New bridge has been finished (2005) across the Thandlwin River joining Moattama and Mawlamyine, so the bus trip is a bit more direct, its now the longest bridge in Myanmar.

Mawlamyine is a large town, very low rise and spread out. Flat areas around the river banks rise steeply to the hill. The town streets are not very busy, not many cars or pedestrians, until you get near a market, then its very crowded. 187 Miles (311km) from Yangon.
Not a lot of tourists come here. Maybe 1000+ in a year.

TRAIN. The train is typically priced at ten times the local rate. US$17. A slow rocking from side to side and bumping up and down as well. Your first class reclining seat may be stuck fast in the position you like the least. Stops at Moattama and you get the ferry across to Mawlamyine or maybe now a taxi across the new bridge. Leaves from Central Railway station in Yangon. Foreigners are not allowed to buy a cheaper class.

BOAT. Two Ferries a day to Hpa-an, from the Hpa-an Jetty, 4 hours.
You can hire a long-tail boat for US$27 to Hpa-an, two hour trip.
There is hardly ever a boat to Dawei that foreigners can take.

AIR. The Yangon Airways Ofiice is not open for business (Dec 2002).
Myanmar Airways flies to Mawlamyine on Wednesday US$50/55. On Saturday you can fly to Dawei and book the Sunday flight to Mawlamyin, US$50/55. There is a Dawei-Yangon flight on Wednesday.

BUS. Most common shorter trips are in Pick-ups and the old trucks with wooden superstructure for passengers. The round town Pick-ups have a jockey who shouts the destination (in Burmese of course, not a great help). One to know is the Central Market to the Main Bus Station passes along Lower Main Rd, takes about 20 minutes, 70 Kyat (15 cents) in the back, 300 Kyat (30 cents) for the front seat. Try "Buskar Zeigyo?" for the Bus Station.
Different Buses to different destinations leave from different places. eg. the Pickup to Tha-ma-nya town leaves from the Upper Market as do many others. Bus to Thanbyuzayat goes from Main Bus Station (book ahead at least a day).

TAXI. Car taxis are available. Not found on the street. Your hotel will telephone for one and get the price. Not very cheap. US$2 to the Bus Station. Blackmarket petrol (gas) is 1400 Kyat (US$1.30) per gallon, expensive for Myanmar people.

MOTORCYCLE TAXI. Again not very cheap. One hour hire to go to the Hill and back is 2000 Kyat (US$2). Find them at the Central Market where it meets Strand Rd. and around town a bit. They are specially licensed and wear a distinctive vest.

TRISHAW (SAI-KAR). Thousands of Saikar everywhere. Good for a short trip. You may have to walk up some of the hilly bits. Cheap, negotiate a price first. These are some of the poorest people around, so a bit of a tour for say 500 Kyat will make his day. Maung Maung who hangs outside the Breeze Rest House speaks pretty good English and is very helpful.

PONY CART. Quite a few about. Not sure where they park, seem to come from the outer areas.

BOAT. A boat will take you to ("Head Washing/Shampoo" Island) from below the Mawlamyine Hotel in 5 minutes.
Across to Balunkyaun (Ogre Island)
The Moattama ferries goes across and back on the half-hour. Jetty is second one down from the Central Market jetty, see Map.
Hpa-an Jetty is the third one down.
There is a Dawei Jetty down further but boats hardly ever do the trip to Dawei (Tavoy).

Mon State Museum. Is surprisingly interesting. US$2 admission. Very good collection of many styles of Buddha images, some furniture pieces from the former Kings palaces, old copper and paper leaf-type books.

Balukyaun (Ogre Island). About 11km across the river. Regular ferry or hire a long-tail boat. 64 villages, two roads, traditional Mon lifestyle and cottage industries like coconut fibre doormats, rubber bands and ballons, coconut shell teapots, wooden pipes, pens and walking sticks. Getting around is by horse-cart.

Schwe That Laun (Big Reclining Buddha). 24km south. 180 metres long and four stories high, not yet finished but built to be the biggest recling Buddha in the world. Go past the village of Kouktalon on the Thanbyuzayat Rd. on the left a road goes 2 miles to Kyalenthalo Village, there it is.

Kyaikmaraw Pagoda. contains a sitting Buddha image in the late Mon style donated by Queen in 1455. 24km.

Thanbyuzayat. About 64km south. here the infamous WWII Burma-Thailand "death railway" finished. Cemetary for the allied soldiers who died during the construction.

Kyaikkami Pagoda. Built over the sea at Kyaikkami town. 86km, a bit north-west of Thanbyuzayat. This is also where the first American Baptist missionary, Adoniram Judson (1788-1850), landed accidentally and set up his mission.

Setse Beach. 80km, a bit south-west of Thanbyuzayat. A wide brown-sand beach lined with Casuarina trees. One guesthouse, A Htou She Guest House, price unknown.

Tha-ma-nya village with the famous Pagoda/Monastery at the top of a steep little mountain. Home to "Thamanya Sayadaw" (U Winaya) a famous monk for a long time in Myanmar, he passed away in late 2003. Many Myanmar people make a special pilgrimage here to pay respect and hear him speak about the Dhamma. Noted for his outspoken support for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy as well. Curious sideline is that Myanmar people find him being a vegetarian quite extraordinary and all the by donation meals provided to visitors are vegetarian. The floor of the main hall would be littered with Myanmar people sleeping while waiting for the Sayadaw to speak. A long steep climb up a covered stairway gets you to the top, reminiscent of Mandalay Hill, there are also pickups going up a road to the top.
Somewhat ragged soldiers carrying rifles are seen around here and in Eindu. I am told these are Karen soldiers who protect the Sayadaw.
From Mawlamyine pickups leave from the Upper Market to Eindu, 2+ hours very bad road, change pickup to go to Tha-ma-nya, 10 miles good road. 400-500 Kyat (70 cents approx). Motorcycle Taxi return is 2000 Kyat if you don't want to sit on the pickup roof. Return back to Eindu and get a Mawlamyine pickup. They go from the centre of town where the road splits. Better allow a whole day to do this return trip.

Kha-Yon Gu ("Cha Yon Cave"). Ancient cave with many Buddha images inside. About 10km north of city, just across the river, near the village of Atian.

The other two markets, Upper Market and New Market, are much the same.

About two shops in town sell TV, Hi-Fi etc. One Giordano fashion shop.

Unsavourary note is the two-tier pricing is worse here than anywhere else i've been in Myanmar. The taxis, motorcycle-taxis, pickups, some restaurants will try to suck as much out of you as they can. Very unMyanmar, not sure why, closeness to Thailand?