Myanmar Classic Discover 7 Days Myanmar Classic Discover Tour DEPARTURES; Pre-convention: April 28-May 04, 2012 Post-Convention: 10 May 2012-15 May 2012 MEAL BASIS : As specified (B = Breakfast, L= Lunch, D = Dinner) ITINERARY: PRE TOUR DAY (0) BANGKOK ARRIVAL (For pre-convention tour only) (NO MEALS) Arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Meet on arrival and transfer to Imperial Queen s Park Hotel or similar Overnight MAIN PROGRAM (all tours) DAY 1 YANGON ARRIVAL (B/L/D) Breakfast at your hotel. Check-out procedures. Pick up passengers from hotel and transfer to Suvarnabhumi Airport for flight to Yangon. Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport (by morning flight) meet and transfer to hotel. Today's sightseeing tour includes the old colonial-style city center, the gilded Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2,000 years and Bogyoke (Scott s) Market (closed on Public Holidays & Mondays).
Lunch at Inya One Restaurant. The tour continues to Chauk Htat Gyi, a huge reclining Buddha image, followed by a photo stop at Karaweik Hall royal floating barge. An extended visit to Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world s most spectacular religious monuments, will conclude the tour of this picturesque Garden City. The golden dome of Shwedagon Pagoda rises 98 meters above its base and is covered with 60 tons of pure gold. Dinner and accommodation at hotel in Yangon. DAY 2 YANGON BAGA (B/L/D) Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Yangon Airport for domestic flight to Bagan. Upon arrival in Bagan, transfer to hotel for check-in and then proceed on a sightseeing tour, starting with the busy local market. Continue with visits to a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples such as Shwezigon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, Ku Byauk Gyi, a temple with exquisite murals of Jataka scenes, and Ananda Temple with its four huge standing-buddha images and numerous seated figures that are arranged around an interior gallery. Lunch at The Beach Restaurant and followed by a visit to a lacquer craftsman s workshop in nearby Myinkaba village. Sightseeing continues with visits to Manuha Temple, built in Mon style in 1059, Nanbaya Temple, a unique sandstone monument that is said to have been the palace of King Manuha, and Myingaba Gu Byaukgyi Temple (under the protection of UNESCO), noted for its ancient mural paintings. Observe a sunset in the vicinity of Bagan s ancient monuments. Dinner and accommodation at hotel in Bagan. DAY 3 BAGAN MANDALAY AMARAPURA SAGAING (B/L/D) Breakfast at hotel. Check-out procedures. Transfer to Nyaung Oo (Bagan) Airport for domestic flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival at Mandalay Airport proceed directly to Amarapura. Visit Mahagandayon, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study. Then continue to the 150-year-old U Bein teak bridge, built
in 1851 at the time when Amarapura was the royal capital. Proceed to Sagaing Hills, a retreat for Buddhist devotees, to enjoy a magnificent view over the surrounding area. Lunch at Sagaing Hill Restaurant. An afternoon of comprehensive sightseeing in Mandalay includes Mahamuni Pagoda with its spectacular Buddha image covered with thick layers of gold leaves, a visit to a craftsman s workshop to see Kalaga tapestries being created, Shwe Nan Daw Kyaung (or Golden Palace Monastery), a superb example of a traditional wooden building, and Kuthodaw Pagoda (known as the world s largest book), consisting of 729 marble slabs engraved with Buddhist scriptures. See a sunset from Mandalay Hill. Dinner and accommodation at hotel in Mandalay. DAY 4 MANDALAY HEHO INLE LAKE (B/L/D) Breakfast at hotel. Check-out procedures. Transfer to Mandalay Airport for domestic flight to Heho. Transfer from Heho airport down into the valley to Nyaungshwe on the edge of Inle Lake and board your own local boat to take you to your hotel. Lunch at Orchid s Restaurant. In the afternoon enjoy boat tour to Indaing, at the western end of the Lake. The boat takes you through a long channel where you watch the farmers cultivate their produce. This ride is one of the most scenic boat tours on Lake Inle. To visit the temple Complex, follow a stair path lined up with magnificent columns to the top. Return to the boat jetty with a leisurely nature walk. Dinner and accommodation at hotel on the lake. DAY 5 INLE LAKE (B/L/D) Breakfast at hotel. This morning, visit a colourful local market in the Inle Lake region (on market day only). During today's excursion by boat on picturesque Inle Lake we see the famous leg rowers, the typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing and village life. Lunch at Nampan Restaurant, located in the middle of lake.
