Burma - Anyone visited?
Discussion
Planning a trip to S.E. Asia in October and quite fancy visiting Burma now before it becomes the new Thailand (if it has not already).
Any one been before? I have been reading up ref Visa etc, plan would be to travel to Bangkok and catch a flight into Yangon and spend 10-12 days in Burma before moving on, main place to visit is Bagan.
Thanks.
Any one been before? I have been reading up ref Visa etc, plan would be to travel to Bangkok and catch a flight into Yangon and spend 10-12 days in Burma before moving on, main place to visit is Bagan.
Thanks.
Who with Swerni if you don't mind me asking?
I am flying into Bangkok and will catch a flight to Yangon then trek about, I have a rough plan but would like to know any must see's / do's etc.
A friend spent a month there appx 18months ago and loved it, did the whole trekking around the world and said it was his favourite place.
I have some links / guides saved at home and will post the links.
I am arranging everything myself, me / partner / backpack / flight and off we go, cant wait.
I am flying into Bangkok and will catch a flight to Yangon then trek about, I have a rough plan but would like to know any must see's / do's etc.
A friend spent a month there appx 18months ago and loved it, did the whole trekking around the world and said it was his favourite place.
I have some links / guides saved at home and will post the links.
I am arranging everything myself, me / partner / backpack / flight and off we go, cant wait.
Visited in 2011.
It's never going to become the new Thailand, not in our lifetime anyway... Vastly different.
If you're traveling in-country I'd advise using flights as a means to move large distances.
Shwedagon paya is a nice visit in Yangon. Inle Lake was also nice. We did a few days trek from Kalaw to the lake which was brilliant but not for those who like any form of creature comforts.
The islands are under control of the 'government' so unless you're in the country for a long time they are not worth visiting. Even if you do visit them, the last I heard was that 1 or possibly 2 were set up for having people stay there but the rest are under strict control. There was no party scene.
Bagan and Mandalay are also worth a visit. In 2011 a lot was still out of reach to backpackers without a guide watching your every move.
At that time there was still what we could only work out to be classed as a sense of paranoia in the Burmese people. Understandably so I guess.
Lots of beautiful sights to take in but be warned that people are all too quick to make the snap conclusion that just because a country has been isolated from trading with the rest of the world for several decades that it's more of a 'pure' experience to go before there is a macdonalds on the street corner in the capital. I understand this to be a complete fallacy. Travelers/tourists tend to forget that the living conditions and infrastructure for the majority of the people who reside there is pretty f
king miserable and the change will most definitely help them.
It's always nice to have a choice, right? Yangon for example was (still is?) a decaying hole in 2011. Not all of it, but large downtown parts of it. Doubt it's changed that much since then.
Apparently there are over 2 million Burmese working in Thailand. You ever been to koh Phangan or Koh Tao? See all those Thai's serving food in the restaurants, most are in fact Burmese. You fill up with petrol anywhere in the Bangkok metropolitan region, chances are it's a Burmese person who fills the tank. Read up on why they ran. Also read up on the military elite of Burma.
There is also a way to travel in the country to try and avoid or at least mitigate putting money into the hands of the oppressive regime that I believe still exists today, albeit in a toned-down, less obvious way. Such as doing your research on which hotels are not connected to the military or their families.
My best advise is to buy a lonely planet or rough guide - 2016 edition if there is one available. Burma really is the type of country where you need to make an educated decision on whether or not it's going to be a worthwhile place for you to visit.
It's never going to become the new Thailand, not in our lifetime anyway... Vastly different.
If you're traveling in-country I'd advise using flights as a means to move large distances.
Shwedagon paya is a nice visit in Yangon. Inle Lake was also nice. We did a few days trek from Kalaw to the lake which was brilliant but not for those who like any form of creature comforts.
The islands are under control of the 'government' so unless you're in the country for a long time they are not worth visiting. Even if you do visit them, the last I heard was that 1 or possibly 2 were set up for having people stay there but the rest are under strict control. There was no party scene.
Bagan and Mandalay are also worth a visit. In 2011 a lot was still out of reach to backpackers without a guide watching your every move.
