Update May, 2018 - Since I originally wrote this in 2011 after my visit, I have not returned to witness first hand how the country has progressed. I am quite sure that many things have changed, hopefully for the better. Back in 2011, there were no options to book hotels in advance or for that fact many to choose from, however, upon checking online booking sites like Agoda, especially in Yangon, there are no less than 300 hotels now being listed and I am confident that the other major tourist locations are now listed on these web sites. This one fact is a major plus for the traveler going to Burma.
As far as money is concerned, ATM machines are very accessible in most major cities now. However, I am unsure how the exchange rates work, with that stated, according to the "official" Visa International web site that calculates currency exchange rates for credit card and ATM transactions, 1USD=1,345 Myanmar Kyat. Click here for the "official" Visa International web site that calculates currency exchange rates. Additionally in the past hard currency like the USD had to be in pristine condition or banks/money exchanges would not accept them, but with ATM machines, it is less important to bring hard currency to use.
Train travel has not seen much improvement, click here for more information.
Air travel has also seen a major improvement with new players and aircraft, plus online ticketing where in the past, even in 2011, this was impossible.
Bottom line, Burma has joined the rest of the region with its economic advances, however, though these changes are in place for touristic reasons, Burma still has major political and human rights issues which any potential visitor should take into account prior to visiting.
Original Post 2011 below;
Burma or Myanmar is a unique country which is just now awaking to tourism in a strong way and this review highlights basic details for visiting this wonderful part of the world.
Before I begin, let me say that in writing this I am attempting to be as objective as possible. For some,Myanmar is the event of a lifetime, a wonderland of lovely and warm people and I do not wish to trample on these feelings which are sincerely felt by those who come away with the belief that Myanmar
Update: 9th January, 2014
Since the changes in Burma (Myanmar) are taking place in rapid steps, it is now possible to find ATM machines in different parts of the country. You can use these two links, Visa or MasterCard, to locate an ATM machine in the country, however, please read this article which is very recent about the success & failures of these transactions. Also, keep in mind, the US dollar is still the king of currencies when it comes to any visit until more changes take place.
Historically Burma was one of the richest countries in SE Asia , however, whatever wealth was there vanished as a whole. The region of the country from Yangon north to Mandalay
The train from Yangon to Mandalay
There are about six companies flying with each owning a smallish fleet, mostly consisting of turbo propeller driven aircraft, limited seating and these companies may and do have one or two jets. Each company will have about six aircraft in its fleet. They are all of a similar design and seem to be produced by the same aircraft manufacturer. For the most part these aircraft are safe. The airlines run a relative efficient operation and the actual flights are smooth, quick and pleasant.
Yangon :
The other location is the British Club, which is a little north of the main railway station in the downtown district. Again, it is frequented by the local ex-pats but the prices for drinks and food are much lower than the 50th Street Bar & Pub.
Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay Hill which can be reached in about forty minutes by trishaw and once there you must take off your shoes at the entrance before making the long walk to the top while passing by an army of vendor shops along the route to the top. The view from the top is not too impressive as there is a lot of dust and smoke in the air making visibility very poor especially at sunset.
The high point to the journey was crossing a very deep canyon where the train required doing many switch backs down one side, then crossing a very high and long steel railway bridge across the gorge with its river snaking hundreds of meters below the tracks. Once safely across the bridge, the train again makes its way up the other side back to the plains and onward toward our destination.
This is a smallish city of some thirty thousand residents and is on the road going to Lashio which is the last rail way stop heading to the border with China
Inle Lake
Inle Lake is a completely different place than the other usual locations such as Bagan, Hsipaw and of course the large cities of Yangon or Mandalay
It has a charm and extremely unique characteristics all its own and is definitely worth the time and effort to visit. Of course, the main reason to visit is you have either seen or heard about the fishermen who row their little boats with their oars using their feet and legs.
Myanmar
So what are you waiting for, there is a country out there which is on the rise though it may be a slow rise but none the less, it has your name on it and you have extra pages in your passport for the visa. See Myanmar before the predictions come true and it becomes another Thailand
Travel Safe, Travel Happy
As far as money is concerned, ATM machines are very accessible in most major cities now. However, I am unsure how the exchange rates work, with that stated, according to the "official" Visa International web site that calculates currency exchange rates for credit card and ATM transactions, 1USD=1,345 Myanmar Kyat. Click here for the "official" Visa International web site that calculates currency exchange rates. Additionally in the past hard currency like the USD had to be in pristine condition or banks/money exchanges would not accept them, but with ATM machines, it is less important to bring hard currency to use.