Further visits are made to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the weaving village of Inpawkhon and other interesting sights. The beauty of sunset over Inle Lake enchants all visitors. Dinner and accommodation at hotel on the lake. DAY 6 INLE LAKE HEHO- YANGON-BANGKOK (B/L/-) Breakfast at hotel. Check-out procedures. Transfer by boat to Nyaung Shwe and then proceed to Heho Airport (25 km - 1 hour), return domestic flight to Yangon. Balance of the day at leisure to pursue individual interests. Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant in Yangon. The tour guide and car remain at the clients disposal for further sightseeing or shopping until transfer back to Yangon International Airport for departure flight to Bangkok. Upon arrival in Bangkok connect to onward international flight or transfer to your hotel in Bangkok. *** END OF OUR SERVICES *** NOTE: Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road and/or river conditions, flight schedules and room availability. International flights need to be booked as follows: Arrival in Yangon Departure from Yangon : Morning : Late afternoon or evening Rate per person in Thai Baht (minimum 10 passengers) Sharing a double room In a single room Superior class hotel 44 000 51 000 First class hotel 48 000 56 000 Deluxe class hotel 52 000 65 000
**All package-prices are on "sit-in-coach"-basis (assembled groups), with a minimum participation as basis for the indicated price. Private/Individual booking of this package is possible against a small surcharge. Included in the tour prices are: All sightseeing tour and transfer services with private air conditioned car as detailed in our itinerary Accommodation in shared twin-bedded room with daily breakfast Meals as specified in the program (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) Domestic flight tickets (Yangon-Bagan-Mandalay-Heho-Yangon) or (Yangon- Heho-Mandalay-Bagan-Yangon) with Air Mandalay, Air Bagan as detailed in our itinerary. Airfares and flight schedules are subject to change without prior notice Insurance surcharge on domestic airlines in Myanmar Transfers and tours with English-speaking throughout guides or language throughout (German, French, Italian & Spanish) All entrance fees for the places as mentioned in the program Service charges, room tax and baggage handling. Thai Rotary Districts Foundation contribution $ 50 per-person Not included in the tour prices are: Services not mentioned in our itinerary Meals not specified Myanmar visa fees International airport departure tax of US$ 10.00 per person in Myanmar. International flight tickets to and from Yangon* Expenditure of a personal nature Travel insurance (cover against all cancellation costs, medical expenses, including repatriation, in the event of accident or illness) Early check-in & Late check-out Extra airfares of Bangkok/Yangon/Bangkok on economy class are:- By Thai International Airlines (TG) By Bangkok Airways (PG) = USD 459.00 net per ticket including tax =USD 358.00 net per ticket including tax The above airfares are of today and subject to change without prior notice.
