Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ramen209]

We are considering a 2 week backpacking trip to Burma/Myanmar, and need any advice from anywhere who has visited.... and can answer any of the following questions

Is it worth it to visit?

What was your favorite city/attraction?

How did you get there and how much did it cost?

Is it a good place to visit as a budget destination?

How's the weather?

Thanks!

[azzwell]

[dosed_neurons]

my best friend went for a few months, now i am going...it is amazing.

[Drew345]

Yeah, its a great travel experience.
The usual route is:
Yangon - Inle Lake - Mandalay - Maymyo (option) - Bagan - Yangon.
Or do it in reverse. That's about 2 weeks.
Inle Lake and Bagan are the highlights.

[Felix the Cat]

[ajgeddes]

I was there in January for 11 days. I went to Yangon, Inle Lake, Mandalay, and Bagan. I cut down on travel time by flying because things are far apart and the roads are the worst I have ever seen. There are no smooth roads.

It's definitely a great place to visit and the people are very friendly.

[Felix the Cat]

[deessell]

Please go! The local people need your money. The country has not been hit by the 'great white wave' yet and remains very poor.

I found many people eager to tell me about the political situation there, which was quite refreshing.

Bagan is very beautiful, especially from the Hot Air Balloon!!

Go, give the people some of your cash. Buy Jade, it's some of the best in the world and very cheap.

The taxi's are all old Japanese cars. You will travel in beat-up Datsuns around Rangoon. The cocktails are very strong at The Stand, beware.

[hogwonguy1979]

been there twice and absolutely loved it,dirt cheap (think the most I paid for a room last summer was US$15/night most were under $10/night) follow the typical tourist route (Yangon, Inle, Mandalay (so-so), and Bagan (awe inspiring) ) and you'll be fine. best bargains are the teashops you can kill an afternoon snacking and people watching for under a dollar

yeah i had a problem giving the junta money by flying but its so much easier to get around that way, the roads and vehicles will cause you to lose your fillings

people are nice and want you to spread the word about their plight

net access is spotty, cell phones dont work and yes there are blackouts or only certian times generators will run but not too much of a problem

you can easily get a visa in seoul dont bother trying in bangkok

anything else pm me

[Arthur Dent]

I was there for most of February. Bring earplugs, several pairs actually. The mufflers, vehicles that have them, are very noisy.

Morning is early there. If you have a room facing the street, expect to be woken by 5:30 or 6:00 at the latest. Buses and trucks start running early to take advantage of the light and the cool morning. Hence the earplugs.

A train ride is worth it, though the money does to go to the government. They are slower than buses, but an interesting trip. Do shorter ones though. Yangon to Mandalay is rather long.

Two weeks isn't long for Myanmar.

I found Mandalay more interesting than Yangon. Especially the market.

A trek near Inle lake or Kalaw is worth a few days. Or you could do it near the Gokteik gorge.

The people are very friendly, take the bicycle trishaws as often as you can. Cheap.
A great way to speak to the locals.

You can get a visa in Bangkok very easily, and it is cheaper to fly from there by buying a return flight in Bangkok. You can pay a little more for an express visa there, that is if you do not have time to get one in Seoul.

Always carry a flashlight or headlamp, street lights go out at night and the sidewalks are treacherous.

If you are going soon, prices should be lower for flights from Bangkok to Yangon, it is the low season. It's humid on the plains, but a trip to Inle or Pyin Oo Lwin will cool you off.

Two weeks should cost about $500 for two (total), but of course it depends on what you do and buy. I'd bring extra in case you need to fly out at a moments notice. You have to use local or US cash for flights once you are in country.

Change your money through the guest houses, and use 100 dollar bills. You'll get a better rate.

The rate in Yangon was about 97,000 Kyat for $100.00 in February. Be prepared to do a lot of counting, and don't change on the street.

The smaller bills are dirty, crumpled and torn, but more useful than the 1,000 Kyat bills for most purchases.

I got my haircut for 1,000 Kyat. It was supposed to be 800.

Most basic meals will run between one and two thousand Kyat or less - for basic tea shop meals that is.

Have a great trip!

[AsiaESLbound]

I just returned yesterday from an amazing 2 week DIY trip through Myanmar. I wished I could had used all of the 28 days on the visa, because this is one fascinating country. I got VOA, but they are to stop offering it come September 1st due to the only recently announced elections on November 7th. I spent $800, but bought about $300 worth of souvenirs, $120 in domestic air tickets, and gave away about $100. While it's best to avoid the expensive hotels and country clubs, the government isn't trying to make money on tourism; it's about putting on a good image or saving face. They do try to hide the facts of the horrible situation they created and it's apparent locals are threatened to not take tourists certain places, speak openly, nor fleece tourists.

[alwaysbeclosing100]

i just got back two weeks ago......best country i have ever been to.......i generally hate doing overland stuff and prefer short flight hops but in burma i think it would be worth the extra effort to take your time and doing as much by train and bus as possible so you can really see the country........it is an amazing place........take as many NEW IN PERFECT CONDITION small US bills as possible.........

[alwaysbeclosing100]

[Rothbard]

Why the emphasis on new bills?

I guess so that they can circulate for as long as possible?

[Koreadays]

I had the fortune of visiting this amazing place a few years ago
Hands down the best country I have visited. and I have been to over 30 countries on almost all continents! it truely is one of the few untouched, tourist ridden beathtaking places left on the planet. visit now before they open up the country and it becomes the next circus like siemreap or thailand.