Myanmar Information

Location

Myanmar is situated in Southeast Asia and is bordered on the north and northeast by China; on the east and southeast by Laos and Thailand respectively; on the south by the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal; and on the west by Bangladesh and India. The country covers an area of 677,000 square kilometers (261,228 square miles), ranging 936 kilometers (581 miles) from east to west and 2,051 kilometers (1,275 miles) from north to south. Myanmar shares a 2,185-kilometre border with China. The second-longest border is shared with Thailand (1,800 kilometers) followed by India (1,463 kilometers), Laos (235 kilometers) and Bangladesh (193 kilometers).

Climate

Myanmar has a tropical climate with three distinct seasons although the effects of the ‘’rainy’’ season varies across the country:

Rainy Season:                     June to September (around 30’C)

Cold Season:                       October to February (around 25’C)

Hot Season:                        March to May (around 35’C)

The best time to visit Myanmar is from the end of October to beginning of May. During this time, a pullover is needed when travelling upcountry as nights are cold, especially in Shan State (Inle Lake, Kalaw, Pindaya) Yangon is very hot and humid during the ‘’hot ‘’ and ‘’rainy’’ season (March to September) and although Yangon and surrounding areas have a lot of rain during summer, upper Myanmar is rather dry the whole year round.

Travel Insurance

Tour prices DO NOT include medical or travel insurance and we are strongly recommended to purchase insurance cover, including medical evacuation coverage and subsequent medical care before your departure.

The extent of insurance coverage in Myanmar varies widely to western norms. It is suggested that visitors consider short-term health and accident policies from your own insurance company prior to leaving home. Local hospital care is basic; any seriously injured tourist will require medical evacuation to either Singapore or Bangkok. 

Passports

Please insure you have a passport valid for six months and appropriate visas are in order before your departure. Sky Bird Travels & Tours will not accept any responsibility should you be refused entry to a country because of your incorrect documentation.

Myanmar Visa Information

All tourist need to apply for a visa – prior to entering Myanmar either at Myanmar Embassies or Consulate office in related countries or apply online Myanmar e-visa. You can find out a full list of eligible countries for Myanmar e-visa here https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/

Currently, passengers with e-Visa are only permitted to enter via Yangon International Airport, Mandalay International Airport, Nay Pyi Taw International Airport, Tachileik Land Border Checkpoint, Myawaddy Land Border Checkpoint, Kawthaung Land Border Checkpoint, Tamu Land Border Checkpoint, Rih Khaw Dar Land Border Checkpoint. Length of stay is (28) days from the date of arrival in Myanmar. The processing time is up to (3) working days for normal Tourist Visa, and 24 hours for Tourist Visa Express Service.

Certain countries require passport photos for visa processing, and we advise to prepare these in advance prior to your departure.

14 days visa exemption are given to the countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia and Lao passport holders and 30 days visa exemption for Singapore passport holders.

Domestic Airlines & Flights

Myanmar National Airline, Air Mandalay, AirKBZ, Golden Myanmar, Yangon Airways, and Mann Yadanarbon Airline serve domestic routes. Luggage allowance is 20 kilos per person and excess baggage fees may be charge. We suggest you leave items not needed upcountry in Yangon and collect them upon your return.

Credit Cards

Credit Cards are only accepted at major hotels, airlines and international shops and restaurants. We suggest bringing a sufficient amount of cash for personal expenses. Our company accept credit card such as visa card and master card and there will be add 4% bank transaction fees. Banks are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and all public holidays.

Customs Regulations

All valuable items such as Jewelry, electrical goods and cameras must be declared upon arrival and on the declaration form. This form has to complete during your flight to Yangon and should submit it upon arrival. Exports of antique and archaeologically valuable items are prohibited. Particular note should be taken of antiques purchased in other countries in the region which might possible be deemed of Myanmar origin. Also extra should be taken to declare lose gemstones and jewelry.

Duty free allowance is 200 cigarettes and one litre of wine or spirits. Note that export of antiques, Buddha images and gems without an official dealer's receipt, is strictly prohibited. Baggage may be X-rayed or inspected before departure.

