Blogs from Yangon Region, Burma, Asia - page 25

If you are visiting Myanmar (Burma) , you will find yourself trying to find a money exchange to change your foreign currency into Myanmar kyat. Although US dollar is universally accepted, small vendors will be reluctant to accept US dollars because of difficulty in exchanging into kyat. So you invariably have to change some money into Myanmar kyat anyway. The first place you can change is at the airport. There is an authorized money exchange counter at the airport, but the rate they pay is very low, so you better not change there. Your hotel might be able to make money exchange for you at a reasonable price, so you should always ask their price first. If they cannot, they can give you some advice on it. They can contact a money exchange dealer as they ... read more

(Day 260 on the road)Myanmar - where to start? A country governed by a ruthless military dictatorship known for its human rights abuses including forced labour, torture and child soldiers, once occupied and ruled by the British, now isolated from the world and embargoed by it (except by China, who happily finances the regime in exchange for raw materials), Myanmar is bound to be an interesting country to visit for any intrepid traveller. I arrived in the capital, Yangon, on a short flight from Bangkok, as it is very difficult if not impossible for foreigners to enter Myanmar overland from Thailand (however, I got an email from a guy who successfully entered Myanmar overland at Ruilli from China in December 2008). The first word that comes to mind when you view Yangon is "crumbling". Everywhere, buildings ... read more

The Emperor Hotel is situated on a busy highway about 3 hours north of Yangon, even though it is only about 70kms away. There is constant road noise, as motorbikes, trucks, and buses seem to continuously pass by. In the morning, the Muslim call to prayer wakes me and I begin the day earlier than I’d expected to. Making the most of the early start, I take up an offer from a ‘motorbike taxi guy’ I met last night, to take me on a day tour around Bago. We start by visiting a monastery nearby, that’s home to about 1,000 monks. We then ride to Shwemawdaw Pagoda, which is about 115 metres tall and can be seen from most parts of town. It is slightly larger than the famous Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon and has much ... read more

From Bago we had to fly Yangon Airways to Yangon... I clung to the seat the whole time as we landed and took off 3 times during the daily sircle route of the country. In my mind that just increased the likelihood of a firey crash... Once we landed and I finished my lengthy smooch of the tarmac, we caught a local bus to bago, 2.5 hrs north of Yangon. Here is where it gets sorta cool. we got off the bus at the Bago station and were immediately harassed by touts. It was hot, we were tired and more than a little lost. This guy kept telling us to come with him and he had a tour ...yada yada yada... We still had a card of a guy Derrick and Jillene had met in 2006. ... read more

So, Yangon! Arrived after short 1 hr flight from Bangkok. You never know what to expect when coming to country like this. Well it really felt no different. Airport was nice and we cruised through immigration no troubles. Oh for those thinking of going, you can get a VISA in Bangkok in 2 days from Embassy for 900 Baht. Anyways, grabbed a taxi, more like some guys car, and crappy car at that, and cruised into the downtown. Got a room on 5th floor of hotel so had great view down the street. Now it's money time! OK, so currency in Myanmar is the Kyat (pronounced chat). If you google it you will not find out what it is worth. It basically does not exist on any currency exchanger you look up, and is toilet paper ... read more