Book Early Even Low Season

Replies: 15 - Last Post: Jul 28, 2012 8:28 PM Last Post By: midlifetravel

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Jul 18, 2012 9:08 PM
Posts: 345

Book Early Even Low Season

I'm in Inle now and have found rooms everywhere so far but it is getting increasingly difficult. Many backpackers are being turned away without bookings. Do NOT assume that because it is low season that you can just find space when you arrive in a popular town or even by calling two or three days ahead. Bagan, Mandalay, Inle, and Yangon are getting difficult, especially at budget end. It is NOT a good idea to simply book lodging from the previous town; those days are gone (at least for now). I had a hard time booking a room one or two days ahead in most places I've been. Most budget hotels in Yangon are already booked out at least two weeks in advance. Plan ahead!

filmoteca

Jul 19, 2012 2:46 AM
Posts: 9

Thanks for the advice! We're leaving tomorrow to Myanmar, we'll be there for four weeks. How can we manage to book guesthouses in advance? How do you recommend to do it?
Thank you!!

CAILLOU

Jul 19, 2012 2:26 PM
Posts: 37

You can book throu a travel agency in Yangon now, informing them that you would like a budget guesthouse rather then a hotel. You chance are better if you need to cancel for some reason like not getting there in time. We will be in Yangon In Sept 19th. going to Sittwe-Mrauk-U for 5 days.. That part of our tripl can be cancelled if the weather is bad and no tourists booked.. How do we know in advance to book a place in Mandalay and in Inle Lake? Dealing with the travel agency so that they can cancel or book the guesthouses for us.. Maybe this is your best solution. Wish you good luck and let us know how it goes.

midlifetravel

Jul 20, 2012 7:05 PM
Posts: 420

I'm curious as to what actually happens if a tourist can't find a bed? Because the govt expects tourists to stay in "authorised" places - I'm guessing that at worst case you should be able to turn up at the police station and they should be able to find you a bed.

We're going in Nov and although I'll book the beginning and end in Yangoon, I really don't want to be tied down otherwise. However we don't have a rigid budget - I'd like to stay under $30/night (double) - but it we pay more a night or 2 - so be it.

KenI

Jul 21, 2012 1:53 AM
Posts: 345

Like I say, I have managed to get rooms by calling ahead, but not necessarily at a preferred or popular guest house. Places like Beautyland II (Yangon), Royal (Mandalay), and New Park (Nyaung U) - In other words the most popular budget options - seem to all be getting harder to line up without plenty of advance notice.

If you are going in November - high season - and do not ALREADY have bookings then you really need to not waste another moment; you need to cross you fingers and make those phone calls now. I would just call the guest houses directly rather than go through a (completely unnecessary) third party or wait for an e-mail response like a jilted lover. I realize that it stinks having to lock yourself into an itinerary but for now that may be the only way to get rooms in high season. As for what to do in case you show up in town and there are no rooms to be had at all? (a real possibility) then might I suggest crying. It might not get you a room but it might get you a sleeping mat under a table somewhere....

Cassiecat

Jul 21, 2012 2:16 PM
Posts: 1,030

November 2011, there wer people who ended up sleeping on tables in a tea shop, some were allowed to sleep in the lobby of a guesthouse, etc. People will do their best to accommodate you, but it won't be comfortable.

midlifetravel

Jul 21, 2012 8:49 PM
Posts: 420

Which towns Cassie? I'm just a little at a loss - given the unreliability of all forms of transport, how you can predict where you are going to be advance. Even the flights get re-scheduled frequently apparently, but we are planning basically to do land transport (and take the full 28 days) - so I'm just not sure when we are going to arrive.

Also do they actually honour the bookings? I'd prebooked and paid a hotel in a different country recently. We turned up it was like - sorry we are fully booked because we have a large group- but we have room for you tomorrow. We had to find another hotel! If its that busy in Burma wouldn't that happen all the time- particularly given that they don't have the CC facilities to actually prepaid your bookings.

I understand the tourists who need to have "nice" hotels would have pre-booked - but I'm perfectly happy to stay at a $10/nite place.

Julie_L

Jul 22, 2012 3:00 AM
Posts: 508

I believe there are 4,000 beds in Mandalay. With Mandalay being a major tourist destination and people generally spending several nights there that doesn't leave too many spare beds each night.

"Tourist arrivals are expected to reach 1. 5 million in 2012." - nearly double that of 2010.

Have a look at this: http://www.mizzima.com/business/7179-burma-processes-1500-tourists-each-day-through-airports.html

Cassiecat

Jul 22, 2012 10:18 AM
Posts: 1,030

midlife, I've not run into any places that didn't honor my booking, nor have I heard that from others. The places most over-crowded were Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan.

While flights do get rescheduled with great frequency, in my experience, all rescheduling was within the same day, so you would end up where you had planned to be - just not at the time you thought. I think you can plan your trip ahead and book pretty accurately, it's just not the way you are accustomed to traveling. Also, be aware there are fewer and fewer $10 a night places... prices have gone up a lot - doubled and tripled.

midlifetravel

Jul 22, 2012 2:50 PM
Posts: 420

thanks Cassie - I'm starting to think that I may stay out of Mandalay and day trip to it - there seems to be a number of places that day trip to from Mandalay - so doing the reverse must be possible. Wondering if there is somewhere nearby to Bagan that I could do something similar. I could book Yangoon if I have to. Yeah $10 is a drink - I'm budgeting more like $30/double

Julie_L

Jul 23, 2012 5:39 PM
Posts: 508

midlife - it doesn't make sense to day trip into Mandalay, or Bagan.

derrybawn

Jul 24, 2012 6:05 AM
Posts: 27

I'm in Bagan now. So far I've come through Yangoon, Inle & Mandalay, now here. Apart from Mandalay I've been booking by ringing the day before. No problems so far except with the Princess garden in Nyuangshwe, but that was for a weekend.

Just what I've found so far....

Julie_L

Jul 24, 2012 4:52 PM
Posts: 508

Derrybawn - you are in Bagan and you can access the internet?!?!? Gee, things are changing in Burma.

midlifetravel

Jul 24, 2012 5:09 PM
Posts: 420

That's encouraging #11 - thanks for taking the time to post

derrybawn

Jul 25, 2012 8:05 AM
Posts: 27

Actually internet is way more accessible and functional there than in Inle, Yangoon or Mandalay.....

I should have also said earlier that my room requirements are very specific in that I'm travelling with my family (Wife, son & daughter)

We hae been looking for (hand not having trouble getting) a double with double bed & double with twin beds.

If you are just looking for double or twin, you should not have an issue.

PS Don't sue me if it does not work out......