Myanmar travel tips and recommendations

Sorry family and friends for a quick break from our travel recaps.  But since we’ve started to give out this site to other travelers, we thought it would be good to recap our Myanmar tips and recommendations.

General Comments and Recommendations:

• There are plenty of ATMs that take foreign debit cards throughout the country (at least in the tourist areas).  Any guidebooks that say otherwise are out of date.
• We had no problem finding wifi in hotels and other internet access in the country – it’s clear that it is modernizing rapidly (although blackouts still occur).
• We flew into Yangon in the south and out of Mandalay in the north – seemed to be a good way to see the major sites (which are all between those two cities) without having to backtrack.
• We spent two weeks in the country, which was just about right to see the four major attractions (Inle, Bagan, Yangon, and Mandalay).
• Tourist demand is outstripping hotel supply – might be best to book ahead of time.  We got kicked out of a hotel when we tried to extend our stay by a night because it was full, and another time had to go door-to-door at 5am to find a hotel that wasn’t booked.
• We found the Myanmar people to be very welcoming and excited to see tourists.  They loved when we tried talking to them and seeing their picture taken.

Sites:

• Our two favorite attractions, by a large margin, were Inle Lake and the Temples of Bagan.  We also liked Yangon and (somewhat) liked Mandalay, but less for the attractions are more to just wander the streets and eat at tea houses and street food vendors.  If you have to choose, go with more time at Inle and Bagan.
• At Inle, you must take a day boat trip.  It’s easy to find boat drivers just walking around Nyaungshwe; ask your driver to leave an hour earlier than he suggests – you’ll beat the crowds and see the best part of the sunrise while on the lake.
• At Bagan, be sure to save a few days to bike between the temples.
• The biggest attraction at Bagan is to ride in a hot air balloon at sunrise, but it is so popular you must book months in advance.
• The Golden Rock is slightly interesting, but not worth going out of your way for; better to spend more time at the other attractions.

Transportation:

• The hardest part of traveling in Myanmar was the long distance bus travel.  While it appeared that roads were improving, they are still rough, and the buses leave a lot to be desired with their small seats, loud music videos, and cold A/C.  We took two overnight buses (one from Bago to Inle, and another from Inle to Bagan) and didn’t sleep well on either.  But the long distances between Yangon and Inle, and Inle and Bagan make either long bus rides or plane flights necessary.
• A friend traveled via plane and it took almost as long as our bus ride with delays, but was definitely more comfortable.  While much more expensive, flying is probably a better option if comfort is an issue.

Food:

• We didn’t find the food in Myanmar to be spectacular; meals normally come with rice and lots of small bowls meant to be combined either with the rice or in a folded-leaf.  Unfortunately, we didn’t find the meats and vegetables in those small bowls to be great.
• Our two favorite restaurants were both tea houses in Yangon – Lucky Seven and Thone Pan Hla.  Both are really good, particularly the noodle dishes.
• Our favorite street food was Mont Lin Ma Yar, a crispy ball-like snack.