One Week in Myanmar

Old Jan 12th, 2007, 11:03 AM
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One Week in Myanmar

I've often used the forum for travel advice so decided to post some information (hopefully useful) about our one week in Myanmar. Being mostly independent travelers, we planned our trip and used Diethelm Travel for help with hotels, internal air and guides. We dealt with their Bangkok office based on recommendation of the Peninsula Hotel; Diethelm also has an office in Myanmar. We travled Christmas week so it was probably busier than normal.

After 2 days in Bangkok, we took an early flight to Yangon. We picked the Savoy Hotel and arrranged for their car service for $12 each way. In general, I would definitely recommend having transfer arrangements; the airports are chaotic with porters all vying to find your luggage. Since you can't communicate what your luggage even looks like, they run around trying to match up your luggage tags with the luggage which is placed in the middle of a room in the airport. We found it easier to find our own luggage. The Savoy hotel was clean, large room - nothing fancy; I would stay there again. Katie, the general manager was helpful in planning our day. We decided to explore Yangon on our own - a guide might have been nice, but not necessary. We spent day visiting Scott's market, Sule Pagoda and Shwedagon Pagoda. They have English guides at Shwedagon for $2/hr. Go at least 1 1/2 hr. before sunset to capture both the spirit of the people and the beauty of the pagoda. Dinner at hotel - good food - slow service. Since we had an early morning flight next day, Savoy happily offered breakfast in our room prior to our early departure.

With regard to the money exchange, the rate was 1250 -1300 kyat to the dollar. You don't have to exchange, but if you pay in US dollars, the rate is 1000 kyat to dollar. You don't need to bother with FEC.

Early flight to Bagan where we spent the next 3 nights at Thiripyitsaya Hotel. The hotel is beautifully sited on the river; we had one dinner at hotel - overpriced and average. The service at hotel was excellent - beautiful pool and good massages at spa. Our guide, Bo Ni had his BA in history from Mandalay University; he had also been an English teacher in Bagan. His English was excellent and his guide services above and beyond what we could have expected. He works freelance and I would highly recommend trying to get him. We spent our first day seeing many of the temples, fruit market, evening sunset at one of the temples. As luck had it, our stay in Bagan coincided with the Ananda temple festival. As the days progressed, we watched more and more people surround the temple, arriving from thie respective villages in covered ox cart. The villagers come to the festival for up to 2 weeks and set up camps around the temples.

























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Old Jan 12th, 2007, 12:10 PM
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Do you have contact information for the guide in Bagan? Can't wait to hear more about your trip.
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Old Jan 12th, 2007, 01:06 PM
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I will look for the email address and post if I can find.

Our 2nd day in Bagan (day 3 of trip) involved more temples, lacquerware and antique shopping. We went to sunset at another temple via horse cart - a lot of fun. We saw a lot of tourists sightseeing this way during the day, but just know that it is quite dusty - most roads are not paved.

While many people frown upon giving money to children, we found that $1 can really make their day and smiles abound. The average family earns $2-$3 per day so $1 gift is meaningful. We tipped heavily wherever we went, trying to improve the lives of the people we came in contact with.

A group of children from a distant village surrounded us at the Ananda Temple - our guide translated that they "had never seen white people before". After giving them a few $$, one of the girls invited us to meet her parents. The children are very small in stature and we assumed this girl was about 8 - turns out she was 13. She led us to her camp which was nothing more than a tarp over bamboo poles and some tarps on the ground. We met her parents (who we thought were her grandparents) - they set out 2 cups of tea and a plate of peanuts. We found out she was one of 10 children and 14 of them were to sleep under this tarp for the next 2 weeks of the festival. She was proud to have invited us and it was sad to leave them.

Day 4 we went to Mt. Popa. If you don't have time, Mt. Popa isn't a must. We did have a wonderful lunch at the Mt. Popa Resort and it was an interesting drive through the countryside. Sunset boat trip on river.

We ate 2 dinners at Eden BBB,a suggestion from our guide. By far the best food, service, atmosphere in Bagan. They also have some entertainment - puppet show - music. Dinner for 2 ran us $16.

Day 5 and 6. We opted for Inle Lake instead of Mandalay figuring visiting the lake would be more interesting for us than the city. The lake itself is stunningly beautiful. The floating gardens, leg rowers - all like nothing else I've seen in SA. Our accomodations were at Inle Lakeview Resort - beautiful room and good food. Definitely arrange for transfer service to the hotel - getting out the the Heho airport was the most confusing of all the airports because the guides can't come in. It is an hour's drive to jetty (17 miles) and 1/2 hour boat ride to hotel. We arranged for guide, but you probably don't need to since the hotel will arrange for long tail boat service with 15 minutes notice. They all take you to usual tourist spots and English speaking guide really isn't necessary. You can get the flavor of the lake with 2 days visit.

Our guide in Inle Lake was young and outspoken about the political situation. They are taught in guide school not to discuss politics. Our guide said his people hate the government, but the miltary is too strong;they are afraid to speak out or band together and wished the U.S. would come in "like they did in Iraq" and liberate the people. Beacause they don't have the oil refineries, he doesn't believe this will happen.

Our guide in Inle would not let us hand out money to the children. We tried to buy them breakfast, but they had already eaten. He also advised against people bringing candy because it rots their teeth and there is virutally no denistry.

Day 7 - return to Yangon - Savoy Hotel. Some shopping and drinks/dinner at the Strand Hotel. Overpriced, but good.

As a side note, we were told that booking package tours puts more money in the government's pocket. We were happy with Diethelm Travel; they charged same rates as hotel internet rates, broke out the costs for each transfer, guide and airfare.

The people of Myanmar we met expressed that they want tourists and feel that at this point, it may be the only way to help change their lives.
donnahelene is offline  
Old Jan 12th, 2007, 02:17 PM
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Thanks for the report - good info. We will be there at the end of February. Staying at the Savoy and Inle Lakeview Resort. Will also be in Bagan. Hopefully doing some off-the-beaten-path things on our private (non-packaged) tour arranged through Yangon-based tour operator Santa Maria Travels with local guides in each area.
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Old Jan 12th, 2007, 02:22 PM
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One question - what airlines did you use in Myanmar and how were they?
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Old Jan 12th, 2007, 04:12 PM
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Nice report and I think we were there at almost the same time!
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Old Jan 12th, 2007, 08:33 PM
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thanks for the report
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Old Jan 13th, 2007, 04:42 AM
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I was just there too...used Yangon Air (found out later it is the government airline, renamed from Myanmar Air) and Air Mandalay. Both were on time and efficient. Air Bagan seemed to be most popular though -- wonder if they are even cheaper?

One of our guides surreptiously handed me a copy of "the Trouser People" a book about Myanmar today. It's an eye-opener, especially if you've been to Inle.
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Old Jan 13th, 2007, 05:35 AM
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Thanks for the excellent report. Sounds like you had a wonderful time.
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Old Jan 14th, 2007, 05:19 AM
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We used Air Bagan, Mandalay Air and Yangon Airways -- all of them were fine. I looked at the individual websites or www.kayak.com to figure out timing of flights and which fit our schedule best. While we were waiting in Heho, we did see Myanmar Airways load a flight of military personnel. The books all tell you to avoid Myanmar Airways.

Here is the email if you want to contact Bo Ni - he uses his friend's email address: [email protected]
If you want tell him, I referred you - he'll remember me if you tell him I gave him my mag flashlight and batteries. Bo Ni also said that if we weren't using our bath amenities at the hotel, he would appreciate them - of course, I emptied the basket. Items that we just take for granted our much appreciated by the guides.
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