Mrauk U - possible to visit?
Replies: 44 - Last Post: Dec 14, 2012 3:51 AM Last Post By: nextplease
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15
Back to the original question, it is possible to visit Mrauk U, I am there right now. Flight from Yangon to Sittwe on Air Bagan was full but for 2 seats. Can't say if the public boats are running, I was met by people from the Prince Hotel who organised a private boat for me and took care of the bureaucracy for me - not sure what that involved, but they needed a photocopy of my passport (I brought one with me, also included a copy of the visa just in case) and all I paid for was the boat.Mrauk U is under curfew from 7pm, but the hotel picked me up in a jeep and arranged it with the soldiers that we could get through the not at all scary roadblocks on 2 bridges. Also the hotel says they can still do tours to the Chin villages.
Prior to coming here I got all sorts of BS or not answering the question from travel agents including MTT. The town is definitely open, and you don't need a permit (as an independent traveler at least).
Incidentally I hadn't asked the hotel to do this for me, but they knew my arrival details and turned up anyway and I'm glad because it went very smoothly.
That's all I'm going to say for now, internet is slow here and time is precious. Hope this helps.
16
Back to the original question, it is possible to visit Mrauk U, I am there right now. Flight from Yangon to Sittwe on Air Bagan was full but for 2 seats. Can't say if the public boats are running, I was met by people from the Prince Hotel who organised a private boat for me and took care of the bureaucracy for me - not sure what that involved, but they needed a photocopy of my passport (I brought one with me, also included a copy of the visa just in case) and all I paid for was the boat.Mrauk U is under curfew from 7pm, but the hotel picked me up in a jeep and arranged it with the soldiers that we could get through the not at all scary roadblocks on 2 bridges. Also the hotel says they can still do tours to the Chin villages.
Prior to coming here I got all sorts of BS or not answering the question from travel agents including MTT. The town is definitely open, and you don't need a permit (as an independent traveler at least).
Incidentally I hadn't asked the hotel to do this for me, but they knew my arrival details and turned up anyway and I'm glad because it went very smoothly.
That's all I'm going to say for now, internet is slow here and time is precious. Hope this helps.
19
Yesterday I wrote from Mrauk U that the town was definitely open and that no permits were required.In the evening, my hotel owner showed me a fax he had just received (dated 7 December) from the Ministry. It was addressed to 6 hotels in Mrauk U and directed them not to accept any foreigners without permits.
So folks I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have to retract my previous advice. It now seems that you do need a permit for Mrauk U. You could of course try to get one, but the word here is that they are no longer being issued.
The hotels here are understandably not happy about this, and are writing collectively to the President. Sounds desperate - but right now they are, I haven't seen another westerner since I arrived.
There doesn't seem to be a particularly obvious reason for this most recent clampdown - I'm told there was never any trouble in Mrauk U itself, there was some fighting in outlying villages, but that is not the case now.
I'm sorry my earlier advice has turned out to be misleading - it was accurate at the time I wrote it, but it seems things really can change quickly here. I'll post again if I hear of further developments, internet permitting.
21
B*gger it, I'm heading elsewhere. Leaving Thursday for Phnom Penh & don't have time to hassle with it anymore. Maybe next time.Thank all you intrepid travelers for taking the time to write about Mrauk U info while you could, much appreciate it. :-)
22
fi: rakhine immigration authorities have recently launched an operation verifying muslim citizenship in arakan state (a sort of census), which results in registering the people we refer to as "rohyngia" as illegal "bengalis" (aka aliens). the etnicity "rohyngia" doesn't exist (= not recognised) so nobody can be registered as ethnic rohyngia. this operation can provoke more clashes/unrest again.24
Go for it cocodrilo Mrauk U temples are very interesting you won't be allowed anywhere near to the turmoil, but always its good to hear from those who have been and also told by locals on the ground what is happening.25
I know that Monty, but if I shell out $130 for a plane ticket and they won't let me get on the boat(or the plane!) , I've wasted all that time and money. I've made other plans, enough of this b*llshit wiht the authorities, no time or patience for that anymore. Incidentally, did you read post #21?28
By all means try for a permit, I'm just going by what the hotel told me. Apparently there was an agent that could arrange independent traveler permits a few months back, but he stopped doing it, too much hassle. Hotel thinks the only travelers with permits now are those who organised them many weeks ago.BTW there is apparently no restriction on Sittwe, just Mrauk U. Doesn't make a lot of sense.
29
By all means try for a permitI did and got clueless replies from 2 agencies and nothing from another. With the guy I am using who is organizing my internal flights I got the drift that he didn't even want to go there. I have been back and forth with these people for 3 months now and have had enough. Mrauk U will be around in a year or two and if so inclined, I will visit the next time around. I just don't want to risk buying a plane ticket & going all the way out there & having to stay in Sittwe.
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