Yes border crossing overland from Mizoram into Myanmar is very much possible. Its a drive of about 30 kms of back breaking road to the border village of Rihkhawdar.No doubt it is a very scenic drive and the urge to stop several times on hearing the chirping sounds of the birds along the way may actually delay your drive if you love watching avian beauties.As you reach the border post, you can see the River Tiau flowing along, which is sort of a porous dividing line between the two countries. Upon reaching the Indian side of the border post which lies besides the river bridge, we are issued a day pass against Rs.10/- per person and an entry is noted in the register book lest we dont return ..:-). There is a huge customs building on the Indian side, One can see the consignments being loaded and unloaded here. The pass is issued from 5.00 am onwards and you are required to be back by 4 pm during the winter and 5.00 pm during summer
The pass is valid for you to cross over to the other side in your own vehicle. We stopped again on the other side after crossing the bridge where the Myanmar border post is located again besides the bridge.The Burmese officials will welcome you with a broad smile so unlike the unfriendly faces one saw both in Moreh and Pangsu Pass on the Indian side. You show the pass to the Buremese authorities and the entry is made again. You pay Rs.100 for the vehicle and allowed to drive or walk upto 4 km where the Reh Dil is located. There are two restaurants near the lake and few cottages which one can rent out for a day use.You can also do boating in the lake We are told Mizos are allowed to travel upto Tahan with a special permission . This of course need to be authenticated. Nearly 90 percent of the people in this region of Chin state are of Mizo origin.
One of restaurant owner around the lake told us that if we manage to get permission from the army post located further three km away ,then we can travel upto the village Khawthlir which is another 10 kms away from the lake.We also saw huge sign boards of The Union Solidarity And Development Party around . So off we decided to explore and on our way to another adventure of sort.
No one was posted at the said army post. After a bit of wait and honking an Army man emerged at the gate. First he said no no..then he said ok ok after Maliana , my local contact from Mizoram managed to speak to him in their dialect. No entry is made .nothing got noted down ( this is to make sure that they are not responsible if anything happens to you :-)) and we moved on happily.We reached Khawthlir after passing through one more small sleepy village. One could see both Presbyterian as well as Baptist churches here. People are very friendly and we are invited to a villager's home. Green tea , coffee and jaggery was the welcome treat. And an invitation for lunch and stay over with them. Could not have asked for anything more from this trip.The only thing I could offer in return as a gift was the winding torch from Decathlon which was highly appreciated.
The village does not have any medical facility. Hence the villagers travel to Champai for the same. My new found friend had never sat in any vehicle before so we gave her a ride upto the village boundary. Little pleasures of life must say ..:-)
We passed by the army post again with a wave of hands that we are going back.Again nothing got noted down !! Had a quick lunch of tasty Sanpiau near the border and I spurlged a bit on shopping though there was not much of choice and hardly any other shop except the wine shops which make huge bucks thanks to Mizos. Though they are in for bad times ahead as Mizoram passed a bill few days back to lift its 17yrs old liquor ban.
We had to report at the Burmese side near the bridge where they made a note that we are leaving as well as at the Indian side where the pass was taken back.
Thus ended my happy little expedition to Myanmar through Mizoram..:)
