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Whats the quickest and/or best way to get from Chiang Mai to Vientiane and/or someplace I might want to be in Laos?
Cheesemaster200 fucked around with this message at 17:24 on Apr 24, 2011 |
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Apr 24, 2011 17:20
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ReindeerF posted:Yeah, I've been all over the sites that would mention this - ThaiVisa, TeakDoor and just google in general. The last American death was a drunk guy with a bar girlfriend in Pattaya (common occurrence) and the 33 year old from Seattle who maybe didn't die, I can't remember, but definitely got sick in Chiang Mai. There's not even a reported American death anywhere around there other than those. If it happened in Cambodia it might have conceivably not been reported quickly. I just know nothing, basically. If he was a victim of that Chiang Mai mysterious illness thing, the international media would probably be all over it. He would have been victim 9-10 from it.... That being said though, I am sure the Thai government isn't trying to advertise some sort of outbreak and it is Easter weekend (delay in news?). If it truly is him, I would think a motor vehicle accident. However, looking at his post history he was somewhat frequent to some precarious threads in TCC. Could that have been a possible factor? Either way, this is pretty disheartening 
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Apr 25, 2011 02:53
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Sheep-Goats posted:I can confirm absolutely that the gentleman in the picture on the site that ReindeerF linked to is him. He was wearing the same shirt even on one occasion that I met up with him in Thailand. drat. He seemed like a really nice guy, and I always enjoyed reading his trip updates. It is quite upsetting to see the trip he enjoyed so much end up like this
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Apr 25, 2011 03:33
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http://www.pattayamail.com/news/special-report-road-casualties-during-songkran-2011-2750quote:The death toll settled at 271, lower than last year by 90. Highest counts of fatalities were reported in Ayutthaya, Nakhon Sawan and Bangkok, respectively. A total of 3,476 people were also injured, 326 people less than last year. The province with the most injuries was Nakhon Si Thammarat, followed by Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Rai. I haven't read anything about an American involved with this yet, but it seems it would be the likely reason... Has anyone in Thailand called the US embassy yet?
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Apr 26, 2011 15:45
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Whats the best way to meet people over there. I have never been the most outgoing person when it comes to starting up conversation with random strangers, and one of my biggest concerns is getting kind of bored of just roaming around myself after a few weeks. Also (and I am sure this has been answered 80 times), what is the best "off the plane" accommodation in Bangkok for someone in my situation (see above)? Assuming somewhere near Khao San?
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Apr 28, 2011 17:26
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ReindeerF posted:Even though they can be kind of ghetto, stay in backpacker areas until you meet people. Everyone tends to be very open. Book typical backpacker tours and such. Snorkeling, diving, booze cruises and so on. If you stay at nice hotels and just sit around the pool you won't meet anyone. I'm American too, I know how it is. Just go with the flow here and you'll meet tons of people, some of them annoying!
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Apr 28, 2011 19:00
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Pompous Rhombus posted:These are good recommendations. I'll also add in getting a campy t-shirt from your hometown and/or one from your old college (provided you didn't go to Hitler University or something), seemed to be a pretty common way of people introducing themselves or starting conversations with me when I was on my own. A weird looking vintage camera does wonders too, but if that's not your thing don't lug one around :p http://www.ratczar.bigcartel.com/product/black-i-rat-baltimore-shirt Anything decent in or around Khao San in the 1000 baht range? Thats a good location though before I take the train to Chiang Mai or Surat Thani.
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Apr 28, 2011 19:29
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quote:- Next time I go back to SE Asia I'm staying, at least, for a month. Trying to see lots of things in 17 days made the whole thing much less enjoyable just because of how tired I was the whole time. My plan is to go there without any plans or reservations (maybe some plane tickets for long trips and that's it). When I got back in August for 26 days, I am going to try to ad hoc as much as possible, though have vague ideas of what I want to do.
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May 2, 2011 00:21
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Go go gadget Baht! Hopefully the dollar gains some strength against it before I go in July, though I am not holding my breath Also, I booked my flight (first class on Cathay Pacific in, coach and two layovers on AA going out). Will be there from the end of July til the 22nd of August. Anyone going to be around then?