MYANMAR TRAVEL TIPS SOME INFORMATION ON MYANMAR MINGALABA. This word of welcome is also a wish for good fortune and best signifies the warm welcoming nature of the people in Myanmar. Myanmar today remains one of the most mystical and magical countries on earth; a land of breathtaking beauty stretching from snow capped peaks (Mt Kahkaborazi is 5881m) and dense jungles of the Himalayas to the pristine beaches of the Bay of Bengal and rice fields of the Delta; in-between lie the glittering pagoda filled plains, ancient capitals and running throughout all, the mighty 2000 km long Ayeyawaddy River. The population of 50 million live mainly in villages and 100 different national groups are found within the country s borders; the Bamar are the majority group inhabiting the central zone whilst the Shan, Kayin, Kachin, Chin, Rakhine and Mon live in the mountainous areas or along the coast. Intrinsic to the country is Buddhism and daily life revolves around the family, worship at pagodas and festivals. Myanmar not only has a rich cultural heritage but also an incredibly varied fauna and flora; all this combined with an enchanting population make it one of the most fascinating and as yet undiscovered destinations in the world. AIRLINE OFFICES Air Bagan Limited 56,shwe Taung Gyar street, Bahan Township Tel: Reservation - 504888 (Ext- 1 for International & 2 for Domestic) Tel: Office 504273/75/76, 502643/50; 538910/916 Tel: 653343 / 653347 Airport Air China Building 2, Yangon City Hotel,8 th Mile Junction, corner of Pyay Road and Kaba Aye Pagoda Road Tel: 655882/ 666112 Tel: 662662 Airport Air Mandalay Limited 146,Dhamazedi Road,Bahan Township Tel: 525488 / 525500 / 527619 / 525 344 Tel: 720309 / 652753 / 652754-Airport Bangkok Airways 3rd Floor, 305, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Kyauktada Township Tel: 255122 / 255265 Tel: Sunday 653350 - Airport
Indian Airlines 75, Shwe Bontha Street, Pabedan Township Tel: 371864/ 253597 / 253598 Tel: 650 574 Airport Malaysia Airlines 335/337, Ground Floor, Central Hotel, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Pabedan Township Tel: 241001-20 extension 121-2, 387 648 (direct) Tel: 666054 Airport Myanmar Airways Intl 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Sakura Tower, Kyauktada Township Tel: 255440-3 / 255180-1 Silk Air 2nd Floor, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Kyauktada Township Tel: 255287-9 Tel: 665279 / 666261 Airport Thai Airways Ground Fl, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Kyauktada Township Tel: 255491-9 Tel: 662661 Airport office Tel: 662384 Airport booking Vietnam Airlines Room 1702, 17 th Floor, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Kyauktada Township Tel: 255068, 255066, 255088 Fax : 255086 Yangon Airways Limited No.166, Level5, Upper Pansodan road, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township, Tel: 383101 to 383106 Tel: 700359 / 652533 -Airport The domestic airlines often change their flight schedules at the very last minute. In such cases, we are forced to adjust the sightseeing programme around these changes. We do keep you updated of flight changes prior to arrival to Myanmar. AIRPORT Yangon Airport is located 15 km (approx. 30 minutes) to the North of the centre of Yangon. The international airport tax of US$ / FEC 10 is payable locally on departure. There is no tax for domestic flights.
ARRIVAL All visitors are required to have a Myanmar Visa and to complete an arrival/departure card, which is usually distributed during their flight into Yangon. The completed card should be submitted with passport to the immigration officials on arrival at Yangon airport. The departure portion will be torn off and returned to the visitor - it should be retained for presentation upon departure. BEGGING Begging is not widespread in Myanmar and visitors are requested not to encourage development of this practice by giving money or sweets to children. If travelers wish to contribute to, say a village community, gifts should be directed to the local schoolteacher or headmaster. Contributions can also be arranged through recognized local charity organizations. BUYING SILVER & JEWELLERY Jewellery is generally not up to international standards for design and workmanship and buyers should check that 'gold' is not, in fact, gilded silver. All gem and jewellery purchases should be made through a government-authorized dealer, who must issue an official receipt, which is required