At that time there was still what we could only work out to be classed as a sense of paranoia in the Burmese people. Understandably so I guess.
Lots of beautiful sights to take in but be warned that people are all too quick to make the snap conclusion that just because a country has been isolated from trading with the rest of the world for several decades that it's more of a 'pure' experience to go before there is a macdonalds on the street corner in the capital. I understand this to be a complete fallacy. Travelers/tourists tend to forget that the living conditions and infrastructure for the majority of the people who reside there is pretty f
king miserable and the change will most definitely help them.It's always nice to have a choice, right? Yangon for example was (still is?) a decaying hole in 2011. Not all of it, but large downtown parts of it. Doubt it's changed that much since then.
Apparently there are over 2 million Burmese working in Thailand. You ever been to koh Phangan or Koh Tao? See all those Thai's serving food in the restaurants, most are in fact Burmese. You fill up with petrol anywhere in the Bangkok metropolitan region, chances are it's a Burmese person who fills the tank. Read up on why they ran. Also read up on the military elite of Burma.
There is also a way to travel in the country to try and avoid or at least mitigate putting money into the hands of the oppressive regime that I believe still exists today, albeit in a toned-down, less obvious way. Such as doing your research on which hotels are not connected to the military or their families.
My best advise is to buy a lonely planet or rough guide - 2016 edition if there is one available. Burma really is the type of country where you need to make an educated decision on whether or not it's going to be a worthwhile place for you to visit.
i spent 6mths working there last year, based about an hour from began but ended up seeing most of the country. if you do a search there was a guy from here who had a thread going of his travels through the country including photos and details of how to get around. i had it pretty easy as we were working for the national electricity co. so i had drivers, interpreters etc.
the country has changed loads since the previous poster visited. my colleague had done something like 60trips over the past 3 years and he said it was remarkable at the pace of change both in terms of development and the attitude/outlook of the people.
its a big country, internal flights are regular, safe and cheap. i flew on all the local airlines and never once had cause for concern. if i were you i'd do bangkok to mandalay and then base your itinerary around a circular trip.
mandalay itself is a hole but has some interesting sights - the palace [a recreation after it was destroyed in the war], the golden buddha and mandalay hill. i can recommend the mandalay hill resort, very nice, awesome spa and perhaps the best massage i have ever had in my life. if you visit the opal markets then go very early, the ones actually doing proper business will be away before lunchtime and they're the ones who'll be cutting/dealing in weight, not tourist stones.
you can drive to bagan from mandalay in 3hrs. worthwhile as its a decent road and goes through a string of villages all the way down. you'll pass by myingyan which is where i was based and where the famous prison is which they kept/keep political prisoners.
bagan is simply stunning. take a good camera, get up early. i had a guy visit to do a marketing film who brought a drone along, he took some amazing images at dawn and sunset. bagan is easily the biggest tourist draw so has a good range of boutique hotels and hostels and loads of westerners milling about. its very reminiscent of sri lanka if you have been there.
yangon is still falling down and is a bustling, noisy, dirty , colourful metropolis. i really like the place. shwe dagon is obviously the biggest draw. i'd recommend going a couple of times, once during the day and then for sunset. its a very active temple. in the evening you get the locals coming in to pray and make offerings. i was lucky enough to be there when a large number [several hundred] of novice monks were performing an evening ritual. all singing/chanting in unison, jasmine in the air etc. it was pretty unique and a great way to end my day. food wise you can eat very well here. gekko, union and blind tiger were my regular haunts but trip advisor is pretty reliable. you can also have very crazy nights out on yangon
i never made it to inle so can't comment on that. the capital naypyidaw is worth a stop simply as its so bonkers. the previous government were worried about an attack from the sea, so built a new city designed around a threat of invasion. there are 8 lanes highways running through the centre [for landing aircraft] with hardly any vehicles on them. huge statues and grandiose buildings, but hardly anyone living there. its very weird. tons of hotels and i also ate very well here.