Train travel has not seen much improvement, click here for more information.
Air travel has also seen a major improvement with new players and aircraft, plus online ticketing where in the past, even in 2011, this was impossible.
Bottom line, Burma has joined the rest of the region with its economic advances, however, though these changes are in place for touristic reasons, Burma still has major political and human rights issues which any potential visitor should take into account prior to visiting.
Original Post 2011 below;
Burma or Myanmar is a unique country which is just now awaking to tourism in a strong way and this review highlights basic details for visiting this wonderful part of the world.
Before I begin, let me say that in writing this I am attempting to be as objective as possible. For some,
I found Myanmar
You have just heard from your friend who has returned from Myanmar with his stories, photos, minds images and what you hear is intriguing and now you too want to visit Burma or now called Myanmar
_________________________________________________________________________
I am not completely sure, but I do believe that Burma Myanmar
Update: 11th March, 2013
A very good friend has just been to Burma recently and advised that some of the predictions are now a reality. The costs for accommodations are rising at a very fast rate more than double in a lot of cases and triple in others, taxi rates are also increasing from their already high rates, there are a lot of new automobiles in Yangon and the amount of tourists, especially in groups has drastically increased.
Update: 11th March, 2013
A very good friend has just been to Burma recently and advised that some of the predictions are now a reality. The costs for accommodations are rising at a very fast rate more than double in a lot of cases and triple in others, taxi rates are also increasing from their already high rates, there are a lot of new automobiles in Yangon and the amount of tourists, especially in groups has drastically increased.
Money:
Update: 9th January, 2014
Since the changes in Burma (Myanmar) are taking place in rapid steps, it is now possible to find ATM machines in different parts of the country. You can use these two links, Visa or MasterCard, to locate an ATM machine in the country, however, please read this article which is very recent about the success & failures of these transactions. Also, keep in mind, the US dollar is still the king of currencies when it comes to any visit until more changes take place.
If you were to look up the official exchange rate for the Myanmar currency called the Kyat it would confuse you because when you look at costs of hotels and other items in Myanmar, these numbers seem to have no relationship and this is due to the fact that the foreign exchange of currency in the country has nothing to do with the international FOREX rates you would find on most currency exchange web sites. This link will take you to a web site with exchange rates.
Additionally, the singular currency which the government and banks will deal with is the go old United States Dollar even though the US US
There are two suggested locations to exchange your US dollars into local currency, one being the airport exchange booths in Yangon upon arrival into the country or other airports if they are open but keep in mind that these rates will vary from airport to airport and the best airport rate will be found in Yangon . The issue with exchange at airports is that these booths are not always open, so if your flight arrives before 8:00 hrs or after 19:00 hrs then be prepared to find the exchange booths closed and this is very true even at the airport in Yangon .
The other suggested location is the AGD Bank in Yangon and there is one near the central business district on the main road going south from the train station.
The exchange rates are layered, meaning one rate for $100 US dollar notes, one rate for a $50 US dollar note, one rate for $20 US dollar notes and another for $10, $5 and $1 US dollar notes.
Make sure that the notes are pristine, no flaws, tears, marks, fading or other blemishes otherwise they will not be accepted. Also, check the first two characters of the serial number, especially on the $100 US dollar denomination currency. If my memory is correct and the serial number begins with an CV then no one will accept this due to counterfeiting many years ago. However, and I must qualify this, I was told by one tourist that they were able to exchange these notes at the airport when they arrived. That being said, the consensus is that no one will take these notes so best to avoid them all together when getting US dollars at the bank prior to your arrival.
Finally, regardless of what you read in any guide book about hotels giving you a good exchange rate, forget that. You will get the lowest rate possible because regardless of how nice they might seem to be, their world revolves around making money and if the hotels can do it by exchanging your money, it will just be another way they make profit.
