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EMH, Enjoy  Myanmar  Holiday, Tours & Travel Group Website: www.emhtours.com  

           

   

Travel Guides > MYANMAR ENTRY & EXIT FORMALITIES

If you have your visa ready and a valid passport with at

least six months of validity from the time of entry in

hand, you should have no trouble entering Myanmar

either by air or land. There is no requirement for you to

show an onward ticket out of the country in order to

enter Myanmar.

E-visas can be used at Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi

Taw international airports; and at three Thailand–

Myanmar land border crossings, Tachileik, Myawadi

(Myawaddy) and Kawthoung (Kawthaung). You can

exit the country at any overland border crossing

(although you will need a permit and permission to exit

to China and India).

Citizens of 50 countries can also apply online for

business visas (US$70, valid 70 days), but you'll need

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E-Visa

Citizens of 100 countries can apply online for tourist

visas via Myanmar's Ministry of Immigration and

Population website: http://evisa.moip.gov.mm.

The cost is US$50. After your application is processed,

you'll be emailed an approval letter. Print it out and give

it to the passport official on arrival at the airport or

designated land borders with Thailand and you'll be

stamped into the country.

Visitors are permitted to bring duty-free:

- 400 cigarettes

- 50 cigars

- 250g of tobacco

- 2L of alcoholic liquor

- 150ml of perfume

It's not a problem to bring a camera, video camera,

laptop or mobile phone. You cannot bring in antiques,

pornographic materials or narcotic drugs.

HOW TO DEAL WITH AS A TRAVELLER

Currency

KYAT Is the Myanmar currency.

Updated exchange rates can be found with this link

https://www.kbzbank.com/en/

While in the country, you'll use a mix of US dollars and

Myanmar kyat. Most hotels and domestic airfares,

travel Agents, tour guides, some entrance fees will be

in USD, while everything else (food, souvenirs, uses

etc) will be in Kyat.

What kind of currency should you bring?

Along with USD, it is easy to exchange Australian

dollars at the banks and the registered money changers,

but please note that the money changers at the airports may not be accepted Australian dollars to change. You

a letter of invitation from a sponsoring company and

proof of your company's registration or business.

Customs regulations

For the vast majority of visitors, clearing customs is a

breeze, but it's important to be aware of the restrictions;

for further details see www.myanmarcustoms.gov.mm.

All $ bills must not be older than the 2006 issue but any

later than that, in perfect condition, will be fine as well

as the latest issue from August 2013. ATM's

There are now over 2000 ATM's in Myanmar with a

choice at major airports and widespread availability at

downtown Banks. 24 hours ATM are in all major tourist

destinations such as Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and

InLe Lake. They only dispense kyat. Do note that there

is a fixed charge of 5000 kyat, plus your own Bank's

charge and a maximum withdrawal of 300,000 kyat, up

to three times daily.

Many smaller villages and small towns have yet to get

an ATM but those that have a Bank branch in town will

either have one or get one soon.

There have been reports that Banks in some counties

still follow the outdated US embargo so do check with

your Bank that your card will be accepted.

Credit cards

Are accepted by airlines, which are bookable on-line

with immediate e-ticket issue.

Many quality hotels will accept Credit Cards, although

some may charge a merchant fee.

Banks in Myanmar (Burma) have partnerships with Visa

and Master card (and Chinese "UnionPay"). That

means no Discover, American Express and no other

funky cards for the moment. As always, it's best to call

your credit card company and bank in advance to let

them know you'll be traveling, so the chance of your

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will visit the money changers in towns to exchange

them.

It is essential that bills are in first class, good condition,

with no folds, rips or writing. New is best and keep them

flat, maybe between two pieces of card. 100's and 50's

will get the best exchange rate.

Yangon or Mandalay. They offer the best rates and the

security that you'll get what you should be getting.

Do not exchange money on the streets. This is a great

way to get scammed, particularly in Yangon where the

shady money changers often hang out near Sule

Pagoda or the main Bogyoke Market.

When you leave the country, you can exchange your

kyat at the airport or banks before you take off. Keep in

mind that no where outside of Myanmar will be

interested in exchanging your extra Kyat, make sure you

get rid of your extra before you leave.

Tipping

Tipping is not customary in Myanmar, though little extra

'presents' are sometimes expected (even if they're not

asked for) in exchange for a service.

Airport: If someone helps you with your bags, a small

tip is welcomed.

Restaurants: As wages are low, it's a good idea to

leave change for waiters in restaurants.

Temples: A small donation is appreciated if a caretaker

is required to unlock a temple.

