Travelling in Burma

[RogerS]

Now that Aung San Suu Kyi has stated her support for visitors to the country, we are wondering about going there this year but we don't want to go as part of any organised tour...too many temples! We'd far rather take time to visit the people in the hill-country and so just wondered if anyone on here has any knowledge of the feasibility/practicalities involved? Fully accept it could be a complete non-starter/closed-areas that sort of thing.

TIA

 

[Lowlife]

We looked into it a while back, my mother-in-law was born there in the 1930s and would like to go back while she is still physically able, but at that time there was no chance of just wandering about doing your own thing, it was strictly organised tours only and afaik still is.

This may help http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/asia-oceania/burma

 

[RogerS]

Thanks for the link. It makes interesting, if scary, reading ! The Myanmar Tourist website has some very interesting looking tours that seem to go off the beaten track, as it were.

 

[Modernist]

My brother in law and wife went last year. I believe they ran into a few difficulties, which surprised them as they were blissfully and inexcusably ignorant of the political situation there, and went because it was warm and cheap :roll: :roll:

 

[RogerS]

My brother in law and wife went last year. I believe they ran into a few difficulties, which surprised them as they were blissfully and inexcusably ignorant of the political situation there, and went because it was warm and cheap :roll: :roll:

Did they go with an organised tour out of the UK or DIY?

 

[The Bear]

Roger
I went in November on a tailor made itinery for me and the wife. They can be expensive but you only go where you want to. Most other tourist are on group tours. I only met one person who had made no advance arrangements, you will need more time there to do it this way. In fact I only met two other Brits, who was the UK defence attaché and his wife. What ever you do you need to be careful who you spend your money with to avoid it lining the pockets of the generals. Even then they will get some.
My advice is that if you think you want to go, go now before mass tourism arrives.

 

[The Bear]

Also, we went trekking for a couple of days out of kalow, sleeping on a monastery floor overnight. Inle is a good place to relax afterwards. Even if you don't like temples don't miss Bagan or shwedagon in yangon

 

[Lowlife]

The Myanmar Tourist website has some very interesting looking tours that seem to go off the beaten track

From what I've seen there don't appear to be very many "beaten tracks", if you stuck to those you probably wouldn't leave your Rangoon hotel!

I intend to look again at this, the M-i-L is not getting any younger so if she goes it'll have to be quite soon, and I must admit it's a country that I'd really like to see too, if the political situation continues to improve then supporting the changes with increased tourism should be a good thing.

 

[adidat]

My grandad said it was a lovley place when the japs wherent shooting at him, his fondest memory was being given a dodge weapon carier, at the time this was a fantatic vehicle.

Adidat

 

[Lowlife]

My father and his cousin were there during the war too, both in the army, the Japs were on the run by then though and they weren't involved in any combat, my dad ended the war guarding several thousand Japanese PoWs.

Dad is long gone, but his cousin is still around and tells some great stories about the things they got up to there, most of which I could never repeat to my mum!

 

[RogerS]

Roger
I went in November on a tailor made itinery for me and the wife. They can be expensive but you only go where you want to. Most other tourist are on group tours. I only met one person who had made no advance arrangements, you will need more time there to do it this way. In fact I only met two other Brits, who was the UK defence attaché and his wife. What ever you do you need to be careful who you spend your money with to avoid it lining the pockets of the generals. Even then they will get some.
My advice is that if you think you want to go, go now before mass tourism arrives.

Who did the itinerary for you? Personal recommendation is always very welcome.

 

[The Bear]

These people

http://www.bambootravel.co.uk/

They are a tiny company, we have used them twice, previously for china, expensive but very good. We booked a year in advance and still took a while to secure the hotels we wanted, mainly because the good ones that are not state owned get booked up.

Mark

 

[RogerS]

These people

http://www.bambootravel.co.uk/

They are a tiny company, we have used them twice, previously for china, expensive but very good. We booked a year in advance and still took a while to secure the hotels we wanted, mainly because the good ones that are not state owned get booked up.

Mark

Fantastic, Mark. Thanks for the link.

A couple of years ago when we went to India first we used a similarly sized outfit (Pettitts) to organise a tour according to our specifications. That was because, not having been before, we had no idea what to expect. Second trip we arranged by ourselves.