Originally Posted by sfvoyage
We always exchanged money on the black market. Again, we'd ask around for the going rate, which varied daily and by city. We paid exclusively in kyat, the local currency. At times they'd quote a price in US dollar, but then we'd quickly switch to - and finish the bargaining - in kyat. Nobody ever forced us to pay in dollars.
The part I find interesting is that the exchange rate is around 6.5 Kyat to one $US. Yet the Black Market is over 1000 to one $US.
I've travelled to well over countries and have
never seen such a spread. About 150 times the official rate.
We go there for a week's vacation in a few days time, and take a local ferry up the Irrawaddy from Bagan to Mandalay which sounds like a fun adventure.
