Yangon to Ho Chi Minh

Located in Vietnam’s South, Ho Chi Minh City is an energetic and culturally fascinating place to visit. It can be easily be reached by air from Yangon. Flights aren’t too expensive especially when you compare them to the price of domestic flights within Myanmar.

If you have the time and want to see as much of Southeast Asia as possible you should consider making the trip to Vietnam by land. This route passes through Thailand and Cambodia giving you plenty of worthwhile destinations to stop off at along the way.

Flights from Yangon to HCMC

Flying is by far the most convenient option for transport between Myanmar and Vietnam. Flights from Yangon to Ho Chi Minh City are budget friendly and only take 2 hours and 15 minutes.

There are a handful of airlines that service this route, all offering similar prices and services including Jetstar and Thai AirAsia. Vietjet Air often have the best deals and fly daily at 1pm. Expect to pay around USD70-100 for a one-way ticket.

Note Keep in mind that that baggage is not included in the price of the ticket for Vietjet airlines. This is pretty standard for most budget airlines in Southeast Asia, AirAsia included. You are allowed one carry on bag but the limit is 7kg and they are strict about this policy and will most-likely weigh your carry-on at check-in. Adding baggage under the plane (up to 20kg) costs an extra USD16.

When leaving for the airport in Yangon be sure to give yourself extra time to account for the heavy traffic. A taxi to the airport cost MMK8000 from the city-centre.

Once in Ho Chi Minh City, you can get taxis from the airport to District 1 (a main location for hotels) for VND150,000-170,000. There are money exchanges and ATMs located in the airport so make sure you have enough local currency to pay for the taxi before you leave the airport.

You can also take the public bus from the airport in Saigon. Outside of the arrivals entrance bus #152 goes downtown for VND5000 per person. They will also charge VND5000 for luggage.

Flights from Yangon to HCMC via Bangkok

You may be able to save a bit of money on your ticket by stopping in Bangkok. This requires having a bit more of a flexible schedule so you can shop around for dates with the lowest prices. This is a great option if you are interested in stopping in Thailand to do some sightseeing before heading onto Vietnam. The total cost of a ticket from Yangon to Ho Chi Minh City including a stopover in Bangkok is somewhere between USD 70-100.

Flights between Yangon and Bangkok can be as low as USD30. There are a couple of budget airlines that service this route throughout the day. Thai AirAsia offers some of the best bargain deals between these two cities. Flights take just over an hour.

Note The budget airlines between Yangon and Bangkok fly into Don Mueang airport. These include Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Nok Air. The more expensive airlines, e.g. Thai Airways, Thai Smile, Bangkok Air and Myanmar-based Myanmar Airways Intl & Myanmar National Airlines fly into Suvarnabhumi airport.

The cheapest tickets are often found with Lion Air. The plushest and most expensive way to travel is offered by Thai Airways and Myanmar Airways.

TipBoth airports are easily accessible from the city-centre and the free of charge airport shuttle bus connects Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi but to use it you will need to have a valid air ticket for your onward travel from the airport you are heading to. The transfer trip takes about one hour.

When you have finished in the Land of Smiles and are ready to head on over to Vietnam flights out of Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City are plentiful and inexpensive. There are multiple budget carriers that offer flights from Don Mueang airport daily the cheapest of which is again Lion Air. Flights from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City are comparable to the cost between Yangon and Bangkok. So expect to pay at least USD45 and up to USD70.

There are much more expensive options (USD150) from Suvarnabhumi airport with Thai Airways or Vietnam Airlines, but you can opt for VietJet Air – it normally has tickets for under USD70.

From Yangon to HCMC overland

The overland route between Yangon and Ho Chi Minh City offers plenty of opportunities to explore Thailand and Cambodia before making your way to Vietnam. The trip can take as little as a week (although this isn’t recommended) or as long as your time and money allow. Below is a detailed itinerary for the most direct route overland to Vietnam.

From Yangon to Myawaddy

The first leg of the overland trip to Vietnam is crossing the border at Myawaddy, Myanmar, to Mae Sot, Thailand. With the road to Myawaddy recently updated getting there by bus is much more convenient and comfortable than in the past. An added bonus is that this road passes through the beautiful Dawna mountains making for some pleasant scenery along the way.