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May 5, 2011 21:24
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So whats the best beach to head to for like 5-7 days? I was thinking Ko Pha Ngan since it has Haad Rin for the party atmosphere and infrastructure if I want it, but also a lot of out of the way places on the north side of the island.
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May 12, 2011 17:27
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Fiskenbob posted:I always recommend Bottle Beach, on the north side of the island, to people going to Koh Phangan. But, like you said, it really depends on what you want. Haad Rin definitely has the party atmosphere, but if you just want to chill out for a few days, Bottle Beach is a nice alternative. And if I recall correctly, you can always take a boat directly from Bottle Beach to Haad Rin, if you go there first and get bored after a few days sober. Should take about an hour in a longtail, IIRC. Chalok Lam also looks kind of nice. Is it worth it to rent a motorbike for the time that I am there? How does that work if I am staying at a bungalow or something? Do you just ride them up to the beach during the day? I would like to do that, I am just worried about where to put it and keep it from getting stolen, etc.
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May 12, 2011 18:22
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Sheep-Goats posted:Lighthouse bungalows is by far the best place to stay on koh phangan. You can walk to had rin but it's almost silent at night and far enough away that burglary isn't an issue, there is a good laid back beach nearby, the cliffside setting is unmatched in how pretty it is, and the view from your bungalow is a beautiful expanse of water leading to koh samui, which is lit up at night. You don't have to put up with clusters of fat nude Euro fucks like on Bottle Beach, either (though bottle is a fine place to seek out too). Bungalows start at about 400 a night. The walk to get there is a bit long from had rin (15 minutes?) but you can always rent a scooter and for your first trip there you can just call them once you get to had rin for a ride in so you don't have to hump your gear over the hill. The ride itself will be pretty fun, the lady I went there with was so enamored with it that she tipped the motosai guy 100 baht, and she'd yelled at me previously for over tipping. You'll see what I mean when you get there, let's just say they save the best bit for last. I kind of hoping the inevitable political unrest scares some of the broskis away from Thailand for the time that I am there (August), but I also hope that it isn't bad enough to scare me away.
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May 12, 2011 20:17
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Last time I was in SE Asia we flew out of BKK and spent a day and a half in Bangkok (Khao San Road) and a day and a half in Pattaya for for whatever reason. I remember leaving with the feeling that Thailand was a scummy poo poo hole compared to Vietnam (and even Cambodia). It was not until after I got back, read this forum more and did some research did I realize that I spent all my time in the shittiest parts of the entire region.
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May 25, 2011 22:06
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Miike posted:I'll be going to Hanoi in a few weeks for the first time for 11 days. I have planned a few days in Hanoi, probably a 3 day- 2 night trip on Halong Bay (too long?, I love photography and it seems a cool place to just read books on the boat and take pictures), then hit Nihn Bihn for some caves and Tam Coc. Anything I'm missing out on? Not planning to go to Sapa, hiking isn't my thing, neither is the large waterfall on the Chinese-Vietnam border. Any suggestion or things I didn't consider? One thing I did was stay two nights on Cat Ba island. Most bay tours will drop you off at Cat Ba Town and it is well off the beaten backpacker trail. We rented scooters and spent a day exploring the island. Aside from a few villages and folks heading to the national park, you have the entire island to yourself, complete with all the karst scenery (though on land!)
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May 30, 2011 16:50
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So apparently the Republic of the Union of Myanmar has concluded that I am not an enemy to the state and they granted me a visa. That means I will probably be headed there for 4-6 days to check out Yangon and Bagan. Anyone have any tips or tricks for traveling there? Places to stay in Yangon? My biggest concern is carrying around all the cash I will need while there due to my country's brilliant ways of dealing with people who don't agree with them...
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Jun 2, 2011 19:25
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Macunaima posted:Myanmar is really safe, and the people are awesome. White House in Yangon is a typical guesthouse with the best breakfast I've ever had. 4-6 days isn't much time for Yangon and Bagan, considering the bus is at least 15 hours each way. I think there's a boat too, but that won't be any faster. Closer to Yangon, Kyaiktoyo and Bago are worth checking out. You really need at least two weeks for the standard trip through the Yangon-Inle Lake-Mandalay-Bagan (Nyaung U) quadrangle. I was considering flying into Nyaung U. How much time do you think would be good for Yangon? I have heard anywhere from "you only need a day" to "you can spend 4-5 days there".
