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Myanmar Trip Report: November 2014

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Old Nov 19, 2014, 1:07 pm
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Myanmar Trip Report: November 2014

This trip report focuses on the mundane parts of travels: hotels, phones, flights, getting cash, prices. There are plenty of good reports on sites to see in Myanmar. All the food was good; I list the restaurants to provide a point of reference for pricing. I will offer the following observations:

Bagan is an absolute must see. In many ways, it is more interesting than Angkor Wat due to the interior of many temples being preserved. Two days seemed to be enough. Mandalay and Yangon were less interesting. Inle Lake would probably have been a better choice, and it would have broken up the endless procession of temples.

There is much more barefoot walking than I remember from trips to other Southeast Asian countries. Many of the tourist sites are temples, and they began to meld together. If you plan a trip, it would be good to look for attractions that break up the temple visits. Sandals are much more practical than hiking shoes and socks.

I noticed only one electrical power interruption; lights went out for a few seconds at Yangon airport.

Taste of Myanmar Tours

I used www.tasteofmynmar.com to book flights within Myanmar, make hotel reservations, arrange guides for each day of the trip, and airport transfers.

Using a travel agent turned out to be much easier than finding guides in each of the cities.

Kay from Taste of Myanmar was very responsive. I made my initial contact on Sept 12, received a proposed itinerary with suggested hotels in Mandalay, Bagan and Yangon. Kay was able to wait for spots in my preferred hotels (many were booked up already) to open up. Everything was finalized by Sept 23, when I wired half the cost to Kay’s bank in Bangkok (I was able to do this online through my Chase checking account, which charged a $40 fee and 3% for foreign exchange. This was probably not the cheapest, but doing the transfer directly from my bank account was more comfortable than other methods.

I was very satisfied with the service. They arranged guides and drivers in three cities, including five airport transfers and two flights within Myanmar, and three hotels. Everything was prepaid with no issues at airport or hotel check-in. The guides and drivers were always on time, late models cars were used, driving was done safely. The guides were knowledgeable and flexible about changing itineraries and their English was reasonably good.
I paid $1,800 as a solo traveler.

Myanmar Visa.

I work in NYC and was able to get my visa at the Myanmar consulate in Manhattan. I dropped my passport, two photos (www.epassportphoto.com lets you format a snapshot on a 4 x 6 sheet that can be printed anywhere), and the forms, which are available on the consulate’s website, on September 15. I was given a receipt for retrieving the passport a week later. The consulate takes applications in the morning (15 minute wait) and returns them in the afternoon (no wait). I paid the $20 fee in cash.

Flights
Bangkok Airways: Bangkok to Mandalay. I used Bangkok Airways to fly from Bangkok to Mandalay for the first part of the trip. I returned from Yangon. Fare was $200 round trip. Flights were on a single class A320

If you use Bangkok Airways, first sign up for their frequent flier program, which will give you an extra 10 kg for checked baggage. I checked in on line, which allowed me to use a shorter line to drop off my bag (it's a window specifically for online check in, and is to the right of the regular line). There was only one person ahead of me and I was off to immigration in five minutes. The regular check in had about 20 people in line. You will get an email boarding pass with online check in, but the agent also printed a pass.

Bangkok Airway's hand baggage rules seemed restrictive, with one item weighing less than 7 kg. I was able to bring a briefcase and duffle bag which were likely over the limit. The gate agent didn't weigh them.

Bangkok Airways has a small lounge in Bangkok (There wasn’t one in Yangon) that's open to all passengers. It had some free snacks and drinks (no alcohol) and free wifi.
The flight was fine. The Hot lunch served was better than anything I've eaten in United international business class. Seat pitch accommodated my knees and width of seat would be fine for almost any American.

It took about 30 minutes from landing to clear immigration and another 15 minutes for checked luggage to appear.

Air KBZ: Mandalay to Nyuang U (Bagan). I left at 6:30 for my Air KBZ 8:25 flight to Bagan. The drive to the airport took 45 minutes. Check in was only a few minutes. Airport staff didn’t seem to be checking luggage weight; I brought a briefcase and duffle as hand luggage.

Five or six flights boarded within the same hour as my flight. It looked chaotic, but everything was organized with stickers placed on passengers' shirts. There were no signs for which flights were boarding, and announcements were in Burmese. There were no assigned seats. It was a quick 35 minute flight to Nyaung U (NYU) airport. The plane was an ATR72-500/600. There was free wifi in the NYU airport.

Mandalay airport has free wifi with a slow signal (less than 0.2 mbs).

