why isn't a foreigher allowed to cross Yangon river by a local boat in Yangon city?

[chado]

Yangon, china town area, Yangon river. I wanted to cross the river with locals by boat, but a guy selling tickets refused explaining that a isn't foreigner allowed to cross the river by boat with locals. why?

I have 28-days evisa.

[jphasia]

You mean to go to Dala township?


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[simon43]

If you mean to go to Dala Township, then it has been like that for as long as I can remember.  The locals certainly are not allowed to transport foreigners (police order), and they cite safety concerns as the reason.

[chado]

On 4/29/2017 at 7:15 AM, jphasia said:

You mean to go to Dala township?


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yes

[chado]

10 hours ago, simon43 said:

If you mean to go to Dala Township, then it has been like that for as long as I can remember.  The locals certainly are not allowed to transport foreigners (police order), and they cite safety concerns as the reason.

in the Ranong they do.

[jphasia]

So, if you mean Dala township:

Unless if it has been restricted very recently, there was no issue to go there in 2016. I went in November 2016. Took the ferry downtown Yangon, cross the river. Once in Dala, there are plenty of taxis, Tuk Tuk waiting at the pier and you negotiate for a tour wherever you want. And I was not the only foreigner. Said that, there is not much to see over there.

I will ask next Tuesday once I am back to the office my colleague who live in Dala if something has change recently. Attached 2 pics from the river and my way back to downtown Yangon

 

[chado]

yes, however not by ferry, but by boat.

[simon43]

I think Chado means by the small boats that cross to Dala, not the ferry.  As in my previous post, foreigners have not been allowed to cross using small boat for as long as I can remember, and the reason cited to me by the ferry staff was safety, (it's ok if a local drowns, but not a foreigner...).

 

As to the Ranong-Kawtaung crossing, I made many visa runs on that route, using the 100 baht long-tailed boats.  A little scary in the monsoon season.  I uploaded a video to Youtube many years ago which shows me doing the river crossing in a small boat and baling out water like crazy, whilst the Myanmar women in the boat were all praying (they couldn't swim...)

[jphasia]

1 minute ago, simon43 said:

I think Chado means by the small boats that cross to Dala, not the ferry.  As in my previous post, foreigners have not been allowed to cross using small boat for as long as I can remember, and the reason cited to me by the ferry staff was safety, (it's ok if a local drowns, but not a foreigner...).

 

As to the Ranong-Kawtaung crossing, I made many visa runs on that route, using the 100 baht long-tailed boats.  A little scary in the monsoon season.  I uploaded a video to Youtube many years ago which shows me doing the river crossing in a small boat and baling out water like crazy, whilst the Myanmar women in the boat were all praying (they couldn't swim...)

Yep, I understand that. For the small boats, I have no idea. Just decided one time last year to go visit the other side of the river (Dala) as I was downtown, near Sule and many locals where asking if I was going to Dala. I took then the ferry...

Ranong-Kawtaung. I was there 2 weeks ago. Not for a visa run but to go with a friend who needed a visa run. I drove him to Ranong from Phuket and instead of waiting for him at the pier, I decided to cross to Myanmar with him. it cost us 100 b each for the boat, I think 400b for him in Myanmar for immigration. I didn't had to pay anything to Myanmar immigration as I have a multiple entry visa.

Weather was very nice so the trip was cool.

[simon43]

Slightly off-topic, but here is a very short video clip that I took a few years ago of the Ranong - Kawtaung crossing on a nice day, (I'm still searching for the bad weather video).

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv34646tecw