I have collated this list of ten points for tourists to Myanmar after a lot of research. As Myanmar is a country with quickly changing policies for many things that affect tourists, it is important to get up to date information. I find the best information is from recent travellers, based on their experiences.
USEFUL HINTS for MYANMAR TRAVELLERS
Things I Have Discovered:
1)You must get your visa either prior to leaving your home country(but no longer than 3 months before arrival)or Bangkok.It is no longer possible to get a visa at the border.
2) There are now many money machines(ATM's) and exchange places - shop around for best rates.
3) It is best to take crisp, brand new American dollars for exchange.
4) You should pay accommodation and big bills in US dollars, and small payments for meals, transport etc in kyat, the local currency.
5) It seems you can now retain your own email address rather than set up an approved local account.
6)Allow approximately $1500US per person for 28 days....this is for a mix of cheap and some mid range accommodation, meals, entrance fees etc
7)It is recommended to have at least one train trip - there is a circuit around Yangon for $1 worth doing.
8)It can be cost effective to negotiate to have a shared driver rather than use planes and buses for travel around the country, even paying their accommodation and meals etc
9)Allow full days for road travel between the main towns even if the distances are quite short.
10)There are now internet cafes, and many hotels both high end and some mid range have WIIFI.Internet use is now relatively easy although often dial up, so slow.
As I find more information I will post here. It just may help others planning a trip to Myanmar.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Planning a Trip Independently
Planning a trip independently can be fraught with problems. Booking an airfare to Myanmar via Kuala Lumpar was the easy bit! Now trying to co ordinate dates and days, flights and travel between Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Malaysia is proving the more difficult part.Tours are not for us!We are very independent travellers. But it does always mean more hard work in the planning stages, trying to co ordinate everything.
With an extra two weeks after our time in Myanmar, we want to visit Laos, and are hoping not to have to take the return leg from Yangon to Kuala Lumpar, but instead fly from Mandalay to Chiang Mai, and then to Luang Prebang or Ventiane.Unfortunately flights online will only let you book return fares....we only want one way! We may have to enlist the help of a travel agent.They always struggle with our complicated travel plans, that are not the "run of the mill" itinerary.
Somewhat reluctantly....the last week will have to be spent in either Bangkok or Phuket....it seems a good opportunity to have some dental work done. Highly recommended by many who have made the trip, I'll write more on this after the event!
As soon as the airfares are organised, it will be time to apply for visas. We know from experience this can often take quite some time.
This time we were very careful to check the weather, and go at the best time of the year. It is very easy to overlook the weather, or combine a holiday with an event that is at a quite unsuitable time of year.This inevitably means even the best laid plans can be totally ruined by the weather or other natural disasters!
Once all these tedious details are out of the way....we can look forward to the fun part of planning an itinerary.We are always flexible, but we do need to be sure we allow enough time in each place, and check for transport. Not all transport runs every day....so some panning is required.
We are also always looking for more unusual or out of the way experiences not mentioned in the travel guides.This part of the planning is always exciting...and for me is a big part of any trip. Planning a trip independently is very rewarding.
With an extra two weeks after our time in Myanmar, we want to visit Laos, and are hoping not to have to take the return leg from Yangon to Kuala Lumpar, but instead fly from Mandalay to Chiang Mai, and then to Luang Prebang or Ventiane.Unfortunately flights online will only let you book return fares....we only want one way! We may have to enlist the help of a travel agent.They always struggle with our complicated travel plans, that are not the "run of the mill" itinerary.
Somewhat reluctantly....the last week will have to be spent in either Bangkok or Phuket....it seems a good opportunity to have some dental work done. Highly recommended by many who have made the trip, I'll write more on this after the event!
As soon as the airfares are organised, it will be time to apply for visas. We know from experience this can often take quite some time.
This time we were very careful to check the weather, and go at the best time of the year. It is very easy to overlook the weather, or combine a holiday with an event that is at a quite unsuitable time of year.This inevitably means even the best laid plans can be totally ruined by the weather or other natural disasters!
Once all these tedious details are out of the way....we can look forward to the fun part of planning an itinerary.We are always flexible, but we do need to be sure we allow enough time in each place, and check for transport. Not all transport runs every day....so some panning is required.
We are also always looking for more unusual or out of the way experiences not mentioned in the travel guides.This part of the planning is always exciting...and for me is a big part of any trip. Planning a trip independently is very rewarding.
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