Hallo Guenther,
ich würde Myanmar nicht gerade in der Regenzeit besuchen, da es dann sehr bodenständig zugeht.
Zwangswechsel von 200FEC(=USD) bei Ankunft (für die Regierung).
Kreditkarten sind für Hotels, Restaurants, Reisebüros und die übrigen Touristenangebote hilfreich, aber ansonsten sollte man schon etwas mehr Bargeld mitsich führen, als in Thailand, da die ATMs nicht verfügbar sind.
Am besten wechselt man in die lokale kyat Währung.
ein kleiner Auszug aus einem Reisebericht aus dem Lonely Planet Forum, um einige Preisorientierungen zu haben,
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These infos were collected from 04-30-00 to 06-02-00.
(at that time : 1 USD ~= 340 MMK (Myanmar Kyat), 1 USD ~= 7 FRF).
Addresses are in edition 2000 of the Lonely Planet guidebook, otherwise they are mentioned.
* PARIS:
- Visa: 150 FRF cash and 2 photographs, at the Paris embassy. Delivered in less than one week. CAUTION: it is mandatory to enter in Myanmar the month following the issue of the visa. Once entered, you are entitled to 28 days (see last paragraph if staying longer).
* YANGON:
- mandatory change of 300 $ in FEC. Visa or MasterCard, cash and traveller's cheques accepted (even in FRF). For the cards and TC there is a commision (5 % if I remember). No commission if you have USD: 300 $ = 300 FEC. This change is required whatever the duration of your stay! Apparently, it seems relatively easy to get less, bribing with 5 or 10 $ the person who shows the window to wait (it will give the instruction to the counter clerk).
- Taxi airport -> Sule Paya = 2 $ (I was proposed this inside the airport after the change). Fare is for the taxi, therefore try to group, no swindles: my driver waited until I saw the room of my hotel, and was even ready to take me along to another if I did not like that.
- Hotel: Daddy' S Home: single = 3 $, dble = 6 $. CH without window, AC small breakfast. Fine, friendly, 1 of the hostesses speaks correctly French. Change: 330 K for 1 FEC
- Rest.: New Dehli 385 K (dish, rice, soda), OK. Danubyu Daw Sawyi: shrimp curry = 1200 K, sheep curry = 250 K
- Beer : Tiger 33 Cl = 200 K, 50 Cl = 330 K, ABC Stout 33 Cl = 230 K
- Taxi Sule -> Shwedagon = 250 K
- Shwedagon entry = 5$ (not allowing to exit and enter again, even the same day)
- Trishaw Bo Tha Taung Paid -> Sule = 80 K
- Entry to Mahabandoola Garden = 10 K
- Postcards = 350 K 20. Stamp for France: 25 K (note 80 % of my cards never arrived, though I posted them at the main offices in Yangon and Mandalay!)
- water bottle 1 L = 50 K (even if cold)
- Phone to France: 4$ a minute at telecom office (5$ at the hotel)
- Change: Bogyoke Market: 340 K for 1 FEC. CUATION : with the swindlers towards and inside telecom office.
- Leo Express bus (supposed best bus in the country) Yangon -> Mawlamyaing = 1200 K, AC, video, recl. seat OK. Departure at 6pm, duration = 10h30. Free transport from the Leo E. office (towards Stadium) to the Highway Bus Station.
- ATTENTION: contrary to what is indicated in the LP, teh bus arrives now directly in Mawlamyaing and not in Mottama, therefore no need to seek the landing pier of the ferry as I did!
* MAWLAMYAING:
- hotel: Breeze Guest House = 5$, ventil, breakfast, no window. Not so bad (anyway choice is very limited)
- Pickup for 3-4 km = 20 K
- Trishaw for 3 km = 50 K
- Lunch at a stand in the street: 150 K (curry + rice)
- Dinner at the Chinese restaurant indicated by LP: fried noodles + 0.5 beer = 500 K
- Motor-Tricycle from the market -> Mahamuni Paya = 250 K.
- ATTENTION: the ferry to Mottama (opposite Mawl.) costs now 1$ to for tourists (and no longer 5 K as indicated in the LP)
- Pickup Mottama -> Sija (water falls, but go in rainy season, otherwise no water!) = 150 K each way (about 1h15)
- Boat to Hpa-An: 2$, duration = 4 h. Very scenic, very pleasant.
* HPA-AN:
- Hotel: Parami (towards the clock tower): single = 5$, double = 10$, AC and ventil. CAUTION: some doubles are also at 10$ with only the ventilator. Not very good, but no more choice than in Mawlamyaing.