for export of such items. Please do not buy antiques or religious statues, since the origin is doubtful and they cannot be exported. Visitors are advised to ignore touts who may approach them to exchange foreign currency, or to sell gems of dubious quality as such offers, although apparently attractive, are breaking strict laws. CLIMATE Overall the best time to visit Myanmar is from the end of October to middle of April. Yangon is very hot and humid during the hot and rainy season (June to September) and although Yangon and surrounding areas can have a lot of rain during the Summer, Upper Myanmar is rather dry the whole year round. The months of Jul - Sept can be very pleasant in Bagan and Mandalay as the air is clearer with less dust and the rainfall not heavy; an added advantage is that there are less tourists and lower hotel rates. The coastal areas should be avoided from May to end of Sept. In the Shan Hill and Mrauk U the temperatures at night during the Winter months can be surprisingly chilly ranging from OC to 8C. CLOTHING We recommend bringing light loose fitting cotton clothes and pale colours tend to be cooler. Myanmar still has very traditional customs and it is not appropriate to wear shorts, Bermudas or miniskirts. Since shoes and socks have to be removed for all visits to pagodas and temples, we recommend wearing sandals or other slip-on shoes which are easy to put on and take off. When visiting temples or other religious monuments, visitors should be modestly dressed - it is very important that knees and shoulders are covered and ladies should not wear shorts or bra-less T- shirts in such places. Hats and sunglasses are strongly recommended. Formal style
clothes i.e. jacket and tie are not required. A sarong with its multi uses is a very useful item to bring. If travelling to Inle Lake or the Shan Hills particularly during the Winter season the nights can be chilly due to altitude hence it is advisable to bring a warm layer for the evenings. CREDIT CARDS Credit cards are not accepted anywhere in Myanmar. In the past a few top hotels accepted the major credit cards but this facility has been withdrawn recently. Please do not rely on using your credit card at all. CURRENCY The Myanmar currency is Kyats (pronounced "chats"). The following notes are in circulation 5000, 1000, 500, 200, 100. The official rate of exchange is approximately Kyats 6 to USD 1 and the unofficial rate can go up as far as Kyat 1100 to USD 1. It is however possible to exchange US Dollars to Foreign Exchange Certificates (FEC) at the rate of 1 for 1. FECs can then be exchanged at the official rate of approximately Kyats 900/1.000 to FEC 1. In practice nowadays money is changed directly from USD into Kyats and your guide will assist you in this. Please do not change USD into Kyats at the money changer at the airport as the rate is very low. The lower notes under 100, you are not likely to see in circulation. It is imperative that you note prior to travelling that only USD CASH is acceptable as payment anywhere in Myanmar There are no ATM machines and travellers cheques are not accepted. We strongly advise you to bring sufficient US Dollars CASH for your holiday duration and preferably to bring more than you anticipate spending as it is not possible to obtain funds if you run out of money. US Dollars are widely accepted but other currencies are not accepted at all. Please note that money changers/shops/restaurants/hotels only accept USD notes, which are in good condition and new looking. Notes with torn off corners, rips or scrawls on are not accepted. CUSTOMS REGULATIONS & FORMALITIES ON ARRIVAL The basic principle of customs policy in Myanmar is that visitors should exit the country with the same goods and personal possessions that they brought in. Expensive Jewellery or electrical goods must be declared to Customs at the airport. Exports of antique and archaeologically valuable items are prohibited. To avoid any confiscation of goods not purchased in Myanmar, visitors must be sure they appear on their customs declaration form on arrival. Particular note should be taken of antiques purchased in other countries in the region which might possible be deemed of Myanmar origin. Also extra should be taken to declare lose gemstones and jewellery. Duty free allowance is 200 cigarettes and one liter of wine or spirits. Note that export of antiques, Buddha images and gems without an official dealer s receipt, is strictly prohibited.
