Tips for biking/traveling in Myanmar

Myanmar is with the news. It is ranked as the top five travel destinations by several major publications. President Obama became the first US president to visit while in office. Makes you want to take a bike trip there, doesn't it?

We did. We toured Myanmar (Burma) from October 21 - November 21. We brought our own bikes … and much of cash. We enjoyed. A lot. The people of Myanmar are the most genuinely friendly people on the planet. How can we know? We brought our friendly meter, and it maxed out beyond “uber-friendly".

Below are some random tips from our personal experience in Myanmar. WARNING! Things are changing at such a fast pace, this information might already be out of date. Should you be considering a vacation in Myanmar, look on the Thorn Tree forum for comments from recent visitors. Or go to and read journals from cyclists who have recently pedaled in Burma.

Tips for biking/traveling in Myanmar

Getting You (and your bicycle) there.

Bangkok is to find examples of the cheapest airfares to Myanmar. Air Asia has daily flights from Bangkok to Yangon, and in October began flights from Mandalay. This airport can be more convenient, dependant upon the route you may cycle.

Air Asia wants your bike in a box. Especially when flying from Bangkok. But we managed to convince them to take ours as is (no box, no plastic bag—just our bikes with handlebars turned and pedals removed). We also took off the derailleurs and secured them to the frames. Now I will say that the airline desk clerk almost fainted when he saw our bikes, sans boxes. We just kept smiling, and it all worked out.

We flew into Mandalay and out of Yangon. At the airport in Yangon, the airline counter folks welcomed our unboxed bikes. No questions or fainting involved.

To economize (with Air Asia), you ought to fund your luggage (and bike) online ahead of time. They don't charge by the item, but by weight. Your baggage is one fee. Your bikes, now under the “sports equipment labe,l” are another. Paying in advance will save you 30-40%. Be sure to overestimate on your luggage weight. Excess is charged at a pretty high rate.

Note: If looking for away with not boxing your bike, please be kind … and smile. It goes a long way.

Kinds of bike should I use?

Every bike touring company operating in Myanmar is using mountain bikes. And you probably should too. At least a rugged touring bike. Myanmar's roads go from bad to worse. If you arrive in the area with skinny 700cc wheels, you are not a happy camper (oh, also, you can't camp) … so I guess I should say you're not a happy'traveler'instead. I don't ride with shocks (neither does Kat), but occasionally we wished we had them.

Lodging

As a foreign tourist, you are required to stay in a registered guest house or hotel. That means if there are five hotels in a town, and only one is registered to have foreign guests, that's where you could be staying. As much as I know, Myanmar is not limiting may be travel visas being issued. Because everyone and their friends, and cousins, and long-lost uncles have read that Myanmar is the new “hot” destination in travel, more people are arriving in the united states than there are hotel beds to put them in. And there are all those business people who have the desire to benefit from Myanmar opening up to the world. I'm not keen on pre-booking a lodging … but in Myanmar, it just might be in order you can aquire a room.

Can you camp?

What is anxiety that one is “officially” no. You, as a foreign tourist, are not allowed to pitch a tent. You might be capable of geting away with it, when you are really discreet. But we have heard reports of travelers having their tents confiscated by police. If you intend to risk camping, please wild camp. Don't ask some villager to enable you to pitch your tent outside their home. If the police get involved, it does not take villager who is going to pay the higher price. I hope Myanmar progresses until travelers should camp, but don't hold your breath.

Money

That one is a touch tricky. You could have heard that you need US dollars. And not just any US dollars, but the sort of fresh, completely clear, unwrinkled pounds your grand-parents gave for you in your birthday card when you had been a kid. Well. It's true. We met a person from the U.S. who came with lots of income to travel in Myanmar for a month. Every single bill was rejected at banks and accommodations alike. Today, it's not like his money was ripped and fixed along with tape. It looked just great to us. That's how fussy they are about your dollars. He was needing to leave the nation early, because, even though he'd a lot of pounds, he could not spend some of it. I went to seven various banks in Seattle to obtain the clean cash I required for our trip. One hundred money costs get the very best rate, nonetheless it is better to carry some costs of all denominations for daily transactions whenever you aren't paying in kyat.

Having said that, every thing is changing fast in Myanmar. Reports are that the Main Bank is now taking bent and wrinkled US dollars. Great. So long as you're dealing right with the Main Bank. Nevertheless you will not be. You'll be coping with lodge clerks and shopkeepers. Before message gets out to everyone (and that is going to be awhile), do not enter Myanmar without really, actually clear cash.

Budget

This is a situation where in actuality the legislation of offer and demand has quickly increased the expense of traveling in Myanmar. Lodges and Visitor Lodges that went for $10 an evening or less 36 months ago, are now actually $25-$45. And we're speaking standard rooms here. No frills. Considering that you will get the same room in Thailand for $7-$10 … you might be set for a budget shocker.

When we left Inley Pond (in mid-November), there were a few tourists who couldn't discover a single room accessible, and had spent the night sitting below a tree. We aren't ones to plan forward, but if you're considering traveling to Bagan or Inley River, make sure you contact forward to create a reservation at a hotel. Cyclists often appear late in the afternoon. At the same time, results of hikers and tourists will have scooped up every bed available.

Web

Access to the internet has exposed in Myanmar. You will discover free WiFi provided at many accommodations and visitor houses. You currently cannot buy a information offer for your mobile phone. You can get a sim card, but limited to creating calls. This is really useful to produce hotel concerns in advance.

Paths

Only wandering around Myanmar is hard, because of the need to keep at a listed visitor house. It is possible to obtain around this. But it is a small crap shoot. We went along to a monastery and were informed we will stay. The monks were making up our room. Then your head master showed up and claimed it was not feasible for people to stay. We'd to leave. He helped us banner down a vehicle (the sun was setting) and we got a trip to another location area (city) that had a resort ready to accept foreigners. On yet another event, we pulled in to a authorities section of a small town, and following calls and paperwork, we were managed at the barracks. Among the policeman also bought us breakfast another day.

Many cyclists (including us) opt for route that included Mandalay, Bagan and Inley Lake. There are a few right back highways from Inley Sea to Mandalay which are actually hard, but price the effort.

Get today, or later?

Personally, I'd prevent Myanmar throughout the holiday period (mid-December until after the New Year). It is going to be crazy. If that you don't have an area at the important destinations … good luck. Traveling in February or March of 2012 will see fewer tourists, and a lot more heat. A difficult choice for a cyclist.

Hopefully Myanmar can concern more visitor home permits -- start more aspects of the united states to travel -- let individuals to frequency a tent today and then. May Myanmar see tourism increase even further? If the space costs keep on to increase, I uncertainty it.

Was it worth it?

A resounding sure from both of us. No matter what the problems, or the overpriced rates and trouble to obtain lodging, spending monthly with the individuals of Myanmar was worth every penny … and then some.