Crossing the Thailand/Myanmar Border (Mae Sot to Myawaddy)

Рет қаралды 30,324

4 жыл бұрын

The land border crossing from Mae Sot, Thailand, to Myawaddy, Myanmar, is a popular one for backpackers. The crossing goes over the Friendship Bridge across a river, and the transit is as simple as hoisting your backpack and walking across the bridge.
The Myanmar side is particularly easy because downtown Myawaddy is right there on the other side of the bridge. You step out of immigration and you are right in the middle of town. There is a lot of transportation waiting for you, and you can hop on a share taxi to Hpa An or Mawlamyine or arrange a bus farther afield to Yangon and other cities.
Taking things slow, I decided to find a place to stay in Myawaddy and check out that town before moving on. As it turned out, finding a budget-friendly hotel was the biggest challenge.
Cheers,
Douglas (AKA The Cycling Canadian)
MESSAGE FROM THE CYCLING CANADIAN:
Thanks for checking out this video. I am the Cycling Canadian (AKA Douglas), and I'm making videos about my experiences traveling around the world both on and off a touring bike. I travel on a low budget, so I tend to stay in simple guest houses and spend my time exploring the local streets and markets on foot.
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I started making these videos on a recent 50-day trip to Bangladesh, and I enjoyed it so much that I kept exploring and making videos. You can see all of my videos on my main KZfaq channel right here: / thecyclingcanadian
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I don't just make videos. I also write about my trips and take pictures. I have some detailed written journals from previous trips on my website. The website is also called The Cycling Canadian, and this link will take you there: www.thecyclingcanadian.com/
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All editing done with Windows Movie Maker and Windows Paint. (My poor little computer doesn't have the power to run anything else.)

Пікірлер: 101

@myominzawstudent4041 4 жыл бұрын

Welcome back to my country. I am worried about you. Long time no see. Be happy in my country.

@anoldgod 4 жыл бұрын

About time :) My wife and I are starting to worry about you

@rencasey6302 4 жыл бұрын

Welcome back and nice to hear you had your problems all sorted out. ! As with many others, was worried for your safety and wellbeing during your absence on the net. May the new year bring to you all the best in your endeavors. Good Luck !

@sairamvavilala1519 4 жыл бұрын

We were eagerly waiting for your new video and also little bit worried about your well being. Good to see you back.

@san45myinttun 4 жыл бұрын

Great to have you back, you looks well and fit, Keep it up!

@carrolus1 4 жыл бұрын

Happy new year doug. Wondered what you have been up to. Glad your back and uploading

@zawmyoaung005 4 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear that you are now back to upload your trip. I was worried sine you was quiet for a few week.

@lovelybambister 4 жыл бұрын

Glad that you are back!

@rajeshkumaradityavlogsv6599 4 жыл бұрын

Waited for your vlog, nice to hear from you

@brentpartridge9477 4 жыл бұрын

Happy New Year Douglas, Was getting worried about you, missed your Vlogs lately .

@glasssmirror2314 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Douglas I like your details and the way you take things easy although in difficulties

@binglim1 4 жыл бұрын

We were wondering what happened to you. Was getting a bit worried. Good to see you back.

@fabianchan7 4 жыл бұрын

Same here.......remember last year when Doug went absent for a month or two? Thats the feeling

@nntun03 4 жыл бұрын

yaay! you're back...the world nearly ended when you were gone.. :)

@johnragaistreetfood 4 жыл бұрын

Happy New Year, Douglas. Safe journey.

@b3nice 4 жыл бұрын

Thank God. You are back. You have been missing for 2 weeks. Just like others, I worried that something might have happened to you.

@htiken 4 жыл бұрын

Good to see you back, I was starting to get worried. Welcome back to Myanmar and glad you like it. I really hope someone from Myanmar government notices your videos. It is strange and out of date some hotels can only host Myanmar people especially the country is transitioning to open market economy. May be security for foreigners. I wonder where you will be heading next. Be safe!

@diegoubarte5474 4 жыл бұрын

For the way you described how things are in Myanmar 😳..... It looks...definitely like the place I need to visit 🎉..... Plus Myanmar has what it looks like an exquisite cuisine 😋.... amazing landscapes and wonderful to see temples 😀....... I just have to go to Myanmar 😍..... Thanks Mr Douglas for sharing that important info 🙏..... Keep it safe, keep traveling through Myanmar, and keep sharing with your subscribers your adventures..... Kudos 👏👏 👏👏👏👏👏

@jimmychoke1492 4 жыл бұрын

Glad you doing fine there Sir...continue enjoy your journey in Myanmar...you must be really love there cause you keep going back...😀😀

@alfmyat4369 4 жыл бұрын

Good to see &you back, I was wandering what had happened to you/take care.

