Its impossible to get decent accommodation in Yangon – we pay 90 – 100 US for a shit hole. A room we could get for 25 – 40 US$ a year ago.
It’s day light robbery,,,
Any way – Yangon is happening – it reminds us of Berlin just after the wall in ’89. Art, music, food etc. Remember to contact us if you are going to Myanmar… we may have some travel tips. But on one condition – that you return your own travel tips.
No pix – only txt. The web connection is very bad and slow.
Love
Annette & Thomas
Tings Kathmandu 
Hi!
A friend of mine (Ana Oliveira) stayed with you in Nepal and told me that you are now in Myanmar.
I am portuguese, now living in Sao Paulo, that loves to travel in Asia…I’ve already been in Laos, China, Thailand, Malasia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and Cambodia.
This year, I’m going with a friend to Japan and Myanmar from 26th Dec to 9th Jan.
Do you have any advice about Myanmar, like where to stay…what to visit? We already have the Visa.
Joao
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Hola Joao
Thanx for writting… we’re in Bangkok on our way back to Kathmandu after two weeks hard work in Yangon where we hopefully can start working on Tings/Myanmar from the beginning of 2013..cross fingers.
The best advice I can give you right know is to book a room in Yangon ASAP. And prepare yourself for (very) over prized standard rooms. The prizes are crazy.
The problem with Myanmar is that the country not only have more tourist sights than all Asian countries together – the country’s nature is mind blowing with Himalayan mountains, jungle, lakes, rivers and the most beautiful beaches you can dream of… add to the a fantastic mix of cultures from the British, The Buddhists, and all the Indigenous people. After having traveled in Myanmar for almost 20 years and seen almost all of the places mentioned in all guide books its a big surprise us to find new fantastic sights and places relatively easily… we were there 4 weeks in January, 3 weeks in June and and now two weeks – but this time for work only…:-)
I guess 2 weeks is what most travelers spend in Myanmar – but its far from enough to see the all the ‘Must see’ places. So you will have to make compromises when it comes to destinations…. and most probably spend more money on domestic transport (flights) in order to get more time.
I don’t know if you already have flight tickets – if not it might give you little extra time time if you fly in to Yangon and our from Mandalay (AirAsia is very strong on Myanmar).
Its very difficult to recommend places – it depends on ones interests. So the the suggestions below is based on what most travelers MUST visit, our own taste/interests combined with the response we got from other travelers…
Inle Lake
Bagan
Mandalay (incl Mingun, Amarapurra, Awa) RENT A MC! Get LOST!!!
– A day trip along Mandalay river After Ayawada River Hotel will take you to places NO ONE has visited before…
Mandalay is our favorite City – most travelers find i boring – BUT that is mostly because all the hotels is located in a very boring part of town…
Yangon (A lot of possibilities for day trips/short trips from here, to most travelers the city seems a little boring – BUT it grows)
(if you want to go to the beach) 6 hrs to Ngwe Saung Beach or Chaung Ta Beach
Half day: Have lunch at the monastery in Bago
See the guide book
Restaurants (In general the Burmese Kitchen is a bit boring – and very greasy…)
19th Street – Chinatown/Night market – Very popular among locals – a (very) small version of the one in Bangkok
Feel – Myanmar food (has become a bit popular among the international business crowd – BUT its the best chance to get a taste of the variety in the Burmese kitchen…
Maw Shwe Li (The Strand/2nd Street) Myanmar food – our favorite. Its mentioned in the latest issue of LP – but guess its too far away from Down Town to attract the crowd… in June it was still our favorite local eatery…
Monson – French/Italian Bistro style,,,
…. I have a long list with other places…
Night Out
My favorite: A pint of ABC Stout in one of the many Beer Gardens… almost like in Germany
Pansodan Gallery (Next to Panorama Hotel (Tuesday night). Used to be the hang out for the opposition during the regime VERY good art – It’s on the second floor LOOK UP. Something special
50th Street – Expats, same owners as FCC in Phnom Phen – sometimes you need it 🙂
The Street – ’90 & ’00 Hip Hop and RnB,,, Local and upper class. Fantastic place. Come late… take a taxi
Exotic (with two weeks its only possible IF you fly/rent a car)
MrakU – maybe the last chance to get to this UNIQUE pearl before the mass tourism takes over. Its only possible to go there if cut down some of the more ‘obvious’ places… BUT it’s worth it… A stay over in Sittwe is not bad 🙂 – maybe its closed due to the fighting. Check out online..
Mt Kyaiktiyo (w/wo Moulmein BAGO etc) – maybe one of my own high lights…. It may be more touristic these days.. Moulmein is a very interesting city – The capital during the British… Very much George Orwel
Katha by train, return by boat to Mandalay – This is NOT only a fantastic old British Colonial City (Eric Blair aka George Orwell lived here as a police officer – it gives you a unique possibility to travel ‘alone’ By BUS Up river and return to Mandalay by boat (Leaves Katha around 5:30 am and arrives at Mandalay around 6 pm) Sitting on the roof of the boat at follow the nature and local life is the perfect way to travel and relax.
From Katha you can take a two day (one night trip) to a temple up the river with 7.000 stupas – its fantastic…. The temple is on an Island in the river… it has a very beautiful sandy beach. I’ll find names etc if it has any interest (Annette has them and she is sleeping)
(Our dream is to make a small Tings in Katha – its a gem)
I’ll stop my list here… you probably are far with your own list… If you have question on specific places don’t hesitate to mail us. And remember to update us on new places you find – they are always more interesting than the one other recommends… 🙂
Enjoy your travel… and please get back if you have specific questions.
/Thomas from Bangkok.
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