Elephant Camp near Mann Shwesettaw Pagoda prepping for reopening

ShweSettaw Mann River Elephant Camp in Minbu District, Magway Region is preparing to resume its tourism service, said U Hla Than, assistant manager of the Elephant Camp.
The elephant camp is aimed to attract the local travellers and tourists in the forms of forest-based tourism and ecotourism in the protect area of Myanma Timber Enterprise.
The camp was opened on 9 February 2019 and situated outside Padaung-Pyawbwe forest reserve eight miles away from the road to Mann Shwesettaw Pagoda in Minbu District. The COVID-19 negative consequences shut down the camp from 25 March 2020. It will be reopened along with the festival of Mann Shwesettaw Pagoda at which the footprints of the Buddha were enshrined.
“The camp is making readiness for the resumption of the tourism in line with the COVID-19 guidelines. Plantation of the shade trees and flowery plants are extended. A jetty, recreating sites, decoration and bunglows have been prepared near Mann creek in order to enjoy elephant bathing and river view,” U Hla Than said.
The camp is available between 7 am and 6 pm. There are 11 elephants in the camp. A local visitor is charged K1,000 while the entrance fee for a tourist is K5,000. The elephant rides cost K5,000 for a local traveller and K10,000 for a tourist. There are 11 bungalows for accommodation. A bungalow can be rented at K30,000 per day.
There is a total of 22 elephant camps across the country. Myanmar implemented elephant-based tourism, created eco-tourism sites and opened the elephant camps near rivers and mountain ranges.—Maung Maung (Minbu)/GNLM