Thanbyuzayat is in Mon State of Southeastern Myanmar. It also is well known in Myanmar for Kyaikkhamee Pagoda, Setse Beach, Wagaru old town, War Cemetery and Waekali Natural Hot Spring.

Understand

The name Thanbyuzayat (Zob Bu in Mon language) refers to the White Pavillion built long ago for travellers to rest, where the roads from Kyaiklhamee and Ye meet, when there was no settlement around.

The first settlers were an old couple from a nearby village called Panga. Since that time on, many more people came and settled around the pavilion. The small village quickly became a town.

During World War II, Thanbyuzayat was the western terminus of the Thailand–Burma Railway, linking up with the pre-war coastal railway between Ye and Yangon. So this village is known around the world as the starting point in Myanmar (Burma) of the infamous Death Railway.

Get in

By bus

1 Thanbyuzayat main bus station — on NH8 north of the hospital. Mandalar Minn Express runs one bus per day, and one overnight bus (9 hr, US$8 as of Aug 2020).

By train

2 Thanbyuzayat train station is close to the World War II cemetery, off Aung San St. There is one train a day from Yangon (12 hr).

See

• 1 The Death Railway Museum. Opened in 2016. Gives an insight to the history of the Burma-Siam railway. (updated Apr 2017)
• 2 Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery. There are 3,617 former POWs, who worked on the Siam-Burma railway, buried here. (updated Apr 2017)

Eat

Yayzo Mohinga (fresh hand made) is a famous local treat, available early in the evening from local vendors. Other local snacks may only be available in early morning.

• Thar Lay Mon Food (in the centre). The best place to try Mon traditional food. (updated Apr 2020)

Sleep

• 1 Holiday Villa Motel, ☏ +95 9 45589 9835. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 11:00. Opened in 2018. Modern rooms. Staff do not speak English. Cheaper to walk in than to book online. Wifi weak. 35,000 kyat. (updated Aug 2019)
• 2 Ngwesinkyal Guest House. Basic rooms with shower and air conditioning. A foreign tourist reports being able to stay here in December 2016. 12,000 kyat for double room. (updated Apr 2017)
• 3 Sa Bal Phyu Guest House (စံပယ်ဖြူတည်းခိုခန်း) (next to the bus station), ☏ +95 9 45456 0197. Sa Bal Phyu means White Jasmine. (updated Aug 2019)
• 4 Swethahar Guesthouse, ☏ +95 57 79 673. Guesthouse in the heart of town. A foreign tourist reports not being able to stay here in December 2016 but wasn't sure whether because the place was fully booked or they didn't take foreigners. (updated Apr 2017)
• 5 Train Guesthouse. Opened in 2017. Location might not be correct. (updated Apr 2017)

Go next

• Kyaikkami
• Mawlamyine
• Dawei with a stop-over in Ye