Generally, the country
Generally Myanmar, the golden land is a country where is the best places to travel among Asia countries. A lot of Myanmar ancient pagoda and wonderful places can see if you come to Myanmar. When the British conquered Myanmar in the 19th century, it was the Burma Myanmar who had to relinquish the most. Many Myanmar ancient court customs and arts were lost at the Burma monarchy was abolished. Myanmar has excellent places for traveling and recreation. Myanmar is a beautiful and peaceful place with the most hospitable Burmese Myanmar people in the world. You will find out most of local Myanmar people are indeed as friendly and generous in Myanmar.
The pulse of Yangon seems to beat at a different rhythm from most other capitals. You won't find the usual stress, pollution and anonymity of a metropolis, and some young people find it boring here. There isn't a buzzing nightlife or much of a culture scene. Forget about going to the opera, theatre and probably even the movies. However, what you will find in Yangon is spirituality, tranquility, sports facilities and lots of room for personal initiative. Social life is mainly built around private dinners and parties where you can make new friends easily. The foreign community is small but very open to newcomers and generally mixes well with the Myanmar locals. One example of how to "get in": a young couple invited the few people they got to know after their arrival to their first party. They asked them to bring along some of their friends. The young couple had many more friends after the party in Myanmar.
The pulse of Yangon seems to beat at a different rhythm from most other capitals. You won't find the usual stress, pollution and anonymity of a metropolis, and some young people find it boring here. There isn't a buzzing nightlife or much of a culture scene. Forget about going to the opera, theatre and probably even the movies. However, what you will find in Yangon is spirituality, tranquility, sports facilities and lots of room for personal initiative. Social life is mainly built around private dinners and parties where you can make new friends easily. The foreign community is small but very open to newcomers and generally mixes well with the Myanmar locals. One example of how to "get in": a young couple invited the few people they got to know after their arrival to their first party. They asked them to bring along some of their friends. The young couple had many more friends after the party in Myanmar.
Travel anywhere in the standard tourist circuit Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, Inle, Taunggyi and to any points between or near these destinations is freely allowed for anyone holding a valid passport and Myanmar tourist visa in Myanmar. This includes place just off the main linking routes, such as Bago, Pyay, shwebo, Magwe, Monywa, Taungooo and Pyinmana basically and place in central Myanmar between the Shan Yoma(shan range) to the east and the Ayeyarwady(irrawaddy)river to the west, plus most places in the Ayeyarwady Delta region-Pathein, Twante, Thanlyin(Syariam) and Letkhokkon.
Several other places father off the beaten path that used to require travel permits no longer require them. These include Bhamo, Myintkyina, kyaiktiyo, Mawlamyiaing, Dawei and Myeik, all of which required permits as recently as five years ago in Myanmar.
Travel to certain other places in Myanmar requires a permit actually a typed letter stamped with various Myanmar government seals issued by the Ministry of Myanmar Hotels and Tourism (MHT) and approved by the Ministry of Defense in Myanmar. Such permits are available directly from Myanmar travels and Tours (MTT) in Yangon or though many Yangon Myanmar travel agencies. There's no charge for the Myanmar travel permit itself but the catch is that a permit won't be issued unless you arrange for the services of a paid Myanmar government guide. Myanmar Travel agencies work similarly; you must contract the services of a Myanmar government guide or driver before they'll arrange for a permit in Myanmar.
In March 1997 Myanmar government finally published an official list of places that are open only to "package" travel and places open to "foreign independent travelers". This list remains unchanged, but there's no way to know how or when it might change in the near future. Most places in Myanmar country are now open to individual, nonpackage travelers. Places open only to people who purchase package Myanmar tours include muse and Namkham in the northern Shan state. These areas are Myanmar-China border crossings and are for the most part used by Chinese tourists, although in theory any nationality may arrange to travel in them. Only two states Kayah and Chin are entirely off-limits for all tourists, with or without a permit or whether on tours or alone. Certain parts of the Shan State, Kayin State, Mon Division and Tanintharyi Division are also off-limits usually those areas with active ethnic insurgency or banditry, or where Myanmar travel conditions are so bad that Myanmar government doesn't want travelers to visit.
Several other places father off the beaten path that used to require travel permits no longer require them. These include Bhamo, Myintkyina, kyaiktiyo, Mawlamyiaing, Dawei and Myeik, all of which required permits as recently as five years ago in Myanmar.
Travel to certain other places in Myanmar requires a permit actually a typed letter stamped with various Myanmar government seals issued by the Ministry of Myanmar Hotels and Tourism (MHT) and approved by the Ministry of Defense in Myanmar. Such permits are available directly from Myanmar travels and Tours (MTT) in Yangon or though many Yangon Myanmar travel agencies. There's no charge for the Myanmar travel permit itself but the catch is that a permit won't be issued unless you arrange for the services of a paid Myanmar government guide. Myanmar Travel agencies work similarly; you must contract the services of a Myanmar government guide or driver before they'll arrange for a permit in Myanmar.
In March 1997 Myanmar government finally published an official list of places that are open only to "package" travel and places open to "foreign independent travelers". This list remains unchanged, but there's no way to know how or when it might change in the near future. Most places in Myanmar country are now open to individual, nonpackage travelers. Places open only to people who purchase package Myanmar tours include muse and Namkham in the northern Shan state. These areas are Myanmar-China border crossings and are for the most part used by Chinese tourists, although in theory any nationality may arrange to travel in them. Only two states Kayah and Chin are entirely off-limits for all tourists, with or without a permit or whether on tours or alone. Certain parts of the Shan State, Kayin State, Mon Division and Tanintharyi Division are also off-limits usually those areas with active ethnic insurgency or banditry, or where Myanmar travel conditions are so bad that Myanmar government doesn't want travelers to visit.
It's obvious that the touchiest Myanmar destinations are in frontier areas where the headquarters of the few remaining Myanmar ethnic insurgencies are based, in some of these areas for example, between Taunggyi and Kengtaung in the Shan state-military checkpoints placed at close intervals along every Myanmar government controlled road leading into these area catch anyone who tries to enter from either end. Even with a permit, there's no guarantee the Myanmar local authorities won't give you the boot as happened to several visitors to Myitkyina in 1995. That year MTT was issuing permits to Myintkyina with the caveat that upon your arrival, the Myintkyina Myanmar authorities could arbitrarily refuse entry. For other places, like Mawlamyaing, permits would be easy to get one week and impossible the next, depending on the level of rebel activity in the area. Although visiting either of these places no longer requires a permit, the same principle may still apply in places that do require them in Myanmar.
Once you arrive, permit in hand, at your Myanmar destination, there are other papers to be filled in. Since these places also require the services of a Myanmar guide, your Burmese Myanmar guide should take care of these procedures. Any or all of this could change overnight, especially as Myanmar's frontier areas be come more "secure" following cease-fire agreements with insurgent groups or Myanmar military victories over other groups. Myanmar travel restrictions may have loosened considerable or things could have gone the other way. Most likely the constant passport checking will persist as long as the ruling Myanmar junta maintains its warlord mentality.
Once you arrive, permit in hand, at your Myanmar destination, there are other papers to be filled in. Since these places also require the services of a Myanmar guide, your Burmese Myanmar guide should take care of these procedures. Any or all of this could change overnight, especially as Myanmar's frontier areas be come more "secure" following cease-fire agreements with insurgent groups or Myanmar military victories over other groups. Myanmar travel restrictions may have loosened considerable or things could have gone the other way. Most likely the constant passport checking will persist as long as the ruling Myanmar junta maintains its warlord mentality.
