Myanmar - Brief Travel Guide & Summary of My 7D6N Travelogue

Flying In Myanmar

Malaysia Airlines only serves a direct route from Kuala Lumpur to Yangon International Airport (RGN) whereas AirAsia is flying into two different airports, Yangon International Airport (two flights daily) and Mandalay International Airport (with a stopover in Don Mueang International Airport of Bangkok). The flight duration from Kuala Lumpur to Yangon takes about 2 hours and 35 minutes. Time difference wise, Myanmar is 1 hour behind Malaysia.

Visa Required For Malaysian

An advance 28-days tourist visa is required before entering into Myanmar. In Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), visa can be applied at Ever Fine Services (M) Sdn Bhd located in Masjid Jamek LRT Station area (between 7-Eleven and Burger King). Total visa cost  is RM141.80, which included RM110 for visa and RM31.80 for service fee. Remember to bring along two passport photos with white background, a photocopy of valid passport and return ticket for visa application.

For more info about visa application, check out from these two of my favourite Malaysian travel bloggers - Kaki Berangan: Myanmar Visa Application and Supermeng Malaya: Tourist Visa Myanmar Di Kuala Lumpur (blog in Malay language)

Alternatively, you can apply through E-Visa which cost US$50 for a single-entry tourist visa.

Currency Exchange 

Myanmar/Burma's currency is known as Kyat. As it's not commonly found in any Malaysia's local money changer, hence it is advisable be prepared with US dollar. But then, ensure that your USD dollar is extremely clean with no marks, stamps or any ink, undamaged, fresh, crisps and as close to brand new as possible. There are number of times whereby our US dollar were being rejected.

US$1 (approx. to RM3.30) = 978 kyat

Here is the summary of my Myanmar Travelogue covering three different cities - Yangon, Bagan and Inle Lake. 

Day 1: Arrived Yangon and Took Overnight Bus To Bagan
Mingalar Yangon & Shwedagon Pagoda

Shwedagon Pagoda
Opening Hours: 6.30am to 10.00pm
Entrance Fee for Foreigner: US$8 or 8,000 kyat

From Yangon, we took overnight air-conditioner VIP bus to Bagan for 18,000 kyats.

Day 2: Arrived Bagan
Awe-Inspiring & Magical Sunrise View of Bagan


Temples & Pagodas Hopping in Bagan (Part 1)


On the second day, we visited these following:

• Thatbyinnyu Phaya
• Shwezigon Paya
• Gu Byauk Gyi Temple
• Phya That Gyi Pagoda
• Nyaung U Market

Stay: Thiri Marlar Hotel (Currently known as Thurizza Hotel)

Day 3: Bagan
Temples & Pagodas Hopping in Bagan (Part 2)


As for the third day, we went and visited these:

• Soemingyi Pagoda
• Nanpaya Temple
• Manuha Phaya
• MahaBodhi Temple
• Ananda Temple
• Dhammayangyi Temple

How To Get Around Bagan: 

1) Rental of horse chart with a driver cost us 25,000 kyats for a full day (approx. to US$26 or RM100). It's not the ideal way to travel with as it is tends to be slower, shaky, bumpy and uncomfortable with. However, passengers are sheltered away from both sun and rain as Myanmar's weather can be scorching hot.
2) As for rented bikes, it cost us 2,500 kyats each (approx. to US$2.50 or RM10). Don't forget to wear mask as the roads were relatively dusty.

Day 4: From Bagan to Inle Lake 
We bought the 7.30 am bus tickets and the journey from Bagan to Nyaung Shwe of Inle Lake took more than eight hours bus ride. It cost as low as 11,000 kip only (approx. to US$11 or RM45). Overnight bus is available but my friends and I opted the morning one so that we able to enjoy the awesome scenery and landscape.




Stay: Inle Star Motel


Day 5: Inle Lake Boat Tour and Overnight Bus Back To Yangon 
Impressive Inle Lake Boat Tour

We managed to bargain at the agreed price of 25,000 kyats for the six of us on a wooden longtail boat with padded chairs (approx. to US$25 or RM100) and we're requested to pay upfront fee of 5,000 kyats first whereas the remaining can be paid at the end of the trip. Our boat tour started as early as 7 am 

Day 6: Back to Yangon Again 
From Inle Lake to Yangon 

In order to get back to Yangon, we took the overnight bus which depart around 6.30 pm at Nyaungshwe Bus Station. The journey from Inle Lake to Yangon took more than 11 hours and one bus ride cost 22,000 kyats (approx. to US$23 or RM90). The bus journey was extremely one stomach-churning bus ride. My friend who sat next to me keep throwing up throughout the expedition. Therefore, remember to take motion sickness medication before embarking on this long journey.

Stay: Myint Myat Guest House

Day 7: Goodbye Myanmar 


And the following are the details of travel expenses breakdown my friends and I spent throughout our 7 days and 6 nights in Myanmar. As for the group, there are six of us. For this time around, I excluded my return airfares from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur cause I want to keep track and mainly focus on Myanmar spending. 

