Sittwe, Myanmar (Burma) Travel Guide

Discover Sittwe: A coastal treasure in Myanmar offering a blend of cultural heritage, natural beauty, and historical significance. Perfect for those seeking unique travel experiences.

Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State in Myanmar, is a city that offers a unique blend of cultural richness and natural beauty. Situated where the Kaladan River meets the Bay of Bengal, Sittwe boasts stunning seaside views and a vibrant local atmosphere. The city's port is a bustling hub, reflecting its historical importance in trade and commerce. Visitors to Sittwe can explore the local markets, which are full of fresh seafood, local produce, and traditional crafts. The city's diverse culture is evident in its many temples, mosques, and churches, offering a glimpse into the harmonious coexistence of different communities. The Shwezedi Monastery and the Sittwe Viewpoint are must-visit spots for their spiritual significance and panoramic views. For nature enthusiasts, Sittwe is a gateway to the nearby Mrauk U, an ancient city known for its temples and archaeological sites. The area is also home to beautiful beaches like the pristine Kyein Taw Beach, perfect for a tranquil escape. Bird watchers will be delighted by the variety of species in the region, particularly around the wetlands and mangrove forests. Sittwe's rich history, friendly locals, and picturesque scenery make it a compelling destination for travelers seeking an off-the-beaten-path experience in Myanmar.

From Eve

Know before you go

Hi, I'm Eve. Here are a few practical things to know before exploring Sittwe.

Visit the local fish market early in the morning to experience the bustling activity and grab some fresh seafood.
Dress modestly when visiting religious sites to respect local customs and traditions.
Hire a local guide for a more insightful tour of the ancient city of Mrauk U, which is accessible by boat or car from Sittwe.
Carry cash as ATMs are limited and many places do not accept credit cards.
Try traditional Rakhine cuisine, especially the spicy fish curry, at local restaurants for an authentic culinary experience.

Explore Sittwe: Things to Do, Places to Eat, Hotels & More

Handpicked recommendations for top attractions, local dining, accommodations, and more

Best attractions in Sittwe

Top-rated picks

Best Attractions

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Lawkananda Pagoda

Experience the tranquility and beauty of Lawkananda Pagoda in New Bagan, a spiritual haven showcasing Myanmar's rich Buddhist heritage.

4.5

Shaitthaung Phayar

Discover the enchanting Shaitthaung Phayar in Mrauk-U, a historical Buddhist temple showcasing exquisite architecture and rich cultural heritage.

4.5

Mahamuni Buddhist Temple

Experience spiritual tranquility at Mahamuni Buddhist Temple, home to the revered golden Buddha and a vibrant hub of Myanmar's rich cultural heritage.

4.5

Rakhine State Cultural Museum

Explore the rich heritage of Rakhine State at the Cultural Museum in Sittwe, showcasing unique artifacts and traditions of the local culture.

4.0

Best landmarks in Sittwe

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Mahamuni Pagoda

Discover the essence of Mandalay at Mahamuni Pagoda, a sacred Buddhist temple rich in history and cultural significance.

4.6

Hsinbyume Pagoda (Myatheindan Pagoda)

Discover the enchanting Hsinbyume Pagoda, a stunning white symbol of love and devotion in the heart of Myanmar's cultural heritage.

4.6

National Races Village

Explore the vibrant tapestry of Myanmar's cultures at the National Races Village in Yangon, an immersive ethnographic experience showcasing traditional lifestyles and crafts.

4.1

Shwenandaw Buddhist Temple

Explore the Shwenandaw Buddhist Temple in Mandalay, a stunning monastery known for its intricate wood carvings and peaceful atmosphere.

4.5

Best restaurants in Sittwe

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Arian

Discover authentic Myanmar cuisine at Arian in Sittwe – where every dish tells a story!

3.8

River Valley Seafoods Restaurant

Discover the authentic flavors of Myanmar at River Valley Seafoods Restaurant in Sittwe – where fresh seafood meets warm hospitality.