lastly to get that 'thailand before it was popular' vibe you have to head to the beach. ngapali is the famous one but dawei and thandwe are also very good. unspoiled sands, clear blue sea, fresh fish on the bbq.
i would definitely recommend it. myanmar is by far and away the most unique place i have visited and i am pretty widely travelled. you can go to villages that make you feel like you've stepped back in time several centuries and the whole village comes out to meet you.
the people are also uniformly very humble, welcoming and friendly. i went to weddings, family dinners, all sorts. never had anything stolen or even attempted to [although usual rules apply in mandalay and yangon re: safety] and never felt cause for concern. when you meet people, smile and say mingalaba [auspiciousness to you]. thank you in pigeon form is chezzu di maray, outside the cities people will see foreigners very few and far between, the reaction to the above will be smiles all round.
just remember that outside the tourist areas, no-one will speak english. you can hire a guide/translator but they seem to be used to rich americans. i had to hire a translator and they wanted $1600 a month which is ridiculous. ended up hiring a girl who was working as a bank teller in myingyan simply by asking her if she'd do it whilst i was in there receiving a transfer.
if you have any specific questions please ask. i have many fond memories and still have contacts there.
the country has changed loads since the previous poster visited. my colleague had done something like 60trips over the past 3 years and he said it was remarkable at the pace of change both in terms of development and the attitude/outlook of the people.
its a big country, internal flights are regular, safe and cheap. i flew on all the local airlines and never once had cause for concern. if i were you i'd do bangkok to mandalay and then base your itinerary around a circular trip.
mandalay itself is a hole but has some interesting sights - the palace [a recreation after it was destroyed in the war], the golden buddha and mandalay hill. i can recommend the mandalay hill resort, very nice, awesome spa and perhaps the best massage i have ever had in my life. if you visit the opal markets then go very early, the ones actually doing proper business will be away before lunchtime and they're the ones who'll be cutting/dealing in weight, not tourist stones.
you can drive to bagan from mandalay in 3hrs. worthwhile as its a decent road and goes through a string of villages all the way down. you'll pass by myingyan which is where i was based and where the famous prison is which they kept/keep political prisoners.
bagan is simply stunning. take a good camera, get up early. i had a guy visit to do a marketing film who brought a drone along, he took some amazing images at dawn and sunset. bagan is easily the biggest tourist draw so has a good range of boutique hotels and hostels and loads of westerners milling about. its very reminiscent of sri lanka if you have been there.
yangon is still falling down and is a bustling, noisy, dirty , colourful metropolis. i really like the place. shwe dagon is obviously the biggest draw. i'd recommend going a couple of times, once during the day and then for sunset. its a very active temple. in the evening you get the locals coming in to pray and make offerings. i was lucky enough to be there when a large number [several hundred] of novice monks were performing an evening ritual. all singing/chanting in unison, jasmine in the air etc. it was pretty unique and a great way to end my day. food wise you can eat very well here. gekko, union and blind tiger were my regular haunts but trip advisor is pretty reliable. you can also have very crazy nights out on yangon
i never made it to inle so can't comment on that. the capital naypyidaw is worth a stop simply as its so bonkers. the previous government were worried about an attack from the sea, so built a new city designed around a threat of invasion. there are 8 lanes highways running through the centre [for landing aircraft] with hardly any vehicles on them. huge statues and grandiose buildings, but hardly anyone living there. its very weird. tons of hotels and i also ate very well here.
lastly to get that 'thailand before it was popular' vibe you have to head to the beach. ngapali is the famous one but dawei and thandwe are also very good. unspoiled sands, clear blue sea, fresh fish on the bbq.
i would definitely recommend it. myanmar is by far and away the most unique place i have visited and i am pretty widely travelled. you can go to villages that make you feel like you've stepped back in time several centuries and the whole village comes out to meet you.
the people are also uniformly very humble, welcoming and friendly. i went to weddings, family dinners, all sorts. never had anything stolen or even attempted to [although usual rules apply in mandalay and yangon re: safety] and never felt cause for concern. when you meet people, smile and say mingalaba [auspiciousness to you]. thank you in pigeon form is chezzu di maray, outside the cities people will see foreigners very few and far between, the reaction to the above will be smiles all round.
just remember that outside the tourist areas, no-one will speak english. you can hire a guide/translator but they seem to be used to rich americans. i had to hire a translator and they wanted $1600 a month which is ridiculous. ended up hiring a girl who was working as a bank teller in myingyan simply by asking her if she'd do it whilst i was in there receiving a transfer.
if you have any specific questions please ask. i have many fond memories and still have contacts there.
