U Pein Bridge - Taung Thaman Lake
Planning a trip to Myanmar?
Due to the lack of available information on my visit I have added some of my own here:
Prices have increased considerably since 2013
due to demand, lack of supply and greed by hotel & Guesthouse owners
Prices at Guesthouses in tourist areas such as Bagan have quadrupled with $20 being charged for a bed in a dirty dormitory.
Some 2014 updates have been added:
Please email :- [email protected]
with any new information.
For advice on the current situation in Myanmar check here:-
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/burma
********** As there are quite a few visitors to this site, if you have recently visited Myanmar please help me to keep this information up to date by sending any current info on accomodation, travel or security**********
Due to the lack of available information on my visit I have added some of my own here:
Prices have increased considerably since 2013
due to demand, lack of supply and greed by hotel & Guesthouse owners
Prices at Guesthouses in tourist areas such as Bagan have quadrupled with $20 being charged for a bed in a dirty dormitory.
Some 2014 updates have been added:
Please email :- [email protected]
with any new information.
For advice on the current situation in Myanmar check here:-
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/burma
********** As there are quite a few visitors to this site, if you have recently visited Myanmar please help me to keep this information up to date by sending any current info on accomodation, travel or security**********
Enjoy Myanmar - Probably one of the safest countries for a foreigner.
Getting there:
You can only enter Myanmar by air at the moment as has been the case for the last 40 years to my knowledge and most people choose to fly the short hop from Bangkok; new routes are opening up now and there is even a flight to Yangon from London Heathrow with QATAR Airways via Doha; there will be more to follow I am sure.
First, Get Your Myanmar Visa:- Here's How
Myanmar Visas are available online from here:-
http://www.myanmarvisacorp.com/faq/how-myanmar-evisa-works
This should shorten the queue at the embassy so it may be cheaper to go there, always worth checking.
The Myanmar Embassy is on South Sathorn Road, Bangkok;
Take the skytrain to Surasak on Sathorn Road and walk up Sathorn Road keeping the Skytrain on your right for about 200m. in the direction of Chong Nonsi BTS Station;
The Myanmar Embassy is the building with a Grey Metal door and people queueing outside.
132, SATHORN NUA ROAD, BANGKOK 10500
Tel : (662) 233-2237, 234-4698, 233-7250, 234 4789,237 7744
Fax : (233) 236-6898
Normal process:- First get a Visa Application Form, fill it in listing the place you are going to stay (use one of the Hotels listed below),
Make sure you have a few passport type photos as they need two of these; it is a good idea to have several as every border crossing requires at least 2.
Get there early, it opens at 09:30 and applications have to be in before 12:30 hours:
collections are from about 15:30 hours.
1. Pick up a tourist form (Left side of counter, no need to queue for this)
2. Pick up an Arrival form too.
3.Go to cafe down the road for photocopies, ( have a drink as this friendly family are performing a useful service) the lady will photocopy your passport while you are filling in the forms.
4. Go back and queue with the forms.
5. Pay money (1250 Baht for same day issue) and get receipt.
6. Return at 15:30 - 16:30 give them the receipt and collect your passport & Visa
You can apply and pick up your visa on the same day (there is an extra fee for this service but it is probably cheaper than coming back and queueing again); I think the cost is about 1250 Baht for the 1 day service, remember to put "TODAY" on the top of your form if you want that service.
That's it.............Queue....hand in your docs......queue again (after 15:30 hrs.) .........pick up passport.........done........easy.
Apart from the fact that it could be really busy.
First, Get Your Myanmar Visa:- Here's How
Myanmar Visas are available online from here:-
http://www.myanmarvisacorp.com/faq/how-myanmar-evisa-works
This should shorten the queue at the embassy so it may be cheaper to go there, always worth checking.
The Myanmar Embassy is on South Sathorn Road, Bangkok;
Take the skytrain to Surasak on Sathorn Road and walk up Sathorn Road keeping the Skytrain on your right for about 200m. in the direction of Chong Nonsi BTS Station;
The Myanmar Embassy is the building with a Grey Metal door and people queueing outside.
132, SATHORN NUA ROAD, BANGKOK 10500
Tel : (662) 233-2237, 234-4698, 233-7250, 234 4789,237 7744
Fax : (233) 236-6898
Normal process:- First get a Visa Application Form, fill it in listing the place you are going to stay (use one of the Hotels listed below),
Make sure you have a few passport type photos as they need two of these; it is a good idea to have several as every border crossing requires at least 2.
Get there early, it opens at 09:30 and applications have to be in before 12:30 hours:
collections are from about 15:30 hours.
