Iffy internet here. Going to post this in pieces. So if ends up unfinished you will understand,

The day we boarded the ship we first visited the Jade market. What an experience that was, not at all what we expected. This was a REAL grass roots place of the jade market. Definitely not on the tourist schedule. Brad asked to see it and I am glad he did. NOT FOR EVERYONE.

First walking on a street filled with motor bikes and llocals a zoo! We had to very careful. Along the way were tables with unfinished pieces of jade with all kinds of colors. Then we moved into the real jade market. We were walking on a mixture of mud and trash. Narrow mud pathways and packed with people. Plus people cooking the most awful looking food and very dirty. Only a few people could go with a guide as keeping together is not easy.

On the good side it was fascinating. We were told Burmese jade is the best in the world. The primary market is the Chinese who buy jade and take it back to China to finish and sell. Chinese were looking at the jade with high intensity flashlights and haggling with the Burmese salesmen. One area there was a charge for foreigners. (I think they mean foreign jade buyers) they let us through without a glance. This area is primarily for Burmese to sell to Burmese. I could have that all wrong hard to understand the guide.
There were men polishing the jade with an antiquated looking table with a wheel.

Only a few cases with finished products and a few vendors with cheap looking stuff. Our guide could tell the real from the plastic. Not a place to go and shop.

I would advise this only for the people who can handle a situation like this, not for those that cannot handle close up poverty, dirt, nasty food, and crowds of locals. The guide said very few tourists come here I imagine the tour agencies do not want people to visit.