Just came back from Myanmar. (November 4)
This was my first trip, so i cannot really be sure, but looking to how many hotels, eatery for tourists and something -- it was a quite popular place. Now its absolutely empty in Inle or Bagan. In every pyay (stupa, wat, pagoda) i was only one foreign tourist at whole building. Including popular ones, where lp guidebook says "too crowded" and something like.
== ABOUT MYANMAR CURRENT SITUATION ==
If you planning to go in Myanmar and now think go or not to -- go. There is no military, disorder, pillaging or angry local monks with big guns. All same quiet, like in any other asian country i see (still not much).
If you just heard about Myanmar and wanna go and help a poor people -- thinks twice, read forum. The people, really, don't need in you. Except small percent working in tourist industry.
I was born & rose in U.S.S.R., so i still remember what is military sociaistic country. I and think Myanmar is like that. No, it's not. It's absolutely normal asian country, with a little censorship, but without hard idelogical propaganda. Visual no socialistic mottos in every buildings, marching militarys, police on every corner. You may buy Newsweek in shop and Financial Times too. Some internet sites really banned, but only for first look, like YouTube says "No copyrighted videoclips on our site". Just search and you see -- it's far from true :)
Belive me, in Russia nowdays propaganda in TV & on the streets more ugly than in Myamar.
=== PRICES & PLACES ==
-- arrive to Yangon early morning by AirAsia ($60?), !! everyday flight cancelled, only at MON/WED/FRI
-- in airport buy ticket ($80, ~1 hour, Yangon airways) to Heho (Inle Lake) and at 12:00 was there
-- taxi from airport to Nyaung Shwe -- $18, ~30 min.
NYAUNG SHWE
Stay at "Aquarius Inn" ($7)-- charming people, very good english, helpfull advices, nice terrace/lounge. All perfect, but room. Some people may disllike. And very thin walls betweens them -- in case of many guests may be not comfortable. But anywaya -- i never meet so nice people with usefull information.
another option "Viewpoint Hotel" -- bamboo houses in water, clean and huge rooms ($15 for double), but anyway -- look at aquarius first.
Eating
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"Star Flower" -- New little place, 100 m from aquarius. Cook is very good. Perfect (really!) pasta & pancakes. If you don't want EU meal at your trip -- just ask for "fresh tomato juice". Nobody in town cooks it, but Shan region very famous foe it's tomatoes. In the heat of the day -- very refreshing, like gaspazzo soup.
"Mr.Cook" -- just don't go
"Smiling Moon" -- good food. A must -- "Tea leaves salad", shan traditional and very tasty.
Boat trip
16.000 Kyat, 20 if want to go to Inde Inn. And i highly recommend it! Like it much more, than Bagan. May be when tourist back again it's was not so good, but i was alone and it was perfect.
BAGAN
Boat from Mandalay to Bagan still cancelled, only by WED/SUN, because of it i try go by minibus from Inle to Bagan. 12 hour, 12000 kyat. Far from pleasure, really tired, but very good expirience. Normally go from Inle to Mandalay by bus -- more than enough, i presume.
In Bagan stays in New Heaven -- very good room, $5 but don't like guy on reception. Finally he try to sell me ticket from Yangon to BKK for $125. (I buy for $84 in city instead)
It's really NOBODY here. See only two old couple, that's all.
Eating
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"Nanda" -- high service & cousine restaraunt. But the difference is $3 or $5 for dinner, so it's a good option if package tourist not coming to see puppet show. (I was unlucky)
"Little big of Bagan" -- prices are really far from lp guide, 5000-7000 for dinner now. But food is quite good.
"Aroma 2" -- closed.
"Pho Cho" -- don't find them special.
from Bagan flew to Yangon ($86, ~1 hr, Mandalay Airways)
YANGON
difference between city and countryside really very big, like another country. Many cars, teenagers in t-shirts & jeans, indians & chineese. Looks like not-so-rich Bangkok.
Stay at "Pyin Oo Lwin 2" guesthouse, like them very much. $7 for single, third floor, for someone may be hard to climb :)
Fly back by Bangkok Air, $80
INTERNET IN MYANMAR IS REALLY FAR FROM GOOD.
Most of sites just don't open, hanging on that flash and big pictures. It's good idea to use google precisely and try to know about mobile version of sites (usually they starts from mobile.site_name.com)
Mmmmmm
Report not looking short, but maybe somebody find it usefull.
If you have some question, please ask, i try to answer.
Myanmar doesn't have the same totalitarianism that the Soviet Union did, but I've got some Burmese friends who would disagree with you on your light assessment of the situation in the country.
THANKS FOR THE REPORT. It helps others wanting to travel to Myanmar. Also an interesting comparison with the Soviet Union
Yes, many of my friends in Myanmar are students or work in hotels, etc. Their emails are begging people to come back. Some of them have been laid off because there are no tourist.
"You may buy Newsweek in shop and Financial Times too." I am happy you mentioned this. I always see international news and magazines on sale all over Yangon, including some that have articles negative about the Myanmar government.
cwot – thanks very , very much for taking the time to post. Question – you said that you saw very few or no tourists. Would you describe it as “eerie and desolate” or would you describe it as “great, no tourists here!” We have been to Myanmar five times and already have our flight tickets for a trip there in January. We feel comfortable going to Myanmar, BUT we’re not so comfortable with our plans to meet our Dutch friends there for their first visit there if it feels “deserted.”
Cabs, I know you are asking cwot so sorry for answering your question. Don't be uncomfortable with meeting your friends there. The citizens of the country are still there, just not the tourist. This is sometimes a blessing. Believe me the print sellers in Bagan still chase you from temple to temple! Right not people in Myanmar will be so happy to see you that they will give you special treatment.
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<hr>It's absolutely normal asian country, with a little censorship, but without hard idelogical propaganda.<hr></blockquote>
Hey, in what country have you been? Events in September/October were just a movie, right??
Thanks, justindwilson, for your response. I welcome responses from cwot and anyone who has recently been there.
Helpful post re cwot's travel experiences, but questionable political comments on what is apparently slight experience or background.
bun cha
Budget travel basics for Southeast Asia || Budget travel basics for Hong Kong || nothing but HK budget accomodations and related || Asia 2005, 2006, 2007
Don't jump all over the OP.
I think that this post does reflect a Myanmar reality. The gentle exterior of the people does effectively mask the brutality of the government. How many rocks does one have to peer under before one finds evidence of the brutality of the government? My answer: it depends. Inle Lake and Bagan are NOT the Myanmar that the vast majority of locals live in. A two week trip of the tourist circuit is not going to reveal all that much to anyone. First, the government does take some pains to conceal its horrors. Second, the people who live in Bagan and Inle, even though they are definitely subject to many of the same restrictions faced by people in less well trodden parts of the country, are relatively prosperous.
In Myanmar you can choose to see what you want to see. There is a reality of the most lovely people in the world doing their best to survive challenging circumstances. This is real.
There is a parallel reality which is, of course, fear and hardship. This is real, as well.
When Myanmar people invite you into their homes for tea and cake, they do not do it so that they can dump all of their misery onto you. In my experience, most Myanmar people do not like to complain about their lives. The majority of Myanmar people are not revolutionaries. When you read some of the discourse on this site and others, it is easy to forget that.
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