MYANMAR ROUND-UP

Myanmar Round Up

MYANMAR ROUND-UP

How to get

There are two air accesses to Myanmar; Yangon-the capital, Mandalay-the second capital & moreover it can be access from border area such as Tachileik from Thai border and Muse from China border.

Yangon Gateway

Myanmar Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Thai Airways International, Thai Air Asia, China Southern Airlines, Silk Air, Myanmar Airways International (Jet Star), Malaysia Airlines, Mandarin Airlines, Air China, Indian Airlines. Air Mandalay flies from Chiang Mai to Yangon.

Mandalay Gateway

China Eastern Airlines flies between Mandalay & Kunming daily with Boeing 737

Bagan Gateway

We can arrange the charter flights on request for entering to Bagan directly.

Border-passes

As Myanmar is sharing the borders with China, Laos, Thailand, India & Bangladesh, some of the borders are open to foreign visitors. Please check the following. The rest of the borders are closed at the time of writing this manual.

From China (Ruili-Muse & Tar Law´-Kyaing Tong)

Originally built to supply the Chinese forces in its struggle against the Japanese, the famous “Myanmar Road” runs from Kunming in China’s Yunnan province to the city of Lashio. Nowadays the road is open to travelers carrying permits, from the Chinese side (Ruili) into Myanmar via Muse.
Three hours drive (90 km) from Kyaing Tong is another Myanmar-China border, Mine Lar. This access will bring us to China-Xishaungbanna province. The permit has to be asked at both sides, Myanmar and China. The permits from Myanmar can easily be arranged but only if the travelers book the whole arrangements with local tour operators and travel agents in Myanmar.

From Thailand (Mae Sai-Thachileik)

The bridge spans the Sai River between Myanmar’s Thachileik & Thailand’s Mae Sai. The border check-point opens daily from 6 AM to 6 PM. We just have to cross the bridge on foot for five minutes then, the border check-points of both Myanmar & Thailand sit in each side.

From Thailand (Sangkhlaburi-Three pagodas pass, Payathonezu)

This is one of the most interesting and accessible of the border crossing points. Now there is also legal trade going on at Three Pagodas Pass- Payathonezu. Travellers have been allowed to go inside the country but the road is quite bad.

From Thailand (Mae Sot-Myawaddy)

This crossing begins a route from Myawaddy to Mawlamyine via Kawkareik along a rough road. The following details are required at one month in advance for border-pass.

Full Name
Date of Birth
Passport numbers with issued & expire dates
Nationality
Occupation
Sex

Airport Departure Tax

There is a departure tax of 10 USD per person payable on international departures only. There are no taxes for domestic flights.

Passports & Visas

A valid passport and an entry visa are required for all visitors. A tourist visa allows a stay of 4 weeks, extendible of an additional 14 days. A business visa allows a stay of 10 weeks, extendible to from 3-12 months on a case-by-case basis.
If the visa is expired by a day or two, it is possible to pay three dollars per day.

Entry Visa Formalities

It can be obtained all the visitors traveling in Myanmar under the arrangements of local tour operators. The complete personal data is required (two weeks ahead). We need the scanned passport of the client two weeks ahead including arrival and departure flight time.
As soon as we receive those data, we apply for arrival visa and finally we will send the letter with the kind attention to airlines concerned or To Whom It May Concern, depending on the airlines which the passengers take. The passengers have to bring that letter with them when they come to Myanmar in order to show at the transit counter before embarking on board. Please bring two passport-sized photos for the visa. The validity is four weeks.

Customs

Foreign currencies, jewelries, electrical goods and video cameras must be declared at the airport.
Duty free allowance: Two bottles of liquor; two cartons of cigarettes; 100 cigar; 1.5 lb of tobacco; one pint bottle of perfume or eau de cologne.

Pre-Departure Preparations

A travel insurance policy to cover theft, loss and medical problems is a wise idea.Aspirin or Panadol (for pain or fever), Antibiotics, Calamine lotion (to ease irritation from bites or stings), Bismuth preparation (Pepto-Bismol), Imodium or Lomoti (for stomach upsets and diarrhea), Bandages (for minor injuries), Insect repellent, sunscreen, suntan lotion, chap-stick and water purification tablets are recommended to carry.Ideally antibiotics should be administered only under medical supervision and should never be taken indiscriminately.

Vacuums

No vaccinations are presently required. The classical routes are not the malaria zones such as Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay & Inle Lake. There is malaria only in the extreme northern part and some parts of very high mountains and forestry. So, actually it is not really essential to take any anti-malaria pills but malaria prophylaxis is often recommended by travelers’ personal physicians.