Flight from Nyaung U to Yangon. I was booked on Mann Yadanarpon airlines for the 90 minute flight. Aircraft was an ATR similar to the one used on KBZ. The aircraft was painted with Air Myanmar livery. Seat pitch was a little tighter. The plane was less than half full. Check in was similar, with a sticker provided to identify the flight, and airline staff rounding up passengers when the flight was to board. I had no issues with a 22 kg checked bag and two carry on items. Seating was unassigned. Free boxed lunch with cheese sandwich, sweet roll and cake.

Bangkok Airways flight from Yangon to Bangkok. Yangon airport is more modern, with boarding through jet bridges. The airport has a cafe (pricey at Myanmar standards, with fried snacks K6,000). I did online check-in and received my boarding pass and dropped off my bag in a couple of minutes. There is a dedicated web check-in window. I had no issues carrying on more than the allowed 7kg of hand baggage.


Credit Cards and ATMs
I asked about settling charges at two hotels; using a credit card would have added 3% or 5%, depending on the hotel.
Mandalay Airport. At least two ATMs at arrivals. I could not get my TD Bank ATM card (it's not a debit card, but has never failed in other travels to Asia. It does not have a Visa logo). Exchanged $200 for K201,700 at airport change counter.

AGD Bank near hotel in Mandaly. No problem making withdrawal with Schwab Checking Debit card. K5,000 fee

CB Bank outside Tharabar Gate Hotel (I did not see other ATMs in old Bagan. Success doing withdrawal using Schwab card. Fee of K5,000. Note that the menu was confusing, with suggested withdrawal amounts of K15,000 and K10,000. I ended up withdrawing $10 plus $5 for the ATM fee. I had success with a second withdrawal; the machine dispensed K5,000 notes, which made for a pretty thick pile.
I saw a few ATMs in Old Bagan.

I didn't need cash in Yangon, but ATMs were readily available.
The MMK ranged from K1,040 to K1,055/USD during my trip. My three ATM withdrawals were within 2% of this exchange rate.

Cell Phone Service
My guide brought me to a phone store to purchase a SIM card. Myanmar has three options Telenor, MPT and Ooredoo. The Ooredoo SIM card was K1500, but my guide warned that many shops were charging a 5x-7x premium. Telenor and Ooredoo won’t work in old Bagan (MPT has the only tower). The sales clerk set up my phone to access the Internet. Calls to the US were K100 per minute. Data speeds were below 3G. The SIM card worked fine for email. Text messaging did not work consistently.
Ooredoo worked everywhere in Yangon, although I received error messages when trying to text.

Hotels

Ayarwaddy River View Hotel in Mandalay. It was fine, but basic. The room is about 350 square feet with two double beds. The location somewhat isolated. Service is earnest, but many of the staff have limited English skills. It is also next to a monastery, which broadcasts payers until about 10:00 at night and again at 4:00 am. My first first room seemed to be next to the loudspeaker; I asked to be moved to a quieter location. Hotel staff were very accommodating in finding me a better room. Compared to other hotels in less developed Southeast Asia, the hotel was 3 star. I've stayed in much nicer places in Phnom Penh and Luang Prabang, but much worse in Vientiane. Hotels in Thailand at similar rates are much better. The hotel had free internet, but service was spotty and would not be able to handle a Skype audio call. The room had a fridge with beer for $3, soda for $2 and $1 for a 1 liter bottle of water.

There is a restaurant on the roof of the hotel which was also fine. It is open air. Entrees were $8-$10; appetizers were $4-$6. Liquor was $2-$3 for about 25 ml. I had some local dishes. The food wasn't special, but was ok. The restaurant had a marionette show, which turned out to be charming, particularly the horse.

Free breakfast included egg station. Fried noodle, fried rice, chicken sausage, watermelon, bananas, coffee, tea, orange juice.

Room had electrical sockets that accepted US and European plugs. Two free bottles of water. Room also had a safe, tea kettle, and TV.

Tharabar Gate Hotel. Lovely place in old Bagan. Hotel is resort style, with rooms in several buildings surrounded by manicured grounds. My room was about 500 square feet with a vaulted ceiling, two twin beds, wood floors, nice bathroom (although the tub is mounted high, and requires an awkward step up to get in.

Location of Tharabar Gate hotel in old Bagan was fine. Although there are fewer restaurants than in new Bagan, there are enough choices to not be isolated. In addition to the two places to the right of the hotel, there are four or five across the street, including Be Kind to Animals. The street is tricky to navigate in the dark with no moon, so bringing a flash light would be a good idea. There also is a watering hole for horse carts which you don't want to cross. The attraction of being close to temples is limited; it was very dark at night, making walking difficult. Also, most of the temples are locked at night.

