Safety question.
Hi Everyone,We (my partner and I) are planning a tour to Myanmar this November. We are in our late thirties and we are not native english speakers (Hungarian). In addition we have never been to anywhere outside Europe.
So I have some great concerns. The most important thing is whether Myanmar is a safe place to travel individually, self organized (in terms of mugging, robberies and so on). We would like to visit Yangon, Bago, Inle, (trekking from Kalaw to Inle with guide), Mandalay, Amarapura, Mingun, Bagan, Ngapali beach and maybe Mrauk O. Besides we have to carry large amount of money. Is it safe? The other concern is the snake. Should we be afraid of the poisonous snakes or this is not a real danger?
Any safety advice is highly appreciated.
Thanks.
1
It is very safe, perhaps one of the safest countries in Southeast Asia (I am a female traveler & have been there solo).You will get by with the English you speak, no worries.
What "large amount of money"? $1000? $2000? You will be OK carrying the cash but make sure you never leave it out of your sight, best carry it under your clothing.
Re: the snake issue- I would imagine there are snakes there, as there are in most countries, but I didn't come across one at all....
2
Only one tourist has been killed by snakebite in the last 15 years and that was when he was on a deep jungle expedition and was days away from an antidote. In normal tourist areas you mention you will be unlikely to see a snake at all, unless you go looking for one in long grass/jungle. In my 17 years of travelling in Myanmar I have only once seen a snake and that was when I was playing golf and my partner put his ball in the rough. There were signs in English/Burmese saying do "not enter" but the caddy retrieved his ball and whilst there saw a cobra curled up asleep, which the caddy pointed out to us.I also confirm cocodrilo's comments on safety-just be sensible on how you carry your cash-we always spread it between us when travelling and have found Myanmar the safest country in all of SEAsia.
5
I've been to Myanmar 4 times and bumped into snakes 3 times! Guess I'm just lucky!Safest place i've ever been to.
10
The greatest dangers for tourists involve ground transportation, whether crossing the street as a pedestrian at rush hour in the cities; riding on the back of a motorcycle taxi; dilapidated buses on dilapidated roads; trains that derail (this happened to me); long distance taxis at unsafe speeds; too many new drivers (motorcycle and car) without training or experience or understanding of the rules of the road; and a general lack of rules of the road.