We went a couple of years ago and loved it, we did a tour with Insider Journeys, check out the web site for itinerarys.
Only place we didn't like much was Mandalay but that was personal preference, Bagan was fantastic, the Shewdagon pagoda was fantastic - we arrived when full moon festival was on. Did a train trip - well enough said. What you will find is poverty, a medieval way of living and a lot of rubbish along the side of the road but the people are lovely, friendly and generous smilers! The Pa-O people from Shan district are as pure bred as you can find and generally keep themselves to themselves, they have a very distinctive look and the woman wear red headgear.
Emirates now fly direct to Yangon from Dubai so no need to go to Bangkok at all unless you want to.
Only place we didn't like much was Mandalay but that was personal preference, Bagan was fantastic, the Shewdagon pagoda was fantastic - we arrived when full moon festival was on. Did a train trip - well enough said. What you will find is poverty, a medieval way of living and a lot of rubbish along the side of the road but the people are lovely, friendly and generous smilers! The Pa-O people from Shan district are as pure bred as you can find and generally keep themselves to themselves, they have a very distinctive look and the woman wear red headgear.
Emirates now fly direct to Yangon from Dubai so no need to go to Bangkok at all unless you want to.
Thanks Gents, I am not as interested in the city's, main reasons to visit are Bagan and Lake Inle.
With respect, I do not expect it to be 'pure' or different, for me it is an interesting country to see the changes (the plan would be to visit again in 5 appx years).
I really enjoyed Thailand and Cambodia and am aware of the generally miserable conditions that many people live in.
The plan would be to hire local guides in each place when / where required and as someone else suggested to, perhaps, take a mini drone for Bagan
I remember reading about the capital being moved from the coast inland and was it not where TG visited with the huge highways etc?
Please, any further suggestions / trips / hotels drop me a private mail or post them here, it seems there is some interest in Burma so why not keep a running thread.
I will post up some guidance from my colleague who spent some time there in 2014/5, very different from what you suggest DoubleSix, more in line with the other posters.
With respect, I do not expect it to be 'pure' or different, for me it is an interesting country to see the changes (the plan would be to visit again in 5 appx years).
I really enjoyed Thailand and Cambodia and am aware of the generally miserable conditions that many people live in.
The plan would be to hire local guides in each place when / where required and as someone else suggested to, perhaps, take a mini drone for Bagan
I remember reading about the capital being moved from the coast inland and was it not where TG visited with the huge highways etc?
Please, any further suggestions / trips / hotels drop me a private mail or post them here, it seems there is some interest in Burma so why not keep a running thread.
I will post up some guidance from my colleague who spent some time there in 2014/5, very different from what you suggest DoubleSix, more in line with the other posters.
Any other views from people who have been?
I've got a 10 day trip out there in March planned and it will be just myself (O/H cant get time off and isn't really in to this sort of holiday anyway!). I've travelled extensively in S.E Asia but Burma has always had this allure.
Ive booked 2 nights in Yangon and then a flight to Mandalay and that is it so far - plan to go with the flow. Bagan certainly on the list, I'm a keen diver but the southern islands appear all but impossible to visit without expensive liveabords. Inle lake has mixed reviews?
I seem to be following the old Top Gear chaps for my solo travels - Vietnam and the Hai Van pass and now Myanmar!
I've got a 10 day trip out there in March planned and it will be just myself (O/H cant get time off and isn't really in to this sort of holiday anyway!). I've travelled extensively in S.E Asia but Burma has always had this allure.
Ive booked 2 nights in Yangon and then a flight to Mandalay and that is it so far - plan to go with the flow. Bagan certainly on the list, I'm a keen diver but the southern islands appear all but impossible to visit without expensive liveabords. Inle lake has mixed reviews?
