In the far south of Myanmar, opposite Ranong, Kawthaung is a border town that isn't visited quite like other towns. Accessible from Thailand, it's usually explored on a day trip, without the possibility of freely continuing further into the country.
During a road trip in southern Thailand, a stop in Ranong gave me the opportunity to visit, more as a parenthesis than as a destination in its own right.
Getting to Kawthaung
After spending the night there, we arrived at the port of Ranong on a rainy morning, in a typically border-town atmosphere, where a mix of locals from both sides and their goods circulated, but with few foreign tourists. We were also right next to the fishing office, where trawlers unload their fresh catch: it immediately set the tone.
It's easy to find the right place, as the immigration office is clearly marked. Be careful not to miss this step, as it's entirely possible to board boats without going through it, but if your intention is to leave Thailand, it's best to have your passport properly stamped.
On the Thai side, it's quite quick: in less than five minutes, we were on the dock, ready to board one of the longtail boats making the crossing to the opposite shore. In principle, there's nothing to pay other than the transport itself, which costs 100 baht each way to cover the roughly five kilometers separating the two countries.
We leave the port and first sail along the island of Ko Khon Thi, which faces Ranong, before reaching the mouth of the Kraburi River, which serves as a natural border. As we move away, we see the hills of Ranong appear behind us.
We then pass the first islet, Ko Sarani, recognizable by its sanctuary from which a statue of Guan Yin, the goddess of mercy in Chinese culture, protrudes. The crossing into the other country by water takes approximately 45 minutes.
To save time, I got my visa in advance, because yes, even for just a day trip, you need a proper Burmese visa. It's possible to get one there, but I didn't want to waste another hour on the paperwork.
Even so, entering Myanmar takes longer than leaving Thailand. Once there, you quickly find yourself in the streets of Kawthaung, surrounded by rickshaws ready to take you around or drop you off at your hotel. Just a quick bargain and things move along quickly.
Our hotel was deliberately located outside the city because we wanted to treat ourselves a little and had chosen the Victoria Cliff Hotel & Resorts. It was a change from the usual small guesthouse, this one had a swimming pool and a sea view (and incidentally also the island of Pulo Tonton).
Things to see in Kawthaung
Kawthaung primarily serves as a transit point or gateway to the southern part of the Mergui Archipelago (or Myeik Islands in Burmese). Thais also visit to enjoy the casino, located on Pulo Ru Island, just five kilometers from the Thai coast, as gambling is illegal in the kingdom.
In our case, no casino or even a visit to the beautiful islands of this rather unknown archipelago: in just one day, we had to focus on the essential sights to see in the city and its surroundings.
After settling into our hotel and taking a few photos of the scenery from the restaurant — which we would try that evening — we set off again to explore the city around 13 p.m. The view overlooks the islands in the bay, which already gives a good overview of the setting.
Since the rickshaw that picked us up from the boat was friendly and we got along well, we booked him for the day.
He picked us up directly from the hotel to travel the four kilometers to the city center. We agreed on a daily rate, which seemed reasonable by local standards, and more than enough to get around comfortably, without any constraints.
Before arriving in town, we stopped at a viewpoint not far from our hotel, which we could actually see from there. Given the proximity, the view is quite similar to the one we had from our balcony, but if you ever happen to be in the area, it might be worth a look.
Stroll through the old town
When we arrived in town (hello Mr Balavoine), I had a very specific idea in mind for targeting a neighborhood. I asked our rickshaw to drop us off near the hill that we could see from the port of Kawthaung when we arrived earlier that morning (photo at the top of this article).
On this hill is the Pyi Daw Aye PagodaBuilt on a platform overlooking the entire city, it offers an ideal vantage point for admiring Kawthaung. But before going up there, I deliberately asked to go down a little further, in order to walk in the surrounding streets and, above all, to find a place to have lunch.
We ended up stopping in a small street perpendicular to the one leading to the pagoda stairs, in a restaurant recognizable by its yellow facade (I'll show you its neighbor on the map, the only one listed in the area on Google Maps).
The place didn't look like much, but it was good, cheap, and more than enough to regain strength — Burmese cuisine tends to be quite greasy, so it fills you up nicely.