@alikhaled8405 4 жыл бұрын

We are glad to see you again. We missed you brother, I hope everything is fine

@winsongan3281 5 ай бұрын

Hi...its good to see yr touring adventures on youtube ! Best regards from Penang

@PlanetDoug 5 ай бұрын

Thank you. 🙏

@TheBurmeseDude 4 жыл бұрын

Glad you're back on and back in Burma again.

@robbenjoe 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, that's right. We have been worried about you. Sudden long disappearance from youtube. Glad you are back and love to explore more in Myanmar side.

@ArnoldPranks 4 жыл бұрын

When do you go back to Kuala Lumpur / Malaysia...perhaps Borneo? Would love to see that part of the world...

@nusantarah4982 4 жыл бұрын

You would think bordertown would hv more lodgings for tourist. Happy new year Doug.

@matthayden1979 Жыл бұрын

Wonderful narration!!!

@thetkokaung 4 жыл бұрын

Happy New Year. Thanks God you ok. We really worry about you. We almost come to Thailand.

@sandaraung7108 2 жыл бұрын

Myawaddy is my home where I live in Myanmar

@andybell7452 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Doug. Wow, you seem to be spending a lot of time in Myanmar. I guess you must like it a lot, even though hotels won't put you up.

@cee2615 4 жыл бұрын

Welcome back, we missed you and were starting to get concerned something had happened. I had a nasty experience in Bangkok, I was conned and taken, so Thailand has bad vibes for me. Glad you are ok and thanks for another fabulous travel vlog - love your confidence, you don’t get fazed by anything, taking it all in your stride.

@mazlanazizee8062 4 жыл бұрын

Hi, what do you mean taken? Kidnapped?

@cee2615 4 жыл бұрын

Hi, I was conned by a Thai lady who befriended me at the pier where the resort boats dock, in to getting into a tuk tuk which just happened to be around the corner, which was meant to take me to the MBK shopping centre. With my street map in hand, I worked out pretty quickly we were going in the wrong direction, but the driver totally ignored me and my questions. No prizes for guessing I was finally dropped off at a gem factory where they tried to pressure me into buying fake gems. On leaving, I asked the doorman to get me a taxi as I wanted to go back to the pier, a taxi comes and I get in. Half a block down the road, two other tuk tuks stop the taxi by pulling in front of it and the tuk tuk drivers try to get me to go with them, as they said he was dishonest. With my previous experience with the tuk tuk, I thought they were the dishonest ones. I was terrified as they were yelling at me, so I got out of the taxi and ran back to the doorman, explained what happened, and asked him to call me another taxi. Guess who turned up again? The same taxi driver!! I should have smelt a rat but I didn't, I got in. He then takes me in the opposite direction to the pier, so after asking him several times to take me to the pier, I demanded he take me to the nearest train station. After what seemed a long time, he drops me at a train station after demanding an exorbitant fare. By this stage I am in serious tears, a police officer at the station comes to my assistance and travels with me on the train to where he said I had to change trains. He kindly walks me to where I needed to go as the stations were not interconnecting, and puts me on the right train. Very, very frightening - so be aware, not everyone who befriends you when you travel, has your best interest at heart. I won't go back to Bangkok.

@repete763 4 жыл бұрын

@@cee2615 Thank you for sharing reality.

@mitch3683 4 жыл бұрын

CeeMe : everyone should be aware of the tuk tuk scam in Bangkok 😡

@therock8224 2 жыл бұрын

@@cee2615 Unfortunately, such things happen all over the place, especially among first time visitors. Overall, Bangkok is a friendly place and in my experience scams are less common than in poorer countries. I wouldn't use that one negative experience as a yardstick to paint the entire city (or country) with the same brush. In prior years, I encountered a lot of scams in both Cambodia and Vietnam but have never vowed to stop visiting. Over time, you become more familiar with these things and learn to ignore the scammers. It's paying off already. In the years prior to Covid, I never really got scammed in either Cambodia or Vietnam again, and those who tried failed miserably.

@kamchin183 4 жыл бұрын

Yes, I am with everyone below that you were quiet for a while. thanks for the video again. when u use ATM, any fee apply to your withdraw?

@Ayushmitasvlogs Жыл бұрын

Beautiful

@WanderEats 4 жыл бұрын

1week in your case is too long buddy.. hahaha! Glad to see you are back in the swing of things. I am shocked that they did not allow you to stay at the hotels but I am sure they have their reasons.

@therock8224 3 жыл бұрын

Greenland Hotel. Wow. I've never even heard of the place...and I thought I knew Myawaddy well! If the borders ever reopen, I think I might stay there. 31000 Kyat is usually what I like to spend when in Myawaddy. Parking seems to be available too and it's right near the border...which is the "center of action" of Myawaddy.

