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The boys go to Burma -- and need your help!

The boys go to Burma -- and need your help!

Old Mar 11th, 2012, 09:33 PM
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Through Santa Maria was less expensive. And dont book it for your last day in Bagan in case the weather is bad, leave time to reschedule if necessary.
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Old Mar 12th, 2012, 03:05 AM
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Definitely book Balloons through SM.
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Old Mar 12th, 2012, 10:24 AM
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FW can you FB msg me your email address ( I have mislaid it) I will send u the Santa Maria email i used.
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Old Mar 13th, 2012, 09:56 PM
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Okay, so a few more questions. Finally got in touch with Zaw and already have a tentative itinerary from SM that I can work with (wow--that was fast!)

*Difference between Tharabar and Thiripyitsaya? What are the pros and cons of each?

*Zaw has us with a guide basically the whole time we're in Inle. That's fine with me if that's "normal." I'm assuming it'd be hard for us to do much of anything outside the hotel without one? But do we want some "down" time at the Inle Princess too?

*Right now, they have us doing 3 nights in Yangon which honestly seems WAY too much to me (1 on arrival and 2 at the end.) Thinking of requesting dropping the last day in Yangon for an extra night in Inle (right now they have us: 1 night Yangon, 4 nights Bagan, 3 nights Inle, 2 nights Yangon)

*Kathie, he is including airport pickup at Bagan airport through SM but I remember you mentioning that Min Thu had a means to do this. I'm wondering if the difference in cost is trivial and perhaps it's better to stick with SM for this given the ever-changing flight schedules and their ability to really stay on top of that (pick-up time wise)?

Oh I'll definitely have more questions--now I really have some meat to dig into here. This is my favorite part!
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Old Mar 13th, 2012, 10:51 PM
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1. The Tharbar Gate is ideally located right at the entry to the main concentration of temples. We had a suite - huge - the good part was the little terrace in back where we had lunch each day. The food at the Tharbar Gate was ok to good Avoid the European set dinners and order a la carte from the menu.

The Thiripyitsaya is located on the river in Old Bagan. The regular rooms are apparently very small, but the riverfront suites are huge and have a great view of the river, especially from the porch/terrace. The suite was well-appointed with a huge bathroom. We loved the suite. The food there, however, I woould term barely edible. The breakfast buffet has virtually nothing I woould eat, and the one thig I found on the menu that I could eat was a club sandwich.

2-3. You don't need a guide at all at Inle. Your hotel will get you a boatman, and the boatman will take you where you want to go. At the Lakeview, they had a map, and we went over our itinerary each day with someone from the hotel, who then told the boatman. We could make changes by saying no to a destination or pointing to a different place on the map where we want to go. If you go to Sankar (and you should), you'll be required to ppick up a Pa-O guide on the way. Likewise, if you go to Kakku, your driver will pick up a required Pa-O guide on the way. No need at all for a SM guide at Inle. And you may want a half a day down time at the Princess. I agree, make it four nights at the Princess.

4. SM charges (I believe) $30 for an airprot ick up at Bagan or Yangon. The cost for Min Thu's brother or any local driver from the airport is 6000 kyat. Even if you weren't using Min Thu's brother, the airport transfer is cheap and easy to arrange when you arrive. I just emailed Min Thu any flight time changes, but I swear everyone knows when the flights are going to land. Likewise in Yangon, the taxi drivers charge US$10 and there is a stand inside where you pay your taxi fare. For Inle, you really want Santa Maria to take care of the transfer.

You've got a great start!
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Old Mar 14th, 2012, 04:17 AM
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I was in Myanmar for 20 days in Jan of this year on a trip arranged by SM. You do not need a guide with you every day, although we did see many others being led around by "companion/guides". It would have been too much for me to be accompanied everwhere with a guide. Pick where you need/want one and tell SM.

I stayed at the Tharbar Gate Hotel for 4 nights in a deluxe room, It was fine, although lacked in some areas. I have included details regarding the hotel and the many food options around it in my TR. From what Kathy says about the food at the other hotel you are considering, I would go with the Hotel at Tharbar Gate.

We spent 4 nights at Inle Lake and thought this was the right amount of time for us.
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Old Mar 14th, 2012, 10:37 AM
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I would definitely drop one of the days in Yangon, you really don't need 2 at the end, save it for somewhere else.
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Old Mar 14th, 2012, 10:40 AM
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we loved yango and its outskirts and would spend 3 days there again.. i can only see sooooo many temples in the countryside..
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Old Mar 14th, 2012, 03:53 PM
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SM has proposed the following during Inle. Given that we're not probably going to use their guide there now, the point is probably moot, but I'm still curious about the suggestions they are making. I had specifically asked about Sankar and Kakku per Kathie's suggestion but they came back with this:

-Morning visit to traditional five‐day market and half day trip to Inn Dein village
-A day trip to Sagar, seldom‐visited village near Inle lake

Any info would be appreciated...
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Old Mar 14th, 2012, 04:02 PM
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I'd assume Sagar = Sankar. There are more alternate spellings for this place! This trip is a full day.

