Nyaung-U (Bagan) Travel Tips

Banks: 10:00 to 14:00, Monday to Friday
Post Offices: 09:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday
Government Offices: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Business Centres: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Shops: 10:00 to 17:00, Monday to Saturday, with some variations

Myanmar has recently become more open to tourism and visitor numbers have been steadily rising over the last few years. However, there are still a number of things that any visitor needs to be aware of. Some areas of upper and lower Myanmar should be avoided due to ongoing civil war. Some of the country’s coastal resorts are among the most popular areas for tourism.

Generally speaking, visitors should take extreme care if travelling near to any of the country’s borders, especially those with Thailand, where there is occasionally heavy military activity. There are only a few legal crossing points and you should make sure which ones are safe before you attempt to cross any border.

Officially Myanmar claims to have among the lowest crime rates in the world, but these statistics are not verifiable. Myanmar has long been ruled by a repressive military regime. Recent demonstrations across the country in August 2007, led by monks, have left the political situation relatively unstable. There have been violent clashes between police and protestors, so anyone considering a visit to the country should ensure they get up-to-date advice before and during travel. With the political situation in Myanmar as it is, you should avoid entering into any political conversations with local people, which could land them in serious trouble.

People in Myanmar are generally friendly, polite and welcoming to visitors. Personal theft and attacks on tourists are very rare. However, as with any travel, tourist should take care of their belongings when in any busy tourist area and not carry more money than necessary with them.

Visitors should dress conservatively, especially when visiting temples. If in doubt, shorts and short shirts should be avoided. Myanmar has severe punishment for drug trafficking including the death sentence. Gay tourists should be aware that homosexuality is officially illegal.

Electricity: 230 volts, 50 hertz

All tourists should ensure they have been vaccinated against hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, polio and diphtheria before travel to Myanmar. If you plan to spend a long period of time in the country, then you should also consider vaccinations against Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis B, particularly if you will be spending time in rural areas. Cases of rabies have been reported and some tourists choose to get vaccinated against this disease as well. However, even if you have been vaccinated against rabies, you will still need to seek medical attention immediately if a dog bites you.

There is a risk of malaria and dengue fever, and visitors should seek advice before travel and consider taking anti-malarial medicines. The best way to prevent contracting a mosquito borne virus is to avoid getting bitten.

Tourists should take a safety first approach to water and consider any water as potentially contaminated. Most visitors use bottled water for drinking and brushing their teeth. Ensure that all food is well and preferably freshly cooked and as a general rule stick to restaurants and food stalls that are busy. There have been cases of bird flu (avian influenza) in Myanmar. Although risk to visitors is considered very low, any contact with birds or poultry should be avoided.

Medical care in Myanmar does not meet western standards, especially outside of the major towns and cities. It is a good idea to carry any medicines you take regularly with you. An insurance policy with good health cover is also a pre-requisite.

Burmese is the official language of Myanmar, but there are over 100 different dialects. English is widely spoken in business circles and in the tourist industry and it is usually possibly to find someone who speaks English.

The official currency of Myanmar is the kyat (MMK). One kyat is made up of 100 pyas. Coins come in denominations of MMK50, 25, 10, 5 and 1, and also 1 pyas. Banknotes are available in denominations of MMK1,000, 500, 200, and 100. MMK100,000 is referred to as lakh and MMK10 million as crore.

Cash is the only way to go in Myanmar; traveller’s cheques can not be exchanged into Myanmar kyat and there are no ATMs in Bagan. You’ll find that US dollars give the best exchange rate and will be accepted at any money exchange outlet. There is a money exchange booth on the Old Road around 300m from the bus station, next to the Nanda restaurant on the way to Old Bagan. Some of the bigger hotels will accept Visa credit cards.

Duty-free allowances in Myanmar are: two cartons of cigarettes or 100 cigars; half a litre of perfume or eau de cologne; and a litre of alcohol. Valuable items like jewellery, cameras and other electronic items must be declared on arrival. Video cameras will be confiscated and held at the airport until you leave. You may be asked to produce receipts for any items you buy locally. The import of playing cards, antiques, pornography and gambling equipment are prohibited, and any jewellery purchased while in Myanmar must be bought from an authorised shop.

Visitors to Myanmar should be respectful of the local culture and religion at all times. Before entering any religious building, you should remove your shoes and socks. The same customs are expected when entering a traditional home, although this is not universally observed these days. If you are invited to someone’s house, just follow as they do. You should avoid displaying the soles of your feet when sitting down, as this could cause offence. 

Public displays of affection are not common in Myanmar and kissing or embracing in public is frowned upon. Monks are highly respected here and should be treated accordingly, and women should avoid speaking to monks. 

Handshaking is an appropriate form of greeting here. When addressing someone, you should use their full name, preceded by ‘Daw’ for a woman, ‘U’ for a well-respected or older male, ‘Ko’ for adult men and ‘Aung’ for young men.

Generally, it is sensible to dress conservatively, and this is especially true when visiting temples and religious places, when shorts and short skirts should not be worn.

Dining Etiquette
Similar to other cultures in Asia, the tradition here is to eat rice dishes with your hands, specifically with the thumb, forefinger and middle finger of your right hand. Your left hand can then be used for serving food with spoons. A spoon and fork will usually be provided for foreign visitors.

Traditionally in Myanmar, only water or green tea is drunk with food, but these days you will find plenty of people drinking beer or soft drinks. Generally people eat early; lunch is usually eaten before 11:00 and dinner before 18:00. If you plan to eat in local restaurants, you’ll find many of them close between 19:00 to 20:00.

All visitors to Myanmar need to have a passport and tourist visa, as well as a return or onward ticket. Tourist visas are valid for two months from the date of issue. If you are travelling on business, you can get a business visa which will allow a stay of up to 10 weeks in Myanmar.

The main office of the Myanmar Tourism Promotion Board is in Yangon at 5 Signal Pagoda road, Dagon Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Phone: +95 1 243 639 43; website: www.myanmar-tourism.com. There is no official tourist information office in Bagan, but you can usually get good tourist information from hotels.