@theinko723 2 жыл бұрын

Happened to watch this clip now. I stayed at Greendland as well in my trip to there in 2019 July. Btw, no new video nowadays? Waiting for it. Cheers!

@omernoor 4 жыл бұрын

Very interesting

@travelvideos 4 жыл бұрын

The same system in China - hotels for foreigners and locals. I read in a travel blog that some adventurous foreigners just gave up on hotels and stay in tents, when could not find suitable hotel.

@selfreflection2117 4 жыл бұрын

Hello Douglas! We missed your vlog. Perhaps you had problem with editing and uploading video with your broken laptop?

@BanglaEnglishword4047 4 жыл бұрын

Will you go back to Bangladesh and make those Bangladeshi big-boat video ; this time you will be Dhaka to Barisal. Hope you will do it.

@farukvai2214 Жыл бұрын

Nice

@therock8224 3 жыл бұрын

Actually, you could have walked down the road for about a km or two, there are several cheaper hotels available. Hotel Three Stars - room without bathroom about 25K. Thukawaddy 47K (a bit pricey though clean and modern) and finally further down the road you have Hotel Conqueror at 41K. A bit closer to town you have Hotel Lawka (less than 2km from the bridge) standard rooms 25K but very noisy due to all night karaoke. The Riverside hotel right next to the river that you can see when you walk down the bridge was charging 20K back when I stayed in 2014. I heard they stopped accepting foreigners starting around 2017, but can't verify this.

@ewengillies9826 4 жыл бұрын

Thai border towns all seem to be the same ... couldn't care less attitudes. Look forward to your new journies in Myanmar Doug. Safe travels mate. Bushyboy Oz.

@bunker2276 4 жыл бұрын

You should use Agoda. More local hotels use that.

@sanlin3850 4 жыл бұрын

Sir, why foreign no? I don't understand

@theinpe3295 4 жыл бұрын

I am worried ,you are stuck at Thailand and now relieved.

@sheikhhashimi5082 4 жыл бұрын

How was your Christmas and new year?

@melinabrunet1575 4 жыл бұрын

Haha! « Relatively useful level of English »: I like your way of describing it! Have fun in Myanmar! I will follow your new adventures.

@agentmmarts3059 4 жыл бұрын

Hello Legend Doug. #Doug2019. Wishing you a great time and Harvest this 2020. #2020_a_year_of_Freedom.

@hanwin651 4 жыл бұрын

So many people worried about you Doug :)

@TheBalibull 4 жыл бұрын

The reason those small cheap hostels did not allow you to stay is, that they are mostly for migrant Myanmar workers in Thailand. Robberies or stealing can happen in those cheap hostels. That's why government doesn't want foreigners visitors stay in "such environment" .

@omnifocusybs9391 4 жыл бұрын

*What can I say?* *Welcome back to Myanmar*

@user-sq3ls2id8p 4 жыл бұрын

so sad there are no thailand side adventure video

@jameswong882 2 жыл бұрын

Beautiful asian countries. and .sweet people. Asia country people very beautiful making helpful people's . Some people is a very bad

@kugelschreiberzusammenbaue3585 4 жыл бұрын

What would you do in case of a dog bite ?

@PlanetDoug 4 жыл бұрын

I've never actually been bitten by a dog (that I can remember, anyway), so I'm not sure what I would do. I got vaccinated for rabies as part of my usual series of travel vaccinations, but I'm not actually sure if it is still current.

@therock8224 3 жыл бұрын

27:10 that perfectly describes Burmese people. An eclectic mixture of sometimes rude, other times strange and unhelpful, but mostly very warm people. Overall I like Myanmar, but every time I go there I know I'm probably going to encounter a mixture of rude, friendly and everything in between. Thailand is much more predictable. Mostly friendly, but you occasionally have the odd teenager looking at their phone kind of thing like you described about your stay in Mae Sot. Still, generally speaking Thais are very helpful though it does help if you speak their language (which I do).

@hanwin651 4 жыл бұрын

Nice short relaxing video after watching American Iran war news all the time :)

@businesscao 10 ай бұрын

This is a so dangerous place , kk park is there

@helloworld6126 Жыл бұрын

Hope you still keep your kidney and alive

@afuktg 3 жыл бұрын

Hi i am from tachileik💙💙

@therock8224 3 жыл бұрын

Depends on where you stay of course. If you stay at the Centra in Mae Sot. Great service all the time. Always someone to help you...but I find I prefer the Thai way, which is probably closer to the western way - one guy helps you with your luggage if you need help but then you're on your own. 3 or 5 guys (which is way too high an employee to customer ratio) helping to open a door like is often the case in Myanmar just feels too fake. I think it will fade in like 5 years. The country is still not that used to foreigners yet.

