Perhaps best known to English speakers from the opening lines of Kipling’s poem Mandalay:

Mawlamyaing is the fourth largest city in Myanmar after Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Taw. A major seaport situated 165 kilometers east of Yangon, across the Gulf of Mottama at the mouth of the Thanlwin River, Mawlamyine is the capital of Mon State with a population of over 350,000 people.

The Thanlwin Bridge, the longest road and rail-bridge in Myanmar is the most prominent landmark in the area, stretching 11,000 feet over the Thanlwin River, and connecting the country’s south eastern region with Yangon. Mawlamyine is off the main tourist trail for most travelers to Myanmar, but the town does have a charm of its own.  Once known as “Little England”, due to its large Anglo-Burmese community, Mawlamyaing has a rich history. Buildings with colonial style architecture, and its close proximity to the infamous Siam-Burma “death railway”, making it a fascinating place.