Any suggestions for a Burma based travel agent?
5 emails to Santa Maria over 2 weeks have not been answered

I sent e-mail today for 1st time. In their website is mentioned that they come not always through.

Yesterday I found one and got answer on all my e-mails with different questions.
Though I still don't know how relyable he is after payment.

We used Santa Maria for both of our trips and they were great. They always recommended to me that we send emails to two different addresses to increase the chances that they would receive the emails. If I hadn't heard from them in a few days, I'd email again... sometimes the problem was they they hadn't received my email, sometimes I didn't receive their reply.

First, check your "spam" folder. Your email program may be marking all of their mail as spam. Next, email two of their addresses when you ask a question. If, for whatever reason you don't get a reply after this, try another agent.

Lots of people here have used Santa Maria. They are very reliable.

Also note that all of the agents in Burma are swamped with requests these days. When are you going?

Thanks Kathie and Francisca. I know that several people swear by Santa Maria and I know it is said that not all emails get through. However, 5 unanswered over a couple of weeks??
I'm anxious as we want to go to Burma Dec - Jan and advice is that at that time of the year it is advisable to book early.
I'm considering booking hotels direct since I seem to be having no luck with Santa Maria

Hi,
We used Shan Yoma (http://www.exploremyanmar.com/) to book our flights and hotels for our trip to Myanmar last February and have used them again for when we go back in March. They have answered all our emails within 24 hours - the reason we used them in the first place. Like you, we had no joy with SM getting back to us.
Good luck!

We used Santa Maria with fine results, but with the explosion of interest in tourism in Burma, they seem to be overloaded and perhapsnot able to del with all the requests. I also had contacted Shah Yoma, who, as you report, respponded immediately--but they sent an itinerary extremely different from what I had requested--and then never got back to me after requesting modification...but there have been good reports about them from others.

Another travel agency that I had wanted to try--and have heard good things about --is Myanmar Shalom Travel & Tours. www.myanmarshalom.com--I believe the owner is the son of Moses Samuels, the trustee of the Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue in Yangon.

Good luck.

I also have heard good reports about Myanmar Shalom Travel. I used Santa Maria with good results, but if they are now too busy to respond in a timely way, then I would find another travel agent to make your arrangements.

It's clear that many here love Santa Maria. But when I didn't hear from them I made my arrangements with a combination of direct emails to accommodations and flights and a boat booked through our Yangon guesthouse. Amazingly, all emails to these recipiants "got through" just fine and without exception. I think Santa Maria is just too busy and, while I'm sure they're good, getting things done is better than waiting until it's too late. Go elsewhere.