Mawlamyine (Mon State) lies 300 km southeast of Yangon, along the Thanlyin River delta. Also known as the Salween River, and in China known as the Nu River, it flows for about 2,815 km from the Tibetan Plateau into the Andaman Sea at the city of Mawlamyine.
Mawlamyine is known for its many monasteries and the ridge of stupa-capped hills on its eastern side. The views from the hill over the city, river, and islands are stunning. The town’s city centre has many crumbling colonial-era buildings, churches and mosques. No wonder that the town was the setting for George Orwell’s essays such as ‘Shooting an Elephant’ and ‘A Hanging’.
In some areas of town, it seems life has little changed Orwill’s time here in the 1920s. One can easily spend a few days in Mawlamyine and its surrounding areas to appreciate life in this part of Myanmar…
Drive 60 km north across the Thanlyin River to the town of Hpa-An, in Kayin State. Alternatively and highly recommended, get on a longtail boat for a 2-hour interesting journey on the
Drive 60 km north across the Thanlyin River to the town of Hpa-An, in Kayin State. Alternatively and highly recommended, get on a longtail boat for a 2-hour interesting journey on the
Drive 60 km north across the Thanlyin River to Hpa-An, the capital of Kayin State. Alternatively and highly recommended, get on a longtail boat for a 2-hour exciting journey on the Thanlyin to Hpa-An. Your boat will pass giant bamboo rafts (apparently often filled with illegally logged teak wood), as well as many riverside villages where throngs of kids do somersaults into the river to impress us. Such lovely kids!
The sleepy small town of Hpa-An lies along the banks of the Thanlyin River. The people of Hpa-An are very friendly and the kids love to have their photos taken. It is a great base from where to explore the nearby Buddhist caves, sacred mountains, rivers, island and lakes in the surrounding countryside.
Come along as we take the train from Yangon all the way to Mawlamyine, then Set Se Beach, and then up north to Hpa-An and on the way back to Yangon we visit the Golden Rock and Bago town.
Why travel to Mawlamyine and Hpa-An?
- The low-down: The towns of Mawlamyine and Hpa-An are interesting but their jewels lie in the surrounding areas.
- The brightest highlight: In both Mawlamyine and Hpa-An head out into the rural landscapes with your area map loaded on your phone. Pre-plan your routes, so you can visit as many places as possible. Don’t miss the boat ride between Mawlamyine and Hpa-An, a distance of about 60 kilometres.
- Intrepid destination: While not void of people, this part of Myanmar is still not mass-tourism areas, so you may travel for days without coming across foreign travellers.
- GlobeRovers score (10 is highest): It is a lovely area to visit so it gets a GlobeRovers Score of 8.6 out of 10.
Table of Contents
A fast-changing country
The Mon and Kayin States in southeastern Myanmar (Burma) offer great off-the-beaten-track adventures. While both states are geographically among the country’s smallest, and equally small in population size, they have no shortage of interesting places to explore. Both states are long and skinny stretching from north to south. Mon State lies along the Andaman Sea while Kayin State is land-locked.
From Yangon, hop on the train which could take between 9 hours to 16 hours and head south to Mawlamyine. From here, travel by taxi or local bus to Set Se Beach, and then from Mawlamyine by boat to Hpa-An (in neighbouring Kayin State). On the way back to Yangon, stop at Bago (in neighbouring Bago State) and Kyaikhto for its nearby Golden Rock Pagoda.
Myanmar is one of the friendliest countries I have ever visited.
This region is off the “standard tourist trail” so in some areas you may travel for several days without seeing another foreign traveller. The tourist infrastructure is rather insignificant, but there are hotels and guesthouses mainly focused on local tourists and business people.
Overnight trains in Myanmar have no beds Train travel in Myanmar
Public transportation is an experience in itself! Take the train only if you have a strong stomach as even some locals puke when the train shakes out of control at just 20 km per hour. However, during the past few years, the railroad has been upgraded, so the ride now is a lot smoother than it used to be.
Mon State and Kayin State in southeastern Myanmar (Burma) offers great off-the-beaten-track adventures.
My first trip to this region (December 2012 / January 2013) started in the capital Yangon, from where I took a memorable 13-hour train ride to Mawlamyine towards the southeast from where I explored the areas as far south as Set Se Beach.
Back in Mawlamyine, I embarked on a memorable small longtail boat trip north to Hpa-An where I stayed a few days and then headed northwest to the Golden Rock near Kyaikhto. After a steep mountain ascend to the precariously balanced holy rock, I travelled east to Bago and then back to Yangon.