Staff was friendly with good English skills.

There is a working religious site nearby, with the accompanying amplified prayer.

Free wifi with signal strong enough to make Skype voice calls.
Sule Shangri La Hotel. This is a modern, high quality hotel located in central Yangon. Furnishing and services were similar to other Shangri La hotels in Asia (it also reminded my Asian Sheraton or Grand Hyatt Hotels). I had a Myanmar snack platter for K15,000. . Black Label was K6,000.

Food

Unique Myanmar 26 Restaurant (26 Street between 58 & 59, Mandalay). Lunch of fish curry, rice and soda: K6,000. My guide suggested Unique Myanmar because they offered some Rakhine-style dishes (Rakhine is spicy).

Ayarwaddy River View Hotel. Dinner of noodle soup, chicken curry, soda: K14,000. Johnny Walker Black: K3,000/25 ml.

Lunch at Myanmar restaurant near Tharabar Hotel (Sorry, I did not note the name). Three entrees, about ten small plates (very similar to a Korean meal), and a soda: K9,000. Food quality was good.

Sarabha Restaurant, Old Bagan. Prawn curry, beer, soda, rice: K12,700. Decent restaurant next to Tharabar Gate Hotel.

Sarabha II Restaurant, Old Bagan. Between Sarabha and Tharabar Gate Hotel. Menu prices were shockingly high, with entrees at about K50,000. I didn't stay. This restaurant has positive reviews, so it's unclear whether they raised prices for the prime season.

Tharabar Gate Hotel, Old Bagan. American dinner buffet: $24 (I did not try it). Restaurant menu had mostly Chinese or American dishes with entrees averaging $15. The hotel's bar was pricey, with JW Black Label at $8/25 ml.

Yar Pyi Vegetarian Restaurant, Old Bagan. Dinner. Across the lane from Be kind to Animals. Dinner includes 1 Myanmar beer at K2,500, Guacamole (the owner said it was Myanmar style), special eggplant K2,500 (there is another eggplant dish that is not so special), pumpkin soup K1,500 , coconut rice K1,000: total bill K10,000. The service was very friendly; the restaurant is run by a family with give sisters. The special eggplant dish was very tasty.

Queen Restaurant, Wetkyinn Village, Main Road, Old Bagan. Lunch. Main dish of fish curry served in a large round dish surrounded by different vegetable dishes, K4,500 plus K2,000 for two soda waters.
Danu Phu Daw Saw Yi Myanmar Restaurant. No 175/177 29th Street, Yangon. Lunch for two including two entrees (including one order of lobster curry), two orders of rice and bottles water: K11,500.
nyventurecapital is offline  
Old Nov 20, 2014, 11:25 am
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Great report. Nice to hear how things have modernized over the last couple of years. Did you call TD Bank before you left? I had trouble with their ATM card once in SE Asia when I forgot to call them before I left. I'll never make that mistake again.
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Old Nov 24, 2014, 4:11 pm
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Thanks.

I did call TD Bank before traveling. I think the issue was their ATM cards (no Visa or MC logo, in contrast to their debit card) having fewer network partners. The card worked fine in Bangkok on the same trip.
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Old Nov 26, 2014, 7:32 am
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Thanks for the report - I've wanted to go to Burma for a long time and am really thinking that we will do so in 2015.

How long were you in the country, and any sense of how people are feeling under the current government?
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Old Nov 26, 2014, 12:01 pm
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I was there for five days. It's very difficult to understand politics on such a short trip, especially given that Mandalay and Bagan, where I spent most of my time, are pretty poor. I also had no ability to comprehend newspapers or TV.

I did encounter a few people who were active in the National League for Democracy, and they did not hesitate to note their affiliation. I also saw a protest encampment in Yangon concerning land seizure.
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Old Nov 27, 2014, 8:18 am
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Thanks for all that information. I will use it as a guide on my next trip to Myanmar. I need to visit Mandalay in particular, as well as Ngapali Beach. ^

Good that you stayed in the Shangri-La in Yangon. You didn't see to know it is one of the best hotels in the city, so you were very lucky your tour guide arranged that one for you. I wouldn't stay anywhere else in Yangon.
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Old Nov 27, 2015, 3:46 am
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Nice trip report. How many days did you stay in each city? And if you did it again would you change the amount of time in each place?
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