Can you travel overland from Kaw Thaung all the way up to Yangon?

[Too]

Min Ga Lar Ba,

I'm thinking of travelling Myanmar next year, entering

the country via Kaw Thaung from Ranong in Thailand

all the way up to Yangon by land.

Has anyone taken the journey yet? How was it?

Thank you in advance.

[craigt3365]

I've not done this trip, though I believe one of our members might be doing this soon. Here's a pretty good website for reference. Let us know how it goes if you do this trip!!!

Just back from 3 weeks and had a great time.

http://www.southernmyanmar.com/transportation/

[Too]

I've not done this trip, though I believe one of our members might be doing this soon. Here's a pretty good website for reference. Let us know how it goes if you do this trip!!!

Just back from 3 weeks and had a great time.

http://www.southernmyanmar.com/transportation/

Thanks for your info.

I'd love to visit Myanmar, all the more because I've never

been there before. The only drawback, however, is the

accommodation is not very cheap.

[phuketrichard]

I am doing the reverse

flying into Yangon Dec 2nd-- heading south, exiting at Ranong an than a 4 hour bus ride home

if u enter at Ranong u need a visa issued at the embassy, an online pre approved e-visa wont work

from Kwathong ( a real sh*t hole to stay in,been many times) u can either fly or take the boat to Myeik an than bus or boat to Dawei and than onwards by train or bus

I have looked at hotels at all the cites and it ranges from a low of $7 up to $42 ( at Golden rock) with an average for an air con room of about $30

[Too]

I am doing the reverse

flying into Yangon Dec 2nd-- heading south, exiting at Ranong an than a 4 hour bus ride home

if u enter at Ranong u need a visa issued at the embassy, an online pre approved e-visa wont work

from Kwathong ( a real sh*t hole to stay in,been many times) u can either fly or take the boat to Myeik an than bus or boat to Dawei and than onwards by train or bus

I have looked at hotels at all the cites and it ranges from a low of $7 up to $42 ( at Golden rock) with an average for an air con room of about $30

Thank you for your info.

I'll go apply for a visa at the Embassy of Myanmar in BKK

before entering the country via Kaw Thaung from Ranong.

I hear that the visa fee has gone up recently.

The accommodation in Yangon is outrageously expensive

so I wonder how much one of the cheapest rooms costs you

there.

Please keep me posted on your travels because I'm very

curious about them.

[phuketrichard]

well; i am quite lucky as have friends living and working in Yangon so free accommodations :-)

This is my basic itinerary,

Yangon -Kyaithkya (golden rock )
Bus 8am- 12 4 hours $12 go to Kinpun Train 7:15 am further away arrive 12 $13 upper 1 night
Kyaithkya- Hpa-an 3 hours bus’s 11 am-3pm, 2 nights

Hpa-An- Mawlamyine 2 hours bus, boat- 7-10,000 kyat Morning 1 night
Mawlamyine - Ye 5 hours bus, 6 hours train pick up 5,000 kyat 2 nights

Ye- Dawei 5 hours bus, 2 nights
Dawei- Myeik Boat 4-5 hours $25 hours leaves at 4:30 am depart 20 kms out of town,
Bus 9-10 hours 2 nights NO FOOD/WATER ON BOATS
Myeik- Kwathoung (Ranong) boat $45 7 hours Leaves at 8-9 am

[phuketrichard]

Update

I am in ye now,

3 nights with friends in yangon was plenty.

Bus, 3 hours, to golden rock, overpriced hotel,good, inexpensive food. Amazing place and well worth the trip. Locals camp out at the top and its a site to see.The open top truck ride was like a ride in disneyland.

2 hour bus ride to Hpa-an. A very nice small town on the river, with lots to see. Galaxy motel excelent value for $16. Rented a motorcyle and did a full day exploration trip. Fantastic caves and temples.

2 hour river boat trip to Moulamin. A souless big spread out town.

This morning up at 3:30 for my 6 hour train ride to Ye. Nice place, good food and the circus is in town.staying at the starlight gh right on the lake, owned by an american and his burmese wife and they both lived in phuket for years.

Tomorrow 6:30 bus for 4 hours to Dawei for 2 nights and rent motorbike and explore the nearby beaches.

Than it will be the fast boat at 4am to myeik, stay the night and another fast boat to kwaythoung before the bus back home in phuket.

Unlike the northern cicuit, yangon,bagan,inle,mandalay the south gets lot less tourists.

People very friendly

Edited December 9, 2015 by phuketrichard

[phuketrichard]

Dawei,

the 4 hour bus became almost 6 and non air con and local stops but it was great and beatiful trip.

Tomorrow will rent motorcycle and travel to some beaches.

The fast boat leaves at 2:30 am but to get to the boat jetty means a 12:30am departure for the 5 hour trip to myeik. $30 or apx 39,000 kyat

Walked around town and very laid back.

Namaste

[phuketrichard]

Train to Dawei 6 hours
Boat to Myeik 4 1/2
Boat to Kwathoung 7 hours
Bus back to Phuket 6 hours

Its a lovely country an the people are fantastic.

[simon43]

PhuketRichard, are you now allowed to travel overland from Kawthaung? I visited Kawthaung many times, but they always had the 5km restriction.

I wonder if it is allowed to enter from Ranong and then travel outside of Kawthaung to visit other towns/sights in southern Myanmar.

[phuketrichard]

yes; u can enter there but u must have ur visa from an embassy, the evisa is only good to fly in.

u can than take the boat north to Myeik;- Dawei

I was TOLD u can only fly or take the boat from Kwathoung an an not do the road,, which is very very bad

from Myeik north u can; bus, boat or fly

you will need stay the night in Kwathoung as the boat leaves very early.

[Tomtomtom69]

yes; u can enter there but u must have ur visa from an embassy, the evisa is only good to fly in.

u can than take the boat north to Myeik;- Dawei

I was TOLD u can only fly or take the boat from Kwathoung an an not do the road,, which is very very bad

from Myeik north u can; bus, boat or fly

you will need stay the night in Kwathoung as the boat leaves very early.

You CAN go by land to Myeik. However, almost nobody does because it reportedly takes 16-20 hours. However, if you do a Google search, you will quickly find stories of foreigners who HAVE indeed travelled by motorcycle or bus all the way down to Kawthoung or up to Myeik.

There are no security reasons for not allowing it. So you could say it's allowed. All reports are from late 2014 onwards.