- Tea House: 1 tea + 2 pastries = 70 K
- If you want to taste the "Tan Ye" or Sky Bier (fermented juice made with Toddy Palm fruit, homemade, not strong), go to the "harbour" (towards the pagoda), and you will be perhaps approached as I was for a tasting. 2 " bottles " = 60 K Not so bad, and friendly moment.
- Bus Hpa-An -> Bago (actually the bus to Yangon): 700 K Bus in bad shape. Departure 6:30pm, lasted 8 h
* BAGO:
- Hotel: Emperor doubles for 6$ (actually the price of a single), AC, bathroom, refrigerator (!). OK but noisy: street + mosque. If you arrive by bus in the middle of the night like me, the bus stops almost in front, it will be closed so it is necessary to ring the bell. In this case, the 1st night will not be charged. Also: not check out time, but note that was in May, therefore in low season, thus...
- Laundry in Emperor: 6 pieces = 250 K.
- people of the travel agency at ground floor are really very friendly, they can help you for all, and give a lot of infos, and speak quite good English. The person in charge is Maung Yee, a very tall Indian.
- Restaurant 555 (beside Emperor): 200 K fried noodles, draught beer (!) 75 K fried pork: ~400K.
- Restaurant Shwe It: spring rolls + beer = 500 K
- Trishaw driver: ask for MANNI at the Emperor (or he will find you), 40 y.o. Indian, very friendly, knows Bago very well, speaks correct English. Highly recommended.
- Shwe Tha Lyaung Entry (Buddha lying) = 2$ + 50 K for photograph and 200 for video (!!)
- Trishaw from Hin Tha Kone to Emperor = 75 K
- Bus Bago -> Mandalay: 2000 K, departure 6pm, duration = 13 h. Arrival at the Highway Bus Terminal, free shuttles provided by the hotels
* MANDALAY:
- Hotel: E.T.: double bargained to 4$ (reg price 6$), AC, ventil, bathroom, small breakfast. OK. Keep backpack while traveling to Pyin U Lwin.
- Laundry at ET: 350 K for 7 pieces (including 2 trousers)
- Restaurant : ATTENTION in May the Marie Min Vegetarian Rest. was closed for repair, not very far the BBB is more expensive.
- Restaurant : Lashio Lay (very close to E.T., ask): very good and a lot of choice (meats but also plenty of vegetables), you compose your plate at the entry, FYI upstairs room has AC. About 550 K with a soda.
- Mandalay Hill: 3$. If you are not checked a the bottom, one will ask you to pay only if you go on the last terrace at the very top (thus stop BEFORE arcades with glass mosaics)
- Tri-shaw from M. Hill -> ET (2 p.) 300 K
- don't miss the Shwe In Bin teak monastery: great and... no entry fee (not so usual in Mandalay!)
- Puppet show (no problem to find it, all the trishaw drivers will propose to take you there.), entry fee : 1000 K Quite interesting.
- Moustache Brothers show, very friendly, you should go to discuss with the brothers who is still free and to support the freedom of expression (see the story in the LP), show will be hold only if there is at least 4/5 people, starts towards 8pm. Price depends on the number of people, we were 7: 500 K p/p.
- Boat to Mingun: 200 K both ways, departure at 9am, back at 1pm. (landing pier at the end of the 26th St.), Mingun entry : 3$ (2$ with a student card). It's worth it only for this impressive ruin.
- bus to Amarapura: 30 K, then 15 K to Inwa.
- Inwa entry: 4$, boat: 5K one way, horsecart to visit the site: 500 K (bargained). Interest: medium.
- Change at Min Min Rest (83rd St): 1 FEC for 336 K (bargained)
- Phone to France: 4$ a min at the telecom office (warning : the entry has moved, and is no longer as indicated on the LP map: it is in the parallel street, opposite side of the building).
- boat ticket to Bagan: 16$ (!!) for the " fast boat " (private boat, see LP), departure at 6am, 4 stops (without possibility to get off), lasted = 9h30 (probably faster by the end of the rainy season). Another traveller took the "slow boat" and the travel lasted twice the time (fare is 11$ if remind correctly). Nice trip (more than the bus
, but less than Mawlamyaing to Hpa-An trip. Be prepared to see hotels touts getting in at the last stop (even the one before for one of them !) before Bagan.
These infos were collected from 04-30-00 to 06-02-00.
(at that time : 1 USD ~= 340 MMK (Myanmar Kyat), 1 USD ~= 7 FRF).
Addresses are in edition 2000 of the Lonely Planet guidebook, otherwise they are mentioned.
* PYIN U LWIN:
- pick-up from Mandalay Central Bus Station: 300 K (2h30)
- Hotel: Dahlia: double bargained to 4$ (reg. price 5$), ventil, bathroom, small breakfast. Very nice. Though a little far from city center, but they drop you there and pick you up on evening on simple phone call. Tiger Beer 33 Cl = 250 K.
