Major city · Myanmar
Payathonzu
Payathonzu is a border stop, not a destination: half a day for the monasteries and the Burma Railway bridge, then cross into Thailand or head back to Hpa-an.
Payathonzu sits on the Myanmar–Thailand border at the Three Pagodas Pass, a quiet town on the historic Burma Railway. Its two notable monasteries — Suwannagiri and Taung Waing — and the railway bridge can be seen in a few hours. Most travellers use it as a crossing point to Sangkhla Buri in Thailand or as a short detour from Hpa-an.
advisory country
More
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- MMK
- Best months
- Nov–Feb (cool and dry)
- avoid Jun–Oct (monsoon; roads may be poor)
- Airport
- Mawlamyine
- Nights
- 0
Not a trip line yet
Rules in force · 5Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…Check your own government travel advice for Myanmar befor…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Myanmar ↗Check your own government travel advice for Myanmar before any booking; advice depends on your passport and changes without notice.
- Myanmar ↗The Myanmar e-visa site is the official application route, but approval does not remove the risks in your government's advice.
- Myanmar ↗Confirm that your travel insurance and medical evacuation cover apply to Myanmar before you rely on it.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Payathonzu199 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Payathonzu, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?checkPayment and banking conditions are not assessed here; check with your bank and your government advice.Myanmar-wide
- SafetyPayathonzu is a quiet border town.
- Emergency numbers199 police · 191 fire and ambulance (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportMawlamyine Mawlamyine Airport (About 3 h by road; domestic flights from Yangon only.
- Getting aroundWalkable: the monasteries and the railway bridge are within 2 km (1.2 mi) of each other.Walkable: the monasteries and the railway bridge are within 1.2 mi (2 km) of each other.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Street or quick mealTea and snack at a tea houseMMK 1,000–2,000
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Motorbike taxi, short tripcheckMMK 1,500–3,000
- Budget bedBasic guesthouse room, a night, per roomMMK 15,000
- Mid-range bedBasic guesthouse room, a night, per roomMMK 25,000
- High-end bedBasic guesthouse room, a night, per roomMMK 40,000
A day, not counting the bed: Budget MMK 15,000 · Mid MMK 25,000 · High MMK 40,000
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- Mawlamyine Mawlamyine Airport (About 3 h by road; domestic flights from Yangon only. Check schedules.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Feb
Best
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
Mar
not flagged
36°C (97°F)97°F (36°C)
Apr
not flagged
37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)
May
not flagged
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
Jun
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Jul
Avoid
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Aug
Avoid
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Sep
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Oct
Avoid
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Nov
Best
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Dec
Best
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Best: Nov–Feb. Avoid: Jun–Oct. Month by month →
Warmest Apr (37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)), coolest Jan (18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C) low), wettest Jul (24 rain days), driest Jan (1). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Payathonzu: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
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Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
1 rd
Feb
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
1 rd
Mar
36°C (97°F)97°F (36°C)
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
2 rd
Apr
37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
4 rd
May
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
15 rd
Jun
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
22 rd
Jul
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
24 rd
Aug
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
24 rd
Sep
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
20 rd
Oct
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
12 rd
Nov
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
4 rd
Dec
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
1 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Walkable: the monasteries and the railway bridge are within 2 km of each other. Motorbike taxis available for short trips.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Sangkhla Buri, Thailand
goDoor to door: About 1 h
Walk across the Three Pagodas Pass border, then a songthaew or taxi (about 30 min)
Check visa requirements and border hours before you go.
Hpa-an
goDoor to door: About 3 h
Bus or shared taxi via the road, about 2–3 h
Hpa-an has more accommodation and sights; use it as a base.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Town centre
A handful of basic guesthouses near the market and the main road. Limited options; book ahead or stay in Hpa-an.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- MMK 15,000–25,000 excl. bed
- Mid
- MMK 25,000–40,000 excl. bed
- High
- MMK 40,000+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Basic guesthouse room1 × 1 night × MMK 15,000 | MMK 15,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries1 × 1 day × MMK 15,000 | MMK 15,000 |
| Motorbike taxi, one way within town1 × MMK 2,000 · check | MMK 2,000 |
| Shared taxi to Hpa-an1 × MMK 10,000 · check | MMK 10,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | MMK 4,200 |
| Trip total≈ MMK 46,200 per person per day, bed included | MMK 46,200 |
2026 estimate in kyat; border crossing fees and transport to/from Thailand excluded.
Prices of common things
| Tea and snack at a tea house | MMK 1,000–2,000 |
| Simple meal (rice and curry) | MMK 3,000–5,000 |
| Motorbike taxi, short tripcheck | MMK 1,500–3,000 |
| Shared taxi to Hpa-ancheck | MMK 8,000–12,000 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Border crossing hours: check the current opening times at Three Pagodas Pass.
- No ATMs in town: bring enough kyat or Thai baht.
- Mobile data may be weak; download offline maps before you arrive.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 199
- Fire and ambulance
- 191
Pocket card
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Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
PayathonzuPayathonzu
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
ဒီလိပ်စာကိုသွားပါTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police199
- Fire and ambulance191
Embassy
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Payathonzu → Hpa-an, shared taxi: about MMK 8,000–12,000, 2–3 h (check)
- Payathonzu → Sangkhla Buri, songthaew: about THB 100–200 (≈ US$4–7), 30 min (check)
Say or show
- မင်္ဂလာပါ — Hello (min-ga-la-ba)
- ကျေးဇူးတင်ပါတယ် — Thank you (kya-yay-zu-tin-ba-de)
- ဘယ်လောက်လဲ — How much? (be-lauk-le)
- နယ်စပ်က ဘယ်မှာလဲ — Where is the border? (ne-sat ga be-mar le)
Burmese script and pronunciation are approximate; locals also speak some Thai and Mon.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Payathonzu. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Nov–Feb (cool and dry) · avoid Jun–Oct (monsoon; roads may be poor)
- 1 airport and 1 area to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 2 day-trips, door to door
- 3 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
- Walking clusters with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Field-verified times and fares
Sources
Ask about Payathonzu
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