Here are some of the important pointers and tips for a comfortable trip to Myanmar:

Travel

Getting in (International)

Geographically located in between north-east India/Bangladesh, China, and Thailand, Myanmar is pretty close to Singapore as well as it is to any part of India. From Singapore, our flight tickets on Scoot Airlines were so inexpensive – only about INR 5000 (SG$ 110/-) to and fro! It was a 2.5-hour flight and was quite comfortable.

While the best time to visit Myanmar is from November to February, we still enjoyed the country during the supposedly wet months of August and September. Yes, it did rain in Yangon but it was pleasant. As for Bagan, there were no rains and it was considerably hot during the daytime.

Visa

Indian citizens need a tourist visa to Myanmar. Surprisingly, the visa is almost the same price as the flight ticket! – SG$ 70/-. Please note that there are a lot of fraudulent websites for online visa applications to Myanmar. The only website to apply for the e-visa is https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/. It is quite simple to apply and you can pay using your credit card (Note: you must have a clear passport size photo scanned for the application). Post application, the visa will be sent to your email in about 24 hours.

Getting around (Local)

Getting around in Myanmar is pretty easy. There is Uber & Grab and the rates are very standard and convenient. To get between cities/towns, air-conditioned VIP buses are super awesome. They have the comfort of a flight, with a stewardess and snacks as well! They are inexpensive as well – Yangon to Bagan (overnight 10 hours bus ride) costs just INR 600 (SG$ 12) approximately. In Bagan, we hired e-scooters, which do not require a driving license, and they were super cool.

Stay

Since the country has opened up for tourism only recently, the hotels and resorts are relatively new and well maintained. The resort we stayed in Bagan was beautiful and affordable – it was WeStay @ Bagan Lotus Hotel. It comes with a swimming pool, gym, and the rooms were spacious with a bathtub and super comfortable beds. The massages/spa services offered were also nice – all the massages have a Thai influence to them and are so inexpensive! We were very impressed.

Food

The food in Myanmar has a lot of Indian influence. The spices they use are very similar to what they use in North India and are super yummy. There is plenty of vegetarian food available and they are pocket-friendly. To name a few: Rice, dal, vegetables, and chapatti are available everywhere.

People and culture

People of Myanmar are really nice and helpful. Given the rich cultural influence of Buddhism, most of the Burmese are Buddhists and they also have some Chinese influence as well. People in here consume a lot of betel nut/leaf (paan) just like in India and it gets a bit dirty on the roads and streets.

Dress/Attire

When you are visiting any of the religious places in Myanmar, which includes most of the tourist attractions, men and women have to wear clothes that are below their knees – no shorts or tube tops are allowed. Decent clothing has to be worn. Also, footwear is not allowed inside the temples – but you can carry them in your bags. Also, there are no toilets inside any of the temples, they are generally located outside.

The traditional dress of Myanmar is Longyi (aka Lungi) and both women and men wear this. Even officials in government offices wear this attire. They have so many styles and colors of longyis that I had to buy one.

Thanaka

The people of Myanmar have a distinct culture of welcoming people by applying Thanaka ( a yellowish-white cosmetic paste made from ground bark) on the visitor’s face. Both men and women apply it throughout the day to protect themselves from the sun as it acts as a natural sunscreen. It is also fragrant and makes skin bright and soft. I tried it out personally and I am officially a fan!

Puppets

Puppets are a big thing in Myanmar – they are sold everywhere in the country. Plus, there were many puppet shows that were taking place all over Myanmar and it reminded us of our childhood.

Lacquer workshops

Bagan hosts numerous lacquer workshops where you can see the Burmese people making jewelry, vessels, and furniture using lacquer. They are completely handmade and look splendid.

Expenses

Even though we traveled as a family of 3, the whole trip was light on the pocket. As mentioned earlier, the food and local transport were inexpensive. Sight-seeing was affordable as well. For a 5-day trip, inclusive of flights, visas, local transport, food, sight-seeing, minimal shopping, we spent approx. INR 50,000 – 60,000 (SG$ 1000-1200) for the 3 of us.

Overall, we explored some of the untouched parts of Myanmar while indulging in so many different activities and the whole trip was one of the most relaxing trips we have ever taken. My son loved the e-scooter rides and the open spaces. Highly recommend all of you to visit Myanmar and do let me know how your experience was by putting it in the comments section.

Sandhya’s Myanmar Gallery

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About the Author

Sandhya is a crazy entrepreneurial scientist and science journalist who has recently ventured into travel and fashion blogging. Find her travel and fashion snaps at @scisandhya 

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