Has anybody heard (or used) a fast boat (90 mn to 2hrs)from Sitwe to Mrauk U ?
Planning next trip to Burma and would like to cut the travel time to Mrauk U as it adds 2 days to the itinerary.

We are planning another trip to Burma and Mrauk U is at the top of our list. I have been reading comments on Thorntree about the boats. As far as I can tell, there is a fast boat run by the new Princess resort and there is at least one fast boat run by a local in Sittwe. I would think a local travel agency in Yangon could arrange it for you.

Thank you Kathie for your reply.
I have a couple leads to follow and will let you know if anything comes through...

Please do. When are you going?

We are planning to be in Burma from January 26 thru Feb. 6.
We loved it so much this year that we decided to do what we missed the first time and MU is a must ,I think...
I did get an encouraging answer from a Dutch(?)fellow on Trip Advisor.Here it is:
4. Re: boat from Sittwe to Mrauk U
Mar 01, 2011, 3:01 PM
January 2010 I went from MU to Sittwe by speedboat. Took 1h45, and had some delay because of fog and nets of fishingboats. So, the 90 minutes is correct. I booked it at GH Wady Thut in MU, but did not find out to whom the boat belongs.
Last winter (2011) I was not able to get any info on this boat - untill I got back in Sittwe.
Near the cinema hall I found a billboard, reading: Sittwe - MU, speedboat,90 minutes. For more info: Kaung Computer & Copier, near Cinema Hall, Main Road, tel 09 - 8502904
There was place for at least 6 people, and it was powered by 2 Yamaha engines.

He said that he paid $20.00 per person and there was 3 other persons. IMO,it looks like something that is being run by "independent contractors"and I will try to dig a little more in that direction...

Thanks for the results of your research. I have some notes from Thorntree. I'll try to locate them when I get home - relaxing in Kauai right now. We'll be in Burma the end of November - beginning of December.

Hi Kathie,
Hope you are having a good time in Kaui.
I finally got an answer from my contact in Yangon,
He said that they are a bit dangerous to use ,due to the nature of the river and that you are kind of trapped in the boat,should there be an accident...
Having seen the "fast boats" to Thailand on the Mekong,in Laos,I think I will leave that to a younger crowd and take the "private boat" that are slower but apparently safer to use and fork for the nights in Sittwe...
He also said that the scenery is quite gorgeous and that it would be a shame to miss...
Hope this helps with your planning.

Thanks, we're enjoying Kauai. Interesting info from your travel agent. I've heard there are boats that take as long as 6-8 hours for the trip, and those that are about 2-3 hours, as well as verious lengths in between. I wondered about the 90 minute boat being dangerous.

Kathie our small private boat took 5 hours in December. If the fast boats are the same style as those in Cambodia & Thailand I would not like it. Went on a couple on a trip several years ago & it is like you are trapped inside a train carrage. If there was an accident it would not be a good thing. We did not see any fast boats on the river when we went between Sittwe & Mrauk U. The boat that the Princess resort has is big. I saw it but only stopped so don't have a feel for the speed.

Hi Jules, I saw that time in your trip report. Someone told me that the new Princess hotel in Mrauk U has a boat that is faster than the usual boats (not the 90 minute speedboat). Did you see that boat? I completely agree about the speed boats - not for me!!

I have been re-reading your trip report today as I outline a plan for our return trip to Burma in Nov/Dec. I'm sure I will have some more questions for you.

Hi Kathie I would love to answer any questions you have. Yes I saw that Prinsess boat but I did not see it moving so cannot comment on its speed. It was a lovely looking boat & the Princess resort also looked very lovely. I will tell you that we did not stay at the Princess because I had read that it was owned by a general but...I do not know that for sure it was just mentioned I think in Lonely Planet. By the time I actually read this we had already made reservations so it was really not an issue for us.

Jules, I didn't find anything about the Princess in the LP. My understanding is that it is owned by the person who owns the Inle Princess - not associated with the generals. But if you have other info, I'd like to hear it. I will also ask Santa Maria when I get closer to booking.

I will likely have some questions for you about Mandalay, as we didn't ge there last trip and would like to go to the ancient cities this trip.

No I do not have any solid info Kathie. I hope you have the right info because it looks lovely. I just read something I will see if I can find it.

Here is what I've found out about the ownership of the Princess Resorts: The owner was elected to Parliment on the NLD ticket in 1990. Like other NLD leaders, (including ASSK, of course) he was imprisoned rather than seated in Parliment. After coming out of prison, he put his energies into building the Inle Princess and funded projects that support the local people (much like the owner of the Inle Lake View, where we stayed).

BTW, I stumbled across this info while reading Tony Wheeler's Bad Lands: A Tourist on the Axis of Evil. It's quite a good read.

Excellent find Kathie!