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Jun 2, 2011 19:59
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So I have been rethinking my time in Laos about potentially skipping out of the few days of Vientiane (I can do with less drugs and drunk Australians), flying out of Luang Prabang to Pakse and then doing Bolvean Plateau and Champasak on a motorbike for a few days. Finally, flying out of Ubon Ratchathani. Anyone ever been to the Pakse/Champasak region that can give some insight? Worth it?
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Jun 5, 2011 19:20
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Anyone know how the Discovery Airpass works for Bangkok Airways? Where do you actually purchase it and do you have to do everything in advance? I want to bounce into, around and out of Laos and it seems to be a really good bargain if you are planning to do that.
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Jun 8, 2011 17:33
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Andro posted:Great thread everyone, really. What time are you getting in from your flight to Noi Bai? I stayed in some $10/night place my first night there right off the plane (Prince II guesthouse I think) and then we walked around the old quarter and found a really nice place called the Golden Lotus Hotel. It was expensive for Vietnam ($60 for a double), but well worth it to relax while you get adjusted to the jet lag, heat and humidity. All of this was in the old quarter of Hanoi. Make sure you hit up Ha Long Bay if you are up by Hanoi. I went to a place call Cat Ba island where there wasn't a (western) tourist in sight. Did some swimming, motorbiking around the island, and boating around. It was a really nice little corner of Vietnam. I'll be in SE Asia... somewhere the at same time you are there. I am planning to mostly be in Laos/Myanmar, but let me know if you get tired of Pho and old women trying to sell you pineapples.
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Jun 23, 2011 16:02
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Andro posted:Thanks for the info, Old Quarter and Ha Long Bay it is. Thanks for the tips. That's essentially what I did. I flew into Hanoi, did Ha Long, flew down to Hue, motorbiked across the Hai Van Pass, did Hoi an, flew out of Da Nang to Saigon, then flew out of Saigon to Siem Reap, then did overland to Bangkok from there. Spent about 16 days in Vietnam, 2 days in Cambodia, and two days in Thailand. Only really went to Bangkok to fly out of it. I kind of wish I stayed in Vietnam the entire time, it was awesome there.  My itinerary in Laos is still very much up in the air. I only have 3-1/2 weeks, but as I read more about the country I am slowly cannibalizing beach time for jungle time. One itinerary I am looking at is overland/slow boat route from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang, then go to Vientiane, then flight to Pakse for some motorbiking, champasak, etc. Or I might do that the other way around, not quite sure. Still up in the air about Vang Vieng....
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Jun 24, 2011 15:58
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Pompous Rhombus posted:IIRC you've got a real person job (so an internal flight isn't an unreasonable expense, especially given time), but you can do an overnight VIP bus from Vientiane to Pakse no problem. I took the local bus last time because you can't throw a Minsk on top of an aircon bus :p Vang Vieng really depends on your mood, the first time I was there I hated it, but I had a great time the second time I was there and hung out with some awesome local people. Either way, I wholeheartedly recommend spending as much time in Laos as you can, it's probably my favorite country (although I think Vietnam is pretty great too, just didn't have a ton of time to explore it). Do you know if the slow boat down river from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang is worth it, or will I hate my life for two days straight?
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Jun 24, 2011 18:22
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http://www.laoembassy.com/ This poo poo still cracks me up every time I go to that site...
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Jun 24, 2011 19:58
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Went to the Laos embassy in DC today to apply for a visa. They were supposed to open at 1pm, didn't open the door til 1:15pm, didn't start helping people until 1:45pm. Spent a good half hour talking to this guy from Pakse and five monks who were in the waiting room. It was kind of an odd experience. They seemed fascinated with the fact that I was traveling to Laos by myself. They kept giving me this "this guy is crazy look".