Yangon: Gateway to Myanmar
Yangon has changed so much over the past 15 years. While it is still a third world city, nowadays (2021) you will find an increasing number of upper scale shops, fancy restaurants and luxury hotels popping up all over the city. Sadly, large parts of the city’s old colonial buildings, its true heritage, are being demolished rather than being preserved. In their place, large modern developments now rise into the air.
This makes me think back to my very first visit to Saigon, Vietnam, some 25 years ago. At that time Saigon looked like it has not changed over the past 50 years. There were thousands of bicycles and three-wheeler cyclos around town. It is amazing (and sad to me) how much Saigon changed since those days.
Saigon’s main streets are now packed with international and luxury brand stores such as Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Burberry, Polo Ralph Lauren, Cartier, Chanel, etc. And, all those thousands of environmentally friendly bicycles and cyclos have been replaced with smoke-billowing motorcycles! Seems like every soul in Vietnam now has a moto!
Yangon is unquestionably heading in the same direction of development as Saigon and soon famous brands will replace the local Burmese shops. In fact, it already started.
Fortunately, within the Yangon city limits, it is illegal to operate trishaws, bicycles, and motorcycles. In January 2013 the ban was lifted for motorcycles of the traffic police in addition to two other government departments who may use a limited number of motorcycles.
In additional, using a car horn in Yangon has also been banned since 2003. This ban truly is a blessing to predestrians walking and breathing in the streets. So with these laws in place, Yangon is quite a pleasant city compared with other cities around the world at a similar level of development.
Walking around the streets of Yangon is a great way to experience life in the city. People are friendly and curious, lots of interesting shops and architecture to gaze at, and some eateries to try out if you are brave.
Take the ferry across the Yangon River to the Dala Township. Hop on a trishaw and let the guy drive you around for an hour. Be prepared for a culture shock and many friendly faces.
In the outskirts of Yangon are some authentic markets where time truly has been standing still for a very long time.
Take the famous Circular Train and get off at Insein station. Follow your nose and you will easily find the large market. Walk around and take in the atmosphere – the food, aromas, people, vibes. It is amazing! When done, get back on the train in the same direction and then get off at Danyingon station for the wholesale veggies and fruit market. Another big culture shock awaits.
Go for lunch (not breakfast or dinner!) at Aung Thukha Traditional Myanmar Food Restaurant at no. 17(A), 1st Street, West Shwegondaing, Bahan Township (ph: 525194). I love the atmosphere at this down-to-earth but popular restaurant. It is a truly local restaurant with the occasional foreigner who comes to enjoy Burmese food as the locals do it.
As an alternative, try the more upscale Feel Myanmar Restaurant with its two locations. It is one of the most famous restaurants for local Burmese food in all of Yangon. The food is served in buffet style and there are so many choices that you will want to come back again and again.
Mawlamyine (Mon State)
From Yangon’s beautiful (exterior) main train station, a nine to 16 hours shaky train ride passes through the interesting town of Mawlamyine (also known as Moulmein). If you stay on the train, you will end up in Dawei, some 313 km south of Mawlamyine where the line terminates. From Dawei the only way to reach the southern tip of Myanmar (Kawthoung) is by road. Dawei and Kawthaung (and Myeik) are all gateways to the incredible Myeik / Mergui Archipelago.
Mawlamyine is famous for the Pa Auk Taw Ya Meditation Monastery. Go in the mid-morning to help out with preparing and serving lunch to approximately 700 monks. Most monks don’t mind being photographed though you should respect them as they are not on display for your happy snappy flash photography. Be careful not to take any photos of the old German monk, if he is still there!
Around town and just outside town are many temples, sitting and lying Buddha statues, pagodas, and countless stupas.
Check out the Kyaik-Than-lan Pagoda, U Zina Pagoda, Mahamuni Pagoda, and the Gaungsay Kyun. On the hill just above town are some amazing old monasteries with friendly monks.
South of Mawlamyine is the famous and very large Reclining Buddha of Win Sein Taw Ya at Yadana Taung. It is reputedly the largest reclining Buddha image in the world.
Also along this route in Thanbyuzayat is the Allied War Memorial Cemetery which commemorates the prisoners of war who lost their lives in constructing the infamous “Death Railway across the River Kwai” running between Thailand and Myanmar.
Located 77 km south of Mawlamyine along the Gulf of Martaban of the Andaman Sea, is Setse Beach (or Set Se). This wide and long (6 km) beach lies just 15 km south of the Thanlyin River mouth, so the water is often muddy when currents wash down silt from the river.
