Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
All things considered, if you're travelling around Myanmar as a couple you might conceiv-
ably be able to survive on a
daily budget
of $15-20/£9-12/11-15 per person (maybe even
less),although$25/£15/€20perdayisamorerealistictarget.For$40/£25/€30perpersonper
day you can be pretty comfortable. Equally, it's perfectly easy to spend $200/£120/€150 a
day if you're staying and eating in top-end hotels and travelling with a car and driver. Trav-
elling on your own obviously bumps costs up considerably, given that you'll have no one to
split pricey accommodation rates with.
Upmarket restaurants and hotels may add a ten percent service charge. Elsewhere,
tipping
in local restaurants, teahouses, taxis and so on isn't really expected (although of course is
always appreciated). Caretakers and guardians will expect a tip for unlocking a temple, mu-
seum or other monument for you.
Crime and personal safety
Despite decades of military oppression, often grinding poverty and a string of local insur-
gencies,Myanmarremainsanextremelysafeplaceforforeignvisitors.Violentcrimeagainst
tourists is extremely rare, and even petty theft is relatively uncommon, although obviously
it pays not to leave valuables lying around or rooms unlocked. If you are unlucky enough to
suffer a theft you'll need to report it to the
police
to get a statement for your insurance claim.
Taking a Burmese-speaking companion to translate is pretty much essential - ask at your ac-
commodation.Majortouristcentreshavededicatedtouristpolice,althoughevensoit'sworth
taking a Burmese-speaker with you if possible.
The biggest risk at present for foreigners travelling in Myanmar is the chance of becoming
accidentally caught up in
political or ethnic violence
- particularly the increasing number
ofclashesbetweenBuddhistsandMuslimswhichhaveafflictedSittwe,Meiktila, Lashioand
Mandalayinrecentyears.OnetouristwasinjuredinYangoninanexplosioninOctober2013,
while in early 2014 the offices of Western NGOs were attacked by mobs in Sittwe (although
visiting tourists were left in peace). There are also ongoing clashes in various parts of the
country between the army and various ethnic resistance groups, with occasional incidents in
Kachin State around Myitkyina and Bhamo, for example. The government generally closes
off any area where there's even a hint of danger, however, both to keep tourists safe and to
stop them seeing things the rulers don't want Westerners to see.
Customs regulations
Arriving in Myanmar, you're allowed to bring in
duty free
up to 2 litres of liquor, 150ml
of perfume and 400 cigarettes (or 50 cigars). You have to declare hard currency over
$2000 or equivalent and fill in an FED (Foreign Exchange Declaration) form. The
export
of antiques
is prohibited. Details of import/export restrictions can be checked at
