Entry into Myanmar (Burma)
 

My girlfriend and I are interested in seeing Myanmar but we have some questions... Can anyone provide us with information regarding entry into Myanmar? I'm having trouble finding any information as to whether or not the country is currently allowing tourists in, and if so for how long? Are we able to cross into Myanmar over land from Thailand, or is it best to fly into the country?

You can go to Burma but you need a visa which you should get from the Burmese Embassy in DC. Tourists can stay for up to a month I believe. You can enter from Thailand or you can fly there. Which is better depends on where you want to go. Generally it makes more sense to fly to Rangoon (Yangon). On difficulty in Burma is you can not use traveler checks or credit cards and they do not have ATM machines. They will exchange US dollars but they have to be new bills. Thus it makes some sense to book and pay for some of the things you want to do in advance (guide, car, hotel etc).

As Gloria says, you need a visa in advance to enter Burma. These may be obtained at any Burmese embassy. Many people traveling in SE Asia get their visa from the embassy in Bangkok.

You'll need to fly to be able to see Burma. While it is true that you cab enter Burma for a day from the border with Thailand in the far north (they keep your passport at the border) you can only stay in the border area. If you have a regular Burmese Visa, you can enter in the far north by land, but you then must fly from a city near the border into one of the main cities (the roads in that area are closed to foreigners). The easierst route into Burma is to fly into Rangoon from Bangkok.

there is some limited use of credit cards in myanmar, but usually only at upscale places...

i read here recently about visa upon arrival at the yangon airport but have not been able to verify....

do a yahoo search for the myanmar embassy site and the visa info is there....i got my visas from the DC location...

Bob, with the international boycott of Burma which started two years ago (in the aftermath of the government attack on ASSK and the killing of a number of her entourage), it is almost impossible to use a credit card, I hear. Where you can use a card, there is often a hefty (5%) surcharge, as it has to be run though Singapore. I am looking at booking my hotels through www.asiahotels.com, which would allow me to prepay my hotels by credit card. I will also look into buy some intra-Burma flights ahead of time via credit card.

We attempted to pay with VISA for our great lunch buffet at Traders Hotel in April 2004 and were very politely told that no credit cards are accepted IN Myanmar. Take lots of US dollars in mint condition. You can change them into kyats at most hotels or some jewellery shops in Yangon. Best to fly from Bangkok for cheap airfare deals. Check out www.saveflights.com

hi there,
just returned from this beautiful country. Most of things written above are true. Forget credit cards. Also traveler checks (there are some place You can sell them, but with a minus of 40 %). Above that there are a lot of other things You have to know:
You can get a visa for four weeks, beeing in Myanmar You can add 3 more weeks.
Don't change money in an official bank (about 450 Kyat for 1), try the semi-official way at Your hotel (900) or black market (950).
Travelling is very slow. On the road You will make about 30 km/h. For ex: Rangoon to Pyay by bus 7 hours. Pyay to Ngapali 17! Mandalay by train 16. But only if there is no problem with the bus and no flat and no rain ...
Take a plane when You don't have too much time (about 90 US $ most route).
The food is extremly cheap if You don't need western stile. Dinner for about 1000 K in a restaurant, from 200 on the street. Beer also about 1000, bottle of local wine 8000.
Hotels and entrace fees are to pay in US $. Hotels start from 5 (forget them), we haven't payed more than 22 for real good and clean rooms.
A good thing is to rent a car with a driver. Will cost about 500 US $ for 2 weeks, and it is worth (we didn't do this and we saw it was a big mistake).
have fun
Gar