An example is when I attempted to exchange currency at one hotel in Yangon, I was greeted with the fact that they wanted 900 to 1 for exchanging local currency to US dollars and at the same hotel, I was offered 700 to 1 for exchanging US currency, which happened to be a 100 dollar denomination bank note into local currency when the airport or AGD bank rate was 785-795 to 1 for the same exchange.
Local Currency Condition:
While the hotels, banks and exchange locations are very picky about the condition of the money you can exchange, the opposite is true of the condition of the local currency you will receive. Be prepared to receive some very old and taped together local currency. Do not worry, it will be accepted but it is a situation where the government seems to be hard pressed to keep newer bills in circulation.
Traveling About the Country:
I guess what I am saying is if you are not on domestic flights everywhere you go, then you can expect some long, ass numbing, crowded, cold sleepless nights/days on the many bus rides you will take and I will discuss the train in a minute.
Bus travel is the cheapest way to transit the country, however, to say that travel in Burma Mandalay
If you read any guide book and it indicates a given amount of hours between cities, you can count on it being at least that long or longer depending on where you are going. Going to Nagpali beach by road is very difficult though it can be done but there are occasions when the buses or private vehicles will not make the trip due to the changing and poor road conditions.
If you decide to take the bus from Yangon to say Mandalay
When booking a bus, you will see a picture of an apparently nice looking bus but beware, the inside is cramped with little leg room, narrow seats, loud music and aircon temps worthy of a meat locker. However, there are “luxury class” buses that cost the same but are harder to book. These buses are more spacious inside, more leg room and wider seats and they are also newer buses as well.
I suggest that you get your hotel to make the booking, the rate for the bus Yangon to Mandalay is 10,400 kyat if purchased at the central bus booking area at the stadium which is a short walk north of the main railway station but booking there can be a bit more difficult and you may not get the “luxury coach” bus you wanted.
The main bus terminal is a mad house of buildings, narrow streets, congested traffic, outside food stalls and a mass of people walking about.
It is located very far out of the city to the north and can take up to one hour ride by taxi from the downtown district, so I can not say this enough, allow plenty of time for the transit to the bus station even if this means that you sit there waiting for the bus to depart.
Finally, if you are taking the night bus, be prepared to pay at least 8,000 kyat for a taxi if not more. Also, since it is so far, most taxi driver will not want to go there because there are not any arriving buses for them to get a returning fare back to the city. When it was time for me to get a taxi I was told by the hotel (Beautyland Hotel II) to just go out to the main street and get a taxi there. I did as they suggested and between nearly being run down, ignored and told no, I finally gave up and walked back to the hotel and had them send a boy out to the street to get a taxi.
Train Travel:
The railway system in Burma
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| 1st Class Seating |
Since I only rode one train and it was from Mandalay
Airplanes:
Update: 11th February, 2014
In a recent news release the main airline, Myanmar Air has announced the fact that they are upgrading their aging fleet of jet aircraft. Though this is a natural progress for the country as it begins to develop economically, the other airline carries in the country will most likely do the same to a degree. Please read this report for the details of this improvement of Myanmar Airlines aircraft.
Update: 11th February, 2014
In a recent news release the main airline, Myanmar Air has announced the fact that they are upgrading their aging fleet of jet aircraft. Though this is a natural progress for the country as it begins to develop economically, the other airline carries in the country will most likely do the same to a degree. Please read this report for the details of this improvement of Myanmar Airlines aircraft.
If you decide that the long bus rides and train travel are out of the question due to time or comfort issues, then you only have the domestic airline industry to transport you around the country.
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| Seating in Air Bagan Turbo propeller aircraft cabin |
There are no facilities for any internet booking which leaves you to going to the local travel agents office and dealing with them, paying in US dollars and hoping that they get your name on the flight schedule before you arrive at the airport. One of the larger travel agencies is Seven Diamonds and I used them.
However, these little short haul flights are very expensive but they are better than those long bus or train rides.
I took two flights on Air Bagan, one from Bagan to Inle Lake and the other from Inle Lake to Yangon . Of course the taxi fare for the short ten minute transit from my hotel in Bagan to the airport was overpriced at 6,000k but it was at least efficient especially as early in the morning as I left.
The airport in Bagan is small with the check-in counters just in front of you when you walk in. The check-in process was very easy but it helps to be there before the rush of tourists come flooding in. Once checked-in, you just sit and wait. There are no facilities open early in the morning to get food, coffee or water but good news, bring your own water and you can take that through security without any problems or at least that is what I witnessed.
