ATMs in Myanmar
 

I'm leaving soon for one of the RGN jumbos, and I noticed from this news article:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/busi...-30196850.html

That you can supposedly use some ATMs in Myanmar now. In one of the two massive jumbo threads there had been some discussion of using Mastercard, but I was wondering if anyone had happened to use one of these atms using Visa? It looks like they just began to accept visa only a couple weeks ago - if this works, it would be very nice for me since I am a bit hesitant to carry around a bunch of currency (not to mention the added hassle to keeping those USD bills "pristine."

I'd be wary of solely relying on this for a short while, instead using the "human ATMs" ambling around various indoor markets (say, Bogyoke Aung San) in Yangon.

Even if "you can supposedly use some ATMs in Myanmar now", there would have to be ATMs existing in order to use them! I was there a few weeks ago and saw maybe 4 ATMs during my week tour of Yangon, Bagan and Mandalay.

You need pristine cash.

+1
I just come back also from Myanmar and it was the same for me. Add to this that you can pay ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE by CC, you cannot avoid to carry cash and to bring it with you from where you're coming from. You cannot take the risk to arrive without cash and discover that the very few ATMs available do not work or refuse your card for whatever reason.

Thanks for the replies -- I will still bring USD along - I was just curious if it had worked for anyone. I noticed that in the Visa ATM search it gives addresses for atms in Myanmar: http://www.visa.com/atmlocator/ , and there is supposedly one in the Yangon Airport as well. At the very least it is good to have a fall back option in case something happens.

That being said if you have no cash there are ATMs in NRT/HKG/SIN/SGN/KUL (I have been to all of these airports.) that dispense clean money.
That being said the currencies dispensed aren't readily convertible at a good rate.

It looks like they only have ATMs at banks. Honestly I can't remember if the ATMs were located inside the bank or outside. If they are inside the bank, then they would only be accessible during business hours.

Can anybody comment on this?

I had lunch at this restaurant and saw an ATM machine outside a bank or a store, I can't recall, in the same complex as this restaurant.

Danuphyu Daw Saw Yee
No.(S-1), U Chit Maung St, U Chit Maung Housing , Tamwe
YANGON Tel:(01) 553688

When I was in Yangon last week, it looked like they were installing a brand new ATM outside a bank at the Bogyoke Aung San Market.

when i was in Yangon a few weeks ago.. saw an ATM around the corner from the Sule Pagoda that was stuck on on the windows xp screen... :D Just bring your cash and you'll be much better off..

Yes you can now use both mastercard and visa in some ATMs to withdraw kyat. But you will still need USD cash to pay for your hotel and flights etc.

There are not a lot of ATMs but they are installling more everday. Most are outside of banks but there are some in the major hotels and in shopping malls. However watch out not all ATMs acccept overseas cards yet

I was able to make a withdraw from the CB(?) ATM behind Emmanuel Baptist Church near the center of Yangon a couple weeks ago from my US bank account without issues. PayPal on the other hand will still block you if you attempt to access your account while in Myanmar. I can't tell if the US regulations are so nuanced that PayPal cannot operate there legally while banks can, or if PayPal is just behind the curve.

PayPal is not a bank. No FDIC insurance.
I would imagine it's their own rule. They are very strict in their dealings.

Lobster, you can also buy flights from a GDS, no?
Besides, I would just use a train for long distance travel.

Yeah, that is my assumption. However, the process to get my account restored involved emailing [email protected], implying that I or PayPal was in violation of OFAC. I asked for clarification on whether this was a legal issue considering sanctions had recently been relaxed, but I never got an answer. The way this "non-bank" handles money often seems a bit disconcerting.

Sorry I've taken this a bit off topic, but hopefully this serves as a friendly reminder.

Airport ATM
 

There are TWO ATM's at the Yangon Airport near the pastry shop --both were not in service when I arrived a month ago.

Additional problem: When I changed my pristine US $100 at the Airport currency exchange, the wad of 1,000 chat bills I received in exchange was so thick that my trifold wallet would not close after I put them in.:rolleyes:

The ATM's didn't work in the airport for me either. Seemed to be connectivity issues. Money changers tried to pass off wads of thousand kyat bills to me too, but I realized if I asked for 5,000's and 10,000's when they tried to give me the pile, they'd give me a grin and give me the larger bills. Maybe they are overloaded with the thousand kyat bills.

Yes I am hearing more and more reports of the ATMs not working. Also of cards being cloned after they have been used. I still have never used one and don't plan to until I hear they are more reliable.

The 1000 Kyat note it still by far the most commonly used note here. Locals don't think twice about paying very large amounts all in 1000Kyat notes. But yes you can always ask for 5000 Kyat notes. I would actually avoid the 10,000 kyat note they are very new and most people here will not have even seen one.

I would just put the money in my backpack at the bottom of some reading materials.

I've used ATM's at KBZ bank in Yangon with a visa card - 300000 kyat maximum, 5000kyat fee.

^ An American expat in Bangkok gave me that tip before I went to Myanmar. Best advice ever. I rarely had problems exchanging money for kyat.

There was one close call. When I was at the airport to leave, the woman at the airport exit tax booth rejected all my U.S. dollar bills, until I found a crisp $100 she finally accepted. She gave me change, thankfully.

I wouldn't rely on Burmese ATMs. Relying on anything to work in Myanmar is risky. That said, I loved traveling there.

There is now also western union in Myanmar so it should be possible to send yourself some money using them.

Using ATMs
 

The ATM at Yangon Airport was not working when I arrived but I withdrew 150,000 MMK next day (19 Feb) using my Visa Debit card with no problem. My bank gave me a rate of 1323 MMK to the pound sterling which seemed good.