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 Traveller's Tales: Getting around in Myanmar
Know the most popular landmarks in Myanmar. You may read about best transportation, recommended travel itinerary, suggested routes and directions. Also, you might want to read our
Bagan city guide,
Inle Lake city guide,
Mandalay city guide,
and Yangon(Rangoon) city guide.
Pages (3 of 7):
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
| P Verdnik |
01 December 2003 |
Stayed at Grand Plaza Parkroyal Yangon - Yangon, Myanmar.
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MUST-SEE PLACES IN YANGON: Shwedagon Pagoda, The Strand Hotel, Bogyoke Aung Sang Market. MUST-SEE PLACES IN MYANMAR: Inle Lake, Bagan, Mandalay. Recommended restaurant: "Dolphin Seafood Restaurant" (at the Royal Lake - in front of the aquarium - very good food, friendly staff, nice athmosphere and live music every night from 8 pm).
Getting around: TAXI (average 1000 kyats for a ride). Travel agent: Adventure Myanmar, Botahtaung Condominium - 6th floor, phone: (95-1) 203500.
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| A Pollak |
24 November 2003 |
Stayed at Emerald Land Inn - Mandalay, Myanmar.
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We hired a taxi driver for one day and we visited AVA, AMARAPURA and the SAGAIN hills which was really fascinating! For ladies:I had a traditional hairwash done in a beauty salon! This was an extraordinary experience! It is really different in europe but the head massage was really perfect! I really recommend this to all women-it is very relaxing!
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| H Prince |
06 July 2003 |
Stayed at Grand Plaza Parkroyal Yangon - Yangon, Myanmar.
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Don't convert hard currency to Kyat, the local currency, other than the $200 US one must convert to Foreign Exchange Currency (FEC) on arrival at the airport.
Use the FEC to pay part of your hotel bill to get rid of the money which cannnot be converted back to hard currency. The dollar is accepted, even preferred, everywhere in a country that is in hard economic times. Find out what the street conversion rate is, you will be approached by money changers, and try to get people like taxi drivers to convert hard currency at the street rate rather than the official rate, which will be about 40% lower than the street rate. Always negotiate the taxi rate before you begin the trip, there are no meters. The hotel will take you back to the airport in an air conditioned private car for $5 which is less than the taxi from the airport on arrival at $6, use the booking agents you will see as you leave the baggage claim area on arrival. Be prepared for a slow arrival process, baggage is slow to be returned, the immigration is bureacratic, and people don't understand the FEC conversion requirement and take time to complete all these steps.
Be prepared for everyone to demand higher prices as a foreigner for entrance fees, for example, the fee is $5 to enter the She Dagon pagoda-a must see, breath-taking, world class experience, hire a guide, takes about two hours and will be worth it, guide fee is also $5, map is $1.
Pace yourself for the heat/humidity combination in Myanmar, probably the most debilitating in SE Asia, worse than Vietnam and Thailand by far, places I also visited on this trip.
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| R Scherler |
02 June 2003 |
Stayed at Summit Parkview Hotel - Yangon, Myanmar.
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Only brief stay in Yangon - used local taxi service to maximise time -
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| S Crawford |
31 May 2003 |
Stayed at Bagan Hotel River View - Bagan, Myanmar.
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We used horse and cart to get around the temples - it is too large to walk around and in May/ June, it is too hot to ride the cycle. Unfortunately, the balloon rides do not operate from May to October. We can recommend the Sarabha (huge portions!) and Nanda restaurants. The Nanda restaurant has a marionette show that is much better than the Mandalay Marionette and Culture Show.
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| S Crawford |
29 May 2003 |
Stayed at Sedona Hotel Mandalay - Mandalay, Myanmar.
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We chartered a boat to Mingun which allowed us to stop at villages along the way. Mingun was the most touristy place in Myanmar although there was still not very much hassle. We would thoroughly recommend the 40 minute trip to Amarapura (by taxi) coinciding with lunch time at the monastery (about 10.30 am) as the sight of 1,000 monks lined up 2 by 2 is amazing. We got around Mandalay using trishaws.
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| S Crawford |
25 May 2003 |
Stayed at Governor's Residence, The - Yangon, Myanmar.
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We took a day tour to the Golden Rock. This was very expensive and I (and the other travellers that I met there) would not recommend it. The taxi could only go as far as the bottom of the hill. We were not allowed on the public bus/truck so had to walk 2 hours up the hill. If foolhardy enough to try, remember to bring your passport with you as it is needed to buy a ticket.
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| T Doup |
20 April 2003 |
Stayed at Bagan Hotel River View - Bagan, Myanmar.
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Bagan is unique and a must for every Asia traveller. Horse cart and bike are excellent ways of travelling around. A pity the balloon is not available in summer. Sunsets were amazing with background of pagodas and temples.
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| N Remise |
07 March 2003 |
Stayed at Governor's Residence, The - Yangon, Myanmar.
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One day is enough to get a good feel of Yangon. Schwedagon paya (for sunset and night lighting), and markets make interesting visits. A taxi rental by the hour is a good way to explore (around 3 US $ per hour).
The gem museum can easily be skipped. The zoo, very old and lacking maintenance, will be interesting to young children only (tigers, rhinos, hippos, crocs and bears).
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| N Remise |
05 March 2003 |
Stayed at Bagan Hotel River View - Bagan, Myanmar.
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Lots of sightseeing. Bagan plain is packed with thousands of monuments and temples on 50 square kilometers. The best way to visit is with horse carts (parked just outside the hotel): bicycle is OK on roads, but proves difficult on sandy tracks. Interesting morning market in Nyaung U.
Good dining in hotel garden restaurant. Another good option: Sarabha restaurant, just outside Old Bagan city walls.
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Pages (3 of 7):
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