EXCHANGE
There are some exchange counter at the airport.US DOLLARS are accepted for change everywhere and the EURO is getting more and more popular, especially in Yangon. The exchange rate in Yangon is generally better than upcountry. If possible bring new series US Dollar bills ("big heads" instead of "small heads") and with series numbers not starting with CB as these are not accepted in Myanmar due to rumors of these series being counterfeit. Generally notes should be in very good condition and not torn, dirty or washed out as these will not be accepted in Myanmar, even in many hotels! Most hotels and better restaurants accept payment in USD.
CREDIT CARDS & TRAVELERS CHECKS
Credit cards and Travelers Checks are currently mostly NOT ACCEPTED in Myanmar. Only some upscale restaurants and some hotels do accept credit cards with a surcharge (minimum 4%). As charging these cards requires going through the Internet, some delays can be experienced if the Internet connection is not working or slow (see chapter internet).Please make sure to bring enough cash (USD or EUROS) for your purchases and payments. Most hotels accept US Dollars as payment.
VISAS
A visa is COMPULSORY to enter Myanmar. A 28-day tourist visa is usually sufficient for most visitors. The current regulations for entering Myanmar are as following:1. Individual visa
This visa is issued by a Myanmar Embassy or Consulate at Myanmar Embassy in your country.2. Package Tour visa
This visa is issued by a Myanmar Embassy or Consulate. It usually takes 3-5 days to issue the visa. With the confirmation of your booking, Sincerity Travel will send the letter to the Embassy. We will need the full names, passport numbers, nationality and name of Myanmar Embassy we have to send the letter. A copy of the letter will be send to you by e-mail.3. Visa on arrival
We can assist you the Visa on Arrival (VOA). For a pre-arranged visa on arrival, please provide us client Passport scan, father’s name,Race, Religion, Occupation, Home address, Flights in/out. The application process for visa on arrival will take at least 7 working days.After getting the approval letter, we will send you a copy of this authorization by scanned e-mail attachment. The letter should be presented at the airline check-in counter. Upon arrival in Myanmar you will check in at visa on arrival counter to get your visa stamped in passport.
CLOTHING
Comfortable lightweight clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton is most suitable for traveling in Myanmar. The dress code is fairly casual as in most parts of the tropics but it is advisable to cover arms and legs in the evenings against biting insects. A lightweight raincoat and umbrella are a good idea in the rainy season and the umbrella can also offer useful shade from the sun.Evenings in the hill stations and on Inle Lake can be quite chilly so bring a sweater or other warm clothing if visiting these areas. This applies especially for the winter months November-February for treks and the Inle lake area where early morning boat rides can be quite cold. Visitors should not wear shorts, short skirts or other skimpy clothing when visiting pagodas and monasteries.
Shoes (and socks!) must be removed before entering any religious building or private home. It is therefore useful to wear shoes without too many laces and which can easily be taken off. We provide small towels to clean your feet before putting back on your shoes.
ELDERLY PEOPLE
Some roads in Myanmar are not in the best shape and most of the vehicles are also a bit older. For elderly people or those with health and back problems especially, we recommend avoiding longer road trips like Bagan to Kalaw or Inle Lake to Mandalay. In some places like Monywa-Po Win Taung, some jeep rides are planned. Please let us know in advance of people with back problems or who need special attention are traveling in order for us to make necessary arrangements.ELECTRICITY
Myanmar uses 220V, and a mixture of flat 2-pin, round 2-pin or 3 pin plugs. It is recommended to bring a universal plug adaptor. Power outages are quite common but most hotels have their own generator.ENTERTAINMENT
There is not much in the way of western style entertainment in Myanmar but Yangon has some good restaurants and there are a few bars and nightclubs, notably in the city's international hotels. In the rest of the country, entertainment is mainly confined to the hotels, mainly tourist-orientated restaurants and the ubiquitous Burmese teashops.FOOD
The staples of Burmese cuisine are rice, rice noodles, and curries. The main ingredient of the meal is usually rice and the curries tend to be not as spicy as those from India or Thailand. A clear soup called hingyo accompanies most meals and a fermented fish sauce or paste called ngapiye is usually served to add to the flavor. Chinese, Indian and European food is served in restaurants at most tourist places.GEMS / PRECIOUS STONES
Myanmar is well known for its riches in precious stones, especially rubies (pigeon-blood) and jade (imperial-jade). Should visitors chose to purchase gems, they do so at their own risk and rely solely on their own judgment and knowledge. We does not assume any responsibility for gem and antique purchases through “recommendations” made by our guides. Our guides are instructed not to recommend any specific shop. Even if pressed to do so by visitors, the sole responsibility for their purchase lies with the buyer.A relative guarantee for the quality of purchases is given by an official receipt and certificate issued by government-licensed dealers. Prices in such shops are higher but are more credible and would theoretically allow you to return the purchase in case you are unhappy or if it is of lesser value. The issued paper can also be shown when exiting the country as export of gems and stones, and without such a government-issued paper are illegal.