Officially an amount of cash currency of more than USD 2000 should be declared; however in practice this seems not to be stringently complied with by tourists or locals. Baggage may be X-rayed or inspected before departure. If an airport arrival transfer has been pre-arranged with us, a Diethelm Travel representative or guide will meet travellers on arrival after airport immigration and customs control points have been passed. In the arrival hall our representative will display a Diethelm Travel sign and/or names of guests or their group for easy recognition. DOCTOR There are 2 proper clinics in Yangon that can give medical assistance. Do note that this assistance is limited and for major injuries or sicknesses one has to fly to Bangkok or Singapore. Diethelm Travel Myanmar shall not be held responsible for recommending the following clinics: AEA SOS International Clinic Yangon 34, Inya Lake Resort compound, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Mayangone Township Tel: 01 267 877 (24 hours)01-667 877, 667 897, 667 871 Fax: 01 662 866 E-mail: intl.sos@mptmail.net.mm Pun Hlaing International Hospital Pun Hlaing Golf Estate Avenue, Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon Tel: 01 684 323, 684319 up to 29 Fax : 01 684 324 E-mail : enquiry.phih@spa.com.mm or phih@spa.com.mm DRIVING An international driving license is accepted. Penalties for motorists that hit a pedestrian are extremely severe, regardless of who was at fault. We therefore strongly recommend that visitors to Myanmar do not attempt to drive. EMBASSIES AND FOREIGN MISSIONS IN YANGON Should you need assistance of your embassy, the following are the addresses of the major embassies in Yangon: (note that the Embassies are usually open only in the mornings.) Embassy of the United States of America 110, University Avenue, Kamayut Township Tel: 01 536 509 / 535 756 / 538 038 Embassy of the United Kingdom 80 Strand Road Tel: 01 370 863-5 / 254658-7 / 380 322 / 370 865 / 371852-3
Embassy of Australia 88 Strand Road, Kyauktada Township (next to the Strand Hotel) Tel: 01 251 809 / 251 810 Fax: 01 246 159 Embassy of Japan 100 Natmauk Road, Bahan Township Tel: 01 549 644-8 / 540399 / 540400 / 540411 Fax: 01 549 643 Embassy of France 102 Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Dagon Towhnship Tel: 01 212178 / 212520-30/ 21252 Fax: 01 212 527 Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany 9 Bogyoke Aung San museum Road, Bahan Township Tel: 01 548 951 / 548 952 / 548 953 Fax: 01 548 899 Embassy of Italy 3 Inya Myaing Road, Bahan Township Tel: 01 527 100 1 Fax: 01 514 565 Consulate of Switzerland 79/80 Bahosi, Lamadaw Township Tel: 01 211 562 / 211538-7 Fax: 01 211 540 For addresses or information of other embassies, please contact our office. FOOD There are many good restaurants in Yangon, which serve quality food at reasonable prices. There are restaurants offering Thai, Chinese, European, Italian, Indian and Burmese cuisine. Eating at the street restaurants can be a wonderful Asian experience but is not recommended unless an experienced guide has recommended the restaurant. Throughout upcountry Myanmar, the choice of food is limited to Burmese and Chinese. In Yangon and Mandalay there are now many noodle and coffee shops and Yangon has a good choice of fine dining experiences. As a general comment Burmese Food is a meeting point between the spicy Thai cuisine and the Indian spice curry base. Rice and noodles are the stable dishes usually served with a variety of side dishes ranging from meat or fish, salads, vegetables and a lentil soup.
HANDICRAFTS Myanmar is particularly renowned for its lacquerware, precious stones and jewellery. Lacquer ware is available most notably in Bagan but also in Mandalay and Yangon. Precious stones and jewellery can be purchased from any of the approved shops and government shops that populate Yangon, Mandalay and all other major towns and cities. The silk weavers, tapestry maker, carvers of wood, ivory and stone, silversmiths and bronze-casters are largely based in Mandalay. Bargaining is essential for all souvenirs shopping, if travellers are to obtain reasonable prices. Possible price reductions of up to 30% are not uncommon. HAND PHONE Myanmar has its own cell phone network and cell phones from other countries do not have access. The Myanmar SIM cards are different from the normal SIM cards which are used all over the world. Tourists can buy Myanmar SIM cards for USD 20 and 50 and use it during their visit but please be advised these amounts do not last too long; for international landline calls approximately USD 1 per minute. Reception is not clear. HEALTH There are no compulsory vaccinations but it is advisable to take precautions against malaria - we recommend seeking the advice of your doctor. Prescription drugs are not widely available and visitors should bring any required medication with them carrying them in their hand luggage. If carrying a lot of medicines, it is advisable to have a doctor's letter stating that medicines are required for personal use. It is advisable to bring plenty of mosquito repellent, particularly for use in the evenings. As Myanmar enjoys a tropical climate, sun block cream is recommended particularly for the boat ride on Inle Lake or the beach. A spare pair of glasses, if worn, is also advisable. HOTELS Accommodation standards in Myanmar still vary widely, especially in quality and during high season the hotels with character are in huge demand getting booked up many months ahead. New and refurbished hotels meeting international standards are available in Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, Inle Lake, Ngapali Beach and Ngwe Saung Beach. Diethelm Travel clients will generally receive hotel reservation priority, but Diethelm Travel cannot guarantee specific hotel requests and upcountry reserves the right to substitute accommodation for the best available alternative standard when a first-choice hotel is not available. Clients are advised that accommodation in remote locations can be very basic and simple. Hotels offer more competitive rates during the months of May Sept. INSURANCE The extent of insurance coverage in Myanmar varies widely to western norms. It is suggested that visitors consider short-term health and accident policies from your
own insurance company prior to leaving home. Local hospital care is basic, any seriously injured tourist will require medical evacuation to either Singapore or Bangkok. As medical evacuations can be extremely costly, we recommend that you take out a comprehensive insurance policy that will cover the costs of a medical evacuation and subsequent medical care. MARKETS During your tour through Myanmar you will find many markets of various interests (weekly markets, night markets, fish and vegetable markets, the 5 day rotating market around Lake Inle etc. etc.) Your guide will assure that you will be able to visit as many as possible. Do mention your special interest to your guide. MUSEUMS There are not many museums in Yangon, apart from the National Museum. There is a variety of art galleries. The National Museum is open daily from 10:00 to 16:00, except public holidays and during the Water festival in April. PASSPORT AND VISAS Travellers are required to obtain a visa in their home country prior to entering Myanmar. Specific advice on up-to-date requirements should be obtained from the consulate offices in your country. For general guidance, please note the following: Passport must have at least 6 months remaining validity at time of travel. Foreigners must always carry their passport whilst travelling. Visa processing time is between 5 and 10 working days at most Myanmar Consulates or Embassies. Tourist visas are valid for 28 days Some Embassies require a confirmation letter which Diethelm Travel can provide. Please leave your passport at your hotel in the safe deposit boxes while sightseeing. When you are travelling overland or by air, please ensure that your passport is in your hand luggage. NEVER pack your passport in your suitcase. Pre-arranged visa In order to issue a visa, some Myanmar Embassies require a "confirmation letter" to confirm that visa applicants have pre-booked and pre-paid their travel arrangements in Myanmar. Please let us know where you intend to obtain the visa and provide us with your exact names (as per passports), nationalities and passport numbers. We will then fax or email our "confirmation letter" to you, enabling you to obtain your visa. Visa on Arrival If you do not have Myanmar Embassy at your home country or you are not able to apply Myanmar visa in advance, you can obtain a pre-arranged visa on arrival at
the Yangon and Mandalay International airports on your arrival. We need below information and at least one month prior to arrival: full Name as mentioned in the passport Gender father s name Nationality Religion Passport Number Issue Date Date Of Birth Place Of Birth Occupation Home Address Purpose of visiting Myanmar Date Of Arrival Flight Number A Digital Photo (a scan of your passport picture is fine) We apply for the Visa upon Arrival from the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism department and once approved, send you the approval letter to get Visa on Arrival issued. You will have to show this to the airline at the check-in, otherwise they will refuse you on board. You have to bring two passport photos and pay USD 30 Per person for the visa fees on arrival. Our service charge for applying to get the approval for the pre-arranged visa on arrival is USD 30 per person. Note: Due to the uncertainty of the approval process, Diethelm Travel Myanmar (the ground handling agent) cannot guarantee that an approval will be obtained in time. In the event