PARTICULARS	NOTE	AMOUNT
		Per Group	Per Pax	RM
Air Fares KL-Yangon-KL via AirAsia Add: Luggage allowance Hotel Thiri Marlar Hotel, Bagan (2 nights) Inle Star Motel, Inle Lake (1 night) Myint Myat Guest House, Yangon (1 night) Transportation VIP bus Yangon to Bagan Public bus Bagan to Inle Lake VIP bus Inle Lake to Yangon Taxi around Yangon & to airport Admission Fee Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon Inle Zone Entrance Fee Ground Tour Half day tour around Yangon Bagan – Mini Van Bagan – Horse cart & bicycle Boat tour in Inle Lake Foods & Beverages Foods & Beverages Others Tourist Visa Souvenirs, postcards & stamps Tips	1 2 2 2 3	- - US$350 - - - - - 24,000 kyats - - US$66 50,000 kyats 32,500 kyats 25,000 kyats - - - -	- - - - - 18,000 kyats 11,000 kyats 22,000 kyats - US$8 US$10 - - - - 49,770 kyats - 52,500 kyats US$7	138 44 193 90 82 61 37 74 13 26 33 36 28 18 14 168 142 177 23
		TOTAL:		1,397

Exchange Rate:
US$1 = RM3.30
US$1 = 978 kyats

Note:
1. 20kg baggage allowance shared among 4 of us.
2. For more details, you can check out here.
3. Souvenirs including T-shirts, painting, postcards, stamps, fridge magnets and lacquerwear.

If you plan to buy lacquerwear, it is advisable to buy in Bagan cause it's cheaper.

With this blogspot, I am officially completed my travelogue of the majestic and prestigious "Golden Land". 

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Mystical Myanmar (2014) Day 3: Temples & Pagodas Hopping In Bagan (Part 2)

Previous Post: Day 2 in Bagan - Temples & Pagodas Hopping (Part 1)

Date Visited: 11th January 2014

Not just one but we spent completely two days solely for temples and pagoda hopping around this home to the largest and densest concentration of more than 2,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas and monasteries. Instead of charter a whole van like we did yesterday, my friends and I decided to rent a horse cart with driver and few bikes as there were two in our group who didn't know how ride a bike. 

So now let's me continue the second part of temples and pagoda we visited on the second day in Bagan:

Soemingyi Pagoda

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Mystical Myanmar (2014) Day 2: Temples & Pagodas Hopping In Bagan (Part I)

Date Visited: 10th January 2014

Immediately after we done with gazing at mesmerising and awe-inspiring sunrise view of Bagan with the layer of mist and hot balloons flying over abundant of small and medium temples, we then proceeded with temples and monastery hopping before we could eventually check-in into our hotel. We chartered a mini van that can accommodate 6 of us perfectly and we agreed with the charge of 50,000 kyats (approx. to US$51 or RM168) for the full whole day.

Thatbyinnyu Phaya

We started off with Thatbyinnyu Phaya, a famous old temple situated in Old Bagan. The uniqueness of this temple is that it has a square base shaped, surrounded by diminishing terraces, rimmed with spires. It has two primary storeys, with the seated Buddha image placed on the second storey.

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Mingalabar from Myanmar 2014 (Sneak Peek)

Starting off my brand new year trip for the year 2014 by visiting Myanmar.  After we did the mini college gathering trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia last year, this year we did again by going to Myanmar.  We choose Myanmar cause we managed grab the best deal which cost as low as RM138 for return flight eventhough it was during peak season. What a steal! Plus by visiting Myanmar, I officially unlocked all the 10 ASEAN countries – Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar but not SEA countries yet cause one more left – Timor Leste and now I’m waiting for AirAsia to commerce new route to there.

After decade of isolation, Myanmar which also known as the “Golden Land” is now on everyone’s travel bucket list, offering an intriguing history, magnificent natural beauty and the edginess that comes with a country still in transition.

 #1:Visited Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon right after we reach Myanmar. Got free Wireless Internet!

#2: Watching sunrise with hot air ballooning over Bagan is one of the most breathtaking things to do in Bagan.

#3: With more than 2,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries still standing, Bagan is one of South East Asia’s most awe-inspiring man-made spectacles. It is Myanmar’s very own Angkor Wat.

#4: Only can be seen in Inle Lake and I personally love this town. 

#5: One of the floating villages in Inle Lake. It has been known as Venice of the East cause the local here only use boat as their mode of transportation. 

#6: One thing for sure travel around Indo-China countries was totally lost count on how many hours for the bus ride. Bus ride from Yangon to Bagan took almost 9 hours, Bagan to Inle Lake for more than 9 hours and Inle Lake back to Yangon for almost 11 hours. Totally another #butthurt case again.

#7: My college friends which brought lots of laughter and fun throughout the trip. Now we are discussion where will be our next trip.

Although I done visited all the 10 ASEAN countries, I still love to return few of the above countries to visit number of cities or places which I haven't go such as Hue, Hoi An, Halong Bay in Vietnam; Phnom Penh in Cambodia; Chiangmai, Chiang Rai and Hua Hin in Thailand; Medan, Yogyakarta in Indonesia and more. Too many of my travel bucket lists that I'm not sure when I able to accomplish them but one thing for sure, I indeed had a great time with different people I travelled with. 

Last but not least, I would like to extend my gratitude to Lily Riani from Globetrotter, Rusli from Ramble &Wander and also Jeff Chuah from Jeff’s Travel for the helpful advice and guideline for this Myanmar trip.

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