HEALTH
No vaccinations are required except for yellow fever if you are coming from an area where the disease is present. However visitors should be inoculated against typhoid, cholera, hepatitis A & B, tetanus and polio. Malaria is present in Myanmar and it is advisable to take precautions especially if traveling off the beaten track. Please consult with your usual doctor or a doctor specialized in tropical countries before traveling.Medical facilities are rather limited in Myanmar (Yangon has the best facilities) and it is essential to take out a good medical insurance policy before traveling. Such an insurance should cover the cost of an evacuation flight out of Myanmar (most of the time to Bangkok) which are sometimes necessary.
HOURS OF BUSINESS
Offices are usually open from Monday to Friday from 09:30 until 16:00. Most shops are open every day. An exception is Bogyoke Market (Scott Market) & Gems Museum , which is closed on Monday, on public holidays and full moon days (like all markets in Myanmar).INSURANCE
Medical facilities are rather limited in Myanmar (Yangon has the best facilities) and it is essential to take out a good medical insurance policy before traveling. Such an insurance should absolutely cover the cost of an evacuation flight out of Myanmar (most of the time to Bangkok or Singapore) which is sometimes necessary either on a regular flight or on a special flight. For adventure tours, such as cycling, proof of purchase of a travel insurance policy will be required.INTERNET
Internet access is still in its development stages. Internet is also regulated in Myanmar and the access to some websites is filtered or impossible. Note that most free mail services like Yahoo or Hot mail CANNOT be accessed in Myanmar. It is best to have your mail forwarded to Sincerity Travel (we will provide you with the right contact person) or the hotel e-mail address.Most of the hotels have now some internet terminals and in cities like Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Nyaung Shwe (Inle Lake), you will also find some small internet cafés. Internet connections in Myanmar are generally slow and some patience will be required!
LANGUAGE
The national language of Myanmar is Burmese, of which there are over 80 different dialects spoken. The written language uses an amazing looking script based on ancient Indian characters. In the cities many of the older generation still speak very good English and it is also becoming popular again with the younger generation.MOBILE PHONES
Your mobile phone will NOT work in Myanmar. Myanmar has currently no roaming agreement with any country. But there is counter at the airport where clients can hire mobile phone at the airport by paying deposit USD 50 and charge daily USD 2 per day for CDMA 450 & 800 MHZ with prepaid cards. These prepaid mobile phone cards are aimed at tourists visiting Myanmar who wish to keep in touch with friends and family.MONEY
The currency in Myanmar is the Kyat (pronounced 'chat'). As in many countries of the area, the US Dollar is the most useful currency to carry and it can be exchanged into local currency. However there is no need to change big amounts into the local currency as most of the places catering to tourists also accept payment in US Dollar bills. Furthermore the biggest kyat bill is 10000 kyats and 800 kyats equivalent approximate to 1 USD Dollar (subject to change).Please bring new series US Dollar bills ("big heads" instead of "small heads") and with series numbers not starting with CB as these are not accepted in Myanmar due to rumors these series are counterfeit. The EURO is more and more accepted by money changers.
