TRAVELERS'  INFORMATION

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 Tourist  Information

Tourism

The Industry of Hotels and Tourism is the most promising business in Myanmar these days. There are many hotels, inns, motels, guest-houses, restaurants, tour companies and several other related services are growing throughout the Country. The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism is making also all out efforts to promote this sector while foreign investment in this field is earnestly invited too. At present, more than 409 hotels (local / overseas ownership) 9275 rooms are operating. Some more hotels are still under construction.

Myanmars use to wear light casual dress almost all year round except in mountainous areas. Thin cotton is the best in summer and open season. A cardigan or light sweater needs for the cool season especially when visiting Upper Myanmar, like Mandalay, Bagan and hilly region. Generally, a warm sweater or light jacket may be necessary in the cool season (winter). An umbrella will be useful during the rainy season and summer. Sandals or slippers are convenient.
Visitors are advised not to wear shorts or briefs when visiting pagodas and monasteries. All foot-wears must be taken off when entering the precincts of pagodas, monasteries, religious buildings and homes.

Myanmar currency is Kyat which comprises 100 Pyas.

Notes: Kyats 1000, Kyats 500, Kyats 200, Kyats 100, Kyats 90, Kyats 50, Kyats 45, Kyats 20,Kyats 15, Kyats 10, Kyats 5, Kyat 1 and 50 Pyas.
Coins: Kyat 1, 50 Pyas, 25 Pyas, 10 Pyas, 5 Pyas and 1 Pya.
Visitors are not allowed to bring in or take out Kyats.

Yangon has direct air-links with Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dhaka, New Delhi, Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur , Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brunei, Bhutan and Kumming. The Myanmar Airways International , Thai Airways International, Silk Air, Biman, Aerofloat, Air France ,Air China (CAAC), KLM, Lao Aviation Airlines, India Airlines, PIA, Royal Brunei Airlines, All Nippon Airways, JAL, MAS, Yangon Airways, EVA Air, Pacific Cargo Service, Condor Airline, Druk-Air Bhutan Airline Service and Air Mandalay operate scheduled flights in and out of Yangon.

Valid Passport with Visa is required for all visitors. Tourist Visa is valid for 28 days. Tourist and Business Visas are available at Myanmar Diplomatic Missions abroad.
With a Border Pass, tourists from Yunnan have been allowed to enter Lweje, Namkhan, Muse, Kyukok and Kunlong. Organized groups can travel up to Yangon via Lashio and Mandalay. On Myanmar-Thai Border, tourists can enter Tachilek opposite Mae Sai (Thailand) and travel to Kengtung. From Kengtung, organized groups can go to Sipxhaungbana (Yunnan) via Mai-lar. Day return Thai- Myanmar cross-border traffic is also allowed at Myawady, Three-Pagoda-Pass and Kawthaung.

Foreigners and non-residents can bring into Myanmar any foreign currency not in excess of US $ 23-25 or its equivalent without making a declaration to the Customs on arrival. All foreign currencies above US$ 2000, jewellery, electrical goods and cameras must be declared to the Customs at the airport. Exports of antiques and archaeologically valuable items are prohibited. Only gems, jewellery and silverware purchased at the authorized shops are allowed to be taken out.

For visitors' convenience, there are Duty-Free Shops in the airport arrival and departure lounges. Allowance is 2 litres of liquor, 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars and 1/2 litre of perfumes.

US $ 10. It is advisable to reconfirm international flights before going out country.

There are State-owned hotels, as well as inns, hotels, motels and guest-houses run by private operators at all tourist centres. Rates vary according to location, facilities and service. Check the hotel listings available at Tourist Information Counters.

Myanmar Travels and Tours (State-owned) and licensed travel agencies are at your service for travel and tour arrangements. Travel agency counters are located at Yangon International Airport Terminal and agency offices in downtown Yangon.

Tourist Information Service counters are located at airports, the railway stations, hotels and the main office downtown for information and assistance you may need.

It is compulsory for Foreign Independent Travelers (FITs) holding Entry Visa Tourist (EVT) to change on arrival a minimum of US$ 300 or other equivalent acceptable currency with Foreign Exchange Certificates 300 units. This is the minimum amount to be spent by a tourist during his or her stay in the country.
Foreign currencies must be changed only at authorized Money-Changers at the airport, hotels, banks and Myanmar Travels and Tours Offices. For their convenience, the Central Bank of Myanmar has issued Foreign Exchange Certificates (FECs) in Dollar units.
Foreign Exchange Certificates (FECs) are issued in four denominations:

(1) FEC equivalent to US Dollar Twenty;
(2) FEC equivalent to US Dollar Ten;
(3) FEC equivalent to US Dollar Five;
(4) FEC equivalent to US Dollar One ;

They are accepted by hotels, tourist restaurants, and as payment of admission fees at museums and pagodas. US Dollars are accepted in lieu of FECs. Traveller's Cheques exchanged in banks are given FEC equivalent.

Foreign Exchange Certificates can be exchanged at the banks and also at the State-owned hotels and Myanmar Travels and Tour Exchange counters. Any unused Foreign Exchange Certificates out of this minimum amount of US$ 300 will not be reconverted. If a tourist has exchanged in excess of US $300, any un-utilized balance of the Foreign Exchange Certificates will be reconverted at the time of departure on presentation of the Foreign Exchange Certificates Voucher at the Exchange counters. 
Payments by Foreign Exchange Certificates shall be deemed to have been made in foreign exchange. These Foreign Exchange Certificates are acceptable by any person in the Union of Myanmar. Foreign Exchange Certificates can only be used within the Union of Myanmar.