1. Pick up a tourist form (Left side of counter, no need to queue for this)
2. Pick up an Arrival form too.
3.Go to cafe down the road for photocopies, ( have a drink as this friendly family are performing a useful service) the lady will photocopy your passport while you are filling in the forms.
4. Go back and queue with the forms.
5. Pay money (1250 Baht for same day issue) and get receipt.
6. Return at 15:30 - 16:30 give them the receipt and collect your passport & Visa
You can apply and pick up your visa on the same day (there is an extra fee for this service but it is probably cheaper than coming back and queueing again); I think the cost is about 1250 Baht for the 1 day service, remember to put "TODAY" on the top of your form if you want that service.
That's it.............Queue....hand in your docs......queue again (after 15:30 hrs.) .........pick up passport.........done........easy.
Apart from the fact that it could be really busy.
Thai S.I.M. Cards
Pick up a truemove phone S.I.M. when you arrive in Thailand:
They offer qualty service and reasonable priced calls,
You will need one should you want to phone your hotel or guesthouse in Myanmar!
I've tried the others and I use truemove now.
They offer qualty service and reasonable priced calls,
You will need one should you want to phone your hotel or guesthouse in Myanmar!
I've tried the others and I use truemove now.
MYANMAR PHONE S.I.M. CARDS
You may want to get a Myanmar SIM card for your phone; make sure your phone is unlocked to any network before you leave home or get it unlocked in Bangkok:
You will need a Myanma Posts and Communications One Time GSM Prepaid Card
(it says $20 on the pack but I paid $18 - N.B. They are valid for 30 days and the price includes calls so if you are staying longer you will need to get another!)
You can NOT call outside Myanmar with this SIM Card !.
These people were very helpful:
New Mobile, 271/273, Bo Aung Kyaw Road (Middle), Kyauktada Township
expect to pay about $18 which includes quite a lot of airtime; I never managed to use all the minutes in a month.
These are readily available in the downtown phone shops but some wanted high prices and said they would not work in my phone,but they do work fine!
CHANGING MONEY IN MYANMAR
Changing money on the street or in a taxi could be risky
DO YOU KNOW WHAT KYATS LOOK LIKE?
Probably best to change your dollars in one of the following:-
Hotel, Guesthouse, Pharmacy etc. or maybe even a bank.
I found rates on the street to be no better than anywhere else.
for current rates click here:-
http://myanmarexchangerate.com/
Exchange Rate = 1182Kyats = U.S.$1 (July 2016 Bank Rate)
You may want to get a Myanmar SIM card for your phone; make sure your phone is unlocked to any network before you leave home or get it unlocked in Bangkok:
You will need a Myanma Posts and Communications One Time GSM Prepaid Card
(it says $20 on the pack but I paid $18 - N.B. They are valid for 30 days and the price includes calls so if you are staying longer you will need to get another!)
You can NOT call outside Myanmar with this SIM Card !.
These people were very helpful:
New Mobile, 271/273, Bo Aung Kyaw Road (Middle), Kyauktada Township
expect to pay about $18 which includes quite a lot of airtime; I never managed to use all the minutes in a month.
These are readily available in the downtown phone shops but some wanted high prices and said they would not work in my phone,but they do work fine!
CHANGING MONEY IN MYANMAR
Changing money on the street or in a taxi could be risky
DO YOU KNOW WHAT KYATS LOOK LIKE?
Probably best to change your dollars in one of the following:-
Hotel, Guesthouse, Pharmacy etc. or maybe even a bank.
I found rates on the street to be no better than anywhere else.
for current rates click here:-
http://myanmarexchangerate.com/
Exchange Rate = 1182Kyats = U.S.$1 (July 2016 Bank Rate)
Next - Book your flight...............
Click on the Air Asia logo to book your flight.
You can enter Myanmar with a one way ticket and get your return when you want to leave; no need to plan too far in advance but remember, if your schedule is tight get a return or book early.
You can enter Myanmar with a one way ticket and get your return when you want to leave; no need to plan too far in advance but remember, if your schedule is tight get a return or book early.
Flights:
Flying from Bangkok to Yangon takes about 1.5 hours and Air Asia fly there several times a day.
The cost with Air Asia is from around 990 Baht from Bangkok to Yangon (November 2015) if you book about a week in advance.
Flights at times you don't want to go are cheapest and times that are convenient are most expensive.
Book ahead a couple of weeks and you can to save lots; I only tend to plan maybe a day in advance so never manage those cheap deals!
******* Note *******
New ATM's are appearing around Myanmar and it will soon have the most modern banking system in S.E. Asia;
until then it will help to carry some cash in
CLEAN UNCREASED U.S. DOLLARS
N.B. If like me, you don't have a return ticket, you can book your return flight to Bangkok with Air Asia online and pay via credit card.
