Pathein

Pathein sits on a delta river and is the largest town in the delta, but the reason to stop is the parasol workshops. Bamboo frames are split and assembled by hand, covered in cotton or paper, waterproofed with tree resin and then painted with flowers, and the whole sequence happens in open workshops where you can follow it from stick to finished object. The town also has the Shwemokhtaw pagoda in its centre and a river frontage that carries most of the delta's cargo traffic.

History

The name is believed to come from the Old Mon pha-sɛm, "big sea", and was turned into Bassein in the British period; another theory traces it to the classical name Kusimanagara, which the Portuguese rendered as Cosmim (Wikipedia, Pathein).

The main sights

• The parasol workshops - frames, covering, resin proofing and hand painting under one roof.
• The painters - flower and pattern work done freehand at speed, the stage worth watching longest.
• Shwemokhtaw Paya - a gilded stupa in the town centre with a jewelled finial.
• The riverfront - delta cargo boats and the ferry landing on the Pathein river.

When to go

November to February is dry and comfortable, and is when the workshops are working steadily. The monsoon from June is heavy in the delta and slows both the road and production. Mornings are best for the workshops.

Things to know

The town itself is ordinary and there is little beyond the workshops and the pagoda. Road access from Yangon takes most of a morning. Workshops are small businesses rather than attractions, so buying something is the reasonable exchange for the visit.

Nearby

Chaungtha and Ngwe Saung beaches are both a couple of hours west on the coast.