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Jun 28, 2011 20:41
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Sheep-Goats posted:FWIW I think you just met some record holding motherfuckers for timeliness as far as Lao citizens go. Less than an hour after lunch and they're already back at work? Hot drat. I also think one of the guys in front of me bribed the guy working there as well for doing whatever with his passport/visa, which I found hilarious.
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Jun 29, 2011 03:28
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So my trip is about a week out, trying to get the first few days in Bangkok hashed out. Anyone have suggestions for decently (1000-1200B max)priced accommodation in a place which isn't on Khao San Road? Additionally, anyone (especially you expats) have some suggestions for some non-standard activities in the city? (ie. aside from Wat Pho, Wat Arun, etc)
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Jul 19, 2011 15:57
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Man, I can't wait for a reprieve from the heat over in Thailand...
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Jul 22, 2011 20:32
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quote:you can see Thanon Thaniya near the park
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Jul 23, 2011 15:40
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Should I go the route of Krabi & Ko Phi Phi or Ko Samui & Ko Pha Ngan? Looking for a place where I can chill on the beach and/or hang out at restaurants/bars on or near the beach. However, I am not looking for a crazy frat boy party scene. My idea of a good time is hanging out a bar that plays classic rock or Jimmy Buffet rather than a dance club that plays Rhianna or other pop trash. Not planning on going around a full moon party.
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Jul 24, 2011 17:50
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Thanks for the tips. Krabi also seems to be significantly cheaper to fly into than the Ko Samui cartel, so that works out well. My reference to the music though was more of an indication of what kind of mood I am into. I would much rather stay somewhere low key, enjoy a few drinks, meet people and take in the atmosphere rather than fist pump with a bunch of drunk Australian frat boys. Though any bar that plays classic rock at reasonable levels is okay in my book. There was this one place in Hue though that had the ambiance of the Rolling Stones and other such music, serving bottles of Hue beer on the porch. It was a touristy place, but it had a really nice ambiance to it.
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Jul 24, 2011 23:47
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Sheep-Goats posted:No matter what's going on if you have three or four Cambodian dudes yell at eachother in the background everything automatically seems haphazard and slightly dangerous. ... especially when it involves an RPG
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Jul 25, 2011 21:28
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So I am leaving tonight and I am unsure if I should still pack a rain jacket and/or bring my lonely planet books. The books are always nice to have and have served me well in the past, but they are heavy and bulky, especially since I am planning on going to three countries. They are also really nice to have to read on a train/plane/bus/etc....
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Jul 27, 2011 17:33
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So after a long week in Burma (Rangoon -> Mandalay -> Bagan -> Rangoon) I am back in Thailand, currently in Chiang Mai. Burma was a bit of an adventure. It was like India lite, and a bitch to travel around. It was a very interesting little excursion, but I am happy I am back in Thailand. Renting a motorbike tomorrow and doing the GT Rider loop around Chiang Mai with this girl I met. Then I am doing a whitewater trip, then a full day cooking course (hopefully). Then I decided to take a flight over to Luang Prabang. I already did the whole riverboat thing down the Irriwaddy, so I don't need another two days wasted sitting on a boat being uncomfortable. Questions I so far have: - Why do they apologize for the inconvenience at the terminus of the MRT - Why do the police in Lumphini park patrol around on pink girly bikes with baskets? The Chiang Mai sleeper train is awesome. There was a drunk police officer with his pistol out in the dining car, while drinking, showing the waiter how to use it. I was giving him this horrified look as I was watching and he was like "no no no, not loaded" and lauged. Also, my guesthouse in Chiang Mai decided to install a new booster pump in response to low water pressure complaints. I was taking a nap at the time when they turned it on as my bathroom exploded due to the existing lovely plumbing not being able to take 400 psi water pressure. ahh Thailand...
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Aug 8, 2011 13:02
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Back from SE Asia after a month all over the loving place. Broke a toe in Vang Vieng (surprise, surprise), but it was definitely worth a visit. Even if for only a day. I am going to write an OP section for Burma once I get back to reality here. It really is an awesome country to visit if you are looking for something off the beaten path. A bit of a pain to get around though.
