Thilawa Cruise Port
Yangon, Myanmar · Asia
Cruise ships dock at Thilawa Cruise Berth — Thilawa Port, Yangon.
Industrial deep-sea port 25 km from Yangon; almost every cruiser uses the cruise-line shuttle or a pre-booked taxi to downtown.
At a glance
Port summary
Cruise ships berth at the commercial wharves inside Thilawa Port on the east bank of the Yangon River, around 25 km southeast of downtown Yangon and 60-75 minutes by road. The terminal sits inside the working Thilawa Special Economic Zone, so independent walk-off is not realistic — the dock gate is closed to taxis and there are no public-transport links from the SEZ. Most cruisers take the ship shuttle to Sule Pagoda or pre-book a private car with an English-speaking guide.
Cruise dock
🚢 Thilawa Cruise Berth — Thilawa Port
Commercial wharf inside Thilawa Port on the east bank of the Yangon River, 25 km southeast of downtown Yangon. OSM man_made=pier way 40480090 (mooring=commercial) inside Thilawa-port landuse polygon way 383545800. Berth assignment varies by call; passengers are coached out of the gated Thilawa Special Economic Zone.
📍 Latitude: 16.665152, Longitude: 96.250393
See dock on port map →Getting to Yangon
From the cruise terminal to the city centre
Cruise-line coach to Sule Pagoda or Bogyoke Market in downtown Yangon. This is the default cruise-day option — 25 km of industrial road plus Yangon traffic make a private transfer the only realistic alternative.
📍 Cruise-line shuttle queue inside the cruise gate at Thilawa
Pre-book through a Yangon-based agency or your hotel before the call. A car for the day with an English-speaking guide is the only practical way to reach Bago, Twante or Dala. Cash on arrival, USD or kyat both work.
📍 Pre-booked private cars wait outside the cruise gate with the passenger's name on a placard
Yangon Bus Service (YBS) numbered routes link central Yangon but do not reach the Thilawa cruise gate. Signage and announcements are in Burmese only. Not a cruise-day option.
📍 No bus stops inside the Thilawa SEZ; the nearest YBS bus runs from Kyauktan junction 5 km outside the gate
Walking out of the SEZ is not realistic — gated industrial estate, no footpaths, 25 km to Yangon. The gate is closed to walk-off passengers without a confirmed pickup.
📍 Cruise gate at the Thilawa wharf
Map & things to do
Money & payments
Carry a stack of crisp, unfolded USD 100, 50 and 20 bills (issued 2013 or later, no marks or creases) plus enough kyat for the day after exchanging at a licensed money changer. Do not rely on cards or ATMs.
Things to do
Maha Bandula Park & City Hall
Short stop⭐ Highlight
Downtown green square ringed by Sule Pagoda, City Hall and the colonial-era High Court.
🕐 Late afternoon for shade and locals using the square; great photo light.
Kandawgyi Lake & Karaweik Palace
Short stop🚶 Walk
Royal Lake boardwalk views of the floating Karaweik barge restaurant and Shwedagon's golden cone.
🕐 Late afternoon for the boardwalk in cooler light with Shwedagon glowing behind.
Strand Road Colonial Heritage Walk
🚶 Walk
Riverside walk past 1900s colonial offices, the Strand Hotel and Pansodan ferry jetty.
🕐 Late afternoon when the heat eases and the colonial facades catch low sun.
Chinatown 19th Street Food Street
Short stop🛒 Market
Yangon's beer-station and street-food alley after dark — barbecue skewers, draft Myanmar lager.
🕐 After dark from 6pm onward when the BBQ skewers fire up and the alley fills.
Bogyoke Aung San Market
Short stop🛒 Market
Sprawling 1926 colonial market for jade, longyi, lacquerware and Burmese-Indian street food.
🕐 Morning when fresh produce and food stalls are at their best, before the heat.
Yangon Circular Railway
🎯 Activity
Three-hour loop through Yangon's suburbs, paddy fields and morning markets for under K500.
🕐 Morning departures (6:10am, 8:20am, 10:10am) for the busiest market scenes and cooler air.
National Museum of Myanmar
🏛️ Museum
Royal regalia from Mandalay, the Lion Throne and a millennium of Burmese statecraft on five floors.
🕐 Late morning when the air-con is welcome; closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Shwemawdaw Pagoda (Bago)
temple_shrine
Tallest pagoda in Myanmar at 114 metres, the golden centrepiece of the former Mon capital Bago.
🕐 Mid-morning after the 2-hour drive, before the midday heat on the open platform.
Sule Pagoda
Short stoptemple_shrine
2,500-year-old gilded pagoda at the heart of colonial Yangon — the city's traffic-circle landmark.
🕐 Late afternoon when the gold catches the sun and the colonial facades light up.
Botataung Pagoda
temple_shrine
Riverside gold pagoda you can walk INSIDE — rare hollow stupa containing a sacred hair relic.
🕐 Mid-morning before the river-side heat builds.
Chaukhtatgyi Reclining Buddha
Short stoptemple_shrine
65-metre reclining Buddha covered in silk robes, housed under a vast iron-pillared shed.
🕐 Mid-morning when the side doors are open and the hall is cool.
Shwedagon Pagoda
temple_shrine
Myanmar's holiest Buddhist shrine — a 99-metre gilded stupa visible across the Yangon skyline.
🕐 Late afternoon for sunset gold and the post-5pm cool, or 6am for the morning monks.
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Plan my day →Frequently asked questions
- Where does my cruise ship dock in Yangon?
- Your ship docks directly at the Yangon cruise terminal in Myanmar.
- Can I walk from the cruise port into Yangon?
- Walking into Yangon from the cruise port isn't practical. Plan to use a shuttle, taxi, or public transport.
- How do I get from the cruise port to Yangon centre?
- Typical options include Shuttle bus, Taxi, Local bus, On foot. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.
- How much time do I need in Yangon?
- Plan for at least 6 hours ashore to see Yangon independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.
- What currency is used in Yangon and are cards accepted?
- Yangon uses the Myanmar Kyat. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.
- Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?
- Wi-Fi isn't reliably available at the Yangon cruise terminal. Consider a local SIM or your cruise line's data package.
- When should I be back at the ship?
- Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.
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