The large island directly west of Mawlamyaing across the Thanlwin River, accessible by a bridge or by a short ferry crossing from the town jetty. Roughly the size of Singapore but home to only 200,000 people, Bilu Kyun is a quiet, agricultural place — palm-lined lanes between rice fields, small villages of wooden houses on stilts, and the pervading smell of rubber from the island's plantations.
The main activity is cycling or driving between villages to watch craftspeople at work: pipe carvers, basket weavers, cheroot rollers. The pace is different from anything on the mainland. A half-day trip is enough to get a sense of the place; a full day lets you explore the interior villages that see fewer visitors. The bridge opened in 2017, making a motorbike hire the easiest option.