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Aug 23, 2011 19:17
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TreFitty posted:I've been weighing the idea of going to Thailand for a week since a round trip is $450 from Seoul right now, but because I'll be traveling and working at the same time, I'll probably need to stay in Bangkok while there. I will need constant internet access to do my job, so I don't want to risk going somewhere nice, but the nice place not having internet access. What is your budget?
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Aug 31, 2011 15:25
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Take the sleeper train to Chiang Mai. It is really a fun experience in itself and you will meet other travelers on it. I think it was like 750 baht or something when I did it.
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Aug 31, 2011 19:44
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Ringo R posted:Can you guys who went to Burma write your trip reports already? Don't take the bus from Mandalay to Bagan. Take the boat from Mandalay to Bagan down the Iriwaddy. It is both faster, roomier, and much nicer. I would argue that the boat ride was one of the highlights of my trip there. They require US dollars for all hotels and major transportation methods (planes, trains). You might have some trouble with Baht, especially in Mandalay. Mandalay and the north was probably the least touristed place I went to in Burma. quote:I am going to be staying in Bangkok and Hanoi for 5 days each next month and I'm looking at hotels there. Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm looking at something for a moderate price and don't even know where to begin because there are so many choices. Cheesemaster200 fucked around with this message at 22:01 on Sep 13, 2011 |
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Sep 13, 2011 21:57
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I'm thinking about catching a flight to Mandalay from where I hope it should not be too painful to get a bus to Bagan and Mt Popa. Do they accept Thai baht readily there?
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Ringo R posted:Thanks! Did you take a bus from Rangoon to Mandalay? I like reading about Burmese bus horror stories Lets see. It was 12 hours in a bus meant for someone with a height of at least 12" shorter than me. The bus broke down halfway and they left the door open while fixing it. Then it started to rain. The ridiculous humidity crept into the bus and condensed onto the air vent spewing out 25 degree air. I spent the next 6 hours freezing to death, wet and could not even attempt to sleep due to the Chinese water torture onto my face. The entertainment is a nice selection of Burmese soap operas and a 30 minute montage of horrid car crash scenes from Chinese movies. I honestly didn't think bus entertainment could be any worse than Vietnam, but no...
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Sep 15, 2011 03:57
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Pockyless posted:I'm going to Chiang Mai in a few weeks. Can anyone recommend a good place to stay? I have a budget of 1000-1500 baht a night, but that is flexible. Sri Pat Guesthouse. Its off of Muang Moon on Soi 7 in the north part of the walled city. 1000 baht a night and they have a pool.
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Sep 15, 2011 18:33
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Ringo, the OP pictures are all broken. I am making a Burma post as we speak. I will hopefully post it a bit later.
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Sep 26, 2011 00:34
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| # ¿ May 9, 2024 12:39 |
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Burma write up. Fix the photos in the OP and I will make one for this post as well. Burma Unlike the other countries in Southeast Asia, Burma can definitely be considered the backpacker frontier. Unlike its neighbors, you will not find backpacker ghettos, a western party scene or widely availible tourist infrastructure. While sometimes annoying, this fact definitely makes the country extremely appealing for anyone looking to get away from the rampant commercialization and faux Asian culture to the east. The country has a very prominenty Indian influence, and can best be described as a "Buddhist India or Bangladesh". That being said though, the country is not nearly as hectic or aggressive as its Hindu neighbors. What to do: Most tourism in Burma is generally centered around the "big four attractons of Rangoon, Mandalay, Bagan and Inle Lake. This is mainly due to the fact that the Burmese government makes it extremely difficult to roam freely around much of the country. In addition, attractions and towns not near these areas are very hard to get to, much less get by in. Rangoon: The colonial captial of Burma, Rangoon boasts some of the country's biggest attractions as well as the base for most of it's tourist infrastructure. Subsequently, it is also practically the only port of entry and exit from the country. While in Rangoon, make sure to hit up the Swedagon Paya, the Sule Paya and some of the old colonial architecture