In this article, we will provide you with general information and a useful Myanmar travel guide.

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General information

Country: Myanmar
Capital: Naypyidaw
Population: approximately 55 million inhabitants (2022)
Ethnic group: 135 minorities
Main language: Burmese
Currency: Kyat (K)
Time zone: UTC +6:30
Telephone code: +95

Map of Myanmar

About Myanmar

Myanmar (official name adopted by the UN), also known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, is the largest of Southeast Asia’s five countries. The country is bound by India and Bangladesh to the north, China, Laos, and Thailand to the east, and the Andaman Sea to the south.

Although the name Burma is still used in France and other French-speaking countries today, it should be noted that the official name is Myanmar, and has been since 1989.

Myanmar gradually opened up to tourism and foreign investment in 2010, thanks to Htin Kyaw and his National League for Democracy (NLD) landslide victory in 2015. In 1957, these were the first democratic elections recognized by the people. Significant changes in the country’s political life have already occurred, with many more to come. Myanmar has not finished surprising us with its changes, admittedly slow but undeniably profound like a stone giant waking up after decades of slumber.

Fortunately, whatever the country’s political upheavals, nothing can change Myanmar’s spellbinding charm or the formidable and legendary hospitality of its people.

Traveling to Myanmar is an odyssey beyond time, into another world of eternal serenity. Burma has an exceptional environment with magnificent sites such as Bagan, the lake villages of Inle Lake, the sublime Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon, and the region of Hpa-An (or Pa-An) with its magnificent karst landscapes.

If you are planning a trip to Myanmar, the following Myanmar travel guide in this article will be helpful.

Myanmar entry visa

The most useful and essential Myanmar travel guide is on how to enter the country legally. All Europeans wishing to travel to Myanmar must have a visa. In recent years, Myanmar visa can be obtained online through the official Myanmar government website eVisa. This is why it is no longer necessary to go to the embassy to apply for a Myanmar visa. Discover below the list of official gateways:

Myanmar International Airports:

+ Mandalay (located in the center of Myanmar)

+ Yangon (located to the south)

+ Nay Pyi Taw (located between Mandalay and Yangon)

The following international land border control points between Thailand, India, and Myanmar:

+ Tachileik (on the border with northern Thailand)

+ Myawaddy (on the border with western Thailand)

+ Kawthaung (on the border of the Thai peninsula and the group of islands)

+ Rih Khaw Dar (at the southeastern border of India)

In fact, visitors can enter Myanmar through any entry gate, but it is best to use the one you had specified before to avoid any delays in arrival processing. Visitors can use the online visa application form to enter Myanmar.

Myanmar weather & The Best Time to Visit

Weather is one of the most important things to keep in mind when traveling to Myanmar. In the article Myanmar travel guide, we will provide you with the most useful information about the weather and climate.

When to go to Myanmar?

There are three distinct seasons in Myanmar’s climate:

Dry and winter season: October to March
Hot summer season: March to May
Wet and rainy season: May to October

Myanmar Weather

The peak tourist season lasts from November to February, when the weather is pleasant rather than hot and humid. The pleasant climate makes touring Myanmar easier and attracts a large number of visitors. This does, however, make service options more difficult to find due to increased demand, so it’s best to try to book these ahead of time, or you’ll have to pay more for the remaining options.

Myanmar’s temperature gradually rises from March to May, and rains are on the way. The monsoon season typically begins in June. Mass tourism is no longer an issue at this time, but the extremely high temperatures will cause significant inconvenience.

Myanmar Travel Tip

As a country that has only recently opened its doors to tourists within the last ten years, visiting here entails a number of challenges that you will not find in other countries in the region.

Due to drug trafficking, it is advisable to avoid border areas (including official border crossings), especially with Thailand, Laos, and China (including India and Bangladesh).
There are still internal conflicts in Myanmar, so many areas are off-limits to tourists without permits. Therefore, knowing where you shouldn’t go is important.
Burma was considered a relic of former British colonialism, so the name was changed to Myanmar. Governments have also changed other names, such as Yangon, for the same reason (formerly Rangoon). However, “Voyage Burmanie” is similar to “Voyage Myanmar” in terms of tourism. They use these two names interchangeably.
80% of the population is Theravada Buddhist. You should be careful about your clothes and behavior when visiting religious places and talking with monks.
You can buy a Myanmar SIM card as soon as you arrive at the airport. Wi-Fi is available in the hotel, restaurant, or café.
A good place to shop in Yangon is the Bogyoke Aung San Market. You will also find other interesting shops in Mandalay.
Traveling around Myanmar is best done by air, boat, bus, or rail. Train travel can be thrilling and (possibly) terrifying for younger passengers. It’s safer to travel in your own car.
People here mostly pay for transactions and purchases in cash. US dollars (USD) are also acceptable. During your trip to Myanmar, you will be able to exchange money (USD) for Kyats. Hotels and restaurants accept credit cards, but this often causes problems. Some stores charge extra for card payments.

