Would travelers still be wise to use travel agents for Myanmar?
Apr 2nd, 2017, 02:03 PM
#41
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Just an aside .been away so only just picked up on this thread
Santa Maria is never mentioned on Travelfish,Thorntree or Tripadvisor so if you are looking for an alternative itinerary and prices try any of these three all who have top ranking from hundreds of genuine reviewers:-
https://onestopmyanmar.com/
https://www.pronititravel.com/
http://www.tourmandalay.travel/
Santa Maria seem only to have a strong following from recommendations from Fodorites (I am not saying they are not a great company) but it is good to make comparisons
SS
Santa Maria is never mentioned on Travelfish,Thorntree or Tripadvisor so if you are looking for an alternative itinerary and prices try any of these three all who have top ranking from hundreds of genuine reviewers:-
https://onestopmyanmar.com/
https://www.pronititravel.com/
http://www.tourmandalay.travel/
Santa Maria seem only to have a strong following from recommendations from Fodorites (I am not saying they are not a great company) but it is good to make comparisons
SS
Apr 2nd, 2017, 02:47 PM
#42
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FWIW, since I was making a last minute trip, I contacted onestop, Santa Maria, and Shalom Myanmar. One stop was the least responsive. Shalom Myanmar was medium responsive. Santa Maria was the most consistently responsive, so I decided to work with that agency. I just didn't have time to fool around and wait.
In Ngapali we stayed at Yoma Cherry Lodge and were more than happy there. There is not the huge expanse of beach with the on-beach restaurants that are by some of the other more touristed bays, but we thought it was a very nice place with a good restaurant and not nearly as pricey as some of the more exclusive, gated places others mention. It was only a couple dollars to get a taxi down to those areas when we wanted to go there for a meal.
We had two nights and one full day in Kalaw. We spent our day walking, both in the countryside and in town. The market there is large and interesting, but I certainly wouldn't just go there to go to the market. We didn't do the elephant camp, so I know nothing about it. If you can't walk, I really don't know if I'd stop in the town. I know there is a stop (temple caves whose name is escaping me right now) between Kalaw and Inle that many people make. We needed to be at the dock in Nuang Shwe by 9:30 or 10:00 so we didn't stop there.
I have to go back to look at my notes to see exactly where we stopped on the way down the lake to the Sanctuary. There was a fabulous old teak temple. We stopped at the weaving area to see the lotus weaving workshop, and we drove through the floating garden area. Then, we had an unfortunate occurrence in that my husband became extremely ill, and our only goal was to get to the Sanctuary as fast as possible. While at the Sanctuary Aung Min (the owner) arranged a separate day-long boat trip to all of those southerly areas by the lakes that people want to see. There was also a place to stop for lunch this day.
There definitely are places to stop for lunch, so that is not a problem. And, we left our luggage in the boat during our stops since the boatman stayed close by. We did take our backpacks with the valuables and our cameras though.
In Ngapali we stayed at Yoma Cherry Lodge and were more than happy there. There is not the huge expanse of beach with the on-beach restaurants that are by some of the other more touristed bays, but we thought it was a very nice place with a good restaurant and not nearly as pricey as some of the more exclusive, gated places others mention. It was only a couple dollars to get a taxi down to those areas when we wanted to go there for a meal.
We had two nights and one full day in Kalaw. We spent our day walking, both in the countryside and in town. The market there is large and interesting, but I certainly wouldn't just go there to go to the market. We didn't do the elephant camp, so I know nothing about it. If you can't walk, I really don't know if I'd stop in the town. I know there is a stop (temple caves whose name is escaping me right now) between Kalaw and Inle that many people make. We needed to be at the dock in Nuang Shwe by 9:30 or 10:00 so we didn't stop there.
I have to go back to look at my notes to see exactly where we stopped on the way down the lake to the Sanctuary. There was a fabulous old teak temple. We stopped at the weaving area to see the lotus weaving workshop, and we drove through the floating garden area. Then, we had an unfortunate occurrence in that my husband became extremely ill, and our only goal was to get to the Sanctuary as fast as possible. While at the Sanctuary Aung Min (the owner) arranged a separate day-long boat trip to all of those southerly areas by the lakes that people want to see. There was also a place to stop for lunch this day.
There definitely are places to stop for lunch, so that is not a problem. And, we left our luggage in the boat during our stops since the boatman stayed close by. We did take our backpacks with the valuables and our cameras though.
Apr 3rd, 2017, 06:08 AM
#44
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Kathie,
OK, now I have new information that I should post so that no one ends up mis-informed.
Previously I'd mentioned as part of an email to Santa Maria that we wouldn't be staying at the Princess hotel in Mrauk U because of the $672 price they had quoted.
A little while ago I received another email, apologizing for providing a mistake in the rates, and that rather than being $672 per night, it is actually $262 per night!
But it is hard for me to begrudge the agent, as when he sent me that quote he was working on a Saturday, <i>and</i> he had the flu! And he corrected the mistake, and in every other instance has been very helpful and quick to answer questions.
However, I think we'll still save Mrauk U for a future trip.
julies,
Thanks so much, I really appreciate all the helpful information.
Silverswimmer, that is a valid point. But now that I'm in the middle of working with Santa Maria, I do have to report that my experience with them has been extremely good. As julies wrote, they are unusually responsive. In spite of that one mistake mentioned above!
OK, now I have new information that I should post so that no one ends up mis-informed.
Previously I'd mentioned as part of an email to Santa Maria that we wouldn't be staying at the Princess hotel in Mrauk U because of the $672 price they had quoted.
A little while ago I received another email, apologizing for providing a mistake in the rates, and that rather than being $672 per night, it is actually $262 per night!
But it is hard for me to begrudge the agent, as when he sent me that quote he was working on a Saturday, <i>and</i> he had the flu! And he corrected the mistake, and in every other instance has been very helpful and quick to answer questions.
However, I think we'll still save Mrauk U for a future trip.
julies,
Thanks so much, I really appreciate all the helpful information.
Silverswimmer, that is a valid point. But now that I'm in the middle of working with Santa Maria, I do have to report that my experience with them has been extremely good. As julies wrote, they are unusually responsive. In spite of that one mistake mentioned above!
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