We are 2 Belgian cyclists on our way to Myanmar from Thailand. Visas for both countrys are ok.
Last week we heard the border from Kalay (myanmar) to Tamu (Manipur India) closed again after the terrorist attack in Pathankot. Is it true? Is it still closed?
We know we have to get a permit but if the border is closed, we have to change plans. Maybe China? Can we get Chinese visa in Myanmar without showing flight or hotel reservations?
Thanks for the answers.
Do you mean you are on your way to India from Thailand, via Myanmar..?
It is no problem to enter Myanmar from Thailand via land borders (except Mae Sai-Taichileik crossing where you can only go as far as Kengtung by land, then requires an internal flight)
read thru the other posts re Tamu-Moreh for some very up to date info...
Seems the border was closed as of 1 January as the 2 year relaxation period for Manipur permit requirement finished, and hasn't yet been extended...the Indian officials let people thru until the 6th even if they didn't have a permit for Manipur. The border was closed more likely due to that issue rather than 'terrorist' strike (the border, and the road between Moreh and Imphal sporadically closes when there are strikes/road blockades happening).
But...seems it is open again...so, as long as you have your MTT permit, AND your Manipur permit, you will get thru. Maybe by the time you get there the Manipur permit requirement will have been removed again..?
China to India isn't without its complications, especially cyclists. Or do you mean skip India in favour of China? And Myanmar to China direct also complicated.
Sorry I was not totally clear.
Initial plan was Thailand-Myanmar-India-Nepal all on cycles. We still like to do this because sounds nice and we have flight from KTM.
But since we got news that the Myanmar-India border closed, we sarted thinking about a new plan: maybe cycle Thailand-Myanmar-China (Chengdu). If we do this, I like to find out if we can get (a) a 2 month Chinese visa in Myanmar without hotelreservations and (b) can we cycle (with the MMT permit) all the way into China trough Muse-Ruili.
We have to decide soon wich way to go, because I heard to get an MMT permit (for Tamu or Muse) it takes 20 days and when we enter we have only 28 days visa.
Chears.
other posts state you have to be in India to get the Manipur permit....but I expect some agencies in India could arrange it for you by email....maybe try posting a Q under the India forum about that...
There are other current posts about Muse-Ruili that confirm still needing the MTT permit, but also that you cannot travel by bus for the Lashio-Muse leg, only hried car/taxi, which means you also would not be able to cycle it (checkpoint/s) so you would be able to cycle from Mandalay as far as Lashio, then hire a car to take you and your bicycles to Muse...
To get the MTT permit for Tamu-Moreh takes around 2 weeks (as would the permit for Muse-Ruili)....if you will be in Myanmar for 28 days then you would have plenty of time to arrange it.....and you don't have to go back to the agent to collect it, as they have a guy in Tamu and fax the permit straight to him...
I recently met travellers in Myanmar who initially wanted to go overland to China (not cycling though). They got in contact with the Chinese embassy/consulate in Yangon but eventually chose to go to India instead. They said that the problem was not only the hotel reservations/plane tickets (which could possibly be solved with a little creativity) but also that the waiting time for process was much longer than for the Indian visa.
The India/Burma was recently closed for a few days due to an earthquake in Imphal.
Bill Weir just passed through going West to East and we'll be doing the same later in Feb.
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=tZ&page_id=447716&v=N
There are the details of the agent he used to get the MTT permit. The same agency issues the permits going either way.
Khaing Lay email tourconsultant@exoticmyanmartour.com
Not sure if you'll have any joy going into China though. The problem may be you're not allowed travel to the border and would nee dot fly.
China border - there have been a few posts confirming the problem IS just you can't travel by bus for the section between Lashio and Muse (and hence very doubtful you would be allowed to ride a bicycle)....you CAN travel that section by hired car/taxi....you don't need to fly...and you need the MTT permit, same cost as the one for Tamu-Moreh.
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