Telecommunication in Myanmar

There are 4 national mobile providers operating in Myanmar:

1.MPT

2.Ooredoo

3.Telenor

4.Mytel 

Visitors can purchase Myanmar SIM cards at the Yangon International Airport, shopping malls in Yangon and locals shops. To purchase, need a passport for foreigner.

Currency

The Myanmar currency is Kyats (pronounced "chats"). The following notes are in circulation 10000, 5000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50. Please note that US Dollars are exchangeable in to Kyats and Euros are now accepted in major city such as Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan. We therefore advise you to bring enough US-Dollars cash. Please note that money changers/ shops/ restaurants/hotels only accept USD notes, which are in clean and crispy note. Notes with torn off corners, rips or scrawls are exchanged with lower rate.

Festivals

Myanmar abounds with local festivals. Most festivals have religious backgrounds with its dates fixed on the lunar calendar. The exact dates of smaller festivals in the countryside are often determined only a few weeks before the actual festivals. From November to March, visitors to Myanmar will often arrive unexpectedly in the midst of an ongoing local festival.  

Food

There are many good restaurants in Yangon, which serve quality food at reasonable prices. There are restaurants offering Thai, Chinese, European, Italian, Indian and Burmese cuisine. Eating at the street restaurants can be a wonderful Asian experience but is not recommended unless an experienced guide has recommended the restaurant. Throughout upcountry Myanmar, the choice of food is limited to Burmese and Chinese.

Health

There are no compulsory vaccinations but it is advisable to take precautions against malaria - we recommend seeking the advice of your doctor.  Prescription drugs are not widely available and visitors should bring any required medication with them. If carrying a lot of medicines, it is advisable to have a doctor's letter stating that medicines are required for personal use.  It is advisable to bring plenty of mosquito repellent, particularly for use in the evenings. As Myanmar enjoys a tropical climate, sun block cream is recommended. A spare pair of glasses, if worn, is also advisable.

Religion

The great majority of Burmese are Theravada Buddhists. Buddhism still has great influence on the daily lives of Myanmar. Close family ties, respect for elders, reverence for Buddhism and simple native dresses are common values practiced by most. 89% of the populations are Buddhists with the remainder being made up of Christians (5%), Muslims (3%), Hindus (1%), Animists and other (2%). Myanmar accepts full freedom of worship for followers of other religion.

Time

Local time is GMT + 6.5 hours.

Tipping

Tipping is quite common in Myanmar today. Only at very simple restaurants do waiters not expect a tip. Where a porter of a waiter gives special service, a small tip is always welcome and never rejected.

Shopping

Best buys include lacquer wares, silver, wood and stone carvings, hand-woven silk and cotton, gems, "Kalaga" embroidered tapestries, traditional puppets and tribal handicrafts. Jewelry is generally not up to international standards for design and workmanship and buyers should check that "gold' is not, in fact, gilded silver. All gem and jewelry purchases should be made through a government-authorized dealer, who must issue an official receipt, which is required for export of such items. Bargaining is essential for all souvenirs shopping, if travelers are to obtain reasonable prices. Possible price reductions of up to 50% are not uncommon.

Power Supply

Myanmar has 220-230 Volts AC.  It is advisable to bring a torch/flashlight because power cuts can occur throughout the country.

Clothing

We recommend bringing light cotton clothes.  Myanmar still has very traditional customs and it is not appropriate to wear shorts, Bermudas or miniskirts. Since shoes and socks have to be removed for all visits to pagodas and temples, we recommend wearing sandals or other slip-on shoes which are easy to put on and take off. When visiting temples or other religious monuments, visitors should be modestly dressed - it is very important that knees and shoulders are covered and ladies should not wear shorts or bra-less T-shirts in such places. Hats and sunglasses are strongly recommended. Visitors are advised to ignore touts who may approach them to exchange foreign currency, or to sell gems of dubious quality. Such offers, although apparently attractive, are breaking strict laws.