arcticbull, I enjoyed reading your write-up and especially the photos. I wish to ask your advice about my trip. I have been to Yangon twice before, more than 10 years ago, and had seen the usual tourist sites; so on this trip, I don't feel the need to stay over.

My TG306 departing 7:40 pm is on 1st Jan 2013, and I intend to fly over from BKK to RGN same day, with visa in hand. My flight options are:

1. Two Thai Air Asia flights, costing US$82 each one way, one which arrives at 8:00 am and one at 5:10 pm.
2. Two Bangkok Airways flights, costing $209 each OW, one which arrives 2:25 pm and one 5:55 pm.
3. One TG flight costing $270 OW, arriving 1:45 pm.

Despite the much lower cost, I've heard bad things about taking any Air Asia flight, with frequent delays and even cancellations.

I think my best option is to select the TG flight which arrives at 1:45 pm, and just hang around the airport or hire a taxi to drive me around the city for 2 hours or so. Then if the TG flight is delayed for any reason and TG is unable to get me to RGN in time for the TG 306 departure, I might still be able to walk up and buy a Bangkok Airways flight arriving 2:25 pm, and even the Thai Air Asia that arrives 5:10 pm, and in that event, request TG to have someone in their RGN desk to meet me and help me thru immigration and check in.

In the worst case, if TAA arrives 5:10 pm, would 2 hrs 30 min be sufficient to get thru immigration and check in back for the TG 306, do you think? I'll have only hand carry luggage.

Any other advice or suggestion you might have? Thanks in advance.

I'm looking forward to this itinerary -- RGN/BKK/AMS/JFK and return by TG/CI/DL with the JFK/AMS sector by KLM, all in C/J class. My trip breaks in NY for a cruise transatlantic to London, then have to fly back LHR/JFK in BA econ (dreading that one) to reconnect with this itinerary.