While the waters may not attract sensitive bathers, the beach offers an interesting scenery: fishing boats and drying fish, modest seafood restaurants, beer stations, young coconuts full of fresh juice, horseback riding, and inner tube rides for those who want to conquer the brownish waters.
There are one or two places right on the beach that are authorized to accommodate foreigners. At the northern end of the beach is a small Kyaikmaraw Paya temple perched on the rocks.
Just across the Thanlwin River (Salween River) from Mawlamyine lies Ogre Island, known as Bilu Kyun in the local Mon language. The teardrop-shaped island is roughly the size of Singapore, and has a rural charm not yet tainted by tourism. This is likely to change since the new Bogyoke Aung San Bridge opened in May 2017, connecting the island to Mawlamyine. Before the construction of this bridge, the island could only be reached by boat.
The island is most famous for its cottage industries including wooden smoking pipes, wooden walking sticks, slate tablets for schools, rubber bands, ropes and doormats made from coconut fibre, bamboo farmer’s hats, and traditional Mon longyis—a sheet of cloth worn by men and women around the waist and running to the feet.
Ogre Island does not have any good beaches as it lies in the mouth of the Thanlyin River that flows from the Tibetan Plateau into the Andaman Sea.
Hpa-An (Kayin State)
From Mawlamyine, take a longboat shared with five or six other travellers. It is about a two-hour interesting ride upriver to the town of Hpa-An. First thing after you put down your bags at the Soe Brothers Guesthouse, is to head over to the San Ma Tu Restaurant for some of the greatest Burmese food in Myanmar.
Hpa-An is a lovely town to hang around for five days or even more. Walk around town especially around the very authentic markets and residential areas to mingle with the friendly locals.
Rent your own motorbike, or better, a guide with moto-taxi to take you outside the town, in particular the caves: Yathaypyan Cave, Kawtgoon Cave, and Saddar Cave.
Around Lat-ka-Na village is great for sunrise or sunset photos. Ditto for Kan Thar Yar Lake just outside town!
Do make sure to climb Mount Zwegabin from the east side (start no later than 7 AM) and then down the west side. You will be sorry if you don’t follow my advice.
Kyaikhto / Golden Rock (Mon State)
From Hpa-An take a bus to the town of Kyaikhto to see the famous and holy Golden Rock. Now listen carefully to my advice and do not deviate: At 4:45 AM you go to the truck station right in town. They have large heavy-duty trucks to take the pilgrims up to near the top of the mountain. Do not sit in the back of the truck. Ask the driver to sit in the front, even if he charges a bit more. Some of these drivers have no respect for the people in the back and sitting in the back may be your worst experience ever. The ride takes 45 minutes to get to near the summit from where you walk another 30 minutes.
Do not walk all the way from the village to the top. Rather walk down the small path all the way back to the village. This is about a 5 hour walk as you likely will stop many times along the route to have a laugh with the locals.
Both going up and coming down are great experiences!
Bago (Bago Region / Division)
From Kyaikhto take a bus to the town of Bago which is packed with interesting sites, including pagodas, temples, stupas and monasteries. However, even though I thought I had seen enough of these, I found that Bago offered some very interesting experiences. In addition to all the sites listed in your guidebook, check out the normally non-listed ShweGule Maha Paduma Teaching Monastery.
After two or three days in Bago, hop back on that train for another bumpy ride back to Yangon. Make sure to go back to the Aung Thukha Traditional Myanmar Food restaurant!
Myanmar Travel Tips
Travel in Myanmar is improving gradually as more tourists are arriving. At this stage, it’s best to rent a car and driver to conveniently travel outside the cities. Between main cities take the train for a surreal experience. Alternatively take buses which are quite comfortable. Air travel remains expensive but is the best option for long-distance travel.
Note that foreigners pay substantially more than locals for airline tickets, while trains and buses apply equal pricing to all human beings.
Myanmar is quite safe. Remain street-smart and you should be fine. Crime against foreigners has been, and hopefully will continue to be, severely punished.
Myanmar still has a major shortage of good value tourist accommodation. If you travel to popular destinations such as Yangon, Mandalay, Inle Lake and Bagan, you need to book well in advance during high season. In general, accommodation remains expensive compared to the Asia region and value is mostly very poor. However, value for money has improved over the past few years.
Most, but not all, people love to be photographed, so go ahead and make their day.
Myanmar is an incredible place to visit if you have the right mindset. It offers so many experiences which don’t exist anymore around the wider region. As Myanmar is fast developing with an increasing number of foreign tourists arriving, life here won’t stay the same. Visit now, so you are not sorry in 10 years from now!
☛ Read more: Blog posts of Myanmar
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.