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Voykit pocket guide · Myanmar
Lashio
Skip unless you are crossing from China under escort or riding the Goteik viaduct by train. One night is enough.
Lashio is a border-market town on the old Burma Road, 190 km from Muse. Few tourists stop here except those entering from China under escort. The main draw is the train ride over the Goteik viaduct from Mandalay. The town itself has a handful of pagodas, a hot spring and caves, but most travellers give it a miss.
- Country
- Myanmar
- Best months
- Nov–Feb
- Avoid
- May–Oct (heavy rain)
- 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 MMK 30,000–50,000 · Mid MMK 50,000–80,000 · High MMK 80,000+ (estimate; check)
- Emergency
- Police 199 · Fire 191 · Ambulance 192
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Tea shop meal | MMK 3,000–5,000 |
| Bus from Inle Lake | MMK 15,000 |
| Train Mandalay–Lashio | MMK 18,000 |
| Motorbike taxi (short ride) | MMK 2,000–5,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LSH · Lashio Airport
- Flights from Heho, Yangon, Tachilek and Mandalay. Check schedules.
Typical fares
- Lashio Airport → town centre
- MMK 10,000–15,000 by taxi
- Train Mandalay–Lashio
- about MMK 18,000, 13.5 h (check)
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
Walk in the centre. Taxis or motorbike taxis to the hot spring and caves.
See and do
Known for
- Goteik viaduct (train from Mandalay)
- Burma Road history
- Border trade with China
- Man Su Pagoda
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hsipaw | Train or bus, about 3–4 h | 3–4 h |
| Muse (China border) | Bus or car, about 3 h | 3 h |
| Pyin U Lwin | Train or bus via Mandalay, about 6–7 h | 6–7 h |
Sleep
- Town centre
- Near the market and bus station; basic guesthouses.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | မင်္ဂလာပါmin-ga-la-ba |
| Thank you | ကျေးဇူးတင်ပါတယ်kyay-zu-tin-ba-de |
| How much? | ဘယ်လောက်လဲbe-lauk-le |
| Where is the bus station? | ကားမှတ်တိုင်ဘယ်မှာလဲka-hmat-tine be-ma-le |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Scams and watch-outs
- The border crossing from Ruili (China) to Lashio is one-way only and requires an escort.
- Train from Mandalay takes 13.5 hours; bring food and water.
- Heavy rain from May to October can disrupt road and rail travel.
Check your government's travel advice for Shan State before planning. The town is calm but the border area has restrictions.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Lashio yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Goteik viaduct (train from Mandalay)
- Burma Road history
- Border trade with China
- Man Su Pagoda
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: Lashio, revision 5180038 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5180038
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/lashio). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.