After a while sitting you are called to enter through security screening which is fast and unless you set off the metal detector, you will breeze through without issues and if it is a domestic flight, you can even take a bottle of water through the security check point. I witnessed this being done by someone else and I did it myself on another occasion.
From there you go into another waiting hall and sit until your plane arrives and they call your boarding by holding up a sign on a stick with your flight number then out the door and a short walk to your awaiting aircraft which will most likely be a twin turbo prop plane.
On the plane you are served one small drink, given a packaged moist towel and candy at the end of the flight.
If you do not make prearrangement for transport from the Heho airport north of Inle Lake
Paying for hotels in different cities:
For most cases in Yangon and Mandalay Inle Lake
An example is in Hsipaw, a room costing 18,000 per day converted to US dollars will be exchanged at 740 Kyat to the US dollar. If you exchanged a $100 US dollar note at the airport and received say 795-785 per dollar the 18,000 would equal to $22.64 at 795 exchange rate. If you pay in US dollars the rate will be $24.32 US dollars. I realize this is not much of a difference but this is for your information.
I have traveled around the world many times, in many countries and cities. The downtown district of Yangon gave me the feeling of a mix between Delhi , India and Cairo , Egypt
There are no motorcycles in Yangon but a lot of taxis and vehicles which would rather run you down than stop so be extremely careful when crossing the roads or even waking in them.
Yangon seems a very uninteresting city with its noisy streets, polluted air, congested traffic, dirty streets and I can only suggest that you leave as quickly as possible as there is very little of true interest in the city as tourist spots go with the exception of the Shwedagon Paya, which is a fantastically beautiful place and worth every bare footed step you will take.
As for the rest of Yangon , it is six million people spread out over a great area, traffic is terrible, congested and slow. Sightseeing in Yangon will be costly by taxi and time consuming.
As for eating, if you are staying in the downtown district there are food stalls every where with tables and chairs befitting the smallest of children. There are not very many western style restaurants so unless you are staying in an expensive hotel with a nice restaurant, finding a western style menu is possible but not likely.
Bars & Pubs:
In Yangon there are two locations in the downtown district. One is the 50th Street Yangon .
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| Inside 50th Street Cafe Restaurant and Bar |
Outside of these two locations, especially in the downtown district, as far as I could determine, there did not seem to be a lot of other good options.
This city is a polar opposite of Yangon . It is only one million populations and a lot more dusty.
For the budget to mid-range traveler, the main hotel area for accommodations is located in the city center to the west and south of the royal palace between 24th street 28th street 84th street 80th street
In Mandalay , the taxi situation is completely different from Yangon . First the cost is higher, and then there is the fact that there are not that many sedan style taxis and the only other taxi option is the blue, sit in the back truck style taxi. The sedan type is more expensive then the “blue” taxis but the blue taxis have a tendency to breakdown more often. If you do find a sedan taxi it is more expensive than the “blue” taxi trucks.
Tourism about Mandalay city itself to offer a different type than that of Yangon , however, there are a few places to visit that are within a relatively short distance and worth the time.
U Bein's Bridge, which is billed as the world’s longest wooden bridge constructed completely from Teak wood, is one such place. It is of course very touristy but worth the time, effort and expense of going.
The Royal Palace
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| Temple at top of Mandalay Hill |
I am certain that there are other locations and if you run out of options, remember, you can always go visit a Paya, but personally I prefer hopping on a trishaw and touring the city in and around the side streets where the real life of the Burmese people take place.
Finding a good restaurant can be a challenge as well. There are a few located near the hotel area mentioned above and then there are a few restaurants located around 66th street and 22nd street
If you are staying in the hotel area mentioned above a good choice is the Lisho Lay restaurant which is Shan style food and it is very reasonably priced and well prepared, you will not be disappointed. There is one place called V Restaurant which serves a western menu and then for those who like to spend money there is a very nice Chinese restaurant called the Golden Duck which is on 80th and 16th streets.
The Golden Duck which is a Chinese establishment has table cloths, well dressed wait staffs, a lift and a menu priced like you were eating in Europe and let’s not forget the shark fin soup which costs 41,100 kyat.