@vegashwk4158 4 жыл бұрын

I heard that Canadian out.😊

@minmaungmaung9983 4 жыл бұрын

come back yangon,

@edwinodus 3 жыл бұрын

Do they speak better english there than mae sot?

@vegashwk4158 4 жыл бұрын

Sometimes in a car you will notice things as a passenger that you wouldn’t as a driver,

@i-will-get-you-there 4 жыл бұрын

starting to wonder you got married to thai lady or something? phew!!! cheers

@zawmoeaung91 4 жыл бұрын

You like Myanmar that much? 😅😅😅

@rajeshnewar394 3 жыл бұрын

Sir How to make burma visa in ofline

@nlwin7789 3 жыл бұрын

I don't know how you got your rooms cheaper in Mae Sot, It cost me $50/night for a half-decent room as a Myanmar-born American tourist visiting there.

@indahood555 4 жыл бұрын

Such a nice and informative video about the difference between 2 countries! I never visited Myanmar, but it looks a little bit restrictive over foreigners like not allowing them to stay in some hotels. I don't know why such discrimination in this beautiful country.

@CL-mt3mn 4 жыл бұрын

Glad that you are finally back in Myanmar. Definitely Myanmar people are less cocky and more humble towards foreigners than the Thai people. They are also less pushy when doing business. Some hotels in Myanmar are not taking in foreigners basically is due to language barriers which the workers do not want to put up with. Border town hotels in Myanmar are basically meant for Thai people and could be owned by Thai people too. Nice video overall. Cheers.

@therock8224 3 жыл бұрын

Watch the video again. 20:20 "The guy slammed the door shut he wouldn't even let me inside". That is RUDE behavior and typical of some Burmese people. Something that NEVER happens in Thailand.

@cyrus-ak1655 4 жыл бұрын

Why are you spending too much time in Myanmar? There are too many countries to travel.. Go to Bangladesh (I heard that BD people are very welcoming to foreigner) and show us new stuffs. Happy and safe travel. Cheers from California.

@mohdk2299 4 жыл бұрын

He started vlogging while in Bangladesh just over a year ago. You can check his Bangladesh videos. It's interesting.

@HalimWander 4 жыл бұрын

that is funny and a bit weird for a hotel were foreigner not allow to stay..but ya..maybe it is just their govern law

@ato7984 4 жыл бұрын

Again your jailer room keys makes me laughing 😂😂😂

@therock8224 3 жыл бұрын

What a rude guy 20:20. There is still this paranoia that some Burmese have of foreigners, probably a holdover from the old military days. Remember that prior to Aug 28, 2013 when the land borders opened as a legitimate entry/exit point for foreign travelers, any foreigner caught in Myawaddy after the bridge closed at 6pm Thai time was immediately held by police. You would be interrogated and asked what you are still doing there. If you had arrived from Hpa-an, they would have given you a stern lecture about illegally dodging the checkpoints, given a place to stay, told to remain in your room, then you would be woken up at the crack of dawn and told to immediately depart town and head back to Hpa-an. In more serious cases, arrests were made and you would be deported and blacklisted.

@johnadam3707 4 жыл бұрын

Please show the viewers more place you need to change up the vibes by talking to the locals .it 02:09 am thursday morning

@malcolmwar977 4 жыл бұрын

You crossed the"Friendship bridge". Just a kilometer away, and it's not so friendly. Because it's the government ! I know, I know...

@orangewinter0 Ай бұрын

Bro is close to my house 💀

@KC-in9px 2 жыл бұрын

Your experience with Myanmar locals being stand-offish may have had everything to do with the pandemic when things were at their worst.

@gaig_10 Жыл бұрын

Foreigner talking about how bad the Myanmar Government rules are and most of Myanmar people agree with you sir. And we are facing civil war against the military government for better things.

@plus1truth 10 ай бұрын

extremely dangerous place

@lepetitchat123 Жыл бұрын

Geez it's only $20... why so frugal

@PlanetDoug Жыл бұрын

According to my usual budget, $20/night is actually expensive. I guess I come from more of a backpacker lifestyle, and in the old days, we'd look for simple single rooms with a shared bathroom that cost around $5 per night at most. That was kind of the norm back then. And my brain hasn't caught up with the modern world yet. And travelling now seems to be much more luxurious than it used to be, even for young people. People routinely take a Grab or Uber from the hotel to their Airbnb condo with a private swimming pool and sauna. That's kind of normal now, but I never lived like that in the past. The norm was to hop on the local bus from the airport (which cost pennies) and then walk around on foot until you found a cheap hotel under $5/night. I think my brain is still stuck in those days and hasn't adjusted fully to the modern world. 🙂

@therock8224 3 жыл бұрын

I hope the guy you're referring to wasn't a young guy with a strange goiter thing on his neck. That guy is creepy. He speaks great English (and Thai) but apparently he dabbles in drugs.