Just came back from Myanmar. (November 4)
This was my first trip, so i cannot really be sure, but looking to how many hotels, eatery for tourists and something — it was a quite popular place. Now its _absolutely_ empty in Inle or Bagan. In every pyay (stupa, wat, pagoda) i was only one foreign tourist at whole building. Including popular ones, where lp guidebook says “too crowded” and something like.
== ABOUT MYANMAR CURRENT SITUATION ==
If you planning to go in Myanmar and now think go or not to — go. There is no military, disorder, pillaging or angry local monks with big guns. All same quiet, like in any other asian country i see (still not much).
If you just heard about Myanmar and wanna go and help a poor people — thinks twice, read forum. The people, really, don’t need in you. Except small percent working in tourist industry.
I was born & rose in U.S.S.R., so i still remember what is military sociaistic country. I and think Myanmar is like that. No, it’s not. It’s absolutely normal asian country, with a little censorship, but without hard idelogical propaganda. Visual no socialistic mottos in every buildings, marching militarys, police on every corner. You may buy Newsweek in shop and Financial Times too. Some internet sites really banned, but only for first look, like YouTube says “No copyrighted videoclips on our site”. Just search and you see — it’s far from true :)
Belive me, in Russia nowdays propaganda in TV & on the streets more ugly than in Myamar.
=== PRICES & PLACES ==
– arrive to Yangon early morning by AirAsia ($60?), !! everyday flight cancelled, only at MON/WED/FRI
– in airport buy ticket ($80, ~1 hour, Yangon airways) to Heho (Inle Lake) and at 12:00 was there
– taxi from airport to Nyaung Shwe — $18, ~30 min.
NYAUNG SHWE
Stay at “Aquarius Inn” ($7)– charming people, very good english, helpfull advices, nice terrace/lounge. All perfect, but room. Some people may disllike. And very thin walls betweens them — in case of many guests may be not comfortable. But anywaya — i never meet so nice people with usefull information.
another option “Viewpoint Hotel” — bamboo houses in water, clean and huge rooms ($15 for double), but anyway — look at aquarius first.
Eating
———-
“Star Flower” — New little place, 100 m from aquarius. Cook is very good. Perfect (really!) pasta & pancakes. If you don’t want EU meal at your trip — just ask for “fresh tomato juice”. Nobody in town cooks it, but Shan region very famous foe it’s tomatoes. In the heat of the day — very refreshing, like gaspazzo soup.
“Mr.Cook” — just don’t go
“Smiling Moon” — good food. A must — “Tea leaves salad”, shan traditional and very tasty.
Boat trip
16.000 Kyat, 20 if want to go to Inde Inn. And i highly recommend it! Like it much more, than Bagan. May be when tourist back again it’s was not so good, but i was alone and it was perfect.
BAGAN
Boat from Mandalay to Bagan still cancelled, only by WED/SUN, because of it i try go by minibus from Inle to Bagan. 12 hour, 12000 kyat. Far from pleasure, really tired, but very good expirience. Normally go from Inle to Mandalay by bus — more than enough, i presume.
In Bagan stays in New Heaven — very good room, $5 but don’t like guy on reception. Finally he try to sell me ticket from Yangon to BKK for $125. (I buy for $84 in city instead)
It’s really NOBODY here. See only two old couple, that’s all.
Eating
—-
“Nanda” — high service & cousine restaraunt. But the difference is $3 or $5 for dinner, so it’s a good option if package tourist not coming to see puppet show. (I was unlucky)
“Little big of Bagan” — prices are really far from lp guide, 5000-7000 for dinner now. But food is quite good.
“Aroma 2″ — closed.
“Pho Cho” — don’t find them special.
from Bagan flew to Yangon ($86, ~1 hr, Mandalay Airways)
YANGON
difference between city and countryside really very big, like another country. Many cars, teenagers in t-shirts & jeans, indians & chineese. Looks like not-so-rich Bangkok.
Stay at “Pyin Oo Lwin 2″ guesthouse, like them very much. $7 for single, third floor, for someone may be hard to climb :)
Fly back by Bangkok Air, $80
INTERNET IN MYANMAR IS REALLY FAR FROM GOOD.
Most of sites just don’t open, hanging on that flash and big pictures. It’s good idea to use google precisely and try to know about mobile version of sites (usually they starts from mobile.*site_name*.com)
Mmmmmm
Report not looking short, but maybe somebody find it usefull.
If you have some question, please ask, i try to answer.
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