Planning a trip to Burma

[ezzra]

A group of us planning a trip to Burma next month ( real tourist, not a visa run)

therefore, I'd like to solicit any information regarding mid range hotels and sight seeing

trips around Yangon and perhaps a side trip to Mandalay or Nyaung Shwe and Inle lake,

any recommendations and personal account regarding all the above and domestic flight

will be most appreciated,

[pomchop]

http://www.travelfish.org/country/burma_Myanmar

some info here

[ezzra]

Well it seems that most of the guys who go to Burma from on this forum are a visa

runners, hence the no response to my post, look like I'll have to it the hard way

and Google it all by my self... Oh, well...

[Smurkster]

i went last month and stayed mostly in Yangon. Saw shwedagon pagoda and got a feel for the city, but then I made a trip to Mandalay and Bagan,. you can skip mandalay, but bagan is amazing everyone says Inle Lake is too but i didnt go. Cheap flights, Nok Air Bangkok to Yangon about $50/person. It is a wonderful country, pick up a lonely planet and go for it!

[farangmerou]

Check this, this http://www.travel-myanmar-all.com

it is picture oriented with a couple of relevant videos, also interesting from the airport and nightlife. Basically, hotel prices triplet in the last 2 years. Try bookings for hotels they have the biggest repertoire. Take only a hotel in the center either in Yangon or Mandalay. Otherwise you waste to much time on the road since there is no public transport it would get quickly quite expensive with the taxi. Dont change money at the airport since the rates are not good, there are enough money changer now on the way to town and downtown. Change enough money in Yangon all other places dont have a good rate and use dollars, some changer also take Baht now but again the rate is not good. When arriving and you dont have much to carry just ignore the taxi whisperer, walk out of the building, down to the main road and dont pay more than 6$ to down town thats about half of what you would pay around the arrival building. Write the name of the hotel and the address down and show it to the driver, most of them wont understand when you try to explain. Best shopping is at Boyoke Market opposite Sule Shangri-La. One evening try Powerlight Entertainment, another one Zero Zone at ..tengysee.. in Chinatown, have a good trip.

[darkian]

Spent 3 weeks there this year. I had a motorbike (see my profile pic ; ) so can't comment on transportation, other than to warn you never to take the Mandalay to Yangon train - so bumpy, it was hell for about 12 hours.

I liked Mandalay and that area - went up to Pynn Oh Lynn or whatever it's called, went to the buddhist caves. Someone else I know went to good caves in the east of the country. I also went down to the coast in the west, which was good but more expensive. Lake Inle was ok, I think it would be nice to actually stay on the lake in one of the villages. Bagan is a must see - I think I ended up there for about 5 days. Having the motorbike made it way more fun, but unfortunately you can't rent bikes there - the only way to have a bike there is to bring it from another city. I rented mine in Mandalay.

[farangmerou]

Spent 3 weeks there this year. I had a motorbike (see my profile pic ; ) so can't comment on transportation, other than to warn you never to take the Mandalay to Yangon train - so bumpy, it was hell for about 12 hours.

I liked Mandalay and that area - went up to Pynn Oh Lynn or whatever it's called, went to the buddhist caves. Someone else I know went to good caves in the east of the country. I also went down to the coast in the west, which was good but more expensive. Lake Inle was ok, I think it would be nice to actually stay on the lake in one of the villages. Bagan is a must see - I think I ended up there for about 5 days. Having the motorbike made it way more fun, but unfortunately you can't rent bikes there - the only way to have a bike there is to bring it from another city. I rented mine in Mandalay.

It is simply banned to drive a bike in Yangon, the military brought that in already decades ago, first they were afraid of assassination (now this system from Thailand) and they dont have enough medicals for that amount of accidents which will come up, just look at Thailand. In general when traveling to Myanmar make a good insurance if you have trouble over there you better get out immidiately. But dont do this with air asia, they offer one but if you have trouble they try everything to get rid of you and wont help. Try Nok I used them the other day and everything went fine, they also have new planes.

[farangmerou]

Well it seems that most of the guys who go to Burma from on this forum are a visa

runners, hence the no response to my post, look like I'll have to it the hard way

and Google it all by my self... Oh, well...

Dont be so pessimistic you think that everyone jumps instantly when Mr. ezzra screams? Take it easy and "cha cha".

