Myanmar trishaws

Myanmar rickshaws consist of a standard bike with a sidecar attached to the frame. Unlike the one pictured above, most of the trishaws aren’t embellished with paintings or other decorations.

 

Cycling, or even sitting in a rickshaw isn’t a pleasant activity in the midday heat, where temperatures can reach 40 C (104 F).

The number of rickshaws on the road seems to be dwindling. As one man told us, “people prefer to get around on scooters if they can afford it.”

We saw them mainly in towns, where they ferried passengers plus cargo around. Surprisingly enough, there were very few van rickshaws (see picture above right) used to transport freight. Instead, the chauffeurs somehow managed to tie their freight to the narrow sidecar seat.
As for the chauffeurs, they were quite laid back. Never once did they beckon us for a ride.