Even though it's not very far, the walk to the pagoda becomes a pleasant stroll. It's also an opportunity to take the time to observe the architecture of the local houses: a mix of materials, with wood playing a prominent role, especially on the upper floors of the buildings.
Some houses remain quite well-maintained, and this mix of colorful facades, old styles, and more "modern" additions encourages you to stop and observe. Nothing is truly homogeneous, and if you add to this apparent disorder the electrical cables running all over the facade, the whole thing takes on a sometimes precarious, almost chaotic appearance.
An urban landscape where many would see only a joyful mess, but which remains quite characteristic of many places in Southeast Asia and which, here at least, gives a certain charm to these somewhat decrepit streets.
It's generally quiet, but we pass a few locals on their doorsteps, including a mother who waves to her daughter as we walk by. We then climb the few steps leading to the pagoda, discovering the town from above. While enjoying a few rays of sunshine, we see that it's raining on the other side, in Ranong, and realize we've chosen the perfect day for our trip to Myanmar.
The architecture of the Pyi Daw Aye monastery is as typical of the country as can be, whether in the shape and decorations of the roof, the wooden sculptures between the arches of the cloister, or the silver ornaments visible under the structure, housing Buddhas that clearly stand out from their Thai equivalents.
The golden pagoda — what one would call a chedi In Thailand — it too adopts the country's usual conventions. It remains modest in size, but is well-maintained. As we came more for the view than for the temple itself, we didn't linger too long, especially since other visits were planned a little further away.
If you have more time, I suggest you visit another temple, only known in Burmese as... အေးရိပ်ငြိမ်း ကျိုက်ထီးရိုးစေတီတော်, but which can be transcribed phonetically as pagoda / stupa “Aye Yate Ngein” (Literally Pagoda of Serenity or stupa peaceful rest).
The Aye Yate Ngein pagoda is perched atop a hill and overlooks a large northern section of the city. It is a place of worship for the locals, with many small chedi golden and especially a golden rock, but above all it offers an excellent viewpoint overlooking Kawthaung and the bay. On a clear day, the Ranong mountains on the Thai side are clearly visible.
All we had to do was return to our "taxi" for the day by going to the meeting point we had agreed upon, at the clock tower located right next to the arrival port.
In doing so, we encountered children with thanaka on their cheeks, a very Burmese detail and a notable difference from neighboring Thailand, where this tradition does not exist. They burst out laughing when they see us, while few foreigners venture into these streets.
Maliwan Waterfall: a natural spot a few kilometers from the city
While planning this day trip, I had spotted a small waterfall a little way outside the city, about thirty kilometers away. It was an opportunity to see some nature and, above all, to go to the very limits of what is (roughly) possible to visit in this southernmost region of Burma.
As mentioned above, the Kawthaung region is isolated for foreigners. It is not possible to move around freely there or to reach, by road, Mergui, the main city in the south of the country, which usually serves as the gateway to the Mergui Archipelago, which stretches very far from north to south (more than 250 km).
However, if you were to continue your stay in Burma, note that Kawthaung has an airport, which theoretically allows you to reach Yangon.
Having said that, it took a good 50 minutes to cover the 37 kilometers to the waterfall, even though the road wasn't really bad by Burmese standards. The main reason lies in the mode of transport: a rickshaw—in this case, a standard motorcycle with a makeshift sidecar—is clearly not designed for high speeds.
To reach the waterfall, you first cross a rubber plantation, while the road turns into a bumpy track. The tarmac then reappears before crossing a small bridge, from which you can see what look like bungalows on the hillside.
There were very few people there, if any at all. It was already quite late in the afternoon. The concrete tables suggested that the spot was popular for picnics, with people sitting by the water. A marked path led visitors closer to the waterfall itself.
Well, as for the waterfall, nothing extraordinary: it's just a small cascade, nothing more. And since time is short, we don't linger for more than ten minutes before heading off to the next stop, the hot springs.
Maliwan Hot Spring
Also known asAung Thapyay Hot SpringThe hot springs are located within the grounds of a local resort, the Maliwan Hot Spring Resortwhich can be reached in about fifteen minutes after the waterfall.
Similar to the springs found in Ranong on the Thai side, the site consists of pools and facilities allowing you to soak your feet — or more if you wish — in order to enjoy this naturally warm mineral water.
