Bangkok to Yangon

The overland journey from Bangkok to Yangon in Myanmar has two stages. The first stage is by bus from Bangkok to Mae Sot. For the second stage of the journey you need to cross over the border into the nearby town of Myawaddy to board a bus to Yangon.

Stage 1: Bus from Bangkok to Mae Sot

There are currently 15 bus services a day from Bangkok to Mae Sot available to book online.

• Buy bus tickets from Bangkok to Mae Sot.

Stage 2: Bus from Myawaddy to Yangon

The next bus you need to take departs from a bus station in Myawaddy, which is the town just over the border inside Myanmar. The distance by road from bus station in Mae Sot to the bus station in Myawaddy is 7.4 km so you need to take a local tuk tuk or motorbike taxi to the border and then another from the Myanmar side of the border to the bus station in Myawaddy.

• Buy bus tickets from Myawaddy to Yangon.

Bangkok Bus Stop

Tara Tour and Travel bus services to Mae Sot depart from the Khao San Tara Tour and Travel Office, Soi Samsen 2, Samsen Road, Khwaeng Ban Phan Thom, Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200.

Mae Sot Bus Station

Tara Tour and Travel bus services terminate in Mae Sot at Mae Sot Bus Terminal.

Myawaddy Bus Station

Bus services to Yangon depart from Mandalar Min Express bus station in Myawaddy.

Yangon Bus Station

Mandalar Min Express bus services from Myawaddy terminate at Aung Mingalar Highway Bus Station in Yangon.

About Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon

Shwedagon Pagoda is the most important religious site in Myanmar. According to local belief the temple is over 2,500 years old and has a number of holy relics, including 8 hairs of the Lord Buddha. The legend is that two travelling Burmese merchants met the Lord Buddha shortly after his enlightenment and they were given the hairs directly by the Lord Buddha. The merchants then gave the hairs to the local King when they arrive back in Yangon who built a temple to house them within.

The legend may or may not be true, however, Shewdagon Pagoda is nonetheless a massive impressive place to visit and well worth the $5 USD entrance fee. The pagoda sits in the centre of square platform which is 275 metres in width. The pagoda is 99 metres tall covered in gold plate and encrusted with precious jewels the total value of which is well in excess of $1 Billion USD.

As well as the pagoda itself there are another 37 structures on the same site to explore each with their own treasures and history. As Myanmar opens up more to tourists Shwedagon Pagoda is likely to become known as one of the great tourist attractions of the world listed alongside famous buildings like the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramid.