Myanmar travel information
Guide:
Directory
Time: Local time is GMT +6.5.
Electricity: Electrical current is 230 volts, 50Hz. European plugs with two circular metal pins as well as British style plugs with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade are used.
Language: Burmese is the official language, yet English is widely spoken and understood. Burmese’s alphabet is made up of circular and semi-circular characters. Other languages spoken are Karen, Shan and Kachin.
Getting around: Air Mandalay, Air Yangon and Bagan Air run a good internal flight service, but Myanmar Airways has a poor safety record for internal flights. Other options include the Yangon-Mandalay bus service for long distances. There are daily express trains from Yangon to Mandalay. A private company runs these trains, though regular trains are not recommended, as they are slow, dirty and unreliable with uncomfortable seating that can result in 'saddle-soreness'. Travelling around town is easy and the fare is negotiable. Most towns, including Mandalay, use horse carts and trishaws. Alternatively, bicycles can be rented for a small price. Domestic highway bus terminals are Aung-Yadanar and Sawbwargyi-Gone, both about 10 miles (16km) from downtown Yangon.
Health: Malaria and dengue fever are common in Myanmar, especially during the rainy season (May to October). Cyclone Nargis, which hit in May 2008, has increased the risk of cholera so visitors should drink only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice drinks. A few cases of avian influenza (bird flu) have been reported, and although there is little risk for travellers, contact with live poultry should be avoided. There are basic medical facilities in Rangoon and Mandalay, for serious medical cases, evacuation is recommended. Payment is cash is usually required before any treatment. Comprehensive medical insurance is advised. Travellers from yellow fever infected areas require a vaccination certificate to enter Myanmar.
Tipping: The Burmese offer their help freely and genuinely, and don't expect anything in return, though gratuity is greatly appreciated. Tipping 5% on a meal is acceptable. Porters, drivers and tour guides expect a small tip.
Safety: Travellers need to exercise caution when travelling to border areas in and around Burma due to heavy military activity, particularly along the borders with Thailand. There are only a handful of legal crossing points. Burma does however boast one of the lowest crime rates in the world, making it a safe travel destination. Anti-government demonstrations that took place in August 2007 were led by thousands of monks in cities across the country, but were dispelled by a government crackdown resulting in violent clashes between protesters and the police. The protests reflect the citizens' long pent-up opposition to the repressive military regime. Visitors are advised to avoid all gatherings and not to take any photographs of the police, military or demonstrations. The monsoon season is June to September in the southwest of Burma and December to April in the northeast, and flooding may occur. Severe weather often also precedes monsoon season; a devastating cyclone hit Burma on 2/3 May 2008 killing thousands of people.
Customs: It is rude to step over any part of a person or touch an adult on the head and hugging and kissing in public is frowned upon. Most Burmese families don't wear shoes in their homes and if visiting, it is advised to remove shoes before entering the house. Monks should be treated with respect, even if they are children and women should not speak to monks. When dining out it is best to keep voices low in restaurants.
Business: Business hours are 9.30am to 4.30pm from Monday to Friday. Lightweight suits are recommended during the day and jackets are needed for top-level meetings. Most commercial business transactions will be conducted in English. Business cards in Burmese script can be useful. It is important to maintain trust, honesty and friendship in a business relationship. Favours received, such as a reference, should be repayed later in the future.
Communications: The international dialling code for Burma (Myanmar) is +95. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code. The area code for Yangon (Rangoon) is (1) and Mandalay is (2). Internet cafes are widely available in Mandalay and Yangon and public telephone booths can be found on nearly every street corner as well as at railway stations and airports, however international calls are expensive. The military regime carefully controls and monitors all Internet use in Burma and restricts Internet access through software-based censorship that limits the materials individuals can access online. Several cyber cafes have been allowed to open, but access to the Internet is very expensive, and access to most international e-mail services such as Hotmail and Yahoo is prohibited, although Gmail can now be accessed.
Duty Free: Two bottles of liquor, two cartons of cigarettes or 100 cigars and half litre of perfume are allowed per person. Valuables including jewellery, cameras, electronic equipment, etc, should be declared at customs upon arrival. Purchases of locally bought goods may require receipts upon departure.