Myanmar is a fascinating country, its ethnic and cultural diversity is impressive. More than a hundred ethnic groups live together among thousands of Buddhas, monasteries and golden stupas. The traditional life and the generosity and hospitality of its people intoxicate you. Although it is a country that is becoming more and more advanced, it has not lost its essence, the one that remains in your memory.
Interior of a Bagan Temple
Visa
Spanish citizens need a visa to visit Myanmar, you can apply for a pre visa, indicating the route of entry into the country, in our case was the International Airport of Yangon. It costs 50$ per person. They send you by mail a document with a bar code that you have to present at immigration once you arrive at the airport. It's only valid for 28 days. If you don't have it, there's a counter where you can request it. The final visa is expected to be available online by the end of 2019.
If you want to enter by land from Thailand, please inform yourself in advance of which border crossings are open, as they are not always accessible, so that you do not have to turn around.
Money
The official currency is the Kyat (MMK). There are ATMs in many cities, in rural areas is always better to bring enough cash preferably in local currency not all accommodation is accepted dollars or cards.
Language
The official language is Bamar although English is spoken in the tourist areas. Useful words: mingalaba (hello and goodbye), je su ba or je su ta ma re (thank you), ta ta (goodbye), tria ra ja ba re (nice to meet you).
Inthein Inle Lake
Transport
Practically all destinations are connected by road so the bus is still an economical but sometimes very slow means of transport. At the bus stations it is more complicated to get a ticket than at the hostels themselves, which for a very similar price, take you directly to the station and sometimes it is even the bus itself that comes to pick you up at your accommodation. Very comfortable. They always offer you a bottle of water and sometimes a snack. Every two hours they usually stop to eat half an hour and stretch their legs. You should bring warm clothes because they put the air conditioning on full blast.
The train is the most economical way but they are very slow and sometimes the trip is even cancelled, the road network is reduced to the central plain and part of the Mon state.
There are several airports throughout the country, with daily flights to major destinations. Several airlines operate in the country, including Yangon Airways, Air Bagan or Air KBZ.
In the rural areas trishaws, toun bein and moto taxi predominate.
Monastery of the Jumping Cat Inle Lake
Accommodation
we have booked the accommodation one day in advance through Booking. Although it is low season and the occupation is not high, if you arrive with a night bus, they usually leave you at the station at four in the morning and in the hostels they allow you to enter and check in at those untimely hours.
In all the accommodations you will find free water, it is a Buddhist precept and they strictly comply with it, even the restaurants and on the street there is free purified water.
Golden Rock Kyaiktiyo
Health
Before starting your trip contact the international disease service.
Don't forget a first aid kit with the essentials: medicines, betadine, antibiotic ointment, syringes, flint, bandages, band-aids, scissors, water pills, mosquito net, mosquito repellent, sun cream.
Safety
Before you travel it is advisable to have a travel insurance, not only health but also liability. Myanmar is a very safe country although you should not forget to take basic precautions.
Ice cutter man
Gastronomy
The so-called Burmese food par excellence is based on white rice with currys of meat or fish accompanied by soup and many dishes with spices, dried fish, vegetables and even fermented tea leaves with dried peas, fried garlic and peanuts among other ingredients (laphet). Also mohinga is very popular (fish soup). It is very typical to finish the meal with jaggery, a lump of palm sugar sometimes accompanied by fruit juice.
Depending on the state you are in, you can enjoy other culinary varieties such as Shan food, decisive noodles in soup or dried noodles accompanied by meat or fish. Tofu has been one of our great discoveries, it is made from chickpea flour and is delicious.
The traditional breakfast soup is very tasty. Don't forget to try the porras and bark also at breakfast, delicious. In the traditional tea houses, tea or coffee is served with milk and sugar and accompanied by sweets without a defined taste, almost all made of coconut milk and rice.
As an aperitif, we have been offered nuts and even fried dried beans on several occasions.
Don't forget to try (especially in Yangon) the delicious street snacks, from rice and chickpea pancakes, these cakes are sometimes made of huge crispy prawns and round masses sometimes accompanied by fried quail egg.
Fisherman on the Taungthaman Amarapura River
Society
Burmese society is very hospitable. They are very devout and giving water to the thirsty is one of the precepts they follow to the letter. The Burmese are mostly Buddhist and have traditional values.
It is not allowed to teach shoulders and knees inside the temples so it is advisable to take a handkerchief or sometimes two (in some places they leave them or rent them). In the sacred places you always have to enter barefoot and when sitting on the floor your feet cannot go directly to the Buddha statue. Men have to be ordained as a monk at least twice in their lives, it is a pride for them, for a period of at least two months to two years. There are also a lot of nuns, we are more attracted to them because it is not so common to see them. The men still wear the traditional longyi. Ninety percent of the population chews betel nut, and grandmothers smoke near-pure cigars.
They have breakfast from half past six in the morning and although you can eat practically at any time (they do it around 12.30) dinner is more complicated if you go outside their schedule which is seven in the evening.
Women and many men (especially in rural areas) use thanakha, it is a hallmark of the Burmese people. It is a yellowish clay that is obtained by rubbing against a stone the tree of thanakha, it protects from the sun and it is decorative.
There are public toilets for tourists in practically all the temples and they are quite clean.
They are not very fond of haggling except for taxis or shopping in the markets.
Shwedagon Paya Yangon
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