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Voykit pocket guide · Myanmar
Katha
Spend a single day in Katha to see Orwell‑related sites and the riverside market, then return by train or boat.
Katha is a small Irrawaddy‑river town famous for its George Orwell connections. With limited attractions—colonial buildings, a market and a river bar—a half‑day to full‑day visit suffices. Travel options include cheap tuktuks from the train station, river boats from Bhamo, or the overnight ferry from Mandalay.
- Country
- Myanmar
- Best months
- Nov–Feb
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (heavy rain, river transport unreliable)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MMK
- Money
- Payment and banking conditions are not assessed here; check with your bank and your government advice.
- Daily spend
- Budget 15,000–30,000 kyat excl. bed · Mid 30,000–60,000 kyat excl. bed · High 60,000+ kyat excl. bed (estimate; check)
- Emergency
- Police 110
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Noodles at the bazaar | 500 kyat |
| Meal at Sein Restaurant | 1,500–4,000 kyat |
| Tuktuk from Na Bar station | 1,500 kyat (2019) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
Typical fares
- Na Bar station → Katha (tuktuk)
- about 1,500 kyat (2019)
- Fast boat Bhamo → Katha
- 16,000 kyat (locals pay half)
- Overnight ferry Mandalay → Katha
- US$45 (2018)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Town is walkable; tuktuks from Na Bar train station cost about 1,500 kyat (2019). River ferries connect to Bhamo.
See and do
Known for
- George Orwell's posting
- Burmese Days settings
- Irrawaddy river town
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bhamo | Fast boat downriver from the Katha boat station | About 5–7 h |
| Myitkyina | Train north on the Mandalay–Myitkyina line, or road | Check |
| Mandalay | Train down the Mandalay–Myitkyina line, or the overnight ferry | Ferry 36 h; train check |
| Indawgyi | Road via Mohnyin, then local transport to the lake | Check |
Sleep
- Ayarwaddy Guest House
- Simple fan rooms, riverside; price 8,000 kyat per night.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | မင်္ဂလာပါmingalaba |
| Thank you | ကျေးဇူးတင်ပါတယ်kyay zu tin ba deh |
| How much? | ဘယ်လောက်လဲbe-lau leh |
| Where is the toilet? | အိမ်သာဘယ်မှာလဲein-tha be-ma leh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Scams and watch-outs
- Boat schedules vary by season; fast boats from Bhamo cost 16,000 kyat (locals pay half).
- The British Club is closed to visitors as of 2020.
- Overnight ferry from Mandalay charges US$45 for foreigners (price 2018).
No safety line is published for Katha. Read your own government travel advice for Sagaing Region before you go; this desk does not plan around it.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Katha yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- George Orwell's posting
- Burmese Days settings
- Irrawaddy river town
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Katha, revision 4914731 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4914731
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Katha
ဒီလိပ်စာကိုသွားပေးပါ
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
No embassy or consulate is listed for Katha; most embassies sit in Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw. Check before you travel.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/katha). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.