The cost with Air Asia is from around 990 Baht from Bangkok to Yangon (November 2015) if you book about a week in advance.
Flights at times you don't want to go are cheapest and times that are convenient are most expensive.
Book ahead a couple of weeks and you can to save lots; I only tend to plan maybe a day in advance so never manage those cheap deals!
******* Note *******
New ATM's are appearing around Myanmar and it will soon have the most modern banking system in S.E. Asia;
until then it will help to carry some cash in
CLEAN UNCREASED U.S. DOLLARS
N.B. If like me, you don't have a return ticket, you can book your return flight to Bangkok with Air Asia online and pay via credit card.
The high point of my stay in Yangon was my visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda ($5 entrance fee for foreigners),
this is a must to visit in this city;
REMEMBER TO WEAR LONG TROUSERS TO ENTER THE PAGODA.
along with the Biryani House on Maha Bandoola Street.
I will definitely visit both of these again.
Not forgetting the excellent beer; among the best in Southeast Asia, I rank it well up there with Vietnamese beer and beer Lao.
this is a must to visit in this city;
REMEMBER TO WEAR LONG TROUSERS TO ENTER THE PAGODA.
along with the Biryani House on Maha Bandoola Street.
I will definitely visit both of these again.
Not forgetting the excellent beer; among the best in Southeast Asia, I rank it well up there with Vietnamese beer and beer Lao.
View a slideshow of Myanmar people.......... here.................... Click to view full screen. |
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Yangon - Accommodation etc.
All these Hotels/Guesthouses have been visited myself and not poached from other sites.
With all these new flights arriving in Yangon there are going to be problems finding somewhere to stay, people have even had to sleep in the hotel lobby due to the chronic lack of accommodation in Yangon;
Tourism in Myanmar increased by 70% from 2011-2012.
Myanmar has not really geared up for mass tourism yet and Yangon is not as cheap as it should be compared to cities in countries such as Vietnam and Laos.
Please note: For 2016 you can double or triple some of these prices!
Cheap Guesthouses in the centre are from around $10 per night
Reasonable hotels from around $35 and up.
N.B. Most of the cheap Guesthouses and the expensive ones will be full unless you book ahead (which I never do as life is more interesting that way!).
Here are a few you may want to check out:-
Prices appear to be rising almost weekly due to shortage of supply so expect to pay more than this in Yangon and Mandalay
Agga Guest House (August 2014 update)
13th. Street
Chinatown, Yangon
15 minute walk to sule pagoda. Great staff, cost 12$ a night
Free breakfast (egg and toast).
But if you want to sleep in past 10a.m. don't stay here.
$8 - Garden Guest House
441-445, Maha Bandoola Road
Tel: 95-1-253-779
(Easy to find: Central location: On the roundabout opposite the Sule Pagoda)
I stayed here for a couple of nights, not wonderful, cold shower, not too clean but cheap and central: I reviewed it in Trip Advisor.
$10 - Daddy's Home Guest House
170, Konzaydan Street
Tel: (+95)-1-252-169
This is supposed to be worse than Garden Guest House, maybe someone can let me know what they think!
$10 - $12 OKINAWA Guest House
64, 32nd. Street
Pabedan Township
Yangon
Tel: 95-1-374-318
Situated near Sule Pagoda so central enough:
When standing facing Garden Guest House Okinawa is about 300 metres down the street on your right.
I visited this place & It looked fine, guests staying there seemed to think it was o.k. too.
$12 - Y.M.C.A.
263, Maha Bandoola Street
Botatuang Township
Yangon
I checked out the YMCA but didn't move there from the Garden Guest House as it was no better and less convenient: a bit like stepping back in time 50 years but at least they had a room so it's always worth checking!
$15 - Thuwana Bumi Hotel
Room #B-508
Bulding 2
5th. Floor
Pearl Condominium
Bahan Township
Yangon
$15 - Ocean Pearl Inn
215 ,Botataung Pagoda Rd
Yangon
Tel:- 0951 297007 ,,, 0951 297329
Hotel website: http://oceanpearlinn.com
The Ocean Pearl seems to have it all but after several attempts at booking online from Thailand I was informed after 24 hours that it was fully booked on the requested dates; it then takes another 24 hours to find out that your other requested dates are fully booked!!!
Quite normal for Yangon.