I seem to be following the old Top Gear chaps for my solo travels - Vietnam and the Hai Van pass and now Myanmar!
Edited by rockford22 on Friday 20th January 13:40
I went in October for 11 days, absolutely loved it.
Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, Inle Lake
Inle lake was nice to visit but there isn't much to do there
Bagan is a definite must but I dont know how you can spend a long period of time there, once you've seen 50 temples they tend to lose their appeal, lacquerware and other skilled shops were interesting.
Yangon was OK but it's a big city
Mandalay I enjoyed a lot, wish I had spent an extra day there instead of Inle
People are really friendly and helpful,
For example; we didn't go with any guides and went to the Mahmuni Buddhist temple in Mandalay, unfortunately there's not much english signage so it was hard to workout what was happening, then one of the monks come up and asks us if we need help, he then spent an hour or so taking us around the temple explaining everything, dont think we could have a better guide.
Or the random roadside petrol seller in Bagan who saw us cycling, said did we want to see a temple, told us to follow and then got on his moped and headed off the road into the wilderness. Pulls up at a temple 3 mins later and opens the gates and shows us how to climb up to the top, it's somewhere we would have never found. Having said that the girl in our group was expecting us to get murdered, she's less trusting
A lot of begging or trying to guilt you into purchases at tourist spots
Sleeper train from Yangon to Mandalay was erm interesting, we flew the other legs.
Would definitely recommend it
Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, Inle Lake
Inle lake was nice to visit but there isn't much to do there
Bagan is a definite must but I dont know how you can spend a long period of time there, once you've seen 50 temples they tend to lose their appeal, lacquerware and other skilled shops were interesting.
Yangon was OK but it's a big city
Mandalay I enjoyed a lot, wish I had spent an extra day there instead of Inle
People are really friendly and helpful,
For example; we didn't go with any guides and went to the Mahmuni Buddhist temple in Mandalay, unfortunately there's not much english signage so it was hard to workout what was happening, then one of the monks come up and asks us if we need help, he then spent an hour or so taking us around the temple explaining everything, dont think we could have a better guide.
Or the random roadside petrol seller in Bagan who saw us cycling, said did we want to see a temple, told us to follow and then got on his moped and headed off the road into the wilderness. Pulls up at a temple 3 mins later and opens the gates and shows us how to climb up to the top, it's somewhere we would have never found. Having said that the girl in our group was expecting us to get murdered, she's less trusting
A lot of begging or trying to guilt you into purchases at tourist spots
Sleeper train from Yangon to Mandalay was erm interesting, we flew the other legs.
Would definitely recommend it
Edited by MyM2006 on Friday 20th January 22:52
Thanks guys, interesting to hear experiences!
Im thinking of doing the fast ferry from Mandalay to Bagan ("fast" being 10 hours or so) which may be interesting...not sure if the views are that great given the river is very wide at times.
Looking forward to it now, very nearly didn't click buy to the flights but glad I have now!
Im thinking of doing the fast ferry from Mandalay to Bagan ("fast" being 10 hours or so) which may be interesting...not sure if the views are that great given the river is very wide at times.
Looking forward to it now, very nearly didn't click buy to the flights but glad I have now!
Mandalay and Yangoon are dry dusty towns with not much there to see - apart from temples. Admittedly I visited after long spelks in other parts of Asia so I was all templed out !
Fondest memory of the place was chilling out in Kalow and a 3 day trek staying with local people in their villages, beautiful country side.
Bagan is amazing if you like temples !! Another dry dusty town, I must admit I regret not doing a hot air balloon ride at dawn.
Don't bother going to Golden rock, its out of the way, look at some pictures instead.
Fondest memory of the place was chilling out in Kalow and a 3 day trek staying with local people in their villages, beautiful country side.
Bagan is amazing if you like temples !! Another dry dusty town, I must admit I regret not doing a hot air balloon ride at dawn.
