Kathie or anyone who has been there recently....did you by chance try to use a phone from a hotel or somewhere to call home? We wont have a cell phone but one of the ladies Father just went into hospital yesterday and if she doesnt cancel and decides to still go will want to call home now and then. Just wondering the logistics of phoneing. I normally would use skype from my computer but not sure how reliable that will be

Thanks.

Skype is not very reliable in Burma because of the internet speeds (which are often just above modem speed). It is possible to phone from a hotel. Cell phones are problematic in Burma, so her best option would be to call from a hotel.

thanks Kathie, that is what I told her but I know how fast things are changing there I wanted current info.
Only 8 more sleeps for us.

According to my research, it is very expensive to make international calls from hotels in Burma-something like $5-$6 per minute. The cheapest way to make international calls is to rent a phone at the airport for $2 per day and then buy an international Sim card that only works in Burma for about the equivalent of $50. Then it costs $1.50 per minute to call internationally.

Sorry to hear about your friend's father. It is not very comfortable leaving on vacation with a sick parent back home. I hope she took out trip cancellation insurance.

i had very good luck recently with skype telephone, not the conventional skype... i loaded $10 and it last our whole trip of 6 weeks...

In Burma RHK?

Bob, you weren't in Burma....

Shelly, are you going to rent a phone? I have read about the new rental phones in Burma (this is a pretty recent development), but don't know anyone who has used them. If you do rent a phone, please report back!

I am thinking of renting one. If I do, I surely will report back. We leave in 3.5 weeks.

I just sent an email to Santa Maria and asked them. When I get an answer I will post it.

no i was not in burma but i think that the skype telephone service might work well there.... certainly worth trying and very very cheap...

Bob, Skype is wonderful as long as you have a fast and reliable internet connection. The internet connections in Burma are neither fast (really - sometimes we were getting modem speeds) nor reliable. That said. some people have reported being able to make a skype call on occasion from an internet cafe in Yangon. But it is not something you can rely on.

My two cents... I carry a small netbook and was able to use Skype a couple times (in Rangoon and in Mandalay) last year.Did have to go through a proxy server(in Mandalay)

oh good to know Cestgaston. I am bringing my net book with me and use skype as well. We shall try that. Thanks

Santa Maria will lend me a phone and I will then buy a $50 pre paid sim card.

Please let us know how that works as I might do the same.

That's great. I never cease to be amazed by Santa Maria's service.

They are certainly accomomodating. I will let you know shelly.