Safety Issues

I do not have a good grasp of the political situation of Burma. Most the news I read (very cursory though) about Burma is about polical instability. I checked the US official State Dept and saw no travel ';warning'; so I am assuming that it is safe to travel to Burma?

I also noticed that there is a question of ';should we go to Burma?'; in this forum. I guess I am not the only one with some trepidation about going to Burma.

I am curious how many days I should spend in Burma? I am interested in seeing temples and cultural sights. I understand this is rather a general question but I do not have access to a Lonely Planet Guide right now. Therefore, suggestions are much appreciated. I will be flighting in from Bangkok.

Many thanks in advance.

Safety Issues

Most of the tourist visit Myanmar about 10 to 14 days and it depends on which type of transport will use in Myanmar. Yangon- 3 days , Bagan 3 days, Mandalay 3 days, Inle 3 days.

Safety Issues

we went last year and felt very safe

obviously there has now been anti goverment marches

saying that we are going back in about a weeks time and plan to go to mandalay bagan and then back to ngapali beach

lots of people are aghast when we say that we are going to';burma';!!!!!

the people are very very nice and they need our support and i honestly believe you will have a great time

any questions contact me

regards

truey

Hey SD-

I am not entirely certain that I grasp your question, so please forgive me if my post is not responsive.

First - general safety.

There is virtually no danger to a foreigner with his/her eyes open from the political situation in Myanmar as long as you leave Myanmar politics in Myanmar to Myanmar people. From your home countries, do as your conscience guides. The greater dangers are from automobile accidents, illness, etc. Wear your mosquito repellant and choose your drivers carefully.

Should you go? The debate has been done to death. If you have a Myanmar community in/around your hometown, ask them what they think. I can tell you right now what they will ALL say, but that would ruin the surprise. If you speak with people who have no political or financial motive to advise you either way, you tend to get a bit of clarity.

How many days? Depends on what you like to do. I spent 2 weeks there during my first visit, and I have been back many, many times since then.

I%26#39;ve been 7 times and am planning to visit again this summer. Myanmar/Burma is a very safe and welcoming country. It certainly won%26#39;t be what you expect if all you%26#39;ve been exposed to are media reports. That said, be careful what you say and do in regards to making political statements while in the country. It won%26#39;t put you in much danger, but it might be dangerous for your Burmese friends if you go around spouting your political views while in the country. You will find that the locals absolutely want more tourists to come and visit their country. Besides the monetary support, they crave the moral support and the friendship of foreigners. There is a lot that visitors can do to help local people and small businesses that aren%26#39;t goverenment run. I would encourage anyone who is visiting Southeast Asia to consider a trip to Myanmar. It%26#39;s an amazing country and the people are so sweet and deserving of your attention.

Hi all,

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I think I am just a bit paranoid. I need to be desensitized to those sorts of news. At the same I checked out the Lonely Planet website and it had mentioned that there had been incidents of bombing at public places. Chances of getting killed by bombs are much less than by a car accident. I could not help it but worry about it.

All of the reading in this forum and others, 99% of people recommend that I visit Burma. I probably will do so. The question now is what will be a good itinerary considering that I will flight in and out of Rangoon. As for how long? 7-10 days. Any suggestions regarding itineraries will be much appreciated.

What I really like to do is to do overland to Burma and then take a flight back to BKK. Suggestions in this regard. Again, many thanks.

The more days the better. If you only have 7-10 days, I%26#39;d start off with a day or two in Yangon to get acclimated to the new surroundings (and the hot, humid weather), and then go to Bagan for 2-3 days (depending upon how much you enjoy old pagodas and temples). I%26#39;d skip Mandalay, simply due to time restraints. If you have 3-4 days to spend, then by all means stay in Mandalay and explore the city and surround towns (Amarapura, Sagaing, Paleik, Mingun, Inwa). Otherwise, I think it%26#39;s not worth rushing through Mandalay. Most people that do such ';quickie'; tours of the city come away disappointed.

Anyway, after Bagan, fly (you%26#39;ll need to fly between cities just to save valuable time) to Heho, which is the closet airport to the Inle Lake area. Spend 2-3 days in Nyaungshwe (near the north shore of the lake) and explore the lake, the town, and if time permits, trek to some villages in the area.

So much to see in Burma. If you can, try to budget 2 or 3 weeks to see more of the country.

dasabooks,

Thanks very much for your suggestions. I do have the time. It is just that I want to travel light. I am currently renting a small apt in bkk just so I can keep my things here.

If I were to go for 2 weeks to Burma, it means I have to bring a huge backpack. I was hoping to go with just a small backpack. I will figure it out what will be the best way to do it considering your suggestions.

Again, thanks for the response.

GO -GO -GO !!! You will enjoy it i%26#39;m sure.