Myanmar Currency

Where to go & what to do

Myanmar is not a country that can be explored in a few days because this beautiful country has a long list of beautiful destinations. This country has something for everyone: urban explorations, nature hikes, bike rides, and river tours.

The following are the most notable Myanmar destinations:

Yangon

Despite no longer being Myanmar’s capital, Yangon must be one of the most popular tourist destinations recommended by any Myanmar travel guide. It maintains its position as one of Myanmar’s top tourist destinations. This appealing city will astound you with a harmonious blend of British colonial architecture, modern structures, and sacred Buddhist pagodas.

The golden rock, the symbol of Yangon, is the city’s main attraction. The “golden rock” is a unique destination to visit with a pagoda balancing on the edge of a cliff at the top of this massive rock. Visitors who want to visit this location must spend the night due to the long journey (departure from Yangon for a 4-hour drive).

Another popular place is the Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world’s most spectacular monuments. Aside from these famous sites, visitors should not miss the Bogyoke Aung San market and the colonial district of Sule Paya.

Yangon

Bagan

For all Myanmar visitors, Bagan is an unforgettable city. Bagan has over 2,000 temples that were built between the 9th and 13th centuries. This place is famous for an enormous number of temples, pagodas, and stupas, the majority of which date back to the 11th century and cover an area of 67 square kilometers. Exploring in a hot air balloon is the most impressive.

Inle Lake

Inle Lake, Myanmar’s second largest lake, is one of the country’s most interesting tourist destinations. It is located in the northern Shan region of Myanmar. This lake is a massive basin with numerous intertwined channels. Many visitors come to see the floating villages and markets, as well as to watch fishermen row using the traditional one-legged technique.

Inle Lake

Mandalay

Myanmar’s second-largest city is also the country’s last royal capital. Surroundings are a diverse natural landscape of valleys, plains, mountains, and rice paddies, making it the perfect combination for exploring both the city and the countryside. There are palaces, stupas, pagodas, and temples in the city’s old quarter. This also preserves a wide range of ancient arts, including traditional dance and puppetry. It is ideal to walk to Mandalay Hill and watch the sunset.

National Parks of Myanmar

For those who enjoy the outdoors, Myanmar provides an excellent opportunity. The best parks to visit are Alaungdaw Kathapa Park (north of Monywa), Popa Mountain(in central Myanmar), Hlawga (near Yangon), Lampi Island (on the Myeik archipelago), or Shwesettaw Shrine (in Minbu).

>>Here are Best Myanmar Tours & Holidays Packages 2023-2024

What to Eat in Myanmar

When searching for a Myanmar travel guide, one of the things travelers care most about is food. Its cuisine is influenced by Indian, Chinese, and Thai, as well as local ethnic cuisines. However, Myanmar curries will not taste like any curries you have tried before, as they are prepared with garlic, ginger, onions, turmeric, and a paste called ngapi, which is common in Burmese cuisine. It is a salty fish or shrimp paste that replaces salt and seasoning. Among the essentials of Burmese cuisine, we have chosen three dishes to sample during your visit.

Shan noodles

Shan-style noodles are wheat or rice noodles served with chicken and roasted peanut powder. These soups are one of Myanmar’s most well-known dishes. Originally from Shan State, rice noodles are often served as salad or soup.

Shan noodles

Mohinga

Mohinga is a Burmese national dish that can be found in Yangon’s street food stalls or teahouses. It’s a thick curry soup made with rice noodles or vermicelli, catfish, rice powder, eggs, crunchy peas, garlic, onions, ginger, and lemongrass. Burmese people can eat this flavourful dish at all hours of the day, not just for breakfast.

Mohinga

The Laphet Thoke

Laphet Thoke is a tea leaf salad combined with garlic cloves, soybeans, dried prawns, tomatoes, peanuts, and toasted sesame seeds. In the past, eating tea was a widespread habit in Asia, but only Burma has kept this tradition. This delectable traditional salad, usually served in lacquer containers, is a common specialty found on every street corner.