This post is a work in progress and will be updated.
Living in Thailand for the past 3 years, Myanmar (Burma) was always right next door, a short 1-hour flight from Bangkok to Yangon, closer than flying to Phuket. The ongoing political situation has kept me away for over 5 years now. Eventually, it was time. Myanmar has a rich history and culture, the crossroads of India, China, and Thailand, and I wanted to see how those influences blend together.
Should You Go? The Ongoing Political Situation
Short answer – yes. A little background: In February 2021, the military staged a coup against the civilian government, igniting a civil war that is still being fought to this day. Myanmar is a big country and most of the active warzones are nowhere near the main cities of Yangon, Mandalay, and Naypyidaw. I never once felt unsafe walking the streets of Yangon, even at night. Other than a few soldiers guarding the airport and some sprinkled in the city, you would have never known there’s a civil war in the country. Understandably some people might have reservations going to and spending money, which generates tax revenues for the military government. The people living in Yangon are getting on with their normal lives, trying to earn a living to put food on the table. Your visit supports them more so than anyone else. In talking to locals, you always hear this phrase “Due to the ongoing political situation,….”, and what follows is some quirk about some practical reality of life there. (Those quirks I’ll explain later when it comes to preparing for your trip.) For the people of Yangon, it’s an acknowledgment of reality and a desire to continue living life regardless. I heard it everywhere, and it stuck with me.
Visa & Entry
Fairly straightforward. You can apply for an evisa for up to 100 countries (USA included) via the official website:
You can check the specific entry requirements for your country here. The tourist evisa fee is $50 USD, and can be paid by credit card. Be sure to have a confirmed onward / return air ticket. I applied and got my evisa approved and emailed to me within a couple of days. It’s valid to enter Myanmar within 90 days of approval, with a stay of up to 28 days. At the time of writing, you’re only allowed to fly into Yangon, Mandalay, or Naypyidaw, not that you’d need to start your trip anywhere else.
When I landed in Yangon International Airport, immigration was straightforward with no issues. Print out your evisa document beforehand just in case you have trouble accessing it on your phone upon landing.
Before You Land: Digital Prep
Myanmar is not your typical country. A little prep beforehand goes a long way to making sure you have a smooth time there.
- VPN – set it up before you arrive: Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, are the major apps that are blocked in Myanmar at the government’s direction. Even if a site isn’t blocked, the website itself might decide to block any internet traffic going from Myanmar. This is why getting a VPN is necessary. Technically VPNs are illegal and carry a hefty penalty if found with one on your phone, but in reality, everyone – locals and foreigners – has one. Download, install, and test it to see if it works before arriving in Myanmar. You usually can’t download it once there, though JumpJumpVPN was an exception, and I was somehow able to download it in-country.
- ExpressVPN is used by most visitors. Very important note: you must play around the location you’re connecting to – the more obscure location, the better. Connecting to Hong Kong, Singapore, or other nearby places didn’t work. But I was able to connect if I chose USA - Boise or USA - Nashville for example.
- JumpJumpVPN was recommended to me by a local after I was having initial trouble with ExpressVPN. It’s completely free, but you need to watch an ad every 45 minutes to continue connecting. A minor inconvenience, but manageable.
- eSIM – skip buying beforehand, buy at the airport: I usually purchase my eSIM on Airalo or Nomad. I noticed this time, however, that neither of them offer one for Myanmar. I ended up getting one on a lesser known provider. Surprise, surprise – it didn’t work when I landed in Myanmar. Luckily there are vendors such as U9 (formerly Ooredoo) and ATOM that sell eSIMs conveniently at the airport. I went with U9. My package was 24 GB (just data, no phone) for 35,000 kyats (9 USD), plenty for my entire stay. So just get an eSIM when you land at the airport, the staff is very friendly and will help you set it up on your phone.
Money: The Currency Situation & Credit Cards
This is where you get brownie points for navigating the financial system in Myanmar. Firstly, credit cards are not guaranteed to work there due to sanctions. I brought two credit cards, and one of them didn’t work (even though I verified that the transaction was authorized by me), the system continued to decline it. However, my other credit card (with Chase) actually did work. Don’t rely on credit cards for payment since a lot of business and vendors don’t even take them. And the exchange rate is much better if you pay in cash instead.
A better bet is to use cash for everything. Myanmar is mostly still a cash country. Due to the ongoing political situation (see – I’m using the phrase myself now), it’s used more widely now, along with the demand for foreign currency. The local currency is called the kyat (pronounced chat), abbreviated MMK.
Bring your US dollars to exchange at a local money changer (more on that in the next section). US currency must be crisp, clean, without any tears or major creases, preferably in $100 dollar denominations for the best rates, though I’ve seen people use $20 or $50 bills. Better yet, since I was coming from Thailand, you can also exchange Thai baht banknotes for the same competitive rates as USD. And vendors are not sticklers if Thai banknotes are not as perfect. It’s actually better since the highest denomination is 1000 baht, which is about $30 USD. You don’t have to worry about exchanging large amounts and being stuck with unspent bills before you leave. You can’t really exchange kyat back into foreign currency, at least that’s what I’ve been told.
Now for the exchange rate. This is where it gets interesting. There are two rates: the official rate and the market rate (also called street or black market rate). The official rate is pegged at 2100 kyats to 1 USD. But the real rate was actually double that – around 4100 kyat / 1 USD – when I went. Download the app MMP / Myanmar Market Price (myanmarmarketprice.com) beforehand to review current market exchange rates in various currencies.
Lastly, exchange in a store, not on the street. If you get approached by a person in the street offering money exchange, ignore them. It’s most likely a scam. You can actually use Google Maps to find a money exchanger, but read the reviews first. What I did was ask my guide for a recommended place in the city, and I kept going back to the same place for the entire stay. You can also exchange at the airport initially to help pay for your cab into the city and your first meal into the city, but the rate is not as good. So just exchange a little bit.
Getting Around
Use the Grab app for getting around the city. It’s a popular ride-hailing app used all across Southeast Asia, and Myanmar is no exception. If your credit card works, you can set it as the primary payment method in the app. If not, then choose cash payment instead. Most fares within the city center will be under $3 USD. Don’t bother hailing taxis on the street – most will overcharge you, and haggling is mentally draining.
Consider walking if the destination isn’t too far. I loved walking around Yangon and taking in everything happening around me. Buses are very popular with locals, but the routes are not clearly marked or easy for visitors to navigate, so I didn’t ride one, though I wanted to.
There is also the Circular Train route, boarding at Yangon Central Railway Station, which loops through the suburbs and back. It’s more of a sightseeing experience than a practical way to get around the city, which I’ll cover more below.
Sections on where to stay, what to eat, and what to see are coming soon. Have questions in the meantime? Reach out at hello@davidtan.me.