[phuketrichard]

I flew up to Mandalay in July, ( air asia) got my pre approved visa in advance online, rented a motorcycle for 4 days

took the boat down to Bagan

train back

had a great trip

Note; Oct thru March is high season so suggest u pre book ur rooms wherever u want to go

http://www.khmer440.com/chat_forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=42495

and my photos of the trip; http://phuket.zenfolio.com/f125862719

You can rent Ebikes in Bagan, great way to get around

good rates for exchange $ at the Mandalay airport ( make sure they are VERY new bills, no, tears, or have been folded alot) many places ( hotels, Tours) take $$

If you fly to Yangoon you cna get VOA $50

or get it at the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok (820-1,200 baht)

[Roota]

you can skip mandalay

I suspect the only people who dismiss Mandalay are the ones who don't spend time to get to know it. Fantastic waterfront scene, lovely old temple quarter, and the classic train ride to Maymyo, on up to Lashio near the Chinese border. There isn't much exotic left in SE Asia travel but this bit still is.

[farangmerou]

you can skip mandalay

I suspect the only people who dismiss Mandalay are the ones who don't spend time to get to know it. Fantastic waterfront scene, lovely old temple quarter, and the classic train ride to Maymyo, on up to Lashio near the Chinese border. There isn't much exotic left in SE Asia travel but this bit still is.

You are right for the meantime take this: http://www.mandalayall.com/

With Mandalay it is the same as with almost all other places in the country you need a tour guide to go with you at least the first time for orientation, if anyone think they can find anything by running around with lonely planet they will only find about 20% of the stuff what counts. Forget this tourist guide books that is only surface if someone dont have the $20 to pay a guide he or she better stay at home what for he or she travels?

[phuketrichard]

you dont need a guide at all in Mandalay or Bagan or Yangoon or Hsipaw or.........

what a load of rubbish

[craigt3365]

I flew up to Mandalay in July, ( air asia) got my pre approved visa in advance online, rented a motorcycle for 4 days

took the boat down to Bagan

train back

had a great trip

Note; Oct thru March is high season so suggest u pre book ur rooms wherever u want to go

http://www.khmer440.com/chat_forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=42495

and my photos of the trip; http://phuket.zenfolio.com/f125862719

You can rent Ebikes in Bagan, great way to get around

good rates for exchange $ at the Mandalay airport ( make sure they are VERY new bills, no, tears, or have been folded alot) many places ( hotels, Tours) take $$

If you fly to Yangoon you cna get VOA $50

or get it at the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok (820-1,200 baht)

I saw these before on a previous post from you. Fantastic pics. Really nice. I'm hoping to go in perhaps early November. I know it will be high(er) season, but don't want to go too early and get hit by heavy rains...like several years ago! LOL

Thanks for sharing!

[craigt3365]

you dont need a guide at all in Mandalay or Bagan or Yangoon or Hsipaw or.........

what a load of rubbish

I've had mixed results with guides. Some were pretty good, but many were close to worthless. I'd have been better off with a guide book....The ones that really paid off were in Egypt right after the riots. Prices were rock bottom and they took you into locked rooms for an extra dollar or so. Priceless.

[phuketrichard]

Nov will be real nice BUT suggest u book ur hotels NOW

only time i had a guide was in Luxor and thats only cause he wouldn't let me take his donkey alone :-)

Edited September 14, 2014 by phuketrichard

[KhnomKhnom]

The only type of tourist who can think about taking a bike alone and running around in Burma (or Lao) should be large, strong, look like a fighter, and be very street smart.

When I fit that description, I toured alone all over Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, India, and Lao. Now that I look as old as I am and walk with a limp... no way now !

Just saying ........

[phuketrichard]

i never fit that description ( except am very street smart) and have traveled in all those places with a bicycle ( except Burma)

Plus add in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand & Cambodia.

I was young thou :-)

[ezzra]

Well it seems that most of the guys who go to Burma from on this forum are a visa

runners, hence the no response to my post, look like I'll have to it the hard way

and Google it all by my self... Oh, well...

Dont be so pessimistic you think that everyone jumps instantly when Mr. ezzra screams? Take it easy and "cha cha".

Thank you for the advice Oh grand master.... what is cha cha? some kind of tea?

[ezzra]

Thank you all, a plethora of useful information, will conceder them all and probably use

most...

[khunjimbo]

Ezzra...I have loads of info, having travelled to Myanmar twice for a month each time. Email me <snip> + if you're on facebook I can give you some informative posts.

edit: email address removed for safety. Please use the PM function to contact another member.

[aussiep]

Well it seems that most of the guys who go to Burma from on this forum are a visa

runners, hence the no response to my post, look like I'll have to it the hard way

and Google it all by my self... Oh, well...

