Travel advice & practical information for travelogue:

'Bicyle vacation Myanmar'

Useful addresses

Washington

Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
2300 S Street NW
Washington D.C. - 20008
Tel: 202-332-3344, 202-332-4350, 202-332-4352
Fax: 202-332-4351
E-mail: info@mewashingtondc.com

London

Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
19a Charles St
London W1J 5DX
Tel: 020 7499 4340

Paris

Embassy of Myanmar
60, Rue De Courcelles
75008-Paris
Tel: (33) 01 42 25 56 95
Fax: (33) 01 42 56 49 41
Email: 106711.21@compuserve.com

You need a visa to visit Myanmar

General

Myanmar, formerly Birma, is neighbored by Bangladesh, India, China, Laos, Thailand and the Gulf of Bengal. Its population is 50 million, divided in a great number of ethnic minorities, of whom some are still fighting for independence.

The per capita income is about the same as in Thailand. Birma is the most Buddhist country in the world. At least if the amount of pagodas and stupas per capita is the criterion. The country is also boycotted by Europe and the US because of the military regime that violates human rights and among other things had forced labor for its population.

During our bicycle tour of five weeks we noticed that bicycling is not always an undivided pleasure. Especially during the first stages it took a lot of energy to avoid potholes and bumps. Fortunately during the later stages that became much better.

Climate and best time to travel

Hald of Myanmar is covered by forest and the country has a tropical monsoon climate. There are three seasons: the rainy season from the end of May to mid-October, the cool dry season from the end of October to mid-February and the hot dry season from the end of February to mid-May. The amount of rain is different in different parts of the country: the center is relatively dry, with vegetation consisting of shrubs, grass and cactuses.

The best time to visit is from the end of October to early March. There is little rain and the heat is bearable. In the South around 30 degrees Centigrade, in the North around 20 degrees. Starting in March it gets very hot and the temperatures can reach over 40 degrees Centigrade.

Money

Compare car rent

Myanmar's monetary unit is the kyat. One euro is about 1000 kyat. It's best to bring dollars in cash. Traveler cheques are hard to exchange. In luxury hotels credit cards are accepted. Changing money is often done on the black market. You can also exchange money in stores and hotels.

If you know in advance which places you're going to visit, you can find out online if and where there are ATM's where you can use your MasterCard and Cirrus or Visa to withdraw money.

Health

For up-to-date information about health risks, go to Southeast Asia | CDC Travelers' Health and to Avian Flu Fact Sheet for specific information about avian flu. Always consult your family doctor and your country's Foreign Department web site.

Traveling safely

Traveling in some countries or areas can bring risks with it. That shouldn't always prevent you from visiting there, but part of a thorough preparation is getting yourself informed about risks. A good source for security information is the current travel warnings page of the US State Department.

For general security information, see: Worldwide Caution Public Announcement

Plan your trip to Myanmar online

Through online reservation systems like À la Carte Vacations you can book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars and holiday houses. You can build a fly-drive itinerary with maximum flexibility, book a flight plus a hotel hotel for a night or weekend. Without the limitations of package deals from travel organisations and most times for a much better price.

Hotels Myanmar | Airline tickets Myanmar | Flights from Myanmar

Off The Beaten Track travel magazine - travel information & travel advice Myanmar