We’ve put together a useful list of things you might wish to consider before you go to Myanmar. What to expect and be aware of. The culture and standards are completely different than what we are used to in Europe. Being aware of these elements will provide you safer and more enjoyable stay in Myanmar. Check out the list below.
Safety
It’s recommended to avoid all demonstrations and large gatherings and also don’t take photographs or videos during these occasions. We also advise not to take any photos of police or any other military buildings and personnel. Most common crime might be pickpocketing like anywhere else in Asia, but if you are well aware of your stuff and surrounding you should be perfectly fine there. While we travelled in Myanmar, we didn’t experience any uncomfortable or unsafe situation.
Avoid mosquito bites
Mosquito-borne diseases are present in all areas of Myanmar. There is also a risk of malaria in the country except the major cities of Mandalay and Yangon. It can occur thorough the whole year and even in these cities you can’t be completely safe. Take all the precautions to avoid mosquito bites at all time. Cover up with long sleeves and trousers (anyway you need to do that while visiting temples). Use repellents every time you go outside especially at dark. But be aware that mosquitos bite both during the day and night. We found that mosquito repellent cream has been most reliable and protective against any biters. There are also bracelets with repellent incense helping to keep the mosquitos away from you. If necessary sleep under a mosquito net. Do not travel without adequate travel insurance and as a precaution you should carry antimalarial pills with.
Check out what is in our travel medical kit and how to prepare yours.
You can’t go everywhere
Around the country are still areas you should avoid due to ongoing armed conflicts between different ethnic groups. Currently tourists can visit Yangon, Mandalay, Bago and Irrawaddy regions without restrictions. If you plan to travel outside of these areas you should contact the Myanmar Ministry of Tourism before. We don’t recommend to cross any border illegally or enter restricted areas without permission as you may experience difficulties with the local authorities. But anyway if your purpose of visiting Myanmar is sightseeing, you don’t have any need of visiting these areas, since all the important tourist places and spectacular temples are located in the areas without restrictions.
Visas
You need to have a visa before travelling to Myanmar. You should apply at your nearest Myanmar Embassy or Consulate. As many people include Myanmar as part of a bigger trip to South East Asia, a convenient option might be to apply at the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok. Most likely Bangkok will be a place from where you will fly or take a bus to Myanmar. The embassy is well prepared and organised, so you can make your visas there in just one day.
If you plan to apply for your visa in Bangkok, take a look at our article: How to apply for Myanmar visa in Bangkok.
There is also an option to apply for an e-visa, however this option is not available for all nationalities. For more information about applying for Myanmar e-visa check the official website of the Myanmar Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population.
Can you bring a drone to Myanmar?
Before traveling to Myanmar we got a bit worried about bringing our drone, because we heard stories that it might be taken from us at arrival and we might not see it again! We watched videos on Youtube and read articles about it, but what is the reality in 2020? If you arrive to Myanmar by bus from Thailand you shouldn’t worry at all. Anyway we decided to take a flight to Yangon and there was not a single problem, not even a simple safety check at arrival. It might be different in Mandalay or on domestic flights. So if you wish to bring drone to Myanmar you should be fine, but we wouldn’t risk flying without official permission from Myanmar authorities. Flying drones without permission and flying around sensitive areas like military and government buildings, famous tourist sites and religious building might result in big fines, even imprisonment!
Check out our list of most instagrammable places in Myanmar.
Cash-only society
Myanmar is still mainly a cash only country. We recommend you to carry large amount of local currency and you will really need a lot of it provided that one Myanmar Kyat is worth 0,00068 American dollar. $100 is almost 150 000 Kyat. With such amounts of local currency it is wise to split your money in different places and try to avoid displaying cash or other valuables in public.
Currency exchange or withdrawal?
ATMs are not widely available around the country. You might be fine to withdraw some money in big cities like Yangon or Mandalay but they might not be very reliable. The number of hotels and restaurants accepting credit cards is increasing but don’t rely on it and better confirm in advance if this option is available. Many vendors will charge high service fee for paying by card anyway.
Recommended is to bring American dollars, which is the most convenient currency for exchange. The higher the note is, the higher the exchange rate will be. Avoid changing small notes, best is to bring $100 notes. Important is to store the money in clean safe place. Dirty or damaged bank notes will most likely not be accepted. So always carry enough cash to cover all of your expenses while in Myanmar.
