Kachin State · Myanmar
Myitkyina travel guide
Myitkyina is a city in Kachin State, Myanmar, home to about 243,000 people.
- Best months
- November to February
- Nearest airport
- MYT4 km · Myitkyina Airport
- Currency
- MMKkyat
- Time zone
- Asia/Yangon
- Language
- Burmese
About
About Myitkyina
Myitkyina is the capital city of Kachin State in Myanmar (Burma), located 1,480 kilometers (920 mi) from Yangon, and 785 kilometers (488 mi) from Mandalay. In Burmese it means "near the big river", and Myitkyina is on the west bank of the Ayeyarwady River, just 40 kilometers (25 mi) downstream from Myit-son (Burmese for confluence) of its two headstreams (the Mali and N'mai rivers).
Although today a sleepy backwater, Myitkyina was the site of a bitter battle between Japanese and Allied forces during the Second World War. The town was almost completely destroyed in the battle. The location of the town, in an opportunistic valley between India and China, made it strategic enough to be on the Ledo Road built by the US General Joseph Stilwell. Myitkyina could, one day, become an important way station for trade between the two Asian giants, India and China. For now, Myitkyina is a destination because of the journey.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Myitkyina
See
- Su Taung Pyi Pagoda
- Sri Saraswati Temple
- Kachin National Manau Park
- Kachin State Cultural Museum
- Lang Na hka Waterfall (Sedung Waterfall)
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Myitkyina
1 hotel within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Madira | 0.9 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Myitkyina
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Myitkyina are November to February. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; July is the wettest, with about 473 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Myitkyina: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Myitkyina Airport (MYT), about 4.2 km from the city centre in a straight line; Tengchong Tuofeng Airport (TCZ, 121 km) is also within reach.
Getting around
Myitkyina is small. You can get anywhere in the city by trishaw or by walking. If you arrive by train, turn left and walk along the main street to get to the city centre. After reaching an intersection with a clock tower, turn right and left to go to New Light Hotel, or left and right for the YMCA. As of February 2018 foreigners are still barred from river or overland travel to Bhamo To reach Bhamo there is only one flight a week, Myanmar Air leaving at 1 pm Monday's. The flight is only 25 minutes and as of February 2018 the cost was $86 USD with taxes and travel agent fees.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MYT · Myitkyina Airport
TCZ · Tengchong Tuofeng Airport
Questions
Myitkyina: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Myitkyina?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Myitkyina are November to February. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; July is the wettest, with about 473 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Myitkyina?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Myitkyina Airport (MYT), about 4.2 km from the city centre in a straight line; Tengchong Tuofeng Airport (TCZ, 121 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Myitkyina?
kyat (MMK).
Nearby
Destinations near Myitkyina
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.