Dala Ferry Crossing

The Dala ferry crossing links Pansodan Jetty in downtown Yangon with the town of Dala across the Yangon River, in Yangon Region, Myanmar, and is one of the city's best documentary photography subjects. The frame is a working ferry deck: crowded passengers, motorbikes, bicycles and vendors, with the Yangon skyline and river traffic as a background on the outbound trip. The crossing takes about ten to fifteen minutes, so shooting time is short and positions matter. The best light is in two windows, from about 07:00 to 09:00 when commuters and goods cross and the sun is low behind the Dala bank for soft, angled light on the skyline, and from about 16:00 to 17:30, when warm light falls on the boat decks and the river. The dry season from November to February gives the clearest air; during the monsoon, rain and rough water make the crossing more dramatic but harder on equipment. The ferries are most crowded in the early morning and late afternoon, and the upper deck or the open sides give the best vantage points. Tickets for foreign visitors cost more than local fares and are paid at the jetty, a few thousand kyat or a few US dollars at last report, and visitors should check current prices at the ticket booth. Tripods are impractical on a moving and crowded deck, and handheld shooting with a wide lens is recommended. Drones are restricted near the port and central Yangon and should not be used. Photographers should avoid shooting port facilities, ask before close portraits and keep camera straps secured near the edge. Tea shops near the Pansodan jetty offer water and restrooms.