Myanmar - Before you go
Highlights | Know before you go | TripsPassport and Visa
A valid passport with entry visa is required of all visitors. A tourist visa allows a stay of 4 weeks, extendible by an additional 14 days. A business visa allows a stay of 10 weeks, extendible from 3-12 months on a case-by-case basis. Visa on arrival an be granted with prior arrangement.
Visa on Arrival
It can be arranged for most package tours and we need the complete
personal details of each client.
- Date of Birth
- Father's Name
- Passport Number with issue/expiry dates
- Occupation
- Sex
As soon as we can obtain the above personal details, we will organise for a letter (To Whom It May Concern) to be issued by our partner in Yangon. You must bring this letter when you come to Myanmar. Show it at the transit counter in order to get permission to board your flight to Myanmar. Please bring 2 passport sized photos for the visa. The validity of arrival visas is 4 weeks. We need the complete personal details at least 14 days before trip departure..
Customs
Foreign currencies, jewellery, electrical goods and video cameras
must be declared at the airport. Export of antiques and archaelogically
valuable items are prohibited.
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.
Currency
Myanmar currency is the kyat, made up of 100 pyas. Currency notes
come in the following denominations; K 500, K 200, K 100, K 90, K 50,
K 45, K 20, K 15, K 10, K 5, K 1 and Pya 50. Visitors are not allowed
to bring in or take out Kyats.
Health
No immunizations are formally required, malaria propxylaxis is often
recommended by traveller's personal physicians. Please consult
your own personal physician for advise. It is suggested that only
bottled or boiled water be drunk and that food not be purchased from sidewalk
vendors.
Insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites is particularly recommended, especially, up country and in wooded areas.
Airport Departure Tax
There is a departure tax of 10 USD/pax payable on international departures
only. There are no taxes for domestic flights.
Foreign Exchange
Visitors may bring in any amount of foreign currency but it must be
declared to customs if it exceeds US $2000.
Foreign independent travellers (F.I.T) is required to exchange US $ 200
for foreign exchange certificate (FEC) on arrival at the Airport. FECs,
equivalent to US dollars, are issued in $ 20, $ 10, $ 5 and $ 1 denominations.
If you wish to travel independently in Myanmar and do not wish to exchange
this FEC, you can avoid it by booking a minimal 3 night trip with us in
order to get Package Tour Visa! Extension of stay in Burma
is also possible!
FEC are accepted by hotels, airlines, travel agencies, taxis, restaurants; and as payment of admission fees for museums, and pagodas. FECs can be changed for Kyats at market rates at Authorized Money Changers.
It is quite difficult to spend with the travellers cheques or credit cards. They are acceptable only in major hotels and big souvenir shops. It is possible to withdraw money but you'll get only FEC.
American express, Master, Visa, Diner and JCB credit cards are accepted but not widely.
Food
There are many good restaurants in Yangon which serve quality food
at reasonable prices. There are restaurants offering Thai, Chinese, European,
Italian, Indian, French and Myanmar cuisine. Eating at the street restaurants
can be a wonderful Asian experience but is not recommended unless the
restaurant has been recommended by experienced guides. Throughout
up country Myanmar, the choice of food is limited to Myanmar and Chinese.
Hotels
Myanmar's hotel industry has grown very fast. In Yangon and Mandalay,
the range of hotel quality extends from local inns to the ultimate in
5 star accommodation. In Bagan and at the Inle Lake, hotel accommodation
is simple yet mostly clean and efficient. Visitors travelling to lesser
known areas will find hotel accommodation and related services to be
very basic and not one par with international standard.
Language
We can arrange for local guides conversant in English, Spanish,
Italian, German, French, Japanese, Chinese and Thai.
As there is an abundance of excellent and experienced English Speaking guides, it is preferable to opt for an English Speaking guide. Guides who are experienced plus fluent in other foreign languages than English are extremely rare and expensive.
Meet & Greet
On arrival in Yangon our partners will arrange a guide to help with
all your needs, such as, arrival visas (if you take), check in, customs
declaration, etc. Moreover, our guide will hold a welcome board with
your name (s) on it. Please remember that Yangon Airport is usually
very crowded and you should have patience.
Taxi & Bus
No taxi in Myanmar use meters and the fare must be negotiated before
the trip begins. Public buses are plentiful and offer a cheep albeit
crowed alternative to taxis. The problem is knowing just where the bus
is going!
Travelling up country
The quickest and most comfortable make of domestic travel is by
Air Mandalay and Yangon Airways. Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, Heho, Sittwe,
Ngapali, Myitkyina, Thachilate, Kyaing Tong, Mergui, Kawthaung and Ching
Mai are all served by both airlines.
Myanmar Airways (the government's one) run everywhere but is not reliable and punctual.
Whilst some visitors will always prepare to travel by train when they go, they must know that trains in Myanmar offer very little comfort. Trains are usually very crowded and move at very low speed. Air-condition may or may not be working. Dagon Man (Sleeper Private Train with air-condition and toilet is recommended).
Moreover, the special coaches are available on request. But, we need the very advanced reservation as there are only 2 coaches and each coach is accessible only 20 pax.
The vehicles such as, Sedar cars, minibuses, medium size buses with
capacity of 20-30 seats. (e.g, Mitsubish, Rainbow, Isuzu Journey type)
and a limited number of 40-50 seater coach.
International Fights
Yangon has direct air links with Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Osaka,
Chiang Mai, Dacca, Calcutta, Karachi, Kunming, and Sabah. The Myanmar
Airways International (MAI), Thai Airways International (TG), Silk Air
(MI), Biman (BG), Air China (AC), Indian Airlines (IC), All Nippon Airways
(ANA), Air Mandalay (GT), Pakistan Air International (PK), Royal Brunei
(BI).
Climate & Weather
Myanmar has the affect of monsoon season usually begins from July
to beginning of October. It has three seasons; Hot season-March to May
with average temperature 25-38 C, Rainy season-June to September with
average temperature 23-33 C, Winter season with 20-30. But it doesn't
rain much up country during the rainy season and we are experiencing
a gradual expansion of the travel season to the point where it is now
virtually a year-long event.
Voltage
Myanmar has 220-330 volts A.C. It is advisable to have a torchlight
in the hand baggage as power cuts frequently occur throughout the country.
Things to bring - Check list
- Sunglasses
- Umbrella
- Binoculars
- Sun cream / block note book, pens, etc
- Sun Hat
- Reading materials
- Camera and plenty of films (slide film is quite rare)
- mosquito repellent - both lotion and electric gadget available from Boots.
Clothing
Light, casual wear, preferably cotton is suitable all year round.
A cardigan or light jerkin, when visiting northern Myanmar in the cold
season and an umbrella during the rainy season are suggested. Sandals
or slippers are convenient, as the dress code for pagodas and monasteries
prescribe decent apparel and no footwear (i.e, removal of shoes and
socks).
Local standard Time
Local times is 6 hrs 30 minutes ahead of GMT.
Office Hours
Government office - 09:30-16:30
Banks - 10:00 a.m - 14:00
(Closed on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays)