3.8

River Valley Restaurant

Discover the flavors of Myanmar at River Valley Restaurant in Sittwe – where local ingredients meet culinary creativity.

3.9

SS Food Centre

Experience authentic hot pot dining at SS Food Centre in Sittwe—where fresh ingredients meet flavorful broths in a lively atmosphere.

3.9

Best bars in Sittwe

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Wave Sittwe Family Karaoke & Restaurant

Discover the vibrant Wave Sittwe Family Karaoke & Restaurant, where delicious food meets unforgettable karaoke fun for an authentic Sittwe experience.

4.0

Country House

Experience the tranquil charm of Sittwe at the Country House Beer Garden, where refreshing drinks and warm hospitality await.

3.7

White House KTV, Bar & Resataurant

Discover the vibrant nightlife of Sittwe at White House KTV, Bar & Restaurant, where great drinks and karaoke await.

3.6

Shwe Roe Rar (Restaurent & Bar)

Experience the freshest seafood and vibrant atmosphere at Shwe Roe Rar in Sittwe, Myanmar, a culinary gem for every traveler.

3.8

Best nightclubs in Sittwe

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7th Joint Bar & Grill

Discover the lively atmosphere and delightful cuisine at 7th Joint Bar & Grill in Yangon, a perfect blend of local culture and contemporary dining.

4.1

Sittwe View Point Park

Experience the breathtaking views and serene ambiance of Sittwe View Point Park in Myanmar, a perfect retreat for nature lovers and travelers.

4.3

River Valley Restaurant

Experience the rich flavors of Burmese and Rakhine cuisine at River Valley Restaurant, a culinary gem in Sittwe offering authentic dishes and warm hospitality.

3.9

Sittwe Airport

Experience the charm of Sittwe Airport, your entry point to the breathtaking Rakhine State in Myanmar, rich in culture and stunning landscapes.

3.5

Best shops in Sittwe

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Phyo Store

Phyo Store in Sittwe: Your go-to convenience store for local snacks, essentials, and a glimpse of Myanmar's vibrant shopping culture.

4.0

စိန် (ကုန်စုံဆိုင်)

Explore the vibrant flavors of Sittwe at စိန် (ကုန်စုံဆိုင်), your go-to Asian grocery store for authentic local ingredients and cultural immersion.

4.0

မြတ်စေတနာ

Explore the serene atmosphere of မြတ်စေတနာ, a Buddhist supplies store in Sittwe, where spirituality meets tradition in every artifact.

4.0

အမဲသားဆိုင်

Experience the authentic tastes of Myanmar at အမဲသားဆိုင် in Sittwe, where local flavors come alive in a welcoming atmosphere.

4.0

Explore Sittwe on the Map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Sittwe, mapped for you.