Dont be so pessimistic you think that everyone jumps instantly when Mr. ezzra screams? Take it easy and "cha cha".

Thank you for the advice Oh grand master.... what is cha cha? some kind of tea?

Thai for slow slow

[craigt3365]

A post with a reference to an inappropriate website has been removed from view.

P.S. Dibuk Street in Phuket is listed in about every guide book I've ever read.

[Katipo]

If you are on a budget, travelfish.org is helpful, as is the lonely planet.

Avoid travel agencies and 'international standard' 3 star type hotels. They are generally very overpriced.

Clean rooms with air-con, en-suite, hot shower will run for about US$30.

[phuketrichard]

Clean rooms with air-con, en-suite, hot shower will run for about US$30.

Double that Nov-March everywhere

Low season doable almost

[IsaanUSA]

I didn't read many of the replies, but I went to visit Yangon, Bagan and Mandalay. 1 day was enough for me in Yangon. Bagan was super cool, I reccomend a couple days. Mandalay was peaceful and relaxing, I reccomend a few days there.

Try to book all your accomidation in advance. We did not do that. We had a terrible time trying to find a room to stay in, and one place we ended up in was HORRIBLE.

We struggled to find food and drink in Yangon when we were there. Plenty of restaurants and bars (i.e. a place to have a drink and relax) in Bagan and Mandalay.

[farangmerou]

I didn't read many of the replies, but I went to visit Yangon, Bagan and Mandalay. 1 day was enough for me in Yangon. Bagan was super cool, I reccomend a couple days. Mandalay was peaceful and relaxing, I reccomend a few days there.

Try to book all your accomidation in advance. We did not do that. We had a terrible time trying to find a room to stay in, and one place we ended up in was HORRIBLE.

We struggled to find food and drink in Yangon when we were there. Plenty of restaurants and bars (i.e. a place to have a drink and relax) in Bagan and Mandalay.

There are enough midrange hotels in Mandalay what you should do is book one before you come when you are already in Yangon and want to do all this stuff go to vegas travel in the Central Hotel they do it. The problem in Mandalay is they are totally overrun by Chinese, in the last couple of years about 2 million Chinese trickled in and settled there. In Yangon it's very difficult to find food which is secure since the hygenics are horrible. For moderate priced food during the day go to the central hotel restaurant and just beside are 2 more restaurants, dont eat street food. In the evening go to Mahabandoola / 19 street but dont eat any seafood you will be very sick, try powerlight restaurant at Kandagyi Lake they have reasonable food with a low price. Includes a sing / dance show. In Chinatown at tengyise is zero zone rest..on the rooftop of the Ambassador building, they have a buffet + show etc. http://myanmarnightlife.blogspot.com/p/dinner-at-mahabandoola-and-19street.html

[Razzler1973]

I went to Burma about 15 years ago so my info is waaay out of date The days before Agoda

I would just say it's fantastic, great country, check out Ngapali Beach also, you can fly there if you want, road was harrowing over some moutains

Inle Lake, Mandalay, Hsipaw, etc all been mentioned and all great places. You'll have a blast!

[farangmerou]

I went to Burma about 15 years ago so my info is waaay out of date The days before Agoda

I would just say it's fantastic, great country, check out Ngapali Beach also, you can fly there if you want, road was harrowing over some moutains

Inle Lake, Mandalay, Hsipaw, etc all been mentioned and all great places. You'll have a blast!

Or try this for a change: http://baganmyanmarall.blogspot.com thats the top destination there, its total unique.

[IsaanUSA]

ezzra, any more questions?

[rak sa_ngop]

I didn't read many of the replies, but I went to visit Yangon, Bagan and Mandalay. 1 day was enough for me in Yangon. Bagan was super cool, I reccomend a couple days. Mandalay was peaceful and relaxing, I reccomend a few days there.

Try to book all your accomidation in advance. We did not do that. We had a terrible time trying to find a room to stay in, and one place we ended up in was HORRIBLE.

We struggled to find food and drink in Yangon when we were there. Plenty of restaurants and bars (i.e. a place to have a drink and relax) in Bagan and Mandalay.

The problem I find in Yangon is that there a number of high class restaurants and bars especially in the luxury hotels, and hundreds of low class beer bar/restaurants where you are likely to sit next to somebody expectorating into a conveniently located spit bucket, but there seem to be very few places in between for the average tourist. So like booking hotel rooms, a bit of research and forward planning is required.

Yangon is a great place to walk around and explore a way of life that will soon vanish.