re you tired of living at home and working from home during this pandemic period? Take a break and visit a place which is truly heaven for any nature enthusiast and especially bird lover named Moeyungyi Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary which is located near Bago.
What is Moeyungyi Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary?
Myanmar has many wetlands which comprise marshes or swamps, either man-made or natural,with either stagnant or flowing water, fresh or salt. There are five Wetlands that are designated as Wetlands of International Importance called Ramsar sites. Namely Moeyungyi Wetland, Indawgyi Lake, Meinmahla Kyun, Northern Moattama Gulf and Inle Lake. Moeyungyi Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary is situated near Pyin Bone Gyi Village, Waw Township, Bago Region, Myanmar and about 112 km north of Yangon by the Yangon-Mandalay highway. It covers an area of 103.6 Square Kilometer. In 1878, a water storage reservoir was built as irrigation and flood protection, but over time it naturally turned into wetlands with the extent of 103 square kilometer. In 1988, the wetlands were designated as a wildlife sanctuary. Moeyungyi is the first Ramsar site in Myanmar (designated in 2004). It is an essential shelter for not only resident birds but also for migratory waterfowls, it’s a perfect habitat. The bird Sanctuary houses 65 species of waterbirds and 60 species of hibernating birds.
MOEYUNGYI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY [Photo Credit to Moeyungyi Wetlands Resort]
What to Explore here?
As reported by the Myanmar Bird and Nature Society, Myanmar stands as one of the most diverse bird fauna residences in the world. There are 55 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Myanmar and Moeyungyi is one of them. Hence, If you visit the sanctuary, you can watch many species of forest migratory birds.
Furthermore, you could observe the livelihood of local people, fauna and flora of the wetlands. More than twenty species of aquatic grass and herb (Emergent macrophytes) including reef-grass and water are present in the sanctuary and Notsaba(Oxyza officinalis) grow particularly in shallow areas of the sanctuary. Especially reef-grasslands are the most suitable breeding ground for water birds. Therefore, this wetland is an ideal place for picnickers, naturalists, botanists, and bird-watchers or those seeking peace and tranquility.
As well as watching hundreds of resident and migratory water birds, visitors can enjoy the wetland environment by boat. You can spend about 2 hours whizzing around the marshy reed beds, feeling nature while perceiving the vast numbers of various birds during the boat tour. There is a bird-watching tower on an island in the lake and boat service offers life jackets, binoculars and cameras.
The ecologically friendly Moeyungyi Wetlands Resort is situated here if you want to stay overnight at the Sanctuary. The Resort is a cluster of 10 boat shaped houses, 2 family type bungalows built in the wetlands. Moreover, an open-air restaurant with a huge menu of Chinese and Myanmar food options. Moeyungyi Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary will definitely provide you with a precious opportunity to get away from the stuffy and rumbustious city. So come and see the countryside and an internationally acclaimed wetland Sanctuary.
BIRDS IN MOEYUNGYI WETLANDS [Photo Credit to Moeyungyi Wetlands Resort]
Opening Hours and Fees
Moeyungyi Wildlife Sanctuary opens at 8.00 AM. Moeyungyi Resort also has admission fees like other well-known places in Myanmar. For a local adult person, the entrance fee is 1000 Kyats and 500 Kyats for children.For an adult foreigner,the entrance fee is 2USD and a child is 1USD. If you visit Moeyungyi, boats and guides can be hired on a First Come First Served basis.The cost of the boat varies depending on the number of individuals in the party. For a single person hiring a boat it is 20 USD and a bird guide is 15 USD.
How to get there?
The best way is to drive a car from Yangon as this sanctuary is located on the Yangon – Bago – Pyinpongyi -Mandalay Road, about 112 km, which is about a 2-hour drive away from Yangon. You can rent a car from Car Rental Services.
Moeyungyi Wetlands Sanctuary is a paradise for travelers who love bird-watching.You can see the nature of Birds there and hearing birdsong can purely relieve your stress.If you wanna get rid of from the hurry of modern life, just go and visit Moeyungyi Wetlands and don't wait to touch the nature.
MOEYUNGYI INN [ Photo Credit to Moeyungyi Resort]
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