Sittwe Essentials

Sittwe is located in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. The most common way to reach Sittwe is by flying into Sittwe Airport (AKY) from Yangon, which offers regular domestic flights. Alternatively, travelers can take a bus from Yangon to Sittwe, though the journey is long and can take upwards of 20 hours due to the road conditions. Another option is to travel by boat from Pyay or other coastal towns, which can be an adventurous way to see the region.
Sittwe is a small city, and many attractions can be reached on foot. For longer distances, local tuk-tuks and taxis are available and can be hailed on the street. It is advisable to negotiate the fare before starting the journey. Bicycle rentals are another popular option for getting around the city. Public buses are limited, but there are private minibuses that connect Sittwe with nearby towns.
The official currency in Myanmar is the Burmese Kyat (MMK). While larger hotels and restaurants may accept credit cards, it is advisable to carry cash, especially in smaller establishments. ATMs are available in Sittwe, but they may not always be reliable, so ensure you have enough cash on hand for your needs. Currency exchange services are available at the airport and in major hotels.
Sittwe is generally safe for tourists, but standard precautions should be taken. Avoid walking alone at night in unfamiliar areas and be cautious with your belongings in crowded places. Petty theft can occur, so keep valuables secured. Certain areas of Rakhine State have been affected by conflict, so it's advisable to stay updated on current conditions and avoid travel to these regions.
In case of an emergency, dial the local emergency number 199 for police assistance. The main hospital in Sittwe is Sittwe General Hospital, which provides medical services. It is recommended to have travel insurance that covers medical emergencies. For minor health issues, there are several pharmacies in the city where you can purchase over-the-counter medications.
Fashion: Do dress modestly, especially when visiting religious sites. Avoid wearing revealing clothing. Religion: Do show respect for local customs and traditions. Always remove your shoes and socks before entering pagodas and monasteries. Public Transport: Do be respectful and give up your seat to elderly passengers. Don't eat or drink on public transport. Greetings: Do greet people with a slight bow or a traditional Burmese greeting 'Mingalabar.' Handshakes are also acceptable. Eating & Drinking: Do try local cuisine and accept food offerings graciously. Don't refuse hospitality, as it is considered impolite.
To experience Sittwe like a local, visit the local markets such as the Sittwe Central Market, where you can buy fresh produce and local goods. Engage with locals, as they are often friendly and willing to share stories about the city's history and culture. Don't miss visiting the historic Shwezedi Monastery and the Rakhine State Cultural Museum. For a unique experience, take a boat trip to the ancient city of Mrauk U, which is known for its archaeological sites and ancient temples.

When is the best time to visit Sittwe?

With Eve

Useful Local Phrases for Sittwe

You don't need to speak the language perfectly. Even learning a few simple words can make conversations warmer—and locals usually appreciate the effort.

— Eve

6 phrase groups English + pronunciation

Here are the phrases I use most often in Sittwe. Try a few—you'll be surprised how far they go! 😊
❤️

- Helloမဂၤလာပါ
  [má-ga-la-pa]
- Goodbyeလေးချင်ပါစေ
  [le-kyin-pa-se]
- Yesဟုတ်ကဲ့
  [hut-gae]
- Noမဟုတ်ပါ
  [ma-hut-pa]
- Please/You're welcomeကျေးဇူးတင်ပါစေ
  [kye-zu-tang-pa-se]
- Thank youကျေးဇူးတင်ပါစေ
  [kye-zu-tang-pa-se]
- Excuse me/Sorryခံယောက်ဖြူစေ
  [khan-yauk-hpru-se]
- How are you?နားသည်နော်လေးလေးပါပါ
  [na-sin-nau-le-le-pa-pa]
- Fine. And you?လေးလေးပါပါ နားသည်နော်
  [le-le-pa-pa na-sin-nau]
- Do you speak English?အင်္ဂလိပ်လိုပါပဲ
  [in-ga-le-lu-pa-ge]
- I don't understandကျေးဇူးတင်မယ်
  [kye-zu-tang-ma-ye]
- I'd like to see the menu, pleaseမီနူးကြည့်ပါစေ
  [mi-nu-krin-pa-se]
- I don't eat meatမကြာခင်မယ်
  [ma-kra-hkan-ma-ye]
- Cheers!အရယ်
  [a-ye]
- I would like to pay, pleaseငွေပေးပါစေ
  [ngwe-pay-pa-se]
- Help!အကူအကူ
  [a-ku-a-ku]
- Go away!သွားရပါ
  [swa-ya-pa]
- Call the Police!အရောင်းရိုးပြီး
  [a-yaung-yu-pri]
- Call a doctor!အဆိုင်ရင်ပြီး
  [a-haung-yan-pri]
- I'm lostသွားလို့ခဲ့လို့
  [swa-lo-khae-lo]
- I'm illနားမယ်
  [na-ma-ye]
- I'd like to buy...အမှားကြည့်ပါစေ
  [a-mha-krin-pa-se]
- I'm just lookingသွားရကြည့်ပါ
  [swa-yi-krin-pa]
- How much is it?ဘယ်လိုင်းလဲ
  [bha-lein-lae]
- That's too expensiveအိပ်မယ်အတောင်း
  [ei-ma-ye-a-taung]
- Can you lower the price?စျော်ကြည့်ပါပါလား
  [sya-krin-pa-pa-la]
- What time is it?ဘယ်နာရီတဲ
  [bha-na-ri-tai]
- It's one o'clockတစ်နာရီဆယ်
  [ta-na-ri-hai]
- Half past (10)ဆယ်နာရီခုန်
  [hai-na-ri-ku]
- Morningမနက်
  [ma-naik]
- Afternoonမနက်ညိုင်
  [ma-naik-yin]
- Eveningနောင်ကြ
  [nau-ngar]
- Yesterdayမနေ့လင့်
  [ma-ne-laing]
- Todayယနေ့
  [ya-ne-la]
- Tomorrowမနက်နေ့
  [ma-naik-na]
- 1တစ်
  [ta]
- 2နှစ်
  [hnac]
- 3သုံး
  [son]
- 4လေး
  [lei]
- 5ငါး
  [nga]
- 6ခြောက်
  [hroak]
- 7ခွောက်
  [hwek]
- 8ရှိ
  [shae]
- 9ကိုး
  [ku]
- 10ဆယ်
  [hai]
- Where's a/the...?ဘယ်နာမည်းရှိပါ
  [bha-na-ma-nyae-shae-pa]
- What's the address?နောက်စားလို့ရှိပါ
  [nau-sa-lo-hae-shae-pa]
- Can you show me (on the map)?မြောက်မည်းရှိပါပါလား
  [myauk-ma-nyae-shae-pa-la]
- When's the next (bus)?နောက်နောင်းရှိပါ
  [nau-naung-shae-pa]
- A ticket (to ....)လက်ခံ့လို့ရှိပါ
  [la-hkan-lo-hae-shae-pa]