that services are booked, but permission cannot be obtained timely, we will do our utmost to negotiate with our suppliers regarding waivering any charges but reserve the right to charge cancellation fees as applicable and shall not be held liable for any cost or inconvenience caused by the rejection or untimely issuing of the approval for the Visa on Arrival. OVERLAND BORDER CROSSINGS The standard immigration rule in Myanmar is that one has to leave the country the same way as one entered apart from the 2 international airports. (Yangon/Mandalay) Every deviation of this rule needs a special permission from several ministries in Yangon. Any licensed travel agent can arrange permissions for an overland border crossing, provided that guests book a full package with this agency. Therefore it is not possible to book only a border crossing. The special permit, which will be arranged by Diethelm Travel where applicable, is only the permission to cross the border but not the actual visa. The Myanmar visa must be stamped into the clients' passports prior to their arrival at the Myanmar
border. When applying for visa, the entry and exit points have to be clearly stated. Special permission where required takes at least a month to process. The following 3 border checkpoints are currently open for tourists: Muse / Ruli (Yunnan China) For those who enter at Muse boarder and exit different points (either Yangon or Mandalay International airport) a visa is required before travelling plus a border crossing permit. The same permission is needed for any overland drive after Lashio (driving up from Mandalay). A day visa normally issued only to Chinese Nationals to visit Muse is currently not allowed. Tachilek / Mae Sai (North Thailand) Border Crossing Permission. For those who enter at Tachileik border and exit from a different point (eg either Yangon or Mandalay International airport) a visa is required before traveling plus a border crossing permission. Day Visa. For those (including Thai Nationals) who enter and exit Myanmar at the same place, a day visa can be obtained. A day visa only allows a visit to Mae Sai (within city limits) and not further. Entry Permit. With a special entry permit issued locally at the border, visits to Kyaing Tong and Mong La for up to about 14 days are permitted. Travel is other parts of the country is not allowed. To apply for an entry permit, clients are required to pay USD 10 per person for entry permit and Baht 50 per person for formalities fees (documentation cost) directly and submit 3 passport photos. Clients have to leave their passports at border until their return. It is allowed to check into hotels using the entry permit. Overland trips are possible for both ways between Tachilek and Kyaing Tong, but driving from Kyaing Tong to Taunggyi / Inle Lake is not allowed. Kawthaung / Ranong (South west Thailand) Visa. A Myanmar visa is required for tourists visiting the Mergui Archipelago. Visa on Arrival can be arranged on the spot. Visa fee is USD 30 per person plus documentary fees USD 5-10 per person and visa handling fees for agent which is to be advised.
Entry and Exit It is possible to enter the country in Kawthaung and exit via Yangon or another route. The service charge will cost USD 30. Permission Special permission is not required for Kawthaung and Myeik or for entry or exit via Kawthaung to Ranong for the time being. Special permission is required for those visiting the Mergui Archipelago. Royalty Fees (Zone Fees) for visiting the Mergui Archipelago. The royalty fees apply for a 5 day/4 night programme ranges from USD 100- USD 200 per person depending on whether the boat is owned by a local or foreigner and whether it departs from Kawthaung or Myeik. Any additional day will cost USD 25 per person. Regulations for crossing overland borders can change at short notice. PHOTOGRAPHY Photographing of Airports, Railways Stations, Wharves, Police Stations, Military Installations, Bridges and Government Offices may result in films being confiscated. Please use discretion when photographing people, especially with tribal people, who may have superstitions against this. For close-up shots, always ask first. POST AND COMMUNICATION Postal service in Myanmar to date is unreliable; letters and postcards to overseas sometimes do not reach their destinations. Most hotels have IDD lines, but calls are expensive with average costs of a call to Australia, Europe and USA approximately US$ 9 per minute. Public phones that use pre-paid phone cards or call-back systems are not available in Myanmar. Limited internet access is available at some hotels and cafes as well as small internet shops only but connections are unreliable and extremely slow. In addition access to most private email accounts such as yahoo or hotmail is not possible although access to Gmail is possible. RELIGION The great majority of Burmese are Theravada Buddhists. Buddhism still has great influence on the daily lives of Myanmar. Close family ties, respect for elders, reverence for Buddhism and simple native dress are common values practiced by most. 89% of the population are Buddhists with the remainder being made up of Christians (5%), Muslims (3%), Hindus (1%), Animists and other (2%). Myanmar accepts full freedom of worship for followers of other religion. RESTRICTED AREAS Large parts of Myanmar are open to foreign visitors. Access to some remote or border areas, however, is still subject to government or military permission. In
