This last trip had been a long time coming. In 2007 Andrew and I planned to go to Myanmar. Despite reservations about supporting the regime, a friend of ours had started being a tour guide there and was full of the wonders of the country. We even bought the Lonely Planet. Then monks set themselves on fire, anti-government protests abounded and we shelved our plans. Fast forward to 2012, a conversation with a friend – let’s go to Myanmar for Chinese New Year 2013. Perfect – Aung San Su Sui was no longer under house arrest, Dragonair was about to start direct flights from Hong Kong, I got the Lonely Planet as a Christmas present – we were on.  And then not. Again, our plans were shelved. No room at the inn. We had left it too late to book and anything less than 6 months in advance will get you nowhere to stay in the now trendy country.  So we went to Bangladesh instead (the country next door as A. pointed out). So we said – next year. And with flights and hotels all booked by September 2013 we finally made it to Myanmar in late January 2014.

And it was well worth the wait.  Here is an outline of our trip, more posts to follow on individual places and activities…

A, Tali and 2 friends of ours spent 9 days in Myanmar. We three Chius visited Yangon and the ancient capital of Bagan, whilst our friends also spent 2 days at Inle Lake.  With a dearth of mid-range accomodation that we would normally book, we wound up in 5 star hotels, so we were extremely comfortable. Big breakfast buffets, swimming pools, large rooms – a girl could get used to this kind of travel! The people were outstandingly friendly, we organised a guide for one day in Yangon and a day in Bagan. This was definitely worth it to get from A to B to C much easier and also get a better insight into the country and culture.

Here are a few snaps and the logistics of our trip.  I’m also hoping to have a guest post from my friend on Inle Lake.

When: Early February 2014 (Chinese New Year Holidays) The dry season – hot in the daytime but with lovely blue skies and low humidity, very pleasant and comfortable.

Where: Yangon & Bagan

Map of Myanmar
Image courtesy of www.greece-map.net

How: Direct flight from HK to Yangon with Dragonair (warning – horrible flight times! the return was a real red-eye, leaving Yangon at 1am, arriving 2.5 hours later in HK at 5.30am)

Internal domestic flights Yagon – Bagan return with Yangon Airways  flying between major tourist locations is really your best bet as buses and trains are overcrowded, uncomfortable and take hours and hours due to poor roads and tracks.

Within Yangon we took taxis and had a driver & guide for one day.

In Bagan we arranged taxis from the hotel also a driver/guide. We also took a horse and cart for a day, a boat for a river trip and crossing and even a moped. You can also get around by bicycle which we really wanted to do, however they didn’t have any child seats for T.

Independent travel is most definitely possible and encouraged over package tours.

Accommodation: Limited, overbooked and expensive. Book months in advance and prepare to pay much more for less than you might expect for that price.  We stayed in 5 star (ish) hotels. In Yangon we were at the Chatrium Royal Lake and in Bagan the Aye YAr River View.  Both were lovely with large rooms, clean, good buffet breakfast, swimming pool and decent restaurant.  We felt we got our money’s worth with 3 of us in the room. (plus we don’t normally stay in luxury places so it felt like a real treat!)

Money: You need to take in US dollars to exchange for the local currency, the kyat. US$ are also widely accepted as payment – but, THEY MUST BE CLEAN, FLAT, PRISTINE BILLS. ANY BILLS WITH MARKS, RIPS, CREASES, STAINS WILL BE REJECTED. Take more than you need.  There are virtually no ATMs (though there is one at the Chatrium in Yangon and also, weirdly, at the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon). There are money changers at the big hotels and also in the Scott market.  Basically bring lots of cash!

Food: Greasy. stews and curries served with rice. Excellent noodle dishes. Tourist places will serve western and eastern fare. Try the Myanmar tea made with condensed milk.

Sights & Activities: in Yangon: the Shwedagon Pagoda, puppet show, Chinatown area, Sule Pagoda, Bogyoke Market

In Bagan: Temples, temples and more temples. Sunset from one of the temples is just gorgeous. Getting up for the sunrise is definitely worth it too. My highlight – the dawn balloon ride with Oriental Ballooning

Dress: conservative. Legs should be covered past the knees, especially if visiting a temple. Shoulders should also be covered. Both men and women wear longyis (a kind of sarong). There are different styles and cloth patterns for men and women. Myanmar people also wear western style clothes, particularly in the big cities. We found the longyis to be comfortable and practical – including Andrew!

Tips: If you are travelling with a western child be prepared for lots of photograph requests! They are friendly. I took pictures too!