HEALTH

The following advice is a general guide only and does

not replace the advice of a doctor trained in travel

medicine.

Before you go

Health insurance

Make sure your travel insurance or separate private

health insurance covers all possible health eventualities

card being blocked is reduced. You can usually find the

number on the back of the card. Where should I exchange money in Myanmar?

The best places to exchange are the banks and the

registered money changers at the airports and in

Health advisories

Consult your government's website on health and travel

before departure:

Australia (http://smartraveller.gov.au)

Pre-travel checklist

- Pack medications in their original, clearly labelled

containers.

- Carry a signed and dated letter from your physician

describing your medical conditions and medications,

including their generic names.

- If you have a heart condition, bring a copy of your ECG

taken just prior to travelling.

- Bring a double supply of any regular medication in

case of loss or theft.

- Take out travel insurance

DANGERS & ANNOYANCES

For the vast majority of visitors, travel in Myanmar is

safe and should pose no serious problems.

- Some areas of the country remain off-limits due to

ongoing civil war and/or land mines.

- In off-the-beaten-track places, where authorities are

less used to seeing foreigners, the chances are high

that you'll be kept an eye on.

- If you have any tattoos of buddha on your body, keep

them covered up.

Government travel advice

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in Myanmar – the country's health system is far from

ideal and although there are international-standard

hospitals in Yangon for major incidents, an air

evacuation to neighbouring countries may be required.

Crime

While not unheard of, crimes such as mugging are rare

in Myanmar. Locals know that the penalties for stealing,

particularly from foreigners, can be severe.

Transport and road hazards

The poor state of road and rail infrastructure plus lax

safety standards and procedures for flights and boats

means that travelling can sometimes be dangerous.

Safety often seems to be the last consideration of both

drivers and pedestrians. Proceed with caution when

crossing any road, particularly in cities where drivers are

unlikely to stop if they are involved in an accident with a

pedestrian. Traffic drives on the right in Myanmar, but

the majority of cars are right-hand-drive imports, which

add to the chance of accidents occurring.

Tattoos and Buddha images

Depictions of images of Buddha deemed inappropriate

or offensive by Buddhists have caused serious

problems for visitors to Myanmar recently. Pay heed to

such local religious sensitivities and moderate your

behavior accordingly.

PHONE & INTERNET

Many hotels and budget guest houses have WiFi or at

least a computer with wired internet for guests. Many

restaurants, especially in tourist areas like Bagan,

Yangon and Mandalay have WiFi which may not be fast,

but it is sufficient for checking emails and facebook. SIM

cards can be purchased for about USD $2. Pre-paid cell

service included data service is affordable with decent

coverage throughout the country. For oversea calls,

USD 2 Cents per minute will be charged to call Australia

from Myanmar.

Consult your government website for travel advisories

and information on current hot spots before departure.

Australia (http://smartraveller.gov.au)

ELECTRICITY

Connect (when it's working) to the electricity supply

(230V, 50Hz AC).

The following socket types are used:

CLOTHING INFORMATION

Yes, there are dress codes for when you visit the

temples of Bagan and the Shwdagon Pagoda. Make

sure you cover your knees and shoulders at all times.

Shorts are okay, but I would recommend you to buy a

sarong ahead of time, there are some very light-weight

ones you can get, so you always have it handy and

won’t be denied entry when you stumble across a

temple or sacred site you want to visit.

And don’t worry about shoes, you will have to take them

off at the pagodas anyways so it’s best to opt for

something simple and sturdy you can easily slip into,

such as sandals. If you don’t want to walk barefoot

throughout the temples, bring an old pair of socks to slip

over.

TOILETS

- Apart from most guesthouses, hotels and upscale

restaurants, squat toilets are the norm. Most of these

are located down a dirt path behind a house.

- Usually next to the toilet is a cement reservoir filled

with water, and a plastic bowl lying nearby. This has two

functions: as a flush and for people to clean their nether

regions while still squatting over the toilet.

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- Sit-down toilets are not equipped to flush paper.

Usually there's a small waste basket nearby to deposit

used toilet paper.

- It's acceptable for men (less so for women) to go

behind a tree or bush (or at the roadside) when nature

calls.

- Buses and smaller boats usually don't have toilets.

- Toilet paper is available at shops all over the country,

but not often at toilets. Some places charge a nominal

fee to use the toilet.

Weather  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

*Annual overview of main tourist destinations – Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and InLe Lake

  Pleasantly warm 20 – 30° C

  Hot & dry 25 – 35° C

  Very hot & dry 35° C+

  Monsoon 25 – 35° C

  Hot & wet 25 – 35° C