Myanmar Facts

GEOGRAPHY
South to north the length is approximately 1920 km and the width (east to west) is about 905 km. Total land area, not including sea, is about 657,740 square kilometers. The highest point is Khakaborazi (in the northern Kachin state, near Tibet/China) at 5881 meters above sea level.

The largest rivers are Ayeyarwaddy with its tributary Chindwin, Sittoung and Thanlwin.

Topographically the country could be divided into the followings:

• The high mountain range bordering Himalayas in the north (Chin state, northern Sagaing division, Kachin state)

• The Shan plateau in the east

• The central plain of Ayeyarwaddy river

• The delta region of Ayeyarwaddy river

• The south

LOCATION
Myanmar (or Burma) is located in south-east Asia. To the west are Bangladesh and India. To the north is China. To the east are Laos and Thailand. In the south and west are Bay of Bengal and Andaman sea.

Travel inside the country
There are improvements in the roads and bridges, as well as the domestic flights over the past 10 years. However they are far from perfect. It is hard to predit how many hours it will take between two cities at any time. Road damage and repair works taking place that hinder the speed of driving are not uncommon. Bridges may be officially finished, but they may not be ready to actually open to the traffic. There may be announcement of passenger ships running between Yangon and the southern Thaninthayi ports of Dawei, Myeik, Kaw Thaung, etc.; but in fact they could not actually provide you a tentative schedule.

There are three domestic carriers: Air Mandalay, Yangon Airways and Myanmar Airways. Most foreign travellers would fly only the first two. They are safe and offer good inflight services. They usually publish flight schedule which they could follow less than 100%. Besides they do not have on-line connected booking system. Booking is almostly entirely done by telephone calls to the sales agents who in turn call again to the airlines.

Train and bus time tables should be asked when you physically arrive there. They tend to change without prior notice. Going to many far away places need special permit that makes the travel expensive.

Anyway compared to the past, the present travel situation in Myanmar has been improvded alot. The inconveniences and the subsequent low volume of tourist arrival make the country one of the most wanted destinations for ones who want to see the really traditional Asia.

ECONOMY
Economically Myanmar is a poor country, and agriculture remains the main sector. Since late 1988, Myanmar has replaced the centrally planned economy with a more liberalized economic policy based on market-oriented system.

For the moment Myanmar is the place unlike most other tourist destinations. Travel is sometime unpredictable because the essential infrastructures such as efficient good management, transport, communication and hotels are still far from near complete.

However in this age of mass tourism with loss of local cultures in many a thousand locations worldwide (Asia especially), Myanmar people still maintain some of their traditional cultures.

CLIMATE AND DRESS
May to early November is the rainy season with mixture of hot and/or wet periods. Cool season comes during November to February. February to May is the hot season. The actual condition change from place to place. Normally the hilly regions with trees get longer period of pleasant cool weather. The central lowland plain region gets longer period of dry and hot weather.

It is recommended to bring light cotton clothes all over the year. Jeans, thick dresses and tight clothes are not recommended. Going to the highlands and forested areas in the cool months needs warm clothing. Protection against sun (sunglasses, hat, sun tan lotion) are recommended. Going inside Buddhist temples request you to take off the foot wears. Therefore it is convenient if you bring a pair of sandals.

PEOPLE
Population is about 48 million (2001) and it is composed of a great diversity of ethnic groups. There are about 135 ethnic groups. Main ethnic groups are Bamar, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan and there are also smaller ethnic groups such as Palaung, Padaung, Lisu, Wa, Lahu, Lashi, Yaw. This diversity makes the country culturally very rich with many different languages, customs, traditions and dresses. But all these ethnic groups share a wide variety of social customs: the Longi (traditional dress for men and women), Thanaka (cosmetics), Lepet (pickled tea) and Ngapi (the fish paste).

LANGUAGE
The official language is Myanmar. There are many different local languages. Total number of languages and dialects could be around 110. English is fairly understood in the big cities and tourist places.

RELIGION
Roughly 85 per cent of the population follow the Buddhist philosophy. The population of some 200,000 monks and pagoda-dotted landscapes are confessing about it. There are also Christian, Islamic, Hindu and Animistic minorities around the country.

