Tachilek to Yangon

Yangon is the largest transportation hub in Myanmar (Burma) and as such it has great transport connections with the rest of the country. Tachileik located in the southeastern corner of Myanmar is known primarily due to its location at the border with Thailand, one of the overland border crossings between Myanmar and Thailand opened to foreigners. On the other side of the border Mae Sai is the main jumping point for Tachileik.

You can get from Tachileik to Yangon by air or bus – depending on your budget and time, as well as the current situation in the country as restrictions may apply on travel in this part of the country. If you want to travel overland, you should check the current situation in advance. Obviously flying is the best option both from the point of view of the time and safety. Tachileik has its own airport located 6 km.

From Mae Sai to Tachileik

The most likely way you can only find yourself in Tachileik is by crossing the border from Thailand. The process is quite simple and straightforward.

Have your passport stamped out in Thailand and go straight along the bridge over River Sai which connects Thailand and Myanmar. On the other side of the bridge is Myanmar Immigration office.

If you do not have your Myanmar visa, the only option is to get a 14-day permit. It costs MMK14,000/USD10 and can be paid in either currency plus Thai baht – though in the latter case you will have to pay THB150 extra.

Note This permit will allow you to stay only in Tachileik and Kengtung area. Wish you visit other parts of Myanmar, do obtain your Myanmar visa in advance – now it is possible to do online.

Flights from Tachileik to Yangon

Tachileik Airport (THK) is located 6 km northeast of Tachilek town centre – it won’t take you more than 15 minutes to get there from the border. Besides flights from/to Yangon, it serves three other domestic destinations: Mandalay (MDL), Heho (HEH) and Lashio (LSH).

There are currently four airlines flying from Tachileik airport but not all of them offer daily flights to Yangon. Besides, some flights from Tachileik to Yangon do not fly directly but make stops either in Heho or Mandalay en route. It does add a couple of hours to your travel time and you may feel as if you were actually travelling by a local bus, not a plane, but in any case this option should be considered as well.

Note If you are on a flight with intermediate stops in Heho or Mandalay, you are not supposed to get off the plane before it reaches its final destination.

All the flights from Tachileik to Yangon leave in the afternoon what is actually very convenient if you cross the border from Thailand in the morning and want to get to Yangon the same day. Travel time if you fly directly is under 2 hours.

AirKBZ have daily flights Tachileik to Yangon with tickets sold for about MMK205,000/USD150 to MMK225, 000/USD165.

Air Mandalay also offers direct flights to Yangon and airfare is approximately MMK190,000/USD135 with luggage allowance of 20kg.

Golden Myanmar Airlines fly via Heho and Mandalay fees are vary from MMK225,000/USD165 to MMK250, 000/USD185.

Myanmar Airways Intl is often the most expensive operator from the bunch. It can set you back MMK300,000/USD220.

In certain periods you can also find share-code flights operated by Asia Wing, Yangon Airways, Mann Yadanarpon, too. As mentioned before, choose the direct flight to Yangon instead of connecting via Heho or Mandalay.

From Tachileik to Yangon by bus/van

Long distance bus station in Tachileik is located about 5 kilometre from the immigration office which is found at the border. To get to the bus station, hire a taxi.

The only destination you can currently reach from Tachileik by bus is Kengtung. It is 150 km north of Tachileik, and the bus travel will take at least 4 hours – more likely up to 6 hours – via National Hwy 4 (MMK10,000). Buses leave in the morning – at 8.30 and 11am, but the latter is not reliable as it can be cancelled.

From Kengtung there is a bus to Taunggyi in the Inle Lake area. This leg, though, is often closed for foreigners. You may face the necessity to hire a guide to accompany you on this route for whooping USD80 or will be bound to fly from Kengtung to Yangon – or Heho, wish you make a stop in the Inle Lake area.

If the bus travel between Kengtung and Taunggyi is allowed, be ready for a bumpy ride. You will need between 12 and 14 hours to cover the 450 km stretch – so imagine the road conditions.

It can be a good idea to fly from Kengtung to Heho airport from where you can then continue your overland journey to Yangon – there are no restrictions on travelling between Inle Lake and Yangon at the moment.

There are a lot of bus operators serving the route, including JJexpress which rides from Heho directly. The trip will take about 13 hours and cost up to MMK28,000/USD20.

Standards for long-distance buses in Myanmar if not high then quite acceptable. Buses are in many cases relatively new and fully air-conditioned. There are different classes of seats available, differing in comfort and price. The best choice here are VIPs or so called Express buses.

Note that as everywhere in Asia, air-conditioning can be excessive, so packing a sweater or a blanket is always a good idea – some buses do not provide blankets.

You are most likely to have at least one bathroom and dining stop during this long trip to fill up your resources and stretch your legs.

From Tachileik to Yangon via Heho

It is a great idea to break your journey from Tachileik to Yangon by stopping for a few days at Inle Lake. Just follow the overland itinerary suggested above but from the Heho airport take a taxi to Nyaungshwe. There are a lot of places to stay, cheap tasty local food and the whole atmosphere of the Inle Lake area is very relaxing and appealing.

Taxi from Heho to Nyaungshwe should not cost you more than MMK25,000/USD20, but there are shared options available, too. Or if you have booked your accommodation in Nyangshwe, inquire with your host whether they provide more reasonably priced transfer from the airport – indeed many of the hotels do.

Tip There is Inle Lake entrance fee you will have to pay. Currently it is MMK13,500/USD10.

From Tachileik to Yangon via Mandalay

Similarly to travelling via Heho, you can choose to fly from Kengtung to Mandalay. The city itself and the area around has plenty to offer, from imposing golden pagodas to cave temples to mouth-watering cuisine.

From Mandalay, you can continue your overland trip to Yangon either by bus or by train. Buses are faster on this route – the travel time should be between 8 and 9 hours only (MMK20,000), while rail journey, though considerably longer (15 hours) is a nice way to see the country and interact with the locals.

A side trip from Tachileik to consider

Lashio in only one-hour flight away from Tachileik. The capital city of Northen Shan state, Lashio sits close to the Chinese border and boasts a very pleasant cool weather and thus offers a good choice of hill resorts. Flying from Tachileik to Lashio will cost you from MMK160,000/USD115 and up depending on the airline you are flying with.

From Lashio, you can then head south to Yangon by flight, bus (15 hours; MMK20,000) or train.

Onward destinations from Yangon

Yangon is the convenient jumping point for any travel within Myanmar. If Inle Lake or Mandalay are on your bucket list, then they are better visited on your way from Tachileik to Yangon as suggested above, though you can always easily reach both of them by bus, train or flight from Yangon.

Similarly, there are direct flights and buses from Yangon to Bagan with its endless pagodas. Train journey is also possible but be ready for a devastating 18-hour ride.

For the roads less travelled consider Sittwe, Mrauk U and Thandwe – it is an easy 45-minute flight from Yangon or an epic 2-day overland journey.