Unfortunately, the situation was the same as before: with only one day there and one last visit planned to conclude this whirlwind stay in Kawthaung, we settled for a quick dip before leaving rather quickly. Next stop: Pulo Tonton Island, which, conveniently, was practically at the foot of our hotel.
Pulo Tonton Island
Also called Pu Lone Tone Tone On some maps, the island is designated by the term jump in local place names, a word used simply to indicate that it is an island.
Of Austronesian origin, this term is found in many coastal names in Southeast Asia, well beyond current borders, and particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia, which have retained the form Island to designate their islands: Pulo Tonton It literally means "Uncle's Island".
Having gotten that slightly "teacherly" moment out of the way, let's get back to our last visit of the day. It took us no less than an hour to make the return journey from the hot springs.
At the time, the bridge connecting to this island was still made of wood, while the permanent bridge was under construction (since completed and in use). This added to the charm and provided a proper introduction to this island, home to a fishing village.
While part of the population lives on the mainland, another part lives in stilt houses. It was this area that I was particularly interested in seeing. Not that it's unique, as it's also common in Thailand, but it's visually more interesting than the more permanent village buildings.
But, at the risk of repeating myself, time was against us: the sun sets quite early at these latitudes, and we barely had half an hour to stroll along the quays, which serve as floating streets here.
Just enough time to meet a few locals and note that the fishing boats are obviously all in port at this time of day so there are few activities to see but not a dead village either so even a quick visit, I'm glad I pushed the visit this far.
This lack of time will prevent us from completing the visit. Because, as the name suggests, an island means a beach, and here we're talking about beaches only, since most of Tonton Island is bordered by mangroves. Pulo Tonton's only beach is located on its northwest coast and appears to be made of ochre-colored sand; it's not exactly paradise, but for those who love having their feet in the sand, this is the place.
All we had to do then was cross the bridge again to get back to our hotel, less than 10 minutes from the village. We arrived just in time to enjoy the last rays of sunlight over the bay.
The next day, the weather was much more favorable for our return to Thailand. I took the opportunity to take a few more photos of the view from the terrace of our room at the Victoria Cliff, before leaving the hotel.
A vehicle then took us back to the port for the return crossing to Ranong. As we returned to the bustle of Kawthaung port, with the pagodas in the background and the women with thanaka on their cheeks, I thought to myself that we were leaving a profoundly different world, and yet so close.
Should you sleep in Kawthaung?
The question might seem odd since we slept there. However, the reality is more nuanced. Sleeping in Kawthaung isn't strictly necessary, because by leaving Ranong early enough in the morning, it's perfectly possible to visit the town and its surroundings during the day and return the same evening. This also avoids the hassle of repacking and unpacking for a simple day trip.
This is a common option, especially since travel restrictions prevent continuing the journey to other regions of southern Myanmar. Kawthaung is therefore not a base for exploring the interior of the country, but rather an easily accessible stopover from Thailand.
Note in passing Accommodation options in Kawthaung remain limited but sufficient for a night or two, with a few basic hotels in town. We, for our part, had chosen the Victoria Cliff Hotel & Resorts, more for the setting it offered at an attractive price, than for any real practical need, accepting in return a certain degree of isolation.
To return to my experience, sleeping in Kawthaung was a deliberate choice, not really a logistical necessity. Spending the night there was a way of not reducing the town to a simple day trip from Ranong.
Even though our stay was brief, the fact of settling in, spending the evening and night there, still changes the perception we have of it — it's more psychological than real, but I prefer to be frank.
However, spending two days in Kawthaung is perfectly reasonable. It would allow more time to stroll around town, explore the surrounding area in more detail (including the sites mentioned that we didn't get to see), or simply slow down the pace.
In our case, the visit was done at a fast pace, because this stay was part of a larger road trip in southern Thailand, with budget and timing constraints.
The goal was also to cover a little-known destination, to see enough places to illustrate them and create a coherent article. This inevitably meant a faster, sometimes superficial, exploration. It's not so much that Kawthaung lacks interest, but rather that it reveals itself differently depending on one's perspective on the country.
Having already traveled elsewhere in Burma, I know that there are more remarkable regions. However, for someone staying in Thailand and unfamiliar with Myanmar, discovering Kawthaung remains an accessible and interesting opportunity for a first foray into the country.
