And if you book the Road to Mandalay before Oct 31, you get 2 free nights at the Governor's Residence in Rangoon.

Thanks....but we already have our Pandaw deposits in...I liked the idea of that itinerary. Do they cancel if not enough people sign on?


There have been a lot of snags on this end in the planning (we won't "go there" right now, but I think you can glean a little from my frantic questions), because I am planning for two other (Asia first timers) people as well. Let's just say that for each actual decision taken, there have been endless discussions back and forth, for example, on the issue of what flight to take from Bangkok to Rangoon.

If Pandaw cancels, I think I will drop the cruise idea and do a land tour of Burma, which is what I would have done if I was traveling alone.

Craig,

Do you have an email address for your favorite guide Joyce?
We are going to be arriving in Inle Lake on November 18th and during our 4 night stay would like to take several tours, one day to Kakku and another day to Indein.

Thank you.

The only address I have is [email protected] and I am not sure it works now. You could try reaching her through Santa Maria. Eks - did you have any luck when you tried this approach?

Wow, what a thread!!! I have purchased my E-ticket BKK - Yangon-BKK $174 and that is as far as I have gotten in my plans for Burma, leaving November 3rd for 3 weeks.

Am going to try to see if I can somehow hook up with Kathie,
finding a guide for Bagan and getting a general itinerary together. That has been my plan for the last few months. So far all I have done is book my flights, none internal, and apply for the visa.

I have 2 more months, though am not sure how much planning will happen while in Laos. Oh well it will come together.

Craig: I did not try to book her through Santa Maria. I am using another agency for the hotel/land arrangements so was hesitant to ask them for her contact info.

I was unsuccessful in reaching her through the address that you have.

I have not booked a guide yet for Inle Lake but am certainly game to hire Joyce.

NYW: The time is getting closer for you--very exciting! What airline are you flying from Bkk to Yangon? I noticed quite a range of prices..

Nywoman, my intra-Burma flights aren't booked yet, as some of the schedules haven't been released. This part has proved harder than I thought it would.

Do you want/need a guide for Bagan? We have an excellent book on the temples and plan to use the horsecarts. If we want/need a driver or guide to take us elsewhere, we'll just hire someone on the spot. I'm comfortable playing that by ear.

[email protected]

great guide for Inle Lake. I found him thru Diethelm.

Thank you Craig and Dogster for the guide information. I just emailed Joyce and my server came back immediately saying “Sorry, no mailbox here by that name”. I’m hoping that we’ll hear from moeaurola.

We have been working with the agency Good News Travels, as they were highly recommended in the new Lonely Planet Myanmar guide book, and they have been very responsive. We had originally tried working with Diethelm but they were very slow in getting back to us and we had to keep resending the same emails in the hope we would hear from them. In the end it was Good News Travels that was able to get the hotels confirmed, whereas Diethelm wanted to be paid and then would see what they could do about getting us the hotels we wanted.

Just a note, we wanted to stay at Traders for our first night in Yangon because of its centrallocation and tsince we were going to fly out the next morning. We wanted to stay at the Savoy for our last two nights in Yangon before flying back to Bangkok. Unfortunately, the Savoy was fully booked and already had a wait list for the last two nights and we were told it was extremely unlikely that we would get in. However, they were able to get a confirmed reservation for the Savoy for the first night and then Traders for the last 2 nights.

Our original plan was as follows:

Bkk to Yangon (booked quite a while ago on Air Asia and purchased 2 round trip tickets at $100.00 each)

Yangon – 1 night
Fly to Bagan – 3 nights
Fly to Inle Lake – 4 nights
Fly to Yangon – 2 nights

However, in order to get a reservation for 4 nights at the Inle Lake View we had to fly Yangon to Inle Lake and then fly to Bagan and finally to Yangon.

While the flight times are not as good as doing it the way we originally planned, all our hotel reservations, including our flights on Air Bagan have been confirmed.

I just thought the price for the guide and driver they quoted on the day trip to Kakku was too high and was hoping to find a guide that was recommended at a more reasonable price.

Just some questions. We have not arranged for a car to pick us up at the airport on our arrival from Bkk to take us to the Savoy. Will we be able to pay the cabbie in US currency and, if not, how can we get local currency to be able to pay? How much should this cab ride cost?

Thank you for your help.

Why not ask your TA to arrange transport on arrival? It can't cost that much extra and it removes currency and other hassles. You are unlikely to get anything near the black market rate at the airport.

How much did they quote for Kakku? Keep in mind that it is a full day trip with lots of driving and it includes an admission fee...

Thanks, Dogster!!! I will also attempt to contact the guide.

They want $45.00 for pickup at Yangon airport and to take us to the Savoy.

They want $241.00 for the following:
Inle Lake - Kakku - Inle Lake (private boat)

After breakfast at the hotel, you'll be guided for a day return excursion to Kakku. Today is the traditional 5-day-market day in Taunggyi, which is situated on your way to Kakku. You will be able to observe the colourful scene and the activities of the tribal people at the 5-day-market. And then, you'll be guided for a half day excursion to an ancient site near Lake Inle called Kakku. Kakku is a block of many ancient temples in the middle of Shan mountains, which has some connection of King Ashoka of India in AD 3 century.
The excursion is to explore more on the Shan mountain and to visit more villages of the area.
You'll be guided back to Lake Inle in the mid afternoon for free and easy to relax.

Craig,

I should add that the prices quoted were for 2 people.

Ia anyone else surprised that this "planning" thread has lasted more than three months? This does not bode well for the timeliness of the trip report.

skiski - I suggest you try Santa Maria as those prices you have been quoted are insanely high. I bet your hotel prices are on the high side as well. Diethelm pricing would not be a valid comparison.

Gawd, yes. Craig is 100% right. E the hotel and get a quote from them. A taxi amidst the scrum at Yangon airport is, from memory, $7. I think you should pre-organise a pick-up for the first day.

$241 for a day trip to Kakku? laughable. Change your agent now.

Mr. Panda,
Duly note that this thread now encompasses several other would be travelers. You would be well advised to note that advice is granted to them, as well as side comments.
Eks is barely part of this thread at this particular point in time.
Yours truly
etc. etc.

The support of the above-named poster has been duly, and gratefully, noted.

As others have now joined the fray (as opposed to the "scrum" at the Yangon airport), this thread no longer constitutes ann official "ekscrunchy planning thread." The clock has been halted.

Abandonment duly noted. Plus, there's no penalty for the planning phase. It's nice to see Nywoman ride to the rescue of the damsel in distress.

Thank you for your replies.

So far I have not heard from [email protected]. ekscrunchy, have you received a reply from him?

The price for the hotels, per night, for 2 including breakfast and all taxes are as follows, mid to end November:

Savoy $110.00
Inle Lake View Deluxe room - $120.00
Thande, Bagan Deluxe River View $60.00
Traders, Yangon $75.00

At this late date should I ask Santa Maria to quote on everything or just the sightseeing and transfers?

Incidentally, the Savoy has a rate of $12.00 on their website for p.u. at the airport.