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Myawaddy (also sometimes spelt Myawaddi, Myawadi or Myawady) is a border town in Myanmar. Access for foreigners is currently only possible from Mae Sot in Tak Province, Thailand, though this is set to change in a few years time.

[edit] Understand

At some point in the next few years (possibly late 2009) this will become a full international border crossing as part of the Asian Highway Network route AH1 which will connect Tokyo in Japan with the border between Turkey and Bulgaria. At that time the Mae Sot - Myawaddy border crossing will probably become the main overland entry point for foreign travellers wishing to get from Bangkok to Yangon (and vice-versa) overland.

Currently however foreigners may only enter on foot, are not allowed to travel further overland into Myanmar from Myawaddy, and are not permitted to stay in Myawaddy overnight, hence they must head back to Mae Sot before the border closes at 18:00.

Despite these restrictions, the Myawaddy - Mae Sot border crossing is a moderately popular destination for tourists and expats in Thailand who want to make a "visa run" (i.e. get a new Thai entry permit stamp by making a short visit to another country).

The time in Myawaddy is 30 minutes earlier than in Mae Sot, and the traffic (mostly) drives on the right.

[edit] Get in

There are several buses daily from Myawaddy to Hpa-an (Pa-an) and Mawlamyine (Moulmein), however a Myanmar or Thai passport or ID card is required.

Foreigners can only cross the border into Myanmar at this point on foot (unusually, foreigners are not even permitted to cross with bicycles).

From the Thai town of Mae Sot, take a songthaew or other transport to the border crossing at the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge over the Moei River; Myawaddy is immediately on the other side of the bridge.

Foreigners must deposit their passports at the Myanmar immigration checkpoint. The officers ask for 500 baht, whereas officially the fee is $10. They will haggle and mess around, using a variety of ruses, such as your US dollar bills being printed in the wrong year. To save (their) face, carry a selection of notes, or just be patient - the fee is $10. No fees are payable at the Thai checkpoint. Normal exit and entry stamps are issued at both checkpoints.

Currently (September 2009) it seems to be impossible to pay $10 insteard of 500 baht. Even if you pretend to have no thai currency with you, the officers then let you enter the town without taking your dollars but tell you to change them into baht there and pay 500 baht on your way back!

[edit] Get around

Myawaddy is centered around the wide strip of highway that leads from the Friendship Bridge through town, and is small enough to easily be explored on foot; alternatively, ubiquitous red bicycle rickshaws go everywhere.

Plases of interest in town include:

1. The Golden pagoda, 2-3 minutes from the border checkpoint by rickshaw.

Very picturesque side with several big Buddha images inshrined on it's ground, one of them is a replica of golden Buddha image of Mahamuni temple in Mandalay. Locals claim that this pagada is more then 1000 years old!

1. The Crocodile temple, 6-7 minutes from the border checkpoint by rickshaw.

Very unusual temple situated on the back of gigant crocodile statue.

1. Three more temples with big padodas a bit away from the town center in neighbouring villades (actually there are much more pagodas in surrounding arreas like everywhere in Myanmar).

One of that pagodas is situated on the ground of the children's dancing school so you can see many local small kids over there. There are also more then a hundered similar sitting Buddha images on one of the sides of this pagoda. Another temple is situated on a hill a 100 meters walk from the previous one. It also has a big pagoda and gives a good view of surrounding area. Visiting these distant plases gives a bit of expiriense of "real Myanmar" with small wooden huts and locals working on their fields.

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

There are several guesthouses and small hotels, however foreigners are currently not permitted to stay in Myawaddy overnight.

[edit] Get out

• Backtracking to Mae Sot in Thailand is currently the only option for foreigners.

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