$15 - Mayfair Inn
57, 38th. Street
(Between Merchant Street and Strand Road)
Yangon
Tel;- 95-1-253-454, 95-1-384-183
Was $18 now $25 - The Motherland Inn 2
453, Lower Pazdaung Road
Yangon
Tel: (+95)-1-291-343
290-348
053-206
www.myanmarmotherlandinn.com
The Motherland Inn was always fully booked so if you want to stay here book well ahead.
$22 - Lai Lai Hotel,
783, Maha Bandoola Road,
Lanmadaw Township,
Yangon
Tel: (+951) - 225-913: 227-878: 227-835:
I had a look at the Lai Lai, it is a Chinese Hotel in a central location and looked fine with friendly staff but alas, they didn't have any vacancies either.
$27 - Yuzana Hotel
130, Shwegonedine Road
Bahan Township
Yangon
Click here to book:
Near Shwedagon Pagoda which is the best thing in Yangon, about 10 minutes by taxi from downtown.
$30+
Winner Inn
42, Thaw Lwin Road
Bahan Township
Tel:- 95-1-535205, 524387, 503734,
www.winnerinnmyanmar.com
The Winner Inn is fine; handy for the airport ($15 Taxi) but not too handy for town which is about 20 minutes by taxi; it has pleasant rooms and en-suite hot shower; they serve meals here too ; there is a dinner menu and breakfast is the usual meagre affair.
$35 - May Shan Hotel
115-117, Sule Paya Road
Kyauktada Township
Yangon
Tel:- +95-1-252-986, 252-987, 252-989
Website: www.mayshan.com
email: [email protected]
The May Shan is near the Sule Pagoda so is easy to find and central.
$35 - Ngwe Moe Hotel
Corner of Strand Rd and Kyaikthoke Phayar Rd,
Myangone Qtr.
Yangon
Tel:- (057) 24703, (057) 24704, (057) 25553
Rates: $35 - Single; $45- Double; $60 - Triple
I don't know the Ngwe Moe but it seems to be a bit pricy for what it is!
$40+
New Aye Yar Hotel
170-176, Bo Aung Kyaw Street
Botataung Township
Yangon
Tel: 256-938-44, 256-856-7
email: [email protected]
www.newayeyarhotel.com
The New Aye Yar hotel is quite central.
It is 10 minutes walk East from the Sule Pagoda(which is a good landmark in Yangon;) then turn South off Mahabandoola Road.
I had some friends staying at this hotel and it was quite a nice place but compared to equivalent hotels in Bangkok it is expensive.
About $50 - Classique Inn
53B, Shwe Taung Kyar Street
(Golden Valley Road)
Bahan Township
www.classique-inn.com
Tel: (+95) 1-52-5557
(+95) 1-524-813, 503-9688
The Classique is very nice, gets good reviews and is priced accordingly.
These are just a few of what is available, it depends what you want to spend on being asleep; if your budget will run to it why not stay at:-
The Strand Hotel
92 Strand Road,
Downtown Yangon
http://www.ghmhotels.com/en/strand-myanmar/home/#home
It is easy to find as it is a couple of doors down from the British Embassy, I'm sure they will have a room,
or maybe it is full of British Embassy staff !.
Nice colonial hotel, if you are quick you can get a room for about $450 otherwise walk in off the street and pay $800 - $1200 per night but make sure you stay on a Friday when it's happy hour and all drinks are half price from 5 p.m. then you can forget how much it cost.
Tourism in Myanmar increased by 70% from 2011-2012.
Myanmar has not really geared up for mass tourism yet and Yangon is not as cheap as it should be compared to cities in countries such as Vietnam and Laos.
Please note: For 2016 you can double or triple some of these prices!
Cheap Guesthouses in the centre are from around $10 per night
Reasonable hotels from around $35 and up.
N.B. Most of the cheap Guesthouses and the expensive ones will be full unless you book ahead (which I never do as life is more interesting that way!).
Here are a few you may want to check out:-
Prices appear to be rising almost weekly due to shortage of supply so expect to pay more than this in Yangon and Mandalay
Agga Guest House (August 2014 update)
13th. Street
Chinatown, Yangon
15 minute walk to sule pagoda. Great staff, cost 12$ a night
Free breakfast (egg and toast).
But if you want to sleep in past 10a.m. don't stay here.
$8 - Garden Guest House
441-445, Maha Bandoola Road
Tel: 95-1-253-779
(Easy to find: Central location: On the roundabout opposite the Sule Pagoda)
I stayed here for a couple of nights, not wonderful, cold shower, not too clean but cheap and central: I reviewed it in Trip Advisor.
$10 - Daddy's Home Guest House
170, Konzaydan Street
Tel: (+95)-1-252-169
This is supposed to be worse than Garden Guest House, maybe someone can let me know what they think!
