As well as the fast boats, there is a twice-weekly slow boat from Mandalay. This leaves in the early morning and takes around 15 hours (it is slower upstream/northwards than downstream/southwards). Slow boats occasionally get stuck on sandbanks (more likely in the dry season), which can cause significant delays.

The slow boat is a very basic, old fashioned ferry; foreigners are usually given plastic chairs but you often have to find your own space. It is also advisable to have some warm clothes if you are travelling between November and March, as it can get chilly in the early morning and overnight. Slow boat tickets cost $10. 

Full details of IWT (Inland Water Transport) boat services can be found here.

To find out more about boat travel, go to getting around Myanmar by boat.