Myanmar is still a relatively new travel destination – it officially opened to tourists in 2011. This makes it a very unique and authentic place to visit and I can only recommend putting this beautiful country on your bucket list! If you don’t know what to expect, here are some things you should know before going to Myanmar:

Burma or Myanmar?

First of all, let’s talk about the name. Is it called Burma or Myanmar? Burma is an old name of the country – it was officially changed to Myanmar in 1989. However, people all over the world still use both names to refer to this Southeast Asian state. Personally, I find that not everyone is aware of the new name and especially older generations know the country as Burma.

The Half Hour Time Zone

It’s quite uncommon (and kinda pointless if you ask me) for countries to be set in half-hour time zones. There are only a few of such instances in the world and Myanmar is one of them: it’s half an hour behind Thailand’s time. Other Asian countries with half hour time zones are India, Sri Lanka, Iran and Afghanistan (and Nepal has a 45-min time zone!).

The skirts worn by men are called “Longyi”

…and they are not skirts. Longyi is a traditional wear in Myanmar – a big cloth tied around the waist, so it looks like a skirt. There are different types for men and women but basically it’s what everyone wears in Myanmar. You can even get one for yourself 🙂

The red marks on the ground isn’t blood

…that’s betel. Myanmar is obsessed with betel nut, which is actually a local drug (yes, it’s legal). People love chewing it with tobacco and other ingredients and then spitting it out, leaving the country’s pavements stained. Regular consumers of betel have red and unhealthy teeth as a result – not a pretty sight.

What do people have on their faces??

Another obsession in Myanmar is thanaka. You will see virtually everyone (but more often women) with yellow decorations on their cheeks, nose and sometimes entire faces. Thanaka powder comes from the wood of a thanaka tree and is traditionally used as a natural cosmetic product in Myanmar. It has many benefits including sun protection, soothing and cooling the skin and many more. No wonder the Burmese all have such a healthy skin!

I recommend you to try thanaka for yourself while you’re in Myanmar because you won’t find it anywhere else in the world! It might also get you a lot of compliments from the locals who consider thanaka beautiful 😉

Currency in Myanmar

The local currency is Myanmar kyat (MMK), pronounced “chat”. The best way to get those is by bringing US dollars and exchanging them for kyats in Myanmar, just make sure they look brand new! They cannot be bent, marked or torn in any way – if they are, they won’t be accepted. You will also have no trouble finding ATMs in Myanmar.

Keep in mind you can’t get or exchange kyats outside of Myanmar, so if you have any local currency left at the end of your trip, exchange it at the airport before leaving the country.

Some tourist places also accept payments in US dollars but I found it easier to just use kyats everywhere.

Be Prepared for Zone Fees

Heading to Bagan? Inle Lake? Mandalay? Mingun? All the popular places have entrance fees. In 2018, the prices were as follows: 25,000 MMK to enter Bagan (valid for 3 days), 13,500 MMK to enter Inle (valid for 5 days), 10,000 MMK for the Mandalay Archaeological Zone (valid for 5 days) and 5,000 MMK to enter Mingun. These are the places you will most likely visit but of course you might be asked to pay smaller amounts elsewhere, too.

Tourists are not allowed everywhere

As a relatively new tourist destination, Myanmar still has many places that are off-limits to foreigners. It can be whole states like the Rakhine state (due to the Rohingya conflict) or smaller areas. I was quite puzzled when I visited the Mandalay Royal Palace and realised foreigners can only enter through one of its many entrances and are not allowed to walk off the main path leading to the palace. If you stay on the usual tourist route in Myanmar, you will be fine. Otherwise it’s a good idea to check before you travel.

E-visa for Myanmar

Unless you are a citizen of the few (mainly neighbouring Asian) countries who can enter visa-free, you will need a visa to visit Myanmar. Majority of nationalities can apply for an e-visa which costs $50. Note that you have to know where you will be entering Myanmar to fill out your application. The Myanmar e-visa processing time is up to 3 days so make sure you apply in good time.

Can you access the Internet in Myanmar?

Don’t worry, the Internet is no longer censored in Myanmar! Wifi is increasingly more common and you’ll probably find it at every hotel and hostel these days. The connection can still be a bit slow and occasional power cuts happen in Myanmar so I recommend getting a local SIM card with data when you arrive in the country – they are ridiculously cheap! I used Ooredoo and have no complaints whatsoever.

 

Get Used to Those 4am Arrivals

Buses are a great way to travel around Myanmar but for some reason majority of them are night buses arriving at destinations like Mandalay, Inle Lake, Bagan or Yangon at 4am. Every time. Don’t get me wrong, I love night buses – yay for saving money on accommodation – but haggling with taxi drivers while you’re still half asleep definitely wasn’t my favourite thing about Myanmar. At least it’s so common that many hostels and hotels will welcome you and even give you a bed right away after your early morning arrival.

Night buses in Myanmar rock!