History of Sittwe

Sittwe, historically known as Akyab, was established in the early 19th century. Its strategic location at the confluence of the Kaladan, Mayu, and Lemyo rivers has made it a significant port and trade center for centuries. The town's history is deeply connected to the ancient Arakanese Kingdom, which was known for its maritime prowess and trade networks extending to the Indian subcontinent and beyond.
Sittwe came under British control in 1826 following the First Anglo-Burmese War. The British recognized the town's strategic importance and developed it into a major port. During this period, Sittwe saw a surge in economic activity, with the export of rice, timber, and other goods. The town also became a melting pot of cultures, with Indian, British, Burmese, and Arakanese communities coexisting.
During World War II, Sittwe was a significant battleground. The town was occupied by Japanese forces in 1942, leading to considerable hardship for its residents. The British later recaptured Sittwe in 1945 during the Burma Campaign. This period left a lasting impact on the town, with remnants of wartime bunkers and military installations still visible in some areas.
After Burma gained independence from British rule in 1948, Sittwe continued to thrive as a commercial hub. However, the town also faced challenges, including political unrest and ethnic tensions. Despite these difficulties, Sittwe has remained a vital center for trade, particularly with Bangladesh, due to its proximity to the border.
Sittwe is home to a rich tapestry of cultures and religions. The town is known for its numerous Buddhist pagodas and monasteries, reflecting the deep-rooted influence of Buddhism in the region. One notable site is the Shwe Zedi Kyaung Monastery, which attracts pilgrims and tourists alike. Additionally, Sittwe's diverse population includes Muslims, Hindus, and Christians, each contributing to the town's vibrant cultural mosaic.
In recent years, Sittwe has seen significant development, especially with the construction of the Sittwe Deep Water Port as part of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, which aims to enhance trade links between India and Myanmar. Despite facing challenges such as natural disasters and ongoing ethnic conflicts, Sittwe continues to be an important economic and cultural center in the Rakhine State.