Credit cards and Travelers Checks currently CANNOT BE USED or exchanged in Myanmar (with some rare exceptions in upscale restaurants and hotels)! It is necessary to bring enough cash in US DOLLARS or EURO. Other foreign currencies are difficult to change. Now Master card accept in Yangon. Banks are open Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 14:00.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Normal print films are available in Myanmar but professional quality films (like slide films) are difficult to find in outside of Yangon and it is better to bring your own. In towns like Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Nyaung Shwe, digital photos can easily be downloaded and loaded onto a CD-ROM in case you run out of memory.PROHIBITED ITEMS
Mobile telephones and laptop computers with modems are officially not allowed into the country but the rule is not enforced and they can be brought in. Items of jewelry, cameras and foreign currency (above USD 2000) are supposed to be declared at customs upon entry.Export of Buddha images and antiques or articles of archaeological importance is prohibited. Gemstones can be safely bought only from government-controlled outlets and the buyer should ask for a certificate (please read more details under Gems/Precious Stones above).
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 2015
|
January 4 |
Independence Day |
|
February 12 |
Union Day |
|
March 2 |
Farmer's Day (Peasants’ Day) |
|
March 26 |
Full Moon Day of Tabaung |
|
March 27 |
Armed Forces Day |
|
April 12-21 |
Water Festival |
|
May 1 |
Labour day ( May Day) |
|
May 24 |
Full moon Day of Kasone |
|
July 19 July 22 |
Martyr’s Day Full moon Day of Waso |
|
October 19 |
Full moon Day of Thadingyut |
|
November 17 |
Full moon Day of Tazaungmone |
|
November 27 |
National Day |
|
December 25 |
Christmas Day |
RELIGION
Buddhism is the dominant religion in Myanmar and over 85% of the population practice it. The monastery is the traditional focal point of village life in Myanmar and monks rely on villagers for donations of both money and food. Every boy in Myanmar is expected to spend some time as a monk. The remainder of the population are Christians, Muslims and animists. ROAD TRAVELRoad travel allows visitors to see more of the country and is a great way to get closer to the land and its people. However some distances are quite long in Myanmar, and they are even longer because road conditions make (relatively) fast travelling difficult. Roads are in poor conditions although efforts are being made to upgrade most roads especially after the yearly rainy season which ends in October. The relatively old vehicles used in Myanmar also make long distance travel less comfortable than in neighbouring countries.
SHOPPING
There are many fantastic local products in Myanmar that make excellent souvenirs and memories from your trip. Traditional crafts include lacquerware, especially in Bagan, woodcarvings, stone carvings, bronze work, rattan, silver jewellery, silk longyis and hand-woven textiles. TIME DIFFERENCEMyanmar is 6h 30 min ahead of GMT in winter and 5h 30min in summer: 1500H GMT = 2130H in Myanmar (winter). Myanmar is 30 minutes behind Bangkok (Thailand) time: 1500H in Bangkok = 1430H in Myanmar.
TIPPING
Tipping for good service is not expected but is always appreciated in a country where the average annual income is only around 250 USD. It is customary, though not compulsory, to tip tour guides and drivers at the end of a tour. Hotel and station porters can also be tipped.VEHICLES
Vehicles used in Myanmar (from 4–seater saloon cars to 45-seater buses) are generally manufacturing date (which can be 10-5 years back) as the import of new vehicles is currently possible, given the current economic situation in Myanmar. Most of the visitors have to travel in comfortable vehicles.All vehicles do have air-conditioning and we provide all our clients with complimentary water and towels in ice-boxes in each vehicle.
WEATHER
Myanmar has three seasons similar to many other parts of Southeast Asia. The Southwest monsoon starts at the end of May or beginning of June and lasts until the end of September. This season brings frequent and heavy downpours of rain, mainly in the afternoon and evening especially in Yangon, the rest of the country is dryer. In the rainy season the weather is more humid what can make travelling less comfortable. The rains give way to dry weather in October and the temperatures are generally lower and more pleasant at this time. In March the temperatures start to climb again leading up to the next rainy season at the end of May. Temperatures between March and May can be very hot reaching over 35oC in some places.NOTE: Myanmar is in the northern hemisphere so it is also winter from November to February. You need to bring some warm clothing for early mornings everywhere, and especially for higher areas like Shan State (Kalaw, Inle Lake, Pindaya, Kengtung, Putao). The hotels in those areas are NOT equipped with heating or fireplaces so be prepared for some colder nights!