Having only stayed a total of four nights in Mandalay , I did not venture out to locate and try all the variety of eating places but most people will not be staying in Mandalay
Going to Hsipaw:
I was with a traveling friend and he mentioned a place called Hsipaw that he was interested in and well, we needed places to go to fill out our short stay and we began checking the available methods of transport.
There was the bus, 7-8 hours of pure fun and excitement or the train, 10-12 hours of rocking and swaying. Since I must do at least one train so I can write about it, I convinced my friend that the train would be the best way to travel. We could see different country than on the bus, we could get up and stretch our legs if needed, and we had a toilet when nature called.
The unfortunate part of this plan was the departing time at 4:30am which meant we had to be up very early, get a taxi, find the platform and assigned train car as well as dealing with all the other issues inherent with doing something for the first time.
As for the train experience itself, the route was cut through the mountains and running high on the upper plateaus, stopping frequently at villages, small cities and sometimes for no apparent reason. For most of the time the vegetation was not cut along the rail track and was brushing along the side of the rail car, sometimes jumping into the open windows hitting an exposed arm or face.
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| Going across railway bridge |
This journey from Mandalay Mandalay
Hsipaw:
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| Average day for Hsipaw traffic |
One thing significant about Hsipaw is its location, which is close to the two new pipelines being constructed by the Chinese from Kunming in China to Yangon . The two pipelines are for transport of natural gas and crude oil and I can only assume that these products are going into China
There are just a few guest houses or restaurants in Hsipaw. The most popular and best guesthouse is Mr. Charles and the best place to eat is Mr. Food which is not too far from the guesthouse along the extremely busy main road.
The main reason for visiting Hsipaw is for trekking. Other than that you can forget it as there is nothing else to see unless you want to try an expensive river tour which is of course organized by the friendly staff of Mr. Charles guesthouse.
I will note that Mr. Charles guesthouse was very nice though a bit expensive if you wanted aircon or a television but they had excellent hot water with very strong water pressure and the beds were fairly comfortable.
The Slow Boat to Bagan: Click here to Read the review.
Bagan – Temples , Temples , Temples
Depending on your travel schedule, where you visited prior to arriving in Bagan, you will have witnessed temples everywhere you were. However, during the reign of the Bagan, the ruler decided to build hundreds if not thousands of temples in this one region of the country and it is Bagan where some of the most iconic images of temples are photographed.
The area of Bagan is divided mostly between “Old Bagan” where the highest concentration of temples are and “New Bagan” which is some 5 kilometers to the south. The other part of Bagan is the village of Nyaung U , which is in the north and this is where the less expensive guesthouses are located and it is where the ferry boat arrives from Mandalay
I stayed three nights in New Bagan which was nice but it is difficult to get any taxis from there so I moved to a village of Myinkba between Old and New Bagan which was more convenient for food, internet and had better accommodation costs.
Since Bagan is all about the temples, all I can write is it can take you 2-3 days to take the horse drawn carriages around the area to see them all, then there is nothing else to do and after being around so many temples in Bagan and other places it is time to leave.
One of the best ways to see Bagan and cheapest is to rent a bicycle for the day which costs between 1,000 and 3,000 kyat per day depending on where you rent it. The downside of the bicycles is when you try to ride them in the soft sand roads heading to the temples. This is nearly impossible and eventually you will need to get off and walk your bicycle down these roads or paths.
If you are staying at the expensive hotels, expect to pay the 3,000 kyat but then, if you are staying in the expensive hotels, you are most likely not going for a bicycle ride but instead will ride the horse drawn carriage or will be shuttled around like cattle by your pre-booked tour company to these locations.
The horse drawn carriage should not cost more than 16,000 kyat for the day but there is room for negotiation but very little room on the downward side.
If you are able to find internet, expect it to be very slow as it the case in most parts of the country.
There is one final thing about Bagan I should mention. It is world famous for its lacquer finished products. I met gentlemen in another city and he was an anthropologist who had come to Burma for the specific purpose of researching, photographing, writing about, then doing an exhibition in Nice France related to the history and craftsmanship of lacquer products in Burma
It lies at approximately 2209 feet above sea level and as such, during the winter season, it is warm and pleasant but in the evenings and early morning is cold and one needs a bit of warmer clothing.
