James Duncan: The Myanmar Brief

Unlike many of my international trips over the last few years, there wasn’t a specific task to accomplish by going to Myanmar. I wasn’t there for TED or to speak at a conference or to document for a non-profit foundation. No, I went to join friends and family and see this amazing country with a bit of inside perspective. I went because Myanmar is in a time of transition and I wanted to see it before everything changes.

There’s no denying the politics of the country and traveling to the country requires consideration of those politics. For many years, from the mid 90’s till 2010, the opposition party called for a boycott of tourism to avoid helping to fund the regime and it’s favored cronies. However, it’s not clear whether the boycott was effective as the government has long funded itself through taking advantage of Myanmar’s natural resources, including the teak forest. Furthermore, many locals want foreigners to see their country, at least at a small scale that benefits individuals more than it does the bigger players. With the lifting of the boycott, that’s happening again.

Sunrise over Bagan, Myanmar.

For me, Bagan was the primary destination. Finishing out 2011 and starting out 2012 in a valley covered with thousands of temples and a mist that turned everything into a painting through my viewfinder was amazing. It’s so very hard to describe in words and even the photos don’t do it any kind of justice. You have to see the place with your own eyes from on top of one of the temples to really get it.

Temples as far as the eye can see in Bagan, Myanmar.

If you want to go yourself, here’s what you need to know:

1. Leave time to get your visa. Mine took much longer than the 7-10 business days it was supposed to and I almost missed my trip because of it. I’ll be budgeting 4-6 weeks for it the next time which will probably mean I’ll get my passport back in less than a week.
2. Direct flights into Myanmar are more limited than many other places you might typically go. You’ll probably want to go through Singapore or Bangkok. This time, I flew through Singapore and took a Silk Air flight (Singapore Airline’s regional affiliate). If I go again, I’ll probably fly through Bangkok so that I can fly on Thai and take advantage of my Star Alliance privileges all the way to Yangon. Well, that and to spend some time in Thailand as well.
3. Flying in-country is preferable to traveling by car or bus. Myanmar’s major roads aren’t bad, but everything else can range from a bit rough to rugged. I saw nothing but well-maintained aircraft while I was there, but I’m told that Air Bagan is one of the better lines. Oh, and you’ll want to have your hotel reconfirm your reservations a couple of days before you take a flight. We got bumped to a later flight one day because of this.
4. Credit and ATM cards are a no-go. You’ll need to bring cash. Fresh uncirculated dollars. Somebody in the Myanmar central bank must have heard “clean and unmarked bills” from somebody and took it very seriously. If your bills have any kind of marks or creases, they’ll be rejected and you’ll be unable to pay for anything. Also, bring mostly big bills. The exchange rate is worse for $20’s than it is for $100’s. You will, however, want a few $1’s and $10’s—crisp and uncirculated—for various tourist fees that have to be paid in dollars.
5. Take the strongest bug spray you can get ahold of. Get the stuff with DEET in it to supplement any of that natural stuff you might be inclined to use and then will almost certainly abandon shortly after you meet the native mosquitos.
6. Use the same kind of caution with food as you’d use in India. Unless you’re at an extremely fastidious place, eat and drink only if cooked, boiled, or you can peel it yourself. I got sloppy and had a yummy homemade lime soda at one restaurant on my last day in Mandalay and paid for it. I should have stuck with the beer.
7. Mandalay brand beer is quite good. So is Myanmar brand, tho it’s a bit more mainstream (read, boring) in taste. All the other beers I tried weren’t as nice to my palate, to put it kindly.
8. My favorite native food were dishes from Shan cuisine. The rest of Myanmar’s food was less exciting. There may be a reason you don’t run across Burmese restaurants very often in the west. We did find lots of Thai and Chinese inspired dishes on most menus that helped to keep our taste buds happy.
9. Most locals at the touristy areas are there to sell you something, but they’re not nearly as pushy about it in many other countries and will usually be quite helpful with advice or just general conversation. On the other hand, do keep in mind that a normal “No thank you” isn’t really firm enough, at least it wasn’t firm enough from me.
10. Wear flip-flops or sandals on days when you’re going to be around temples. Otherwise, you’ll drive yourself mad putting your shoes on and off. Also, you’re going to get dirty and sweaty, even in the cool season. Dress appropriately and don’t stress over it. But, consider lightweight long pants as shorts are frowned upon in many places as well.

Finally, having somebody local that can handle all sorts of local arrangements for you is invaluable. Even if you are used to traveling widely, Myanmar isn’t a good place to just show up and wing it. If you need a recommendation, I do have a connection I’m happy to share. She usually caters to German tourists, but is certainly adept in English as well. When I go back, she’ll be the one that sets everything thing up for me.

Sunrise in Bagan, Myanmar.

Posted by James Duncan Davidson.