Just returned from Burma
 

Hello everyone,

Since you Fodorites are alway so helpful to my family and because there is not too much information on Burma on the Asia board recently, I felt it was important to provide my experience.

I am writing from Bangkok. We have just returned from a trip to Cambodia and Burma. From my point of view after 10 days in Burma, everything is back to normal. loved walking around Yangon and visited Shwedagon (sp?) twice and then spent a few days in Bagan which is a truly magical place - balloon ride was wonderful way to get a sense of the temples. Then to Mandalay which I liked more than I expected. visited many temples, pagodas and local food markets. Everywhere the people were just wonderful and could not do enough for you in any way. We tried to stay with small companies that are privately owned to support the tourist industry which is suffering at the moment. We saw some European and Asian tourists, but only one other American in Burma.
Learned a little Burmese which was fun and appreciated.

In terms of visa, it was not a problem at all for us. you wubmit some information ahead of time and get visa when you get there. By chance we met the Burmese Ambassador to Cambodia and he told us we could just go to the embassy and fill out the form and get the visa easily (but we did not need to go since we did the VOA route, by providing info ahead of time)

I would be happy to answer questions if I can. I had many myself before we went.

Bonnie

I long to return more than ever now. I loved Burma. Interesting to hear the visa application process may be easier now. Are you saying you can receive one at the airport upon arrival?

Femi, I think Bonnie is referring to the pre-arranged visa as there is no visa on arrival for Burma.

Bonnie, thanks for your report. I read that "everything is back to normal" with conflictual feelings. I'm sad that the junta has not been impacted by the protests and the sacrifices of the monks, but I am reassured to know that the Burmese people are able to go forward with their lives.

Kathie is correct. You have to fill out the forms ahead of time. I think they are available online.

and yes, everything seems to be about as it was before september as far as I can tell and from talking to people there.

honestly, the government is pretty bad in cambodia too.
unlike here in Thailand, the king is not liked and the pm probably has a stake in the siem reap hotels.

bonnie

Bonnie I got the impression that most regimes in SEA are not at all as popular as Thailand's monarchy.

Very little was said about the present government while I was in Cambodia and Laos, but it was just a feeling I got. The Vietnamese seem to mind their government a little less as it has allowed commerce to move at a break-neck pace.

Hi Bonnie
Question. You replied to me at another post. While hanging out at the airport in BKK, you mentioned that you can pay for access to "thai" lounges. DId you mean Thai Air? How much is it, and what's in there? Any beds or showers like in Japan?
Thanks
Ldtc2

"honestly, the government is pretty bad in cambodia too. unlike here in Thailand, the king is not liked and the pm probably has a stake in the siem reap hotels.

If we are taking the royal family then yes they are worshiped in Thailand. In Cambodia the past king was very well liked but his son who took over in 2004 is not that well known to the people as he spent most of his life in Europe. I have not heard that he is that disliked.

As for goverments there is much corrucption in Cambodai but there is a great deal in Thailand too.

Hi BonnieN
Thanks for the info. I need a lot of help.
I am planning a trip to Asia in Feb 08. I have 4 adults comming from Phoenix and 2 comming from China, all family members.
We were planning to meet in Bangkok and than go to Bali.
We are open to change and visit Cambodia or Byrma.
I am having terrible problems with Air fares. Extremely expensive.
We have two weeks, not sure how to best use the little time we have.
Help
Al

Al, make a new post with your question. Title it something like "Help plan Thai/Bali or Thai/? vacation"

That way you'll get specific responses to your question. Thailand/Bali is a nice trip, but the flight from Bangkok to Denpasar is expensive and long in comparison to shorter hops.

Think about what kind of vacation you want... active, cultural, relaxing, etc so we can help.

asked at Thai Air lounge about access and the said that $30pp.. has food, wireless, shower rooms (very nice) and sleeping rooms which are fairly quiet and fairly comfortable looking.
Bonnie

for fodorite planning asia trip, they are very different destinations and suggest you talk to your group and see what kind of vacation they are looking for. Yes, Asia is a fairly expensive destination, but once you are there, depending on where you go, you can economize if you like.

Bonnie,

I think you have mistaken a paying lounge with the Thai Airways business or first class lounge. You can't pay an access fee for the Thai Airways lounge and since you've mentioned "sleeping rooms" then I'm sure that it's a privately run lounge like the Louis Tavern Lounges.

I was surprised when i was told about the access to the Thai lounge, but I asked the staff and that is what they told me. cannot verify of course. I just asked for future, since I don't always fly business class. maybe someone else who is flying through BKK could check for us?
bonnie

Bonnie
I am interested in your trip and a few things you said ie. that you stayed with small companies. You must have set everything up here before you left -- how did you deal with money?
It's been my impression that the bulk of the tourist industry is either government controlled or some level of pay-off bribe is involved, so being able to really get money to "the people" in Myanmar is difficult -- but I would love to hear more details about your stay and what you did, especially given what the country just went through.
Myanmar seems to be able to commit some rather heinous atrocities which just get swallowed into the maw of no information getting out of the country, and because a bulk of what is done is done far from the eyes of the places tourists go. Did people speak to you freely while you were there? Did you feel you could ask questions?

I'm not Bonnie, but there are small outfits you can use to travel in Myanmar - I used this one: www.myinttours.com. I found it because a Canadian woman I met in Vietnam virtually adopted the guy who runs it. I handled the money issue by taking dollar bills in with me, and having Myint exchange them in the market for me.

Bonnie,
So happy to read your response - am anxious to ask you more about your experience. Did you travel with your family? Which company did you use. How was the airplane travel. Did you book your hotels and airplane with a particular company? Tks. Betty

Hi,

we traveled with a small group (6 total) around burma and organized through Tour Mandalay in Yangon. They provided drivers, guides and vehicles as well as arranged for hotel. I think the organizer paid in us cash on arrival. You could get a quote from them and there are other companies mentioned on this board that I am sure are very good. Burma is really wonderful, the people, the sights, everything. Bangkok Air worked well for us regionally - if you join their FF club, you get extra baggage allowance.

Bonnie