Bus tickets can be purchased at travel agencies in Yangon. Options for buses range from a regular bus with A/C for MMK8000 to a VIP night bus for MMK25,000. It may even be possible to get to Myawaddy by shared taxi. Inquire about this option at your hotel or at one of the many travel agencies located in Yangon.

Crossing the border to Thailand
From Myawaddy you can cross into Thailand on the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge into the Thai city of Mae Sot. The border crossing is located 1km from the bus station and is open from 5am-8pm.

Note Remember to always check for updated information on the visa requirements for your country before entering Thailand.

From Mae Sot to Bangkok
Mae Sot is an interesting stop regardless of its importance as a border crossing. It’s a busy city with a mix of different cultures and diversity of food options that reflects its multiculturalism.

From Mae Sot you can make your way overland to Bangkok by bus. The bus ride is 13 hours in length. There are a numbers of buses departing throughout the day to suit all budgets. At the lower end there is the second class bus for THB290.The first class bus has toilets and is under THB400. The VIP bus only departs in the evening and costs THB600.

There also is an airport located in Mae Sot if you want to get to Bangkok faster. Nok Air operates daily flights from Mae Sot to Don Mueang airport in Bangkok with tickets costing about THB1500. Flight time is one hour 10 minutes.

From Bangkok to Cambodia
From Bangkok there are direct buses and flights to Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Both Transport Co and Travel Mart deliver you to the Khmer capital in about 14 hours (THB1100). Giant Ibis offers a similar option of an international bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap with an onward trip to Phnom Penh.

Or, if you feel tired of travelling overland, you can do this leg by flying (1 hour 20 minutes).

Another option to get to Cambodia overland is to make it to the Thai town of Aranyaprathet in order to cross the border into Cambodia at Poipet. Both of these places aren’t somewhere you want to stick around too long. Most people cross the border and get the first bus out.

You can reach Aranyaprathet by either train or bus from Bangkok. The train departs twice daily and takes 6 hours. There are options for ordinary class and upper class tickets ranging in price from THB50-200 depending on your class.

Buses to Aranyaprathet leave from Bangkok’s Northern (Morchit) and Eastern (Ekkamai) bus terminals frequently throughout the day.

You could also opt for a private taxi to Aranyaprathet but it isn’t cheap. Expect to pay around THB2000.

Once you get to Aranyaprathet there are green pick-up taxis at the bus station that can take you to the border crossing- known as the friendship market for THB15.

Important Note The only place that your immigration documents will be processed will be at the border crossing by Cambodian immigration officers. There will be scammers that will try to convince you otherwise in order to fill our your papers for you for a fee or even fill out fake papers that will then be rejected. Be very wary of anyone who approaches you acting overly friendly during this border crossing. It’s best to just ignore any offers and say no thank you. Go directly to the visa offices and don’t follow strangers!

Once you get through immigration into the Cambodian side there will be a lot of people offering taxis and tuk-tuks. However, the bus station is in walking distance and there are free shuttle busses to the bus station from the border crossing.

From Poipet you can catch a bus to do some sightseeing in Siem Reap where the famous temples of Angkor Wat are located or get a step closer to Vietnam by bussing to Cambodia’s capital city, Phnom Penh. The bus to Phnom Penh costs around USD8-10 and takes 8 hours. Buses depart in the morning.

You can also opt for a mini-bus to Phnom Penh which is faster and more comfortable but a bit more expensive. Thero Express minibus is a good option and costs USD12-17. Most minibuses depart from the Night Market on the Mekong River.

From Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh
The last leg of the trip from Myanmar to Vietnam overland is from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City. Buses run regularly and are quite comfortable. The total duration of the trip is only 6 hours.

Giant Ibis transport has buses leaving daily that cost USD18. There is a snack included and WIFI onboard. Buses depart from Street 106 where the bus company is located.

Note that you have to be sure about visa requirements for your passport. You can be refused transportation (literally you won’t be taken on board the bus even if you have your valid bus ticket) if you do not present your valid Vietnamese visa. Many countries need to obtain Vietnamese visas before entering and you may have to apply for the visa in Phnom Penh.

The border crossing into Vietnam is pretty straightforward and the whole process is fairly quick.