Dala Ferry Terminal

To all foreigners, please avoid the place. The person in the picture is a known scammer, he will be forcing foreigners to pay for a shady tour which you didn't ask for. The scam goes like this: 1. Foreigners need to pay the "for foreigners return fair" which costs 4000kyat compared to local fare of 300kyat; 2. An unknown guide will take your ticket from the ticketing officer; 3. The guide will lead you to rikshaws which offers half to hourly rate at first with no paper whatsoever; 4. Finally, at the end of the tour, this man will then force you to pay a different rate which will increase 3-5x depending on how angry he was speaking in Indian accent. Ask for a police if this man shows up. You'll get half the price in the end. Lol

Beware for some people who offering you tour guide in dala. Especially for solo backpacker. Keep your mind. Go to your main goal to visiting both in Dala or Twantay.. There's available for city bus in Dala Terminal.

An interesting ferry ride from Pansodan Ferry Terminal to Dala Ferry Terminal. It was a pretty mad rush for passengers, very eagerly trying to rush down from boat to shore. Better to let the passengers go down first... Quite a simple ferry terminal at Dala. A very interesting experience, though a mere 20 minutes ferry ride from Pansodan ferry terminal across.

Dala was an impromptu trip...Didn't even know tourist actually visit there. Solo after Shwedagon Pagoda, I decided to taxi to Pansodan to see where the ferry goes and where eVer it goes so will I. It's all about discovery. 4,000k for foreigners is OK. Gotten use to tourist prices. This guy who sold me the ticket "talked" me into Dala guided tour especially since that's where he is from. But he later off-sold me to his mate who is also from there. It's fine w me whoever guides. Since I was headed to the unknown. I like to read up so I googled Dala on the ferry. Kept reading thou my guide wanted to warm up chat. Asking me where I am from, my job, family and where I am staying in Yangon. I ignored him. Becoz it is none is business and my reading plot just got to Dala Scams. Upon arrival he ushered me to his mates rickshaws and I politely refused. I said I don't need a guide as Google maps will be my guide and I like to walk. After a while of walking it didn't seem right due to the blogs saying they have covered so many places on foot. Just as well a rickshaw persuaded me to take his ride. He spoke some English, looked laboured lean, honest and genuinely wanted to make money as I spoke him from 5,000 to 3500kyat per hour. Turned out it is right to have used him. 10km in total tour. Saw Stupas, monasterys, Buddhas, tsunami village, rice paper making, paddy fields, fishing village, waste to craft store, orphanage, etc... We spoke alot so I learned a lot about dala including the now under construction data Yangon bridge by a Korean firm which should be open in 3 years time. All in all. For me was worth it. 3hrs in total. He said 12'000k but I gave him 20,000k which I feel will help him though this low monsoon season. Didn't pay for anything else like orphanage, temples, guides, rice... This is per rickshaw and if you are up for roughing it out. Not happy sights but eye-openers. No tap water, no electric but timed generators. Lots of trash flies and stray dogs everywhere. Sidecar seat is not all that comfy.

So far so good. Public toilet available now. The bus station is more clean than before.

We arranged with a guide to take us over the the other side of the River. This was a bit of fun and we experienced none of the problems people mention below. We took the trishaws from downtown, crossed the river, paid 4,000 per adult. Children under 6 went for free. Some foreign tourists complain about the fact that visitors have to pay 4 times the price of locals, they should stay at home. When your a tourist your cash contributes to the economy. Authentic experience, doing the ferry commute, just as 1000's do every day. Dala is authentic and interesting. We walked a little food market. Some amazing chilli. Nice to see people living and so many friendly waves and smiles it was really cool.

A good terminal to get on and the ferry - you may get harassed to take a tour - best to plan before you go and know what you will do and who you will do it with. We went with a local guide and had an interesting tricycle tour of the area.

With a guide and motorbike Drivers, visited fishing village and pagoda. When we went to the “tsunami” village, was asked to donate rice. Not much to see. Skip this if you don’t want to worry about how to get around. You will need a bike to get around (I think walking on foot will take too Long) Circle train is more interesting and costs less. You still see the local life and don’t have to worry about getting scammed.