- Restaurant : Hlaing Tea Shop: Indian very good, very friendly, lunch = 385 K (1 cheese nan + 1 garlic nan + 1 Tiger)
- Restaurant: dinner in Maymyo = 375 K NOT GOOD.
- Pickup to Anisakan waterfalls on the road to Mandaly (very nice, not to be missed): 50 K one way. In the village, turn right at the sign : "Dat Taw Gyaik Water Fall", then walk 1+ km, cross the railroad (always stay on surfaced road), walk along a temple entry (at rigth hand), path going down to the falls is 50m further on the left. Rather long descent. Possibility to take a dip, 50 K for photographs (!!). You will perhaps have the chance to be escorted by 2 nice girl-guides which will take care of you, and will make you take a shortcut for return: CAUTION: very steep! We were 2 people, we gave them 250 K each one for guiding us and for 1 cold drink.
- Train to Hsipaw : ordinary class = 2$. 1 way: lasts 6h (departure 9am)
* HSIPAW:
- Hotel: Mr. Kid (aka Golden Doll) = 1200 K with bathroom and ventil. But we were told Mr. Charles is far better and more friendly.
- Restaurant: Hwai Your = fired noodles + pig + Tiger 0,5 = 370 K Very good (Law Chun, just beside, is quite good as well)
- Restaurant: Banana Pancake (burmese name: ??) = 2 roti with vegetables + 1 banana pancake + 1 soda = 150 K
- You can rent a bicycle at Mr. Charles: 40 K per hour, and take a boat to go 10 km downriver (going to Pyin U Lwin) to the other bank (landing at a village named Solan, spelling?) 100K p/p bicycle included. Cycle towards P.U.L. and after a few km you will see on the right hand side of the road, something like a mill: stop and ask for Paul. He speaks perfectly English, and will make you visit what is in fact an ice factory. Very interesting. Very interesting visit and so friendly. Go ahead: he asked us to send travellers, so...
- Visit of Shan Palace: if you go in Hsipaw, you should go there, no for the palace itself, but to discuss 4h with the nephew of the last prince. Very interesting: he remind you the basic facts of Burmese people life, and will force you to ask you some questions you could have forgotten while travelling...Donation awaited for the palace maintenance and... of the tractor.
- Bus to Mandalay: 700 K (departure at 6am, lasts 7h30). Dokhtaway Express company. Very uncomfortable and very tight.
* BAGAN:
- Bagan entry fee (to be paid when getting off the boat): 10 $!!! But for that price you can spend several days there, especially if you like old temples, and that is worth it.
- Hotel: New Park Guest House: 3$/4$ (depends on the burmese): very large and clean room, bathroom, ventil, AC, small breakfast and... bicycle! What more for this price? The manager (she) is very friendly.
- Restaurant: Dinner at Royal House (very close to New Park), good and friendly. 1100 K with several beers.
- Restaurant: Dinner at ATA, Indian, in the center of Nyaung U, ask. Very good, very friendly. 1 chapati with meat + 2 beers 0.6 = 1000 K.
- you can share a taxi to go to MT Popa: 15$ both ways (for 3 people). A little bit expensive (see bus), but the Mt P. is interesting.
- visit of Bagan temples by bicycle is very nice and tricky (temple names are not always in English...), bring a good site map and... a cap!
- if you have a puncture... (rough tracks to reach some temples), fare is 50 K per hole in a repair shop on the main road.
- it is now necessary to pay 30 K to take photographs in Shwezigon
- even if you paid an entry fee of 10$, you need to pay again some tens of Kyats in larger payas for photographs!
- not to be missed : Ananda Ok Kyaung (beside Ananda Patho): given some K, a kid will open you, superb murals.
- bus to Kalaw: 1500 K (only 1 company), minibus, departure towards 6am (they'll pcik you up at your hotel), lasts 8h30 (including a change of wheel...)
* KALAW:
- Hotel: Golden Kalaw Inn: 3$, bathroom, balcony, small breakfast. Very friendly, organizes treks (like almost everybody in Kalaw!)
- Restaurant: Everest (Nepali): 1 sheep curry + 1 beer = 625 K Very good.
- Restuarant: Thiri Gayhar (" 7 Sisters "): good but smarter, therefore more expensive. Expect at least 700 K the dish.
- to go to Pindaya by public transport: 50 K p/p to Aungban, then 200 K p/p to Pindaya (market days, other days expect 300 or 350 K), " horsecart " to go to the caves: 400 K both ways (we were 4 people). Thus expect 600 K p/p on market days (more interesting) for the whole trip. According to the Kalaw Golden Inn, a taxi must be 3500/4000 K both ways including a stop to the caves.
- Pindaya Cave entry : 3$ + 35 K for photographs. Impressive.
