Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cold drinks
DuetoMyanmar'sunreliableelectricitysupply,refrigerationisnotwidespreadandproviding
cold drinks is a specialist business. Ice factories deliver clear slabs of ice to cold-drink stores
each morning, and the stores then use it to cool drinks and make ice cream. Although My-
anmar's fruit is excellent, fruit shakes and smoothies aren't as widespread here as elsewhere
in Southeast Asia, and the drinks owe more to South Asia with
falooda
(milk, ice and fla-
vouringmixedtogetherwithjellycubes,tapiocapearlsandvermicelli)andvarious
lassi
-type
drinksbeingparticularlypopular.Strawberry
pyo-yeh
(
p'yaw-ye
meaningjuice)isadelicious
drinktotryifyou'reinMyanmarduringstrawberryseason(Feb-April)-thecrushedberries
aremixedwithsweetened milkandyogurtthenpouredoverchunksofice.
Sugar-canejuice
is another popular beverage - look for the hand-operated presses outside stalls or shops.
HEALTH
The quality of healthcare in Myanmar is generally fairly abysmal. Routine advice and
treatmentareavailableinYangonandMandalay,butelsewherethehospitalsoftenlack
even basic supplies. Minor injuries and ailments can be dealt with by pharmacists, but
if you are seriously ill it's best to contact your embassy for help. As always, it is im-
portant to travel with insurance that covers medical care and emergency evacuation
- international-quality care is expensive and in certain situations you may need to be
moved to Thailand or Singapore for treatment.
Vaccinations and prophylaxis
Besides ensuring that any routine
immunizations
are up to date, your doctor may recom-
mend that you be vaccinated against hepatitis A and typhoid before travelling to Myanmar,
as well as taking malaria prophylactics while in the country. Immunization against hepatitis
B, cholera, Japanese encephalitis and rabies is often also suggested.
Malaria
isariskthroughoutMyanmar,exceptforinYangonandMandalayandareasabove
1000m elevation. The strain of malaria found along Myanmar's eastern borders from Kachin
State to Tanintharyi is resistant to chloroquine and proguanil (Malarone), and doctors may
recommend that you take mefloquine or doxycycline instead, but preventing
insect bites
is
important regardless of your anti-malarial regimen.
Hepatitis A
is a viral infection spread by contaminated food and water, whereas the rarer
hepatitis B
is spread through unprotected sexual contact, unscreened blood transfusions and
dirty needles. Both diseases cause inflammation of the liver, with symptoms including leth-
argy, fever and pains in the upper abdomen, and lead to yellowing of the eyes and skin if left
untreated.
