To my amazement, I discovered how extended Myanmar is. We are talking about almost 3000 Km from North to South. Only from Yangon (which lies quite in the South) you can still descend for around 1300 Km southward along the coast before finding the last, extreme outpost placed in the border city of Kawthaung. This is indeed a very little-trodden border crossing between Myanmar and Thailand. As a matter of fact, most travellers decide to pass through the well-known Myawaddy – Mae Sot crossing, which easily connects Yangon and Bangkok on the two sides.
However, I truly recommend the Kawthaung – Ranong crossing in the South for the following reasons:
- The way down past the city of Hpa-an is still little explored by tourists. The more you descend, the more you will notice it. Very few travellers transit on those areas. You can check my Travel Log for more info about the stop-overs.
- You can discover interesting local cities and beaches like Mwalamyine, Maungmagan, Myeik, etc.
- The border crossing in Kawthaung by boat is quite fascinating.
- If you are heading for or coming from lower Thailand (Andamane Coast), then this is the closest border crossing.
That being said, let’s see in detail how I reached and passed the border.
1) FROM MYEIK TO KAWTHAUNG – 441 KM – 13 HOURS
Although the road is fairly smooth, this turns out to be a long journey. A minivan picks you up at your guest house at approx. 5 pm and drives all the night.
I nevertheless strongly recommend to opt for the overnight trip for the reasons below:
- You save accommodation costs;
- You reach the border in the early morning, ready for the 7 am opening time;
- You avoid sleeping in the “boring” and expensive city of Kawthaung, where no many sleeping options are provided;
- By crossing at 7 am, you have time to catch another (or more) bus for further destinations in Thailand.
Although I could not sleep too much, I hence got to the border (the minivan drops you exactly in front of the immigration post and boat departure point) at about 6 am, with enough time for:
- Breakfast at one of the bars facing the port and open since early morning.
- Money exchange at one of the small stalls nearby.
- Wait for the the immigration officers at the deck.
Since the moment you get off the minivan, you will receive “special attention” from the many boatmen roaming the area in quest of new customers. Just remember that the official rate to cross the channel is 100 Thai Bhat. They will immediately try to ask 300 THB for a “private” boat. I personally paid 100 THB for exactly a private boat : )
2) BORDER PROCEDURES
Procedures coming from Myanmar towards Thailand are straightforward. Since there are very few travellers crossing here and there is no road (boat is the only option), waiting time is quite short, especially at 7 am. In addition, the immigration headquarters and the boat jetty are very close each other.
You should hand in your printed e-visa and obtain an exit stamp on your passport. In case you are beyond the visa expiry date, you are normally requested to pay 3 USD for each day of overstay.
Once you are done with the paperwork, you may then “follow” one of the insisting boatmen waiting for you outside towards his boat, just a few meters away. They generally try to gather as many passengers as possible. However, if they see no traffic after a short while, they decide to leave regardless, charging you only the single ticket (100 BHT).
3) THE BOAT RIDE – 20 MINUTES
The boat ride leading to the opposite Thai border town of Ranong is really charming. It is both relaxing and interesting for the views. And it is short, just 20 minutes approx. After a while you will start to see Thai flags around. There is also a small island used by Thailand as an immigration post (for people coming from the opposite direction though).
The boat will ultimately drop you at the Ranong entry port, where immigration checkpoint and customs are at walking distance (a few meters indeed).
4) THAI IMMIGRATION
Again all very simple. No queue and no delay detected. Pay attention that there is an “Entry” and “Exit” counter which you have to knock on to be assisted. An officer on the other side will open the small window and pass you an immigration form to fill out. Once done with that, hand it back and get your entry stamp for handy 30 days (most nationalities). No luggage or customs checks instead. You are quickly free to go out, where taxis and mototaxis stand waiting for customers. Not sure if the price was correct, but I paid 100 THB for a mototaxi ride (6 KM) to the central bus station, where you may catch a bus for many destinations across Thailand.
5) FURTHER DESTINATIONS
At the Ranong Bus Terminal you have plenty of options. The station is fairly deserted and apparently there is no ticket counter. You directly pay in the bus. I personally chose the bus to Krabi, which comfortably leaves at 10 am and takes 6 hours. Price is 210 THB . You thus have more than one hour to arrange other needs. For example, I could immediately buy a Thai sim card at 50 meters from the station. Just ask around in case. There are also buses heading for Bangkok or Phuket or even further towards Malaysia (Hat Yai). This is up to you.
SUMMARY
The Kawthaung – Ranong is a far-flung but easy border crossing. Although it might take you several days to get there from Yangon, you will probably get impressed along the way with the splendid and solitary sceneries still little explored by mass tourists. Moreover, the boat ride adds a sort of backpacking, romantic flavor to the entire experience. Although you are still entering a very touristy country like Thailand, somehow you feel the odd uniqueness of its backdoor access. Just a few authentic moments before bumping into the annoying crowds in Phi Phi Island or other famous Thai destinations.
