The world’s longest teak footbridge gently curves 1300yd across shallow Taungthaman Lake , creating one of Myanmar’s most photographed sites. In the dry season it feels surreally high and mostly crosses seasonal vegetable gardens. But after the summer rains, the whole area becomes a big lake and water laps just below the floor planks. Just a few of the 1086 poles on which it stands have been replaced by concrete supports.
A great time to visit the bridge is just after sunrise when hundreds of villagers and monks commute back and forth across it. The light is often best around an hour before sunset, but by then there will be a large number of tourists and trinket sellers. A popular visiting tactic is to walk across the bridge then return by paddle-boat (K5000) as the sun is setting. However, as boats are usually only available at the bridge’s western end (where tour buses arrive), you’ll need to make return pick-up arrangements before you walk across. Or simply ask your taxi/motorbike driver to drop you at the eastern end.
