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TRAVEL TIPS
Passport
and Visa
A
valid Passport with Entry Visa is required of all tourist & businessman,
applicable at Myanmar Embassies and Consulate General Offices abroad.
Tourist Visa & business visa are valid for 28 days, extendible to
14 days for tourists & 3 months for business.
Visa on Arrival is granted on prior arrangement with the Ministry of
Hotels & Tourism to chartered flights and cruises & to those
package groups where Myanmar Foreign Missions are not stationed. Visa
on arrival can also be arranged on special basis to package group tours
applicable three days in advance to the Ministry of Hotels & Tourism.
At present, Myanmar extends visa free facilities for ASEAN Government
Overland entry is permitted for Thai tourists with border pass, Myawaddy,
Mongla and Kawthaung checkpoints along Myanmar-Thai Border; and similarly
for Chinese tourists with border pass and for third party tourists with
visa at Lwe-je, Nam Kham, Muse, Chin Shwe Haw, Kyukoke, Kwanlong, and
Mong La along Myanmar-China Border.
Customs
Foreign
currency above US$2000, jewelries, electrical equipments and cameras
must be declared at the airport. Export of antiques and archaeologically
valuable items are prohibited.
Duty
free allowance
Two
bottles of liquor, two cartons of cigarettes; 100 cigars; 1.5lb of tobacco;
one pint bottle of perfume or eau de cologne.
Currency
Myanmar
currency is the kyat made up of 100 pyas. Currency notes come in the
following denominations: K 1000, K 500, K 200, K 100, K 90, K 50, K
45, K 20, K 15, K 10, K 5, K 1 and pya 50. Visitors are not
allowed to bring in or out Kyats.
Health
No
vaccination certificate is required unless coming from an infected area.
Foreign
Exchange
Visitors may bring in any amount of foreign currency
but it must be declared to the customs if it exceeds US$200 for Foreign
Exchange Certificates (FEC) on arrival at the Airport. FECs, equivalent
to US Dollars, are issued in $20, $10, $5 and $1 denominations. FECs
can be purchased with US Dollars or Pounds Sterling
either in cash or Travelers Cheques. FECs are accepted by hotels, airlines,
travel agencies, taxis, restaurants, and as payment of admission fees
for museums, and pagodas. FECs can be exchanges for Kyats at market
rates at Authorized Money Changers. American Express, Visa and Diner
Credit Cards are accepted at airlines, major hotels, and supermarkets.
Festivals in Myanmar
Naga
New Year Day
Venue: Khamti in Sagaing division
Galays are slaughtered to sacrifice followed by singing, dancing and
drinking alchoholic beverages the whole night by a huge bonfire.
In
March
Shwedagon Pagoda Festival (Yangon).
In
April
Thingyan (Water) Festival
4 days Myanmar New Year Festivities
Venue-Whole Country (Special in Yangon & Mandalay)
Popa Nat or Spirits Festival (Mount Popa)
Venue: Mount Poppa
During Thingyan, Pilgrims from the country over pay respect to Popa
nat shrines.
In
August
Taungpyone Nats or Spirits Festival (Taungpyone, Mandalay)
8 - days ceremony August 16 to 23. Known as Mother Taungpyone Festival.
Most enjoyable boat rowing to the site. Spirit dances are rampant.
In
September
Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival
Venue: Inlay Lake, Shan State.
18 - day festival ending Oct 24. Four Buddha images (in Phaung Daw Oo
Pagoda) are ceremoniously tugged clockwise around the lake on the royal
barge by leg-rowing boats and return home on third waning day. Leg-rowing
boat races are held throughout the event.
In
October
Thadinggyut Festival of Lights (nation wide)
Kyaukse Elephant Dance Festival (Kyaukse, Mandalay Division)
Shwezigon Festival (Bagan)
In
November
Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (Golden Rock) Festival (Kyaik Hto, Mon State)
Hot Air Balloons & Fire Festival (Taunggyi, Shan State)
Venue: Taunggyi, Shan State.
The Taunggyi hot-air balloon competition is the most popular main attraction
in Myanmar during winter. The hot-air balloons are made paper beautifully
designed with colorful fireworks and firecrackers.
Foreign tourists who are touring Taunggyi during November can surely
consider yourselves lucky as you have the change to see the beauty and
enjoyment Tazaungdaing Festival in Taunggyi.