Myanmar tourist tax
Since 2017 the tourist tax at famous sites around Mandalay and Bagan has been introduced. All foreigners should purchase a tourist ticket upon arrival. In Mandalay you can purchase your ticket for 10 000 Kyat when visiting the first temple. The ticket is valid for 2 days and it allows you to visit a limited number of sites. The price is quite low compared to how many extraordinary and beautiful places you can see there.
It’s a bit different story with Bagan. The tourist tax for exploring Bagan is 25 000 Kyat (it is possible to pay in other currencies but this way you will end up paying more due to fixed prices – $20, €20). The price is a bit higher but comparing to one day pass to Angkor Wat which is almost double that much, $20 for 5 days exploring Bagan seems very reasonable.
What is not very clear is where to pay. There is no office you are suppose to visit, no entry gate and it is even possible to enter the temple areas from many roads without paying. Most likely while exploring you will be stopped by authority personnel who will request the ticket or ask you to pay on site. It would be easier and more clear if there is a designated place to get the ticket in advance so you don’t need to bother being stopped by someone and carry extra amount of money with you all the time. However currently there are no special ticket offices for this purpose.
Leave more time
When looking at the map of Myanmar everything looks much closer than it is. The distance between Mandalay and Bagan seems fine for a one day trip, isn’t it?
But reality is different! The quality of roads and heavy traffic make the way go much slower and travelling between cities is lot more complicated than it looks. With so many amazing places, we recommend you to leave enough time so that you can fully enjoy your trip. You don’t want to spend most of your time in Myanmar sitting on the bus or taxi and rush, while you should admire all the spectacular places around you. Just for your orientation, it takes 9 -14 hours to get from Yangon to Mandalay and what seems like a short distance between Mandalay and Bagan will make you sit in the car for around 4 hours, depending on what kind of transport you have chosen.
By train, bus or taxi
As we said before, moving around Myanmar in not easy and takes a lot of time. Railway conditions and safety is far bellow European standards. There is a very limited number of railway connections and travelling by train takes longer than using roads which makes the rails not very convenient option to use.
Nowadays the main visited areas between Yangon and Mandalay are safe to travel by bus or car. Be aware that many vehicles, including taxis or buses might not be in great condition. So it’s recommended to check the company before booking an overnight bus ticket. The bus rides might differ a lot. Always ask in advance if the bus uses the highway road and not the old Mandalay-Naypyitaw-Yangon road, which has bad lighting and poor road surfacing and makes the ride very uncomfortable and long. One dollar extra paid for a bus ticket can make a significant difference in terms of comfort and safety on the way.
If you want to know more about transportation in Myanmar, what is the price and how to get around the easiest way, check out our article : Travel around Myanmar fast, easy and cheap.
Friendly locals
Since tourism in Myanmar is not broadly spread yet, locals are very curious and excited about foreign people. Also they are probably the friendliest and most helpful nation we met on our South East Asia trip. People of Myanmar are pure, real and unspoiled besides their country’s situation. It is a unique culture worth discovering that will touch any traveller’s heart.
Respect religious sites
When visiting Buddhist religious sites be respectful. You should always remove your shoes and socks before entering any pagodas or monasteries. Don’t wear shorts and cover your shoulders. Insulting religion or not respecting these rules might lead in prosecutable offence under Myanmar law.
Where to eat in Myanmar
This is a question for your stomach and to what conditions you are used to. We wouldn’t recommend to test it on street food, where the standards might be much lower than you think. In the hotels we stayed (4 or 5 star hotels) we felt perfectly fine to try different food. The risk to human from bird flu is very low, still few cases have been reported, so we recommend avoiding any contact with domestic or wild birds and ensure that served dishes are thoroughly cooked, including eggs. Above all avoid swimming or bathing in freshwater due to parasites. This is why we tried to avoid any street food, as the dishes and ingredients used are most likely washed with this water. Before buying anything in the shops, check the expiry date.
Drinking water
The tap water is not drinkable as almost everywhere in Asia. Always buy bottled water and make sure that the lid is sealed and the bottle is not refilled. You will not have any problems finding bottled water almost everywhere.
We hope that the information we provided in this article will help you better plan your trip to Myanmar. Feel free to share your tips and experience with us.
Have you heard about these 15 interesting things about Myanmar?
With love,
Jelena and Luke
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