Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ticket. Taxis charge K5000 and
thoun bein
K3000 for the 2-mile trip to/from Kyaing-
tong's airport.
TRANSPORT TO/FROM KYAINGTONG
VAN (SHARE
TAXI)
DESTINATION
AIR
BUS
PICK-UP
$119-154; 55min;
Mon-Wed, Sat &
Sun
Heho
N/A
N/A
N/A
$129-158;
25min-1½hr; daily
(direct or via Heho)
Mandalay
N/A
N/A
N/A
K5000; 4hr;
frequent
7am-3pm
K15,000-20,000;
3hr; frequent
7am-3pm
Mong La
N/A
N/A
K10,000;
4-5hr; daily
8am &
11.30am
K12,000-15,000;
3-4hr; frequent
6am-noon
Tachileik
N/A
N/A
$159-198; 2hr
45min; daily (via
Heho & Mandalay)
Yangon
N/A
N/A
N/A
TOP OF CHAPTER
Mong La
(+86) 691 / POPULATION C20,000
Located on the Chinese border, Mong La lies within Myanmar, but is part of semi-
autonomous Wa State, a finger of land controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA),
an ethnic militia associated with drug production and trafficking. The Wa - former
headhunters - have their own government, license plates (attached, almost exclusively, to
white '90s-era sedans) and road signs. Chinese is the lingua franca in Wa State, and the
Chinese yuan (Y) is the currency.
Until the border with China was closed to all but locals in 2005, Mong La was the epi-
tome of the wild border town. Those days are over, but the abandoned casinos and bust-