CURRENCY
Myanmar currency is called Kyat. FEC money (foreign exchange currency which can be used inside Myanmar only) are rated 1 to 1 with US$ money. FEC money can be changed to local Kyat at licensed moneychangers.

International credit cards and traveler checks are accepted only in large hotels. But then there will be some percentage cut on the service charges and long waiting time for the verification. There are no ATM machine that accept foreign ATM cards or Credit cards. So you need to carry some cash in US$. Other foreign currencies will have troubles.

FESTIVAL AND HOLIDAYS

Note: Buddhist holidays are determined according to lunar sightings, and dates given here are approximations only. Other festivals celebrated by minorities include the Hindu Devali festival in November; Islamic observance of Bakri Idd in late November; Christmas and Easter; and the Karen New Year in early January. For further information, contact the Embassy (see Contact Addressessection) or see the World of Buddhism appendix.

FOOD
Neighboring China, Thailand and India influences Myanmar cuisine. Most hotels offer both Asian and Western meals. In the tourist places there are several restaurants serving international foods. Tap water can not be consumed. Bottled drinking water is available in all tourist places.

GETTING IN AND OUT
The capital Yangon has direct air links with Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brunei, Bhutan and Kumming. There are flights to Mandalay from Chiang Mai and Bangkok of Thailand.

Overland border crossing with China: Muse in northern Shan state with Ruili in Yunan province of southern China.

Overland border crossings with Thailand :

• Tachileik in eastern Shan state with Mae Sai in Chiang Rai province of northern Thailand

• Myawaddy in Kayin state with Mae Sot in Tak province of Thailand

• Kaw Thaung in the southern tip of Thaninthayi division with Rannong of southern Thailand

Overland crossings with Laos, India and Bangladesh are currently only for the local people.

VISA
All visitors (above 7 years age) require visa to enter Myanmar at Yangon or Mandalay airport. Visa can be obtained at a Myanmar embassy. FIT visa (entry tourist visa as officially called) holders, except children younger than 12 years, need to exchange 200 US$ into 200 FEC money on arrival. Package tour visa (entry visa as officially called) holders do not need to exchange money. Package tour visas required confirmed tour booking with a local tour operator (local tour operator need to send the letter).

For the tourists who enter and exist at a land border checkpoint the entry visa (border pass) is issued at the checkpoint. Tourists need to exchange US$ 100 (or more) into FEC money. The amount depends on number of days stay, the places of visit.

Entry at an airport and exist at a land border checkpoint (or vice visa) need special permit (plus, maybe, package tour visa). Entry at a land border checkpoint and exist at another land border checkpoint also need such permit. There are some areas in the country going to where need compulsory use of local guide.

AIRPORT TAX
The airport tax is US $10 for international passengers, payable in FEC (Foreign Exchange Certificates). There is no airport tax on domestic flights.

BUSINESSES HOURS (LOCAL TIME IS GMT PLUS 6.5 HOURS)
Most business offices are open from 08:00 till 12:00 and from 13:00 till 17:00, Monday through Friday. Banks generally operate from 08:00 till 15:00hrs. Most private companies work on Saturday, while government offices are closed

HEALTH
Vaccination is not required for entry into Myanmar, but we suggest you check with doctor as some countries recommend their citizens be inoculated before embarking on an oversea adventure.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Road side phones are rare even in the capital Yangon. So most of your phone and fax calls will have to be made at the hotel. Domestic calls costs are more or less similar to Thailand, while overseas calls are one of the most expensive in the world. Some small towns and most of the villages still do not have telephones. Cell phones are used in Yangon and Mandalay areas. GSM phones do not work in Myanmar. As well, your phone cards will not be accepted anywhere inside Myanmar.

There are a couple of internet cafes in Yangon, where you can connect to world wide web for hourly fee. However web based emails such as hotmail, yahoo mail are not accessible. It is likely that you can not use your own email box. In some hotels you can use the hotel email box for a fee. It is expected that in a few months Manalay will have its first internet cafe.

ELECTRICITY
The standard voltage is 220-230V, 50Hz. Since the country is short of energy, even in the cities electricity is obtained only half day or so. Most hotels keep back-up generators.