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GET IN
MYANMAR |
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By plane
Due to economic sanctions from most western
countries, international flights into Myanmar are
limited. The usual way to get into Myanmar would be
to fly into Yangon from either Bangkok or Singapore,
both which have good connections from around the
world and have several flights into Yangon daily. As
from the 4th of October 2012 Qatar Airways flies
direct from Doha to Yangon and return three a week.
The only other international point of entry to
Myanmar is Mandalay, which is served by a weekly
flight to/from Kunming.
* Myanmar Airways International flies from
Yangon to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Siem Reap,
Phnom-Penh, Guangzhou and Singapore.
* Bangkok Airways has one daily flight from
Bangkok to Yangon and one daily return flight,
costing from 3500 baht.
* Thai Airways International flies Bangkok to
Yangon and back 2-3 times daily from 3500 baht
one-way.
* Malaysia Airlines flies between Kuala
Lumpur and Yangon 5 times a week.
* Air Bagan flies from Yangon to Bangkok and
Chiang Mai.
* Air India links Yangon with Kolkata and
Gaya
* China Airlines links Yangon with Taipei.
* Silk Air links Yangon with Singapore twice
daily, with an additional third flight on Fridays
and Sundays.
* Jetstar, the low-cost subsidiary of
Qantas, links Yangon with Singapore 4 times a week.
* China Southern Airlines links Yangon with
Guangzhou twice a week.
* China Eastern Airlines links Yangon with
Kunming daily, and Mandalay with Kunming three times
a week.
* Vietnam Airlines links Yangon with Hanoi
everyday.
* Air Asia flies from Bangkok Don Meung (DMK)
and Kuala Lumpur LCCT Airport to Yangon - two daily
return flights, and also links Bangkok DMK to
Mandalay
* Asiana Airlines links Yangon with Seoul
twice a week.
Qatar Airways links Doha to Yangon direct three
times a week.
NOTE: There is a US$10 exit fee, to be paid
before you check in for your flight out of Myanmar.
The fee is paid at a dedicated counter inside the
Yangon International airport. Do not forget to ask
for the receipt of your payment (blue paper):
without this receipt, you cannot check in for your
flight. If you're flying with AirAsia, the US$10
exit fee is already included in the flight ticket.
By land
Hopping across the Thai border into Myanmar's border
towns is easy, but crossing into or out of Myanmar
proper by land varies between difficult and
impossible. Visa-free entry is possible at some
border crossings, but you must then exit Myanmar via
the same border crossing, usually (but not always)
on the same day that you enter, and fees apply
(normally US$10). All land border crossings into
Myanmar give only restricted access to the border
areas. The only way to visit locations throughout
the country, is to enter and exit Myanmar by air.
Thailand:
* Tachileik / Mae Sai - foreigners can access
this crossing from either side, and enter and/or
exit either