- Although LP speaks about a possibility of a trek to see a working elephants camp, it is not possible in May, only in dry season (in this case see with " Mr. Tiger " in the main street)
- SAM trekking: 8$ / day if you are alone.
- 2 day Trek with Eddie from the Golden Kalaw Inn (owner's son): 5$ per day (including food and accomodation). STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: very easy trip and Eddie is very interesting: it speaks continuously about a heap of things, and know very well the hill tribes (it also helps them: teach basic stuffs, installation of water taps in the village, give medical care (first aid) to the children.). Really a good guy. Very nice Trek (although the rain! unlucky): contact with the tribes very interesting, landscape (probably) superb... on sunny days. The night is spent in a refuge held by Nepalai people (in " View Point "). I brought inflatable balloons for children (of the refuge and the villages), which had much success, and also pens and exercise-books (but always ask Eddie before giving anything, it knows when and give these things, and choose the persons in order to be fair, and not create any problem). Great memories: DO IT!!!
- minibus to Nyaung Shwe (lake Inle): 300 K, 2h 30 to Shwe Nyaung (not this is not a mistake: it is the reverse of the city on the lake's shores). At the junction you will encounter hotels touts, with free transport to their place.
* NYAUNG SHWE / INLE LAKE
- Hotel: Remember Inn: 3$, bathroom, ventil, small breakfast. OK.
- Laundry in Remember Inn: 3 pieces: 100 K.
- bicycle renting (at the R.I.): 250 K a day.
- Restaurant: Pancake Kingdom (to change a little
: towards the canal, 2 pancakes + 1 soda = 325 K Very good.
- Restaurant: Hu Pin Restoring: 1 dish + beer = 600 K Not good.
- Restaurant: Shan Land (on canal's bank): 1 dish + 1 soda = 600 K Good.
- Becasue it's a tourist area (?), from Bagan the bottles of beers (Mandalay, Myanmar or Tiger) of ~0.6 L are 350 K (instead of 300 K in the rest of the country)
- Day trek organized by Remember Inn: 3 $ (overnight treks prohibited by government.). You'll visit Pa-Oh villages and the monastery of Kone Son. Less interesting than the trek from Kalaw.
- Lake entry fee: 3 $. to be paid when doing an excursion on the lake. It is possible to avoid this tax leaving before 6am, and returning after 5pm (lake office is closed), but it is the boat driver which is likely to have problems (and to be obliged to pay for all of its passengers!). Therefore avoid it. It is a general principle besides, if you to try to circumvent the taxes of the government, and that it is eventually known and that a Burmese is implied directly or indirectly it is him which is likely to undergo the consequences!
- Excursion in boat (whole day): 2000 K for the boat (we were 4 on board), by adding 500 K it can take you along to Indein, a pagoda in bad shape at the end of a long canal, but the canal banks are really nice.
- Confirmation of my Thai return flight to Europe: phone call to Yangon: 250 K (!)
- CAUTION: the phone is expensive in N.S.: 1 min to France: 7 $ instead of 4 $ in Mandalay or Yangon.
- Bus to Bago (actually the bus (and the fare) to Yangon): 2300 K, company Ye Thu Aung, correct but very packed, and almost no room for the legs for tall people, but it's usual now. Departure at 12:30pm from Shwe Nyaung (junction), lasted 15h30 (very long, has to go via Kalaw...)
* BAGO:
- Hotel: Emperor: the price of the room fell to 5$...Arrived again at 4 in the morning, they didn't charge the 1st night once again.
- Taxi (actually the car of Maung Yee, the person in charge of the travel agency downstairs Emperor) to Kyaikthiyo (Golden Rock): 24 $ (we were 2). Quite expensive, it should be possible to find a better deal, and it is even possible to go there by bus giving 1 or 2 connections and a night on the spot.
- Kyaikthiyo entry: 6 $ (expensive especially when, as for me, it is raining and the Rock is in the mist... Going up by truck: 150 K one way (at the back), then 45' walking.
- Bus to Yangon: 200 K Departure 3pm (frequent buses to Y. all day long), lasted: 1h 30. Taxi from Highway Bus Station to the aréoport: 200 K.
* Yangon Airport :
- ATTENTION: it is impossible to enter the airport before the beginning of check in! Therefore useless to arrive in advance.
- Myanmar Exit Tax: 10 $ or FEC.
- Overstay (longer than 28 days): no problem if you can pay the fine. You must fill in 2 forms, of which 1 must be paid 3 $ (!), and then 3 $ per overstayed day.
FYI, and to have an idea of budget, while travelling as I did (and without never depriving me), I spent 430 USD for 34 days all included (accomodation, meals, drinks, sites entry fees, transportation...) (approximately 13 USD a day).
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