The city of Nyaung Shwe lies about 3 miles to the north of the lake itself and is where most people will stay unless they have booked one of the expensive lake area resorts which are few in number and dot the perimeter of the lake proper.
The city has a high concentration of guesthouses and hotels with a wide range from the inexpensive to higher range costs with some very nice hotel properties with more amenities. There are some budget hotels which are at the time of this writing a very good value with costs between the lower end budget accommodations and the upper end hotels.
It is very easy to walk the city by foot, bicycles can be hired for the day at 1,000k for that leisurely biking for those who wish to explore further around the area itself. However, depending on what you are expecting and wanting to see, your experience on the bike outside the city can range from a joyous and wonderful time to boring and uninteresting.
Once in the city and having arrived at the accommodations of your choice, the one thing to do is arrange for touring about the lake. This can be an easy process but beware of the pricing variations.
The standard full day cost should be no more than 12,000k for the boat and with a little shopping it can be found for 11,000k. Each boat can carry up to five passengers comfortably. This cost range should last from your departure time of 7:30am with arriving back at about 4:30pm. It is possible to extend the arriving time to include the sunset but if you are a seasoned traveler who has been to many countries where the sunsets are spectacular such as Egypt or Patagonia, then do not expect too much from the sunset on the lake unless there are clouds in the sky which in high season (winter), there are little to none to be seen.
One particular thing about the boat trips is the stops which the boat driver will make during the trip on the lake. They will take you to the floating market and drop you there to kill time, then they will take you to a weaving factory, again to kill time and in hopes you will purchase something hoping for the commissions from the sales. You will be taken to the restaurant of their choice which again is designed to kill more time and obtain more commissions.
If you decided to do a half day trip, be prepared to be over charged with the explanation that the tour costs are based on where you want to go, not the amount of time or fuel expended for the half day.
I walked the jetty area one morning pricing a half day trip for a three hour photography session I was priced from 12,000k to 20,000k. The sad part of this is the fact that my photography tour was located in the northern part of the lake, in a very confined area where the boat would basically float most of the time while using very little fuel.
For dining out in Inle Lake there are a number of good choices and usually I will not recommend or write specific information concerning places to eat, however, I would like to make mention of a few places. One is Green Chili Restaurant, which is a very nice place to dine though it can be expensive. It is not too far from the Aquarius Guesthouse, has linen cloth covered tables, spacious seating, attentive staff and very atmospheric. For good pizza there is the Star Flower Restaurant which is close to the Green Chili Restaurant. There is also a very good restaurant for Indian food called Indra Indian Restaurant which serves a wonderful Chicken Masala, however, the prices are a bit high here but the food is excellent. Watch out for the very spicy side dishes that are served with your meal. Lastly, there is one restaurant called The Four Sisters which is along the road next to the main canal and south of the last boat jetty. They do not have a menu and the offerings are limited to fish or chicken. It is owned and operated by a German ex-pat who is married to a Burmese woman (one of the sisters). When you finish you are allowed to pay what you believe the meal is worth, however, when I ate there, they were out of chicken leaving me the only other option of fish which was, in my experience, very small, boney and not worth very much in the way of dining even with the side dishes of potatoes and fried vegetables (the sides were good).
As for the amount of time needed to enjoy Inle Lake
Because of the continued fighting between different groups either between themselves or with the government, there are large areas of the country which are as of this writing still off limits to foreign tourism and even though the US has just recently announced they will begin the process of opening diplomatic relations with Myanmar, I do not foresee that these other areas will be open to tourism any time in the near future, however, all things are possible.
However there are some areas which are off limits which a foreign tourist can visit but to accomplish this means that you must spend a lot of time in advance at the Myanmar
Conclusion:
In closing this very long writing which I will not normally do, I must admit that Myanmar
I must also mention that this seems to be a country where I found a lot of people who have come back multiple times over the years including one man who has returned 17 times since his firs visit in 1997. It is one of those countries which you will either say, been there, done that and never return or it may just take your breath away and you will return as often as possible. However, in visiting with a few of those who have returned over the years the opinion I received from them was that with time, Myanmar could very well be the most expensive country in SE Asia to visit in the coming years. It is my belief that this will take time; more development is very necessary but just within the last one to two years some costs have more than doubled.
Travel Safe, Travel Happy