Myanmar is an incredible travel destination, there is such an abundance of colour, exotic places and interesting attractions. Few persons know about Myanmar, some only know it as Burma, the old name, and most people have the same reaction when they hear something like this from northern Thailand’s neighbors: “Myanmar, is this even a country?”
It is also fascinating, shocking and strikes you as a very cold shower since you take the first step in the airport. Even though I seriously documented myself before heading out this summer, nothing prepared me for the reality that you will find there. Whether you want to get there in the very near future, or want to enrich your general culture a little, you should know a few things about Myanmar.
When is the best time to visit Myanmar? If you are excited, we are happy, but do not rush to catch I do not know what offers of plane, because if you are not careful, you can cheat quite easily. In Myanmar, as in other countries in the area, there is a rainy season that usually keeps tourists away. And rightly so, because when we say rainy, we mean torrential rains that can hold from days to even weeks. In rainy periods, the flow of rivers increases greatly and floods the land. It is true that many houses in rural areas are built on stilts, with walls interwoven with bamboo or cane, but even so, they are often taken by water. And when that happens, the spirit of the communities activates and, in one day, five to six “bamboo buildings” are put back on their feet by the village’s team of builders. As such, keep in mind that the rainy season starts in May and ends in October, and the best time to flee to Myanmar would be November-February. We traveled the country long and wide for 17 days in February, and the weather was perfect.
Dust country: Before we got here, we didn’t imagine there could be such a dusty country as Myanmar. It’s true that I had read about it, but we thought it must be an exaggeration. It wasn’t. It didn’t take long and I understood that a cloud of dust was practically floating above this country. The worst feeling I experienced was in Nyaungswe (a small town near Inle Lake), in Bagan, in Mandalay and its surroundings. The surgical masks were very useful, which we recommend wholeheartedly if you plan to spend a few days in the area. People: The 17 days I spent in Myanmar started a new challenge for us, to discover another people who are at least as friendly and welcoming as the Burmese. Everyone greets you, everyone smiles, the children gather flowers or fruits with their hands to give them to you, just so, when you visit there, whole families sit and smile broadly if they see that you want to make them picture, it even compliments you at every turn. Find extra details at https://globalhawkmyanmar.com/.
The bottom line is simple: there are two completely different styles of travel, and prices are tailor-made. Returning, however, to our experience, a room at a decent hotel (repeat, not luxurious) starts at $ 30-40 / night, domestic flights are about $ 70-100 / person, compared to the $ 7- you get on the bus, the balloon flight in Bagan starts from $ 300 / person. The food also cost us a lot – about $ 5-7 / person for a dinner – and the trips were not too cheap. Comparing, therefore, with Thailand or Bali (both destinations where we have spent quite a long time), Myanmar ranks among the most expensive destinations, despite much worse tourism infrastructure.
Bagan is the most famous place in Myanmar, the image of hot air balloons above the pagodas being emblematic for Burmese tourism. However, Mandalay is my favorite city. Burmese people think it’s a bad sign if they keep the meat in the fridge. Why would you keep it in the fridge if it’s fresh? This is why they sell their meat outdoors, on the boards, in the markets. However, they take care to sell everything as quickly as possible and cook it over high heat to escape any danger. Read additional info on https://globalhawkmyanmar.com/en/tour-program/trekking-tour/.