There are different methods:

1. Apply for visa at any Myanmar Embassy

2. Have a “visa on arrival” arranged through us against a service charge in advance of your arrival, if the other methods are not convenient to you and if you book a complete tour with us.

We can arrange that for you in Yangon. You must however stay in or around Yangon until the visa is extended.

The answer is short: NO

Mobile phones, if discovered in your luggage, might need to be deposited until your departure. At certain occasions, foreign mobile phones might be accessible in Myanmar, those however are only of short duration.

There are in the meantime a number of Internet cafes in the main tourist areas and larger towns. However a great number of e-mail providers are blocked. You may use a local address provided by the shop to send.

Although there is no mandatory insurance required, we suggest the following: Health insurance with emergency evacuation (please ensure to check with your insurance company that they do cover your trip to Myanmar). Insurance to cover cost in case of not being able to travel.

The first advice on this should always be: Avoid mosquito bites!! Especially at dawn, wear long clothes and use mosquito repellents. The answer on prophylaxis is a very difficult one, depends on where you go at what time of the year. The side effects are sometimes very strong and there is no guarantee that you prevent getting Malaria with a prophylaxis. Doctors with experience in tropical regions or Tropical institute offer the best advice based on your itinerary.

Myanmar is still a country with very conservative manners. Please act and dress accordingly. Wearing very short skirts or shorts is considered impolite especially while visiting Pagodas. Pointing out to something with your legs and patting someone on the head is also regarded as a bad manner. Sitting etc. on Buddha images e.g. for photo shooting is strictly unacceptable.

The international flights connecting to Myanmar are mostly connected from Bangkok, Singapore and Malaysia. Amongst the airlines flying to Yangon are: Thai Airways, Myanmar Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Air Asia and Phuket Air from Bangkok.

Silk Air, Myanmar Airways International and Jet Star Asia (code sharing with Myanmar Airways International) from Singapore

Malaysian Airlines and Myanmar Airways International from Kuala Lumpur.

Myanmar Airways International from Siam Reap, Vietnam Airline from Ho Chi Min City.

There are at present no suitable flight connections to other airports in Myanmar although there were flights offered to Mandalay previously.

Air Mandalay offers flights from Yangon to Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand.

China Airlines flies from Beijing via Kunming.

Since August 2003 there is NO requirement anymore to change on arrival (previously 200 USD had to be changed into Foreign Exchange Certificates, FEC)

Infrastructure within Myanmar is often much worst than visitors from foreign countries are used to. Even compared with Thailand, it is worse. Therefore one needs to put into account considerably more time and little comfort for travel than at home. Most cars are rather old, although we do take great care to choose cars in good condition. Especially in the high season, there are however shortages. There are no budget domestic airlines, flying reduces travel time considerably. Myanmar people are very friendly and helpful. There will always be someone to help you. However language barriers might make it difficult if you are are traveling without an English-speaking companion. During the rainy season (May to September) there might be disruptions to travel.

Most people visit Myanmar during the “cool” and dry season from November to February. In this time, night temperatures drop to 17 Celsius in Yangon and just above 0 in the mountains. Many people have a wrong perception of the rainy season (May to September). Although in the coastal region, monsoon rainfalls are very heavy, in the middle parts of the country they are not marked. It rains in regular intervals, uninterrupted and day-long rainfall is rather unusual. Very often sun and rain change in short intervals. The rainy season is certainly very pleasant to people enjoying the green nature and all plants growing. It is also possible to visit Bagan and Mandalay during the rainy season as they lie in the dry belt. High humidity in connection with very warm weather however can be very disturbing to some people. The danger of Malaria is generally greater in the rainy season.

There are many pro’s and con’s. The overall economic situation and American sanctions (since 2003) have brought hardship to ordinary people in Myanmar. Many people have income generated from tourism. Be it directly through employment in hotels, as tour guides or be it as souvenir producers, sidecar (rickshaw) drivers, food stall operators or fruit and cigarette vendors. Myanmar people appreciate contacts to the outside world. At the end, everybody has to answer the question himself. As a visitor, you have the choice to spend your money where you think fit.

There are a number of money changers. The best exchange rate usually is offered in Yangon.

Large USD denominations are exchanged at a higher rate.

Euro can be reasonably changed only in Yangon. Still, it is favourable to change your Euros at home into USD.

The local currency is called Kyat. Kyat bank notes are available between 1 and 1000 Kyat. 1000 Kyat are roughly equal to one 1 USD but sometimes heavily fluctuating. Coins are since long not anymore in use.

Automatic teller machines are not available in Myanmar! Since October 2004 credit cards and traveller checks are not anymore accepted in the whole country at all! Any other information you may read is outdated. PLEASE BRING SUFFICIENT US DOLLAR CASH WITH YOU!

Myanmar, in those parts open to travelers, is a very safe country to visit. Capital crime is virtually unknown and foreigners are treated especially respectful. The number of any theft or other cases involving foreigners is negligible. Carrying larger cash amounts does not pose a risk, of course don’t show it openly. Substandard health facilities probably are the biggest risk. Do bring with you sufficient stock up on any medicine you may depend on and possibly a first-aid kit. When traveling on cars, seatbelts are often not available. End of 2004 and beginning of 2005, on 2 occasions small bombs exploded in touristic spots in Yangon, which did cause minor damage. Although it is not exactly clear who was behind those bombs, it seems that there was no intention to cause major damage but rather to draw attention. There are in times smaller tremors in Myanmar which usually cause no or small damage only.