Ayeyarwady Region · Myanmar
Pathein travel guide
Pathein is a city in Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar, home to about 287,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- RGN150 km · Yangon International Airport
- Currency
- MMKkyat
- Time zone
- Asia/Yangon
- Language
- Burmese
About
About Pathein
Pathein, formerly called Bassein, is the largest city and the capital of the Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar. It is located 190 km (120 mi) west of Yangon within Pathein Township on the bank of the Pathein River—a western branch of the Irrawaddy River.
Lying at the western edge of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River delta, on the Pathein (Ngawan) River 190 km west of Yangon, Pathein is accessible to large vessels and despite its distance from the ocean, it is the most important delta port outside of Yangon. It is also the terminus of a branch of the main railway line. The city is a rice milling and export centre. The city's name may derive from Pathi (Burmese word for "Muslim"), due to the large population of Arab and Indian traders. The name was corrupted to Bassein during the British colonial period.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Pathein
See
- Shwemokhtaw Pagoda
- St. Peters Cathedral
- Harbour
- Cultural Museum of the Ayerwaddy Delta
Do
- Myaungmya
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Pathein
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 |
|---|---|---|
| The First Hotel | 1.4 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Pathein
Pathein has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 36 °C; August is the wettest, with about 690 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 Pathein: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Yangon International Airport (RGN), about 150 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
The town is small enough that you can see much of the town on foot. Motorbike taxis are also readily available and the standard fare for a trip is 1,000 kyat (which however seems a little excessive). A local ferry can take you to the Karen village across the river.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
RGN · Yangon International Airport
Questions
Pathein: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Pathein?
Pathein has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 36 °C; August is the wettest, with about 690 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Pathein?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Yangon International Airport (RGN), about 150 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Pathein?
kyat (MMK).
Nearby
Destinations near Pathein
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.