Myanmar travel tips

1.Best time to visit Myanmar

A tropical monsoon climate characterizes Myanmar, with three separate seasons, including the hot season (March to May), the rainy season (June to October), and the cold season (November to February). It gets to be about 27 °C on average each year. The lowest temperatures and rainfall in Myanmar are from November to February, the weather is sunny & pleasant conditions prevail and it is the best time to visit this country.

2.Myanmar visa

From March of 2014, Visa on Arrival to Myanmar was suspended. Therefore, we encourage visitors to arrange visas in home countries or an E-visa prior to the trip to avoid unnecessary disruptions to your trip in Myanmar. We will keep you updated about Visa on Arrival on this site as soon as we get the official information from the government.

Visitors can get E-visa in 4 easy steps.
-Go to https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/tourist/message and fill out the secure online application form
-Confirm and pay with your credit/debit card (The cost of the visa is temporarily termed as of US$50 – valid for visit within 28 days)
-Receive your approval letter (within several working days)
-Receive your visa upon arrival in Myanmar

For visitors using E-visa, please ensure the following must be completed and prepared for verifications at Immigration counters:
-Completely filled arrival card
-Valid passport (with at least 6 months validity)
-Valid entry visa issued by relevant Myanmar Embassy (must not be a used visa)
-Visitors entering with various visa issued by relevant Myanmar Embassy abroad shall be permitted stay period shown in visa, Extension of stay period shall be, if desired, applied to Ministry of Immigration and Population with recommendation of relevant Ministry. May reside as permitted period.

Tourists also need to buy travel insurance when enter Myanmar by the below link: https://www.mminsurance.gov.mm/

3.Do’s and Don’ts in Myanmar

How to dress?

Shorts and sleeveless shirts are frowned upon and in fact, are not allowed in shrines, temples and monasteries. Short skirts are also not recommended. You must also remove your shoes before entering such sites and it is wrong to point your feet toward a Buddha image.

Common scams in Myanmar

Be careful when buying gems. This place is famous for precious stones, especially gems and jade, but many scams still take place every day. If visitors decide to purchase a gemstone, be sure the gem has an official receipt or certification from a licensed government dealer. That’s because visitors will need to show that certificate when they leave the country or they may get into legal trouble.

English is quite widely spoken

We were able to communicate well with the hotel staff and others involved in the tourist industry such as taxi drivers and tour guides. When all else failed, pointing at maps, hand signals and single words did the trick! You’ll hear lots of ‘Mingalaba!‘ greetings when you meet anyone in Myanmar. Say it back!

It’s okay to bargain, but don’t be a cheapskate

In informal transactions, such as at a wet market or negotiating a taxi fare, it’s acceptable to bargain for a lower price. The best strategy is to be friendly and consider whether the price you expect will cause your driver or shopkeeper to lose money. Keep in mind that guidebooks go out of date quickly, so a price listed in a guide from just two years ago may not represent today’s fair prices.

Pack a water bottle

A water bottle with a purifier comes particularly in handy in Myanmar since you cannot drink the tap water. Drink only boiled or bottled water.

4.Popular local foods in Myanmar

Shan Rice

Known by another name, nga htamin – fish rice, rice of the Shan people (an ethnic group in Myanmar) is quickly becoming one of the best choices for visitors visiting Myanmar. The fragrant rice grains are cooked with golden turmeric juice and served with a piece of freshwater fish coated with aromatic garlic oil. Shan-style rice, with spices like garlic, chile, and pepper, is a popular meal among individuals who enjoy spicy foods.

Traditional Myanmar Curry

Curry is the primary component in Myanmar Curry, even though you may also have it with pork, cattle, lamb, or seafood. Muslims will order Myanmar curry from restaurants and pair it with a green salad, beans, and veggies. A unique aspect of eating a dish of curry from Myanmar is that you will also get a traditional dessert from the country, which is lacquer-plated tea leaves and almonds soaked in tea.

Tea Leaf Salad

Lephet – fermented tea leaves – is one of Myanmar’s most distinctive meals. These tea leaves make tea leaf salad, which serves as a snack, appetizer, or rice. To make a unique salad, sour tea leaves are combined with somewhat bitter shredded cabbage, tomato slices, beans, garlic oil and garlic slices, and fiery chili peppers. However, Myanmar residents warn travelers that tea leaf salad is a stimulant, and eating too much of it might cause insomnia, similar to drinking too much tea.

Shan Tofu Noodles

The food of the Shan people is not only adored by the locals of that nation but also enthralls visitors who sample it for the first time. Big pieces of tofu make the Shan food vendors stand out from the rest. Instead of fermenting soybeans as is customary, the tofu manufactured in this country is made from yellow lentils and green beans. Tofu slices are frequently served with yellow noodles, hot in soup, or cold next to chopsticks.

Mohinga Fish Rice Noodles

Many people believe Mohinga fish rice noodles, a type of noodles cooked in broth with a fish taste, to be the national food of the Myanmar people. This dish includes chickpea flour, roasted rice, catfish cooked in broth, and seasonings such as fish sauce, garlic, red onion, ginger, and lemongrass. In many towns and cities, it is available for purchase all day. If you ever get the chance to visit Myanmar, be sure to sample the mouthwatering Mohinga fish rice noodles.

Noodles of the Shan People

The ideal mix of thin noodles and marinated chicken and pork, with toasted sesame seeds and the flavor of garlic, is served with pickled vegetables and broth in the traditional noodle meal of the Shan ethnic group in northern Myanmar. The peculiar flavor, delectable taste, and “eye-catching” look of Shan noodles have made them the top pick of many visitors visiting Myanmar.