The acceptable Traveller's Cheques are;

(1) Master Card Traveller's Cheque;
(2) American Express Traveller's Cheque;
(3) Bank of Tokyo Traveller's Cheque;
(4) Citi Corp Traveller's Cheque;
(5) Visa Traveller's Cheque;
(6) Bank of America Traveller's Cheque;
(7) National Westminster Bank Ltd. Traveller's Cheque;
(8) First National Citi Bank Traveller's Cheque;
(9) Swiss Bankers Traveller's Cheque;
(10) Commonwealth Bank of Australia Traveller's Cheque;

Foreign Exchange Certificates are exchangeable with the following currencies:

(1) US Dollar; (2) Pound Sterling.

The exchange rates of Foreign Exchange Certificates are as follows:

(1) US Dollar (One) = Foreign Exchange Certificate (One) unit.
(2) Pound Sterling is to be changed at the daily cross rate notified by banks.

The fractions of the Foreign Exchange Certificates calculated at the daily cross rate will not be exchanged.

For transfer from airport to hotel, taxis and limousines are available at the Airport Tourist Information Service. Licensed travel agencies and private hotels / guest-houses have their own limousines for hire. There are many Highway Express Services running all over the country.

The Yangon Central Post Office is located at No. 39, Bo Aung Kyaw Street. All post offices in Myanmar are open from 09:30 am to 04:30 pm Monday through Friday. Mail boxes are at most hotels and postage stamps available at reception counters. Some courier services and moving services in Yangon area.

Myanmar Time is 6:30 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (one and half hour difference with Singapore and 30 minutes with Thailand.)

230 volts, 50 HZ Ac.

Government offices are open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm and Banks from 10 am to 2 pm from Monday to Friday. Shops are generally open longer but their hours vary.

If service charge is not included, tip for good service.

-Reconfirm your air tickets before going up-Country.
-Visitors are requested to ignore touts who may approach you for offering guide services, for exchanging Foreign Currency, or for selling gems of a doubtful nature.
-As there are strict Foreign Exchange Control Regulations, tourists are advised to change the foreign currencies only at the authorized money changers at banks, airports and hotels.
-Tourists are also advised to buy gems, Jewellery and silver-wares at the Myanmar government gems shop and other authorized private shops where you will be given a legal voucher with a permit for export.
-Always keep your passport, money and other valuable properties in secure places, especially when traveling by train or bus or ship. Report all losses to the nearest police station as well as to your embassy immediately.
-Tourists are requested to dress decently within the precincts of religious places. Footwear is strictly prohibited in pagodas and monasteries.
-Weather is generally warm and dry. The light clothing and comfortable shoes or sandals are recommended.

There are Myanma Radio, City FM Radio and the four channels in Television such as Myanmar Television (MRTV), Myanmar Television 3 (MRTV3),  Myawaddy Television (MWD) & Myanmar Media Box (MRTV4) .

There are five Newspapers in Myanmar: "Myanma Alin", "Kyemon" (The Mirror), "The New Light of Myanmar" which is the only newspaper in English, "Myodaw" City News (evening tabloid) and "Yadanabon" which is being published in Mandalay.
The commercial advertisement services are available on Radio, Televisions and Newspapers.

Myanmar Airways, Air Mandalay and Yangon Airways have daily flights to main tourist centres—Bagan, Mandalay and Heho (Taunggyi) during the tourist season. Air tickets are available at Myanmar Travel / Tours and Myanmar Airways Head Office, 104, Strand Road, major tourist centres and respective Airways Counters.

There is a large rail network and Myanmar Railways operates many lines of which Yangon-Mandalay is the main with many trunk lines. Special counters are opened for tourists at Yangon. Thazi and Mandalay stations. For more information, tourists are advised to consult with Tourist information Service.
Regular Express Trains are running daily between Yangon and Mandaly which take about 12 hours. Visitors to Bagan and Innlay Lake have to get off at Thazi Station to take a bus. Travelling time from Thazi to Bagan is about 4 hours and from Thazi to Shwe Nyaung (Innlay Lake) about 5 hours.
The newly constructed Railway line of Mandalay-Bagan was unveiled on 19th September, 1996. The round trip regular express trains are running daily, and it takes about 8 hours.
Newly established Railway Lines—Communication, Construction and Transportation works about 1000 miles, have done in some more States and Divisions under the State Peace and Development Council Government Regime from late 1988 to end of 1996, taking opportunity of peace between the government and insurgents (some National Races armed groups).
At present, there are about 3000 miles of Railway Lines all over the Country. Some other new lines are also under construction.

There is a large network of roads all over the country and all the tourist sites are accessible by road. Road Transport operates regular bus services linking major tourist centres.
Regular bus services are running between Yangon and Mandalay; Mandalay and Bagan; Bagan and Taunggyi; Taunggyi and Mandalay. Bus tickets are available at Myanmar Travels and Tours and respective Bus Counters.
For more information tourists should consult with Tourist Information Service, Myanmar Travels and Tours, and respective Transport counters.

Myanmar is endowed with many rivers and a large deltaic area and Inland Water Transport operates a huge net work of waterways transport. Sailing down the majestic Ayeyawady river is a rewarding experience for all travellers. Mostly, tourists enjoy day-long boat trip from Mandalay to Bagan-NyaungU twice a week. A 12-hour journey is leaving Mandalay in the early morning and arriving Bagan by sunset. In Ayeyawady Delta, Pathein (Bassein) is easily accessible and it is becoming popular as a tourist site. Tickets are available at Myanmar travels and Tours.

Entrance fees are collected at well-known pagodas, temples, monasteries, museums, old palaces, archaeological sites, gardens and etc. Ticket offices are at the entrance.

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