Water

Please don’t drink the water and that includes ice as well as tap water. Take care with fruit juice, particularly if water may have been added. Milk should be treated with suspicion, as it is often un-pasterised. Boiled milk is fine if it is kept hygienically and yoghurt is always good. Tea or coffee should be OK since the water is boiled. In general, the juices, the milk, the water, the tea and coffee offered at the hotels and the restaurants we recommend, are safe. Bottled water and mineral water are obtainable at any shops in most places.

Average Temperatures in the Main Destinations


TEMPERATURE (^.C)	JAN	FEB	FEB	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
Yangon	18-33	19-35	21-37	24-38	25-35	24-30	24-30	24-30	24-31	24-32	22-32	19-51
Mandalay	14-29	16-32	20-36	24-38	26-37	26-35	24-30	26-34	25-34	24-33	20-30	15-30
Bagan	14-29	16-32	20-36	24-38	27-38	26-34	27-34	26-34	26-34	24-33	20-31	15-29
Inle	4-24	5-26	10-29	15-30	18-30	20-27	19-27	19-27	20-27	18-27	13-25	7-24
Kyaing Tong	16-30	17-30	25-30	25-34	25-34	26-35	26-32	26-32	28-32	24-32	22-30	18-30
Kyaing Tong	16-30	16-28	22-28	26-30	26-31	27-32	27-30	27-30	28-32	25-28	22-28	18-28
Ngapali Beach	16-28	16-28	22-28	26-30	26-31	27-32	27-30	27-30	27-30	25-28	22-28	18-28

What to wear

Throughout the year, it is advisable to wear summer clothing: thin cloths in light color. In December and January, warm cloths are recommended for visits to Northern provinces. In rainy season (July to September), it is advisable to bring umbrellas or raincoats.

Seasons to visit Myanmar

Generally speaking, Myanmar is well access in all year round. Even though it has the affect of monsoon in July, August & September, it is not rainy the whole country. Only the parts, which are closed to the sea, such as Yangon and coastal regions have sometimes heavy rains but it does not happen in all three months. Since Mandalay & Bagan are dry-zones, even in monsoon period, there is very little rain. Since Inle Lake is hilly region, sometimes it rains and sometimes it does not. Nevertheless, the rains do not disturb our visits and sightseeing. The best period to come to Myanmar is from October to end of March. April and May are the hottest months in Myanmar but no rain.

Things to buy

Shopping in Myanmar is better than ever now. Bartering is also quiet acceptable.
In larger towns and cities the best bargains are usually found in the public markets. Each place has its own particular such as lacquerware in Bagan, textiles such as silk, cottons, etc., in Mandalay & Inle Lake (Shan bags can be found as well), wood carving, tapestries, marionette in Mandalay are main souvenirs from Myanmar. The rubies and jades are also famous but be aware before purchasing. Simulated antiques, fine ceramics and copies of famous paintings are also possible to buy. Most of the souvenirs shops in the main towns accept the American Dollars or FEC (Foreign Exchange Certificate). Very few shops accept Euros but not favorable. The most convenient currency to pay is in Kyats - local currency in all over Myanmar.

Export Restrictions

The following items cannot legally be taken out of the country:
Prehistoric implements and artifacts, fossils, old coins, bronze or brass weights, bronze or clay pipes, kammawas or parabaiks, inscribed stones, inscribed gold or silver, historical documents, all religious images including of Buddha.

Film & Developing

Fresh negative film is widely available. Popular brands are Fuji, Kodak & Konica. Positive color print film is available in Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan & Inle Lake but not as widely as that of negative film.

One hour service photo shops are ubiquitous in some major cities but the quality is not highly recommended. Positive film can be developed in Yangon and Mandalay.

Electricity

Myanmar has a great potential for producing hydroelectricity; about 50% of its electricity is from hydroelectric plants. The remainder of Myanmar’s electricity is produced by thermal plants using natural gas, diesel fuel, or coal. The voltage is 230 volt, AC 50 HZ. Most of the hotels and places have three-pin plugs. For those who have brought video camera, adapter is highly recommended.

Safety

Myanmar is a very friendly and safe country. You can go around the cities, towns and villages without any worry even the night time. But basically, there is nothing on the road apart from 22:00 in the big cities and in the small towns or villages everybody goes to bed at 20:00 or 21:00. Myanmar can be said one of the safeties countries in the world.