Myanmar is a dream come true travel place, there is such an abundance of colour, exotic places and interesting attractions. Not many persons know about Myanmar, some only know it as Burma, the old name, and most people have the same reaction when they hear something like this from northern Thailand’s neighbors: “Myanmar, is this a country?”
It is also fascinating, shocking and strikes you as a very cold shower since you take the first step in the airport. Even though I seriously documented myself before heading out this summer, nothing prepared me for the reality that you will discover there. Whether you want to get there in the very near future, or want to enrich your general culture a little, you should know a few things about Myanmar.
The national currency is the Kyat, the rate being 350 kyat to 1 leu. Although it may seem surprising, you will find plenty of ATMs in big cities such as Yangon or Mandalay. We, for example, withdrew cash twice in the 17 days, and sometimes, where it was possible, we also paid with the card (generally at hotels). And one more thing: we know that one of the great requirements of all modern tourists, so to speak, is to have, as much as possible, the Internet. Contrary to the information circulating on various sites, the Internet is doing well. We had a SIM with internet, MTP and Telenor, but also wi-fi at hotels, and it was perfect.
Speaking of which, we have been told in Myanmar so many times that we are beautiful that we got a bit up. Not being accustomed to such goodwill, I initially thought that there should be an interest in the middle, that they were far too friendly, but it was not. They seem to like tourists, feel good about them and are very curious and sincere. Only in Bagan did I meet traders who were a little more insistent, but not as far away as the Balinese, the Turks or the Moroccans. At the first refusal, any attempt would end, which, we tell you from experience, does not happen much in other parts. And, as a very valuable tip, remember “Mingalarbar”. It is the greeting of the locals, it means a good day and you will surely impress them, especially if you come through the rural areas. See additional info on https://globalhawkmyanmar.com/.
The bottom line is simple: there are two completely different styles of travel, and prices are tailor-made. Returning, however, to our experience, a room at a decent hotel (repeat, not luxurious) starts at $ 30-40 / night, domestic flights are about $ 70-100 / person, compared to the $ 7- you get on the bus, the balloon flight in Bagan starts from $ 300 / person. The food also cost us a lot – about $ 5-7 / person for a dinner – and the trips were not too cheap. Comparing, therefore, with Thailand or Bali (both destinations where we have spent quite a long time), Myanmar ranks among the most expensive destinations, despite much worse tourism infrastructure.
Almost everyone wears slippers, regardless of social status, clothing, time of day. Slips with shirt, slips at the market, slips at the hotel, slips at the restaurant, slips on the boat. In the end I bought myself a pair. The children are very curious and eager to interact with strangers. In the center of Mandalay there is a forbidden city, 8 square kilometers surrounded by huge walls, water and another fence, guarded by weapons, in which the army lives. Locals living outside the walls do not think much about it. Find additional details at https://globalhawkmyanmar.com/en/tour-program/trekking-tour/.