$10 - $12 OKINAWA Guest House
64, 32nd. Street
Pabedan Township
Yangon
Tel: 95-1-374-318
Situated near Sule Pagoda so central enough:
When standing facing Garden Guest House Okinawa is about 300 metres down the street on your right.
I visited this place & It looked fine, guests staying there seemed to think it was o.k. too.
$12 - Y.M.C.A.
263, Maha Bandoola Street
Botatuang Township
Yangon
I checked out the YMCA but didn't move there from the Garden Guest House as it was no better and less convenient: a bit like stepping back in time 50 years but at least they had a room so it's always worth checking!
$15 - Thuwana Bumi Hotel
Room #B-508
Bulding 2
5th. Floor
Pearl Condominium
Bahan Township
Yangon
$15 - Ocean Pearl Inn
215 ,Botataung Pagoda Rd
Yangon
Tel:- 0951 297007 ,,, 0951 297329
Hotel website: http://oceanpearlinn.com
The Ocean Pearl seems to have it all but after several attempts at booking online from Thailand I was informed after 24 hours that it was fully booked on the requested dates; it then takes another 24 hours to find out that your other requested dates are fully booked!!!
Quite normal for Yangon.
$15 - Mayfair Inn
57, 38th. Street
(Between Merchant Street and Strand Road)
Yangon
Tel;- 95-1-253-454, 95-1-384-183
Was $18 now $25 - The Motherland Inn 2
453, Lower Pazdaung Road
Yangon
Tel: (+95)-1-291-343
290-348
053-206
www.myanmarmotherlandinn.com
The Motherland Inn was always fully booked so if you want to stay here book well ahead.
$22 - Lai Lai Hotel,
783, Maha Bandoola Road,
Lanmadaw Township,
Yangon
Tel: (+951) - 225-913: 227-878: 227-835:
I had a look at the Lai Lai, it is a Chinese Hotel in a central location and looked fine with friendly staff but alas, they didn't have any vacancies either.
$27 - Yuzana Hotel
130, Shwegonedine Road
Bahan Township
Yangon
Click here to book:
Near Shwedagon Pagoda which is the best thing in Yangon, about 10 minutes by taxi from downtown.
$30+
Winner Inn
42, Thaw Lwin Road
Bahan Township
Tel:- 95-1-535205, 524387, 503734,
www.winnerinnmyanmar.com
The Winner Inn is fine; handy for the airport ($15 Taxi) but not too handy for town which is about 20 minutes by taxi; it has pleasant rooms and en-suite hot shower; they serve meals here too ; there is a dinner menu and breakfast is the usual meagre affair.
$35 - May Shan Hotel
115-117, Sule Paya Road
Kyauktada Township
Yangon
Tel:- +95-1-252-986, 252-987, 252-989
Website: www.mayshan.com
email: [email protected]
The May Shan is near the Sule Pagoda so is easy to find and central.
$35 - Ngwe Moe Hotel
Corner of Strand Rd and Kyaikthoke Phayar Rd,
Myangone Qtr.
Yangon
Tel:- (057) 24703, (057) 24704, (057) 25553
Rates: $35 - Single; $45- Double; $60 - Triple
I don't know the Ngwe Moe but it seems to be a bit pricy for what it is!
$40+
New Aye Yar Hotel
170-176, Bo Aung Kyaw Street
Botataung Township
Yangon
Tel: 256-938-44, 256-856-7
email: [email protected]
www.newayeyarhotel.com
The New Aye Yar hotel is quite central.
It is 10 minutes walk East from the Sule Pagoda(which is a good landmark in Yangon;) then turn South off Mahabandoola Road.
I had some friends staying at this hotel and it was quite a nice place but compared to equivalent hotels in Bangkok it is expensive.
About $50 - Classique Inn
53B, Shwe Taung Kyar Street
(Golden Valley Road)
Bahan Township
www.classique-inn.com
Tel: (+95) 1-52-5557
(+95) 1-524-813, 503-9688
The Classique is very nice, gets good reviews and is priced accordingly.
These are just a few of what is available, it depends what you want to spend on being asleep; if your budget will run to it why not stay at:-
The Strand Hotel
92 Strand Road,
Downtown Yangon
http://www.ghmhotels.com/en/strand-myanmar/home/#home
It is easy to find as it is a couple of doors down from the British Embassy, I'm sure they will have a room,
or maybe it is full of British Embassy staff !.
Nice colonial hotel, if you are quick you can get a room for about $450 otherwise walk in off the street and pay $800 - $1200 per night but make sure you stay on a Friday when it's happy hour and all drinks are half price from 5 p.m. then you can forget how much it cost.