half in ruins throughout the city. For food, make sure to try out the quasi-Indian quarter around Sule Paya. You can get some delicios cheap eats there for around 500 kyat. If you are looking for accomodation, I would recommend the Okinama guesthouse located on a alley street adjacent to Sule Paya. As you can tell, the Sule Paya is a nice little place to base yourself out of. To get around town (and from the airport), you will need to use an un-metered taxi. Don't worry, there are no meters anywhere so don't feel too bad when the taxi cartel at the airport scams you for a flat $10 transfer to downtown. If you are looking for a day trip, hit up Bago outside the city a bit. Mandalay: Up along the Irriwaddy river in the North of Burma, Mandalay drums up visions of the quintiscential ancient Asian city in the middle of the jungle. In reality though, it is neither ancient, in the jungle or representative of a southeast asian city. However, this doesn' mean that it isn't worth a visit. Mandalay can be a very nice city to just explore. Its location up north makes it a good break from the monsoon if you just spent 3 days getting soaked in Rangoon, trust me. Key highlights are walking up Mandalay Hill (don't loving cheat), and visiting the various monestaries and payas littered throughout the city. Mandalay is also a base point should you want to get adventerous in the far north of the Burma. I stayed at the Royal Guesthouse when I was there, and it had decent and cheap accomodation. However, they did fleece me on my boat ticket down to Bagan. Don't hit up the palace if the fact that it was made with forced labor bothers you. Bagan: The jewel of Burma, Bagan is the equivalent to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, but with less tourists and more structures to explore. You can base yourself out of three towns in the area; Old Bagan, New Bagan or Nyang U. I would recommend Nyang U as it has less government owned property and more backpacker infrastructure than the other towns. Once again, be ready to deal with taxi mafias and extortionary flat rates to/from the ferry pier or the airport. To get around the temples you can either hire a horse cart and driver (prices based on demand) or rent a bike for 1500 kyat. I recommend the later since you have a lot more freedom, just be wary of flat tires though and drink lots of water. It isn't too hot here, but its still Southeast Asia. You can easilt spend 3-4 days here, depending on what your tolerance for bike riding, painting touting and somewhat generic temple architecture is. Inle Lake: Never been to Inle Lake, but I here it is one of the most touristed places in the country. It is also used as a base for trekking for most trekkers in Burma. You can do some nice 3-4 day treks around the countryside here and see some off the beaten track stuff. In addition, you can also go around the late and see the floating villiages, fisherman, etc. etc. Its on the eastern side of the country, so kind of out of the way from Mandalay and Bagan (which is why I didn't go). Again, these are just the main attractions. If you really want to get away from it all and depart western culture entirely, I would suggest getting a permit for the far north or heading down to Mrauk U in the Southwest of the country. I hear those are both very adventerous places to go. Recommended Budget: The US and Euro governments have a financial services embargo on the entire country. Therefore, You will need to bring in the required amount of USD to cover your entire trip. There are no ATM's and most places don't covert Baht or other regional currencies. That being said, you MIGHT be able to get a wire transfer through singapore through some of the upmarket hotels in Rangoon for an astronomical commission (~30%). You probably don't want to do this. Expect accomodation to be $5-10 a night minimum, depending on where you are and how busy it is. This will usually get a private room with shared bathrooms. Look for about $15-20 for bus rides, $2-40 for boat rides (depending on the route and time of year), $70 for flights and $10-50 for trains. Food is extremely cheap, look for a max of 4000 kyat at any Burmese restaurant, though it can get higher at expat and tourist places. Note that the trains, some airlines, some boats, and some hotels are owned by the government. If supporting the military junta is something you wish to avoid, then be wary with what hotels and transportation methods you patronize. Recommended Food: Burma doesn't really have the reputation for cuisine as Thailand or Vietnam do, and in fact I found most of the food kind of mediocre. The curries here can best be described as Indian, but chunkier and a little less flavorful. As with any Southeast Asian country, noodle soup is in abundance and you can more than get by on that. What you will find is that the Indian food is extremely good. In Rangoon, Bagan, and Mandalay you will find a large variety of Indian restaurants which serve up cheap and delicious meals. I would strongly recommend trying it out. Drinking and Smoking Myanmar Beer is everywhere. You can find Mandalay beer up north a bit, but most of the time you will be drinking out of large recycled bottles of Mandalay. There