Don't bother going to Golden rock, its out of the way, look at some pictures instead.
rockford22 said:
Im thinking of doing the fast ferry from Mandalay to Bagan ("fast" being 10 hours or so) which may be interesting...not sure if the views are that great given the river is very wide at times.
I researched this quite a bit (lots of threads on Lonely Planet forums) and decided against it. Its many, many hours and after the first hour you've got use to the scenary and the rest is all the same. Its going to be very, I don't think the boats are very luxurious as you are sitting on plastic or wooden chairs so not very comfortable. I chose the train trip which are always great fun, the track from Bagan is actually a lot newer than the rest of the country (the other tracks described as hilariously bumpy by other travellers). You see a lot more I think than the boat trip would let you see.
rockford22 said:
Thanks guys, interesting to hear experiences!
Im thinking of doing the fast ferry from Mandalay to Bagan ("fast" being 10 hours or so) which may be interesting...not sure if the views are that great given the river is very wide at times.
Looking forward to it now, very nearly didn't click buy to the flights but glad I have now!
Did this in 2014 but the other way round. Tremendous sailing up the Irrawaddy. Arrived at Mandalay in the gathering gloom, the air thick with woodsmoke and all the temples lit up. Was like the scene out of Apocalypse Now. River is really wide but if you sit up on deck you get a good view of the riverbanks - not much to see to be honest and all the posh tourists who have paid fortunes for their 3 day river cruises. We had about 10 people on ours (it's the regular run ferry leaves about 5.30am) had a small food hatch and lots of beer !Im thinking of doing the fast ferry from Mandalay to Bagan ("fast" being 10 hours or so) which may be interesting...not sure if the views are that great given the river is very wide at times.
Looking forward to it now, very nearly didn't click buy to the flights but glad I have now!
Well I've been and come back now, what a wonderful country.
Flew in to Yangon, really interesting city, enjoyed walking around downtown, lots of greenery, very little in the way of touts or any hassle. Locals were friendly, felt very safe, pretty hot but humidity was tolerable. Flew up to Mandalay but things went a little wrong due to airport closure so ended up with next to no time, hot footed it to Mandalay Hill which was fantastic and gave great views. Bus down to Bagan and a day on an E-bike, felt like a play ground and a little surreal with temples everywhere you look and tourists all bombing around on their electric scooters.
The 12 hour bus from Bagan to Nyuang Shwe (Inle Lake) was not particularly comfortable but again, an experience and met lots of fellow travelers. Inle Lake was beautiful, hired a boat for a day and then hired a bike and rode around the local villages. A quick stop off at Pindaya to see the Buddhist cave temple on the way to Heho airport for a flight back to Yangon connecting with my long haul back to London.
A very tiring whistle stop tour of Myanmar but one that I won't forget. Most of all I cannot praise the people enough, they were the most helpful and friendly nation I have ever met, coupled with staggering temples, beautiful scenery and in some areas a real look back to how life "used to be" (think ox and carts and horses), it was a hell of a trip!
Flew in to Yangon, really interesting city, enjoyed walking around downtown, lots of greenery, very little in the way of touts or any hassle. Locals were friendly, felt very safe, pretty hot but humidity was tolerable. Flew up to Mandalay but things went a little wrong due to airport closure so ended up with next to no time, hot footed it to Mandalay Hill which was fantastic and gave great views. Bus down to Bagan and a day on an E-bike, felt like a play ground and a little surreal with temples everywhere you look and tourists all bombing around on their electric scooters.
The 12 hour bus from Bagan to Nyuang Shwe (Inle Lake) was not particularly comfortable but again, an experience and met lots of fellow travelers. Inle Lake was beautiful, hired a boat for a day and then hired a bike and rode around the local villages. A quick stop off at Pindaya to see the Buddhist cave temple on the way to Heho airport for a flight back to Yangon connecting with my long haul back to London.
A very tiring whistle stop tour of Myanmar but one that I won't forget. Most of all I cannot praise the people enough, they were the most helpful and friendly nation I have ever met, coupled with staggering temples, beautiful scenery and in some areas a real look back to how life "used to be" (think ox and carts and horses), it was a hell of a trip!
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff