Myitkyina

drift is the word from Myiktina I stayed Youth Hostel and great restaurant next door bus if possible at moment because of problems to Bhamo make sure you eat sein sein just before booking office in Bhamo and also friendship hotel does have cheap rooms and great breakfast and then boat down to mandalay takes around 3 days and deck class is very very cold, although maybe OK in July
as for the rest
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Not a good idea to get to Myitkyina right now... When I was there 3 weeks ago the road from Myitkyina to Bhamo was closed because of the fightings between KIA and Tatmadaw. I dont think that the road is open already. Also last weekend there were KIA ambushes in southern Myitkyina. You might go another time, not because its dangerous but because your movement outside Myitkyina will be limited probably. (ie you might not be able to go to myit some or waingmor etc)

I met a french couple who got stuck in Bhamo for 5 days as no boats, then had to spend a lot of money for a boat and sleep on the floor, they said they could not move round the boat as everyone was lying on the floor.

Rent a motorbike and go to see the great confluence in myitsone. It's a very nice ride in a pretty wild part of the country.
Bhamo is nicer than Myitkyina and is the perfect place for getting the boat to Mandalay, but of course sometimes there are problems in that area and it's not always easy to reach. Friendship hotel in Bhamo has really the best breakfast of the country!

You guys dont really realise that there is a major conflict between KIA and Tatmadaw going on right now? He most likely wont be able to make it to Bhamo, same goes for Myitsone...

situations change fast in Burma, check with MTT as to the situation also YMCA myitkyna google as there is an email contact for YMCA Myanmar yangon

Indeed they can change fast... but right now the peace talks have failed and last weekend over 20 tatmadaw soldiers died in southern myitkyina due to kia ambushes... so the situation certainly isnt "calm" now. The situation has already improved from the time I was there but its still not good.

Also just a week ago there were fights in momauk, mogaung township.

At this point in time you may not even be allowed to board a flight or train to Myitkyina.
As was pointed out earlier there's still ongoing fighting between KIA and Myanmar army south of myitkyina (sinbo) and even on the outskirts of Bhamo.
Seems the Kachin have had to put their foot down on the central govt.'s wholesale giveaway of their natural resources to energy hungry China. In this case the Damming of rivers and its eco-economic impact on the local population.
Good luck!

"At this point in time you may not even be allowed to board a flight or train to Myitkyina."

No foreigners have been denied entry to Myitkyina even when the fights were at their peak.

"Seems the Kachin have had to put their foot down on the central govt.'s wholesale giveaway of their natural resources to energy hungry China."

And fight a war that cant be won? In my opinion the activities of the KIA/KIO are a lot about money too, they certainly are no saints if you consider that they sell natural ressources too, lure child soldiers etc.