And when I say night buses, don’t expect to be crammed into some old clunker that is about to fall apart. Nope! You will find a different kind of luxury when taking a night bus in Myanmar. (Keep in mind I’m talking about “VIP buses” used mostly by tourists so they are a bit fancier than what the locals use on a daily basis. The VIP buses are super cheap though so there is no need to suffer on a vehicle with no A/C!)

Trust me, once you experience the VIP buses in Myanmar, it will be hard to believe you are in a developing country. They are air-conditioned, with comfortable reclining seats, blankets, lots of legroom, snacks and sometimes even Wifi, screens and sockets! You actually get more comfort on a Myanmar bus than an economy class on a plane.

There is just one weird thing I didn’t see anywhere else. When your bus stops for a toilet break at 1am, the driver forces everyone to get off and then closes the bus doors for the whole duration of the break. Whyyy?

…but the roads suck.

Despite the comfort of night buses, it might still be hard to get a good sleep on the road. Myanmar’s roads have many potholes and are generally in a pretty bad condition. Just like in Laos, be prepared for some bumpy rides!

Beware of Holes

Southeast Asia is generally not very pedestrian-friendly and Myanmar is no different. There are not just potholes in the roads here, but in pavements too. And I mean massive holes that will send you straight into the sewage if you take one wrong step. Be careful when walking on pavements in Myanmar – especially Mandalay!

Left or right?

If you are wondering on which side of the road people drive in Myanmar, it’s the right hand side. However, don’t be surprised if you see cars that have steering wheels on the right. As a former British colony, Myanmar was a left-driving country until 1970 and many cars are still a reminder of that.

What to Wear in Myanmar?

Myanmar is still a fairly conservative country and even though no one will be offended or call you out on it if you’re wearing short shorts and tank tops (they are too kind to do that), you might want to cover up a bit more than you would in Thailand, for example. The locals wear longyis or trousers and long sleeves and you will feel better if you accommodate your clothing style to theirs. Long skirts and elephant pants are ideal to wear in Myanmar. (Especially when you’re visiting temples every day!)

The Barefoot Custom

Every time you want to visit a pagoda or another religious site, you have to take your shoes and socks off. Not just inside of the pagoda, but on its grounds too. Walking barefoot on a baking hot ground when the sun is shining is especially challenging.

People Will Stare

The Burmese are not yet super accustomed to foreigners so many of them will stare at you or even ask for a selfie (they are modern like that 😀 ). It made me feel like I was back in China… except that in Myanmar people are not as rude and everyone will always smile if you catch them looking at you.

Should you visit Myanmar in rainy season?

I was travelling Myanmar in September, in the midst of rainy season and only experienced a few rainy days. Apart from that I remember it being very hot and sunny most of the time (especially Bagan is very dry!) but maybe I was just lucky. The perks of rainy season are virtually no tourists anywhere – but it also has its downside. If you are dreaming of riding the hot air balloon over Bagan, don’t come to Myanmar during rainy season. The hot air balloon season only runs from October to April! Similarly, there are usually no slow boats between Mandalay and Bagan in rainy season.

Is it safe to visit Myanmar?!

I know the country is still surrounded by a certain stigma, and the question of ethics and safety is usually the first on people’s minds when it comes to Myanmar. This can be because of its political situation, the Rohingya crisis or the journalists imprisoned for reporting on it, but the truth is that tourists are not affected by any of these issues.

I personally refuse to boycott tourism in Myanmar based on its politics because the country is much more than that and its lovely people don’t deserve to be punished for crimes of their government. Besides, I felt perfectly safe and welcomed the entire time I was in Myanmar. I urge you to go and see this country for yourself – you will see it a lot differently than on TV.

This is a rather complex issue and I have covered it in more detail in another article, but my short answer is yes, it is safe to visit Myanmar as a tourist.

Why should you visit Myanmar ASAP?

Travelling Myanmar was one of the highlights of my 2018 trip and I always recommend the country to everyone. In fact, you should visit Myanmar as soon as possible before the whole world discovers this hidden gem! (I realise blogging about it doesn’t really help the cause…) Myanmar is still such an authentic country with many unique features and the kindest locals ever and definitely my favourite in Southeast Asia! Tourism here is growing but hopefully it will still take a long time before Myanmar is ruined by overtourism like its neighbouring countries.

And because you’re in Southeast Asia…

There are things you will find everywhere in Southeast Asia and if you have travelled to Thailand, Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia before, they won’t really surprise you. But if you’re completely new to Asia, expect chaotic traffic, a lot of scooters, cheap street food, some squat toilets and lack of toilet paper. Don’t drink tap water in Myanmar (unless you have a filter bottle).

Have you been to Myanmar? Share your own Myanmar travel tips in the comments 😉 If you haven’t been, would you like to visit?

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram where I’m currently sharing a lot of photos from Myanmar! If you’re backpacking Southeast Asia, you might want to check out my posts on Thailand, Laos, Vietnam or Cambodia, too 😉

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