Myanmar

Asia

Overview

Average Costs  |  Being Vegetarian  |  What to Wear  |  Photo Gallery  |  Articles & Adventures
 

The borders of Mynamar have only been re-opened since 2012. They are furiously working to get the proper infrastructure in place to support the adventurous and curious tourists. Roads are constantly being paved and widened, hotels being built, and tourist routes being established.

Visitors are pretty much funneled into certain areas of the country (via tourist coaches rather than local transportation) with some areas simply off limits to foreigners. There are indeed some very unsafe areas that experience violence related to the persecution and ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya people. There are rumblings of a tourism boycott because of such politics.

But if you stick to the "acceptable areas" (which is what they really want), it is safe and you will see some amazing things and meet some wonderful people. The golden Shwedagon Pagoda, the indigenous tribes, Bagan, it's all breathtaking.

The dusty little dirt towns start to get a bit old after a while and you will find fewer hostels and guesthouses and more overpriced proper hotels.



Nov 2015

Average Costs

The daily total includes all lodging, food, booze, transportation, sightseeing, visas, etc. I don't include the money I spend on gifts for friends and I do not include the flight price.

Being Vegetarian in Myanmar

It was pleasantly easy to be vegetarian in Myanmar! Learn the phrase Thet That Loot and you're good to go. Not only did everyone seem to understand it, they got a kick out of me using the Myanmar term.

Vegetarian Dishes


Indian food is your best bet here as far as flavor

Burmese Vegetarian Phrases

Language Meaning Phrase / Pronunciation

Burmese

without life thet that loot
thet like bet, that like bat, loot like loot, silent Ts so more like the tha LOO and the "th" are more like a soft "t"

What to Wear

Both local men and women wear a sarong that is sewn closed at the end called a longyi. This with a short sleeve shirt is the typical dress.

As is typical in SE Asian countries, it is quite a conservative country. More so because of it being closed to tourism for so many years until recently. Cover your knees and shoulders particularly when visiting any pagodas. Many people around Inle Lake wear skimpy shorts and tank tops which the locals tolerate but it's till not quite appropriate for the country. There were many places where I felt more comfortable in long pants rather than capris and there was one cap-sleeve shirt I stopped wearing because it just felt too revealing (!).

Mid-length to long skirts, capris, long pants are great to pack. Pack a few short sleeve shirts and at least one long-sleeve cardigan/cover to put over t-shirts or tank tops. Buy a longyi once you're there and you're all set!

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Articles & Adventures

Helpful information and fun adventures!