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| Why ? | Check out what travelers think about Myanmar... |
| How ? | Get the basic information to organize your trip... |
| Where ? | Select your destinations with various localities' ratings... |
| Travel Tips | Get advices on various aspects of your adventure... |
| The Center | Busy market streets, temples and coconuts by the beach... |
| The North | Great ruins, ancient cities, lake views and strawberries... |
| The South | Colonial atmosphere, smiling villages and Golden Rock... |
| Participate ! | Survey Myanmar & its localities, update the info, contribute to Passplanet ! |
Myanmar (Burma)
The Golden Land !
| Backpackers' Survey | Rate : 15.27 /20 (up) | Rank : 2 /11 |
| Passplanet's Survey | Rate : 17.16 /20 | Rank : 1 /14 |
>> Description ? Also called the Land of the Million Temples, Myanmar is fast becoming a backpacker's favorite, thanks to its friendly people and great culture.
>> Why go there ? Count the number of temples and turn Buddhist / Exchange ideas with the interesting locals / Spend some money on the people / Chek by yourself the living standard of the population / Meditate / Isolate yourself from the tourist crowd / Breath authenticity / Relax / Grow opium in the South ?
>> Drawback ? The military regime and its full scale propaganda / The internet ban / The restricted areas : you are not allowed to see it all... / The tourists who spend money straight on the government / The bureaucracy / The entrance fees in big dollars / The need to fly to visit /
>> Cultural Highlights ? The great ruins of Bagan or Mrauk U / The ancient cities of Mandalay / Any discussion with any local / The colonial architecture
>> Natural Highlights ? Inle Lake / The beach of Ngapali / The wilderness around Pyin U Lwin / Probably the areas off access : mountains in the North, exotic beaches in the South...
>> How long ? One month is enough for a good circuit of the open area. More would not hurt...
>> Budget ? Count on US$7-10 per day for a correct room if you eat at food stalls. Then add the cost of the flight (from US$120 return from Bangkok).
>> Visa ? Required. Bangkok's Burmese Embassy is the best place to get the basic 28 days visa : B800 (US$20), ready in the afternoon.
>> When to go ? To avoid the crowd between December and February, I would recommend the hot season from March to May (most of the GH have air conditioning) or just after the rainy season from October.
Update (Nov 01) : the unofficial rate is now K650-700 per dollar (from K350). Most of the prices expressed here in local currency are therefore likely to have doubled.
