Rd; h6am-6pm) Focussed on the 1956municipal market building, there’s lots goingon here from dawn up to noon andbeyond – it’s well worth popping by beforeyour boat or plane leaves. Head straight pastlongyi, fishing net and vegetable stands tothe fish and meat area, where stingrays andgutted eels and drying sharks make quite ascene. In the bay, small boats jostle for spaceto unload their catch.A few blocks north is the Rice Market,with tiny lanes between the water andStrand Rd filled with simple wood homes,where traders hawk brown and sticky rice –some bound for Bangladesh.View PointBEACH(Strand Rd) The riverside Strand Rd leadsabout 1 mile south to a smashing locationcalled the View Point where you can sip on abeer or fresh coconut as the sun sets over theBay of Bengal. Just west, in front of a closednaval base, is a broad, grey-brown sandbeach that has a tricky undertow, where afew swimmers lose their lives each year.275RAKHAING WESTERN MYANMAR STATE SIGHTS SIGHTS SITTWE (AKYAB)