Myanmar Travel Tips: What to Know Before you Go

I never truly understood the quote by Rudyard Kipling: ‘This is Burma’ until I spent some time in the country formerly known as Burma. Since opening its borders to other countries in 2010 Myanmar is continuously changing and improving.

For full transparency, I have sprinkled some affiliate links in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases that gives me a small commission at no extra cost to you if you decided to make a purchase. As always, I would never recommend a product or service that I didn't truely believe in. All proceeds go to keep Jess traveling and coffee ☕️. I thank you in advance.

Myanmar Travel Tips

Prepere to Travel Myanmar

Give yourself a month in advance to get visas and your proper travel documents if your getting them through the mail. A quicker option would be able to get an e-visa.

Get the appropriate shots and vaccines that you need before you go as you wouldn’t want to come home with an unwanted souvenir.

Plan ahead with your money. Exchange what you think you’ll spend at the airport or have ample crisp 2006 or newer US Dollars with you. ATM machines are not as frequent as other countries.

Dress in Myanmar

Dress modestly, as Myanmar is a very conservative country. I’m talking no skin showing up from the knees and elbows. I would recommend buying a local longyi (a long skirt that wraps around and ties) to put on over your bottoms when entering the temples and Buddhist monasteries.

Wear slip on shoes when planning a day of temple hopping as no shoes or socks are allowed to be worn when inside the temples. Slip on shoes make the process much more convenient.

Bring an umbrella or rain jacket with you when you are out and about (especially during monsoon season) as when it rains, it pours.

Transportation in Myanmar

Always negotiate cab fare before you get into the cab as most taxis don’t have meters and you do not want to get ripped off. Also make sure the driver knows the destination he/she is taking you to. Believe me, the language barrier is real and there has been some communication issues.

Plan out your buses and trains ahead of time, especially for trains as they need at least 3 days in advance.

As I mentioned above, plan transportation in advance but also plan on that transportation not following the time schedule. Traveling Myanmar via land is like playing the game ’The Oregon Trail’ you may break an axle, loose a wheel, or get the measles. It may take you a lot longer to get somewhere than anticipated

If you are traveling on an overnight bus WEAR WARM CLOTHES as they blast the A/C making it impossible to sleep in between shivers. This is probably my top Myanmar travel tips. Seriously one of the coldest nights of my life and I’ve lived in Vail, Colorado in the middle of the Rocky Mountains!

Myanmar Culture

Don’t give money to begging children as it doesn’t teach them anything positive. The Myanmar people work hard and earn their living.

Interact with the people! The people of Myanmar are friendly, eager, and want to learn about the world.

Joe and I were approached by 2 teenage girls to attend their English class so they could practice their English and learn about where we were from. We ended up staying all afternoon it was the best experience we had in Myanmar.

Finally, shit happens and but the journey not the destination is what counts!