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Voykit pocket guide · Myanmar
Thaton
သထုံ
Half a day is enough for Thaton: see Shwe Saryan Pagoda and the Bayin Nyi caves, then move on to Mawlamyine or Hpa-an.
Thaton is a small town in Mon State, 70 km north of Mawlamyine, with a handful of historic pagodas and caves. Most travellers pass through on the way between Yangon and the southeastern sights. Half a day covers the main pagoda and a cave trip; there is no reason to stay overnight.
- Country
- Myanmar
- Local name
- သထုံ
- Best months
- Nov–Feb
- Avoid
- May–Oct (monsoon)
- Stay
- 0 nights
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 50,000–100,000 · High MMK 100,000+ (estimate; check)
- Emergency
- Police 199 · Fire 191 · Ambulance 192
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Tea shop meal | MMK 2,000–4,000 |
| Bus Thaton → Mawlamyine | MMK 5,000 |
| Motorbike taxi to Bayin Nyi caves, return | MMK 15,000 |
| Shwe Saryan Pagoda donation | MMK 1,000–2,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- RGN · Yangon International
- About 4–5 h by road; Thaton has no airport.
Typical fares
- Thaton → Mawlamyine, bus
- about MMK 5,000, 1.5 h (check)
- Thaton → Yangon, bus
- about MMK 10,000, 4–5 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
Thaton is walkable for the pagoda. For Bayin Nyi caves, hire a motorbike taxi or a shared pickup from the market area.
See and do
Known for
- Shwe Saryan Pagoda
- Bayin Nyi caves
- Thaton Kingdom history
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mawlamyine | Bus or shared taxi, about 1.5 h | About 1.5 h |
| Hpa-an | Bus via Mawlamyine, about 3 h total | About 3 h |
| Kyaiktiyo (Golden Rock) | Bus to Kinpun base camp, about 2 h, then truck up | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Town centre
- A few basic guesthouses; most travellers continue to Mawlamyine or Hpa-an.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | မင်္ဂလာပါmingalaba |
| Thank you | ကျေးဇူးတင်ပါတယ်kyay zu tin ba deh |
| How much? | ဘယ်လောက်လဲbeh loke leh |
| Delicious | အရသာရှိတယ်a ya tha shi deh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Scams and watch-outs
- Check your own government travel advice before planning a trip to Myanmar.
- Monsoon (May–Oct) makes roads muddy and caves slippery.
- No ATMs in town; bring enough kyat from Yangon or Mawlamyine.
Myanmar has active conflict zones. Check your government travel advice before any trip. Thaton itself is quiet, but the surrounding region can be unpredictable.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Thaton yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Shwe Saryan Pagoda
- Bayin Nyi caves
- Thaton Kingdom history
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: Thaton (Myanmar), revision 4335031 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4335031
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/thaton-myanmar). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.