Mawlamyine is the third biggest city in Myanmar and the capital of Mon State. It is home to over 300,000 people and has the longest constructed bridge in Myanmar, at just less than two miles long, which is a vital connection to the north of the country.
The first British capital of old Burma was in Mawlamyine and as such there were once quite a lot of colonial buildings around. Sadly these buildings have all but disappeared now and replaced with concrete blocks of buildings overlooking the Thanlwin River.
There are a few things to do like visit a museum or go and see the pagodas around town, and the mosques are kept in excellent condition, especially the Kaladan Mosque decorated in bright green and turquoise. A trip up the stunning river to Hpa-an is the main draw as it travels past beautiful limestone peaks and sugar cane fields during a five-hour trip.
Getting There & Away
Yangon is the closest international airport and buses to Yangon leave daily from Mawlamyine and take up to 7 hours depending on which route you take. You can catch a daily train to Thaton from Yangon and then a local bus to Mawlamyine for the remaining 25-mile journey.
Things to Do
Mawlamyine Attractions
- Thanlwin River cruise to Hpa-an
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A five-hour cruise with beautiful views of limestone and sugar cane fields.
- Kaladan Mosque
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A sunni muslim green and turquoise mosque built in the style of a wedding cake.
- Moghul Shiah Mosque
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A pretty shiite muslim place of worship.
- Zeigyo Market
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Mostly dry goods trading and items that have fallen off the back of boats.