such situations Diethelm Travel will endeavor to obtain the necessary permits. Allow one month for procurement of such permits. ROADS Myanmar has a fairly wide range of roads; however most of them are in bad need of renovation. Overland drives therefore can be are very tiresome and take a long time. The yearly monsoon usually has its input as well and does not make the road condition better. Due to poor road conditions, long distance overland travel generally takes longer than the traveller might expect, averaging only 40-50 kilometers per hour. TAXIS AND BUS No taxis in Myanmar use meters and the fare must be negotiated before the beginning of the trip. Public buses offer a cheap albeit crowded alternative to taxis; the challenge is finding out where the bus is going. TIME Local time is GMT + 6.5 hours. TIPPING Tipping is quite common in Myanmar today. Only at very simple restaurants do waiters not expect tips. Where a porter or waiter gives special service, a small tip is always welcome. Regarding drivers and guides, the amount tip is discretionary and should only be given for good service. As an extremely approximate guideline, which should be adjusted taking various things into consideration, such as the sophistication of the guide, size of the group and duration of drive or tour, the following would be applicable: 2-3 persons in a car USD 3-5 a day for a driver USD 8-10 a day for a guide Group of 10-20 USD.50 per person for a driver USD 1 per person a day for a guide TOUR GUIDES Diethelm Travel (the ground handling agent) has a good number of loyal and long serving guides who can speak English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and German. We offer you the choice of either a throughout guide who will be able to speak languages other than English or English speaking station guides. A through-out guide travels with you from arrival to Yangon until departure. English speaking station guides only guide you in one destination and does not
travel with you from (for instance) Yangon to Mandalay. Hence he/she will be different in each place. Where your meals are included at local restaurants, the guides meals is complementary and so he/she will join unless you request otherwise. Only the best available guides are used to working for Diethelm Travel. We ask them to attend a detailed briefing prior to your arrival and ensure that they fully understand what is required of them. TRADING HOURS Government Offices are open from 09.30 hours to 16.30 hours, banks from 10.00 hours to 14.00 hours from Monday to Friday. Shops are usually open from 10.00 hours to 17.00 hours, Tuesday to Sunday although new shopping centres are open 09.00 until 21.00 daily. Many museums, shops and markets will be closed on Mondays. Most shops will be closed on public holidays. Bogyoke (Scotts) market is open daily 10:00 hours to 17:00 hours, except Mondays and public holidays. VEHICLES Diethelm Travel does its utmost to provide the best available cars and buses. As the import of new vehicles as well as spare parts is very difficult and extremely expensive, most of the tourist cars used are second hand vehicles, sometimes older than 20 years. Even the so called deluxe saloon cars will be old models and look unimpressive although they are comfortable. The smart 4 wheel drive landcruisers you may see being driven are not available for tourists. It regretfully does happen that cars have breakdowns; the drivers however are pretty good in getting the shortcomings repaired in no time. In remote areas, however, air-conditioned vehicles may not always be available and travellers should be advised that the quality of roads vary throughout Myanmar from reasonable to bad. VOLTAGE Myanmar has 220-230 Volts AC. It is advisable to bring a torch/flashlight because power cuts can occur throughout the country. Myanmar uses the British 3 pin socket system as well as the round 2 pin system but as sizes vary, you are advised to carry a multi -purpose adapter. Power cuts are frequent particularly in the months April September. However most hotels do have reliable power back up although this often does not power the air-conditioning to full strength. WATER It is advisable to drink only bottled or purified water available complementary in many restaurants.