I recommend a stop at one of the 5 day markets - as long as it isn't the floating market, which is a zoo. Don't even go to the floating market on a non-5 day market day.

InDien (also spelled InnDien, InThien, etc) is a must-see. We went first thing in the morining, and were back down at the foot of the stairway before the first boatloads of tourists arrived.

You can likely do both the 5 day market and In Dien in one morning.
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Old Mar 14th, 2012, 04:34 PM
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We did Sankar one day and Indien the next, but could be done in one day. Both were highlights.
When we went to Sankar it was market day there, a Wednesday, so if it works out with your schedule plan a trip to Sankar for Wednesday and go early enough to see the local market. We were the only tourists there.
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Old Mar 14th, 2012, 04:39 PM
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ALso, I got a quote from SM for a trip to Sankar and then a quote from the hotel we stayed at and SM was at least double the price for exactly the same thing. Some things are best done on your own.
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Old Mar 14th, 2012, 05:01 PM
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Kathie, 6000 kyat for an airport transfer? Isn't that like $900?

Unless I'm mistaken, isn't it like 6 kyat to the dollar?
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Old Mar 14th, 2012, 05:18 PM
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lol, no, the 6 kyats to the dollar was the old "offical" exchange rate - a fiction no one believed. The current exchange rate is in the range of 800 kyats to the dollar. And there are now bank exchanges in Yangon and upon arrival at the airport that give you the real exchange rate, no messing with the black market. But for $900 I'd be glad to arrrnage an airport transfer for you...

The markets around Inle rotate on a five-day basis, so it changes days of the week, it's not always on a Wednesday at Sankar. But the hotel and boatman will know where the 5 day market is each day.
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Old Mar 14th, 2012, 07:12 PM
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Thanks Kathie, I didnt know how that worked. Going on a market day is a bonus if you can.
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Old Mar 15th, 2012, 07:49 AM
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Sorry about the change of subject, but can't contact you directly and I was just wondering what kind of volunteer work you did for the PLF? I am thinking of a return trip to SR and would like to volunteer again but am interested in what other options there are other than teaching English. I enjoyed the teaching and children but not sure if I was all that effective! Thanks.

You will LOVE Burma.
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Old Mar 16th, 2012, 04:41 PM
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Just looked up airfares from Singapore to Yangon for December. It shows it at about at $317 ONE WAY PER PERSON!

And I though the tickets to Siem Reap were bad.

Could it possibly be that this flight is so booked up in late December already that the fare is that high -- or could it just be that I'm trying to book it so far out?

Wondering if it's better to try and go through Eddie @ Amex in Bangkok (is he even still around?) or possibly even Santa Maria in Burma....
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Old Mar 16th, 2012, 04:46 PM
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moremiles, sorry--didn't see your post til just now. Not to get too off-topic, but you can pretty much do anything you want at the PLF. I was teaching high school kids some documentary filmmaking skills. I went to film school, so that's my background--and what's so great about the PLF is that they really are looking for people with specialized skill sets to come in and teach. So whatever random talent you may have is something that might make a unique lesson for the kids. Even if you don't feel you have something "special" to bring to the table, you can pretty much propose anything you'd like and run it through Lori. While I was there, these fab British ladies (who have since become friends) were creating a mural on one of the school walls with all the kids. I don't know if that qualifies as "teaching" in the typical sense, but let me tell you: they did an amazing job and the kids were thrilled to participate. I'd talk to Lori directly if I were you (email her) and just start brainstorming some ideas. And one final thought: I'm sure Lori has told you already -- and as much as it's normal to think 'I didn't do that much" -- you HAVE made a difference. Just showing up and being there is difference enough.
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Old Mar 16th, 2012, 04:55 PM
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Silk Air, is, I believe, the only airline that flies from SIN to RGN. And Silk Air is typically expensive. When I last communicated with Eddie, he said that for airlines you can book online you get a better price than he can.

I'm looking at my flights to/from Java, and if I can't get them to do an openjaw, the flights will be something like $1200 per person each way (when booked at one-ways).
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Old Mar 16th, 2012, 11:13 PM
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FW - when I booked my flight with SA last year to RGN from Sin it was about £340 round trip for both of us. I don't think that was the saver fare as they had sold out but I remember when I was watching the fares there wasn't a massive difference. They do do specials every now and then ( or try and snag a "saver" one - although I suspect you won't get bargain flights. I just remembered Jetstar Asia fly to RGN direct from Singapore and they have a morning flight but i am not sure if they are much cheaper than Silk Air. I have flown Jetstar but when we were in Australia, they were as good as any other budget airline. Hope that helps...
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