are a few Tiger Beer drinking stations around the major cities (such as Mandalay), but for the most part their presence is not very big. Smoking isn't that big in Burma, but they do love their betel nut. Thats not blood all over the sidewalk and that guy you just passed is not a zombie. The ubiquous red betel nut is chewed and spit by almost all men. I thought it was disgusting and didn't try it. Feel free to try it I guess... Beware of: Burma is a rather isolated country run by an authoritarian military government. That being said, the country is extremely safe for travelers. You should have no trouble walking alone at night by yourseld in Rangoon or Mandalay. That being said, don't be a dumbass and use common sense regardless. The biggest problem you will have are people trying to scam the poo poo out of you. The most obvious of these scams are the taxi mafias which you will more than likely come into contact with. Anyplace where you are sort of stuck away from where you are going with no other transport but taxis will yield you a bunch of taxi drivers offering the same extortionary price with nothing you can do about it. It sucks, but what are you going to do. Also, watch where you walk. The Burmese sewer system is not what I would call very advanced or well maintained. Finally, don't be a dumbass and try to stir up a revolution or something. Keep your politics to yourself and don't do anything stupid. I met some guy in Rangoon during my first night in Burma, and he was planning on "stopping by Aung San Suu Kyi's house to make an appointment and talk with her". I would not recommend such things if you don't feel like being deported or detained. Frequently Asked Questions: Q: Should I go, and how should I spend my money? A: The biggest question that seems to go through everyone's head in regards to Burma. From a personal safety perspective, you are perfectly safe. The government will crucify anyone fucks with a tourist so you have nothing to worry about in that regard. However, the dollars that you spend in country will eventually end up in the hands of a rather barbaric military junta with a long history of human righs violations. I have outlined areas where you can limit your exposure to this sort of spending, but ultimately you will not be able to fully isolate yourself from it. Other factors which go into this are your personal schedule and beliefs. If you are tight on time or don't like staying in lovely guesthouses, you might feel the need to possibly put more money in the goverment purse. The choice of whether to go, how much to spend, and where is your choice and your choice alone. Weigh the issues, your situation and make a decision based upon that. I have always felt that Lonely Planet and lots of other publications like to pressure people with guilt trips about traveling in the country. However, I have always found this hypocritical for obvious reasons. Decide on your priorities and make your own choice. In my opinion, you should go. There are very few places in the world where you can see the level of authentic culture as you can in Burma. It is in many way untouched by the tourist trail which plagues so many other countries, but at the same time has enough infrastructure to not be completely ridiculous. In addition, the Burmese people are the ones who will need to rise up and change their world. They will never do that if they are kept isolated from the rest of the world. If you go, make sure to interact with the locals and try to find and share with the "real Burma". I think that will do much more good than any type of travel boycott. Q: Why are all the men wearing skirts? A: It's not a skirt, its a Lungi, or South Asian version of a sarong. Unlike most other SE Asian countries, this traditional dress is still worn by most of the population. Q: What is the best way to get around? A: The easiest, but most expensive way to get around is by air. However, note that Burmese airlines don't have the best safety record and a couple of them are owned by the government. However, not ALL of them are owned by the government, so don't rule air travel out entirely. Buying tickets is easy from any travel agency or guesthouse. All airfare must be paid for it dollars, by law. Busses are long and uncomfortable, but ultimately the cheapest and all owned by private companies. Expect at least 12 hours from Rangoon to Mandalay. Boats are a fun and scenic way of seeing the country, though their times are irregular and dependent on water levels and the season. I would recommend the trip from Mandalay to Bagan if you can fit it in your schedule, it was quite nice. Q: What about visas? A. You will need a visa from either your home country or from a Burmese consolate abroad. It's comparitively cheap (especially for an American), but they can be picky if you put down an occupation or purpose which is not in line with the government's ideaology. That is, don't put down journalist, freedom fighter, LF poster, etc. as your occupation if you don't want your visa denied. Cheesemaster200 fucked around with this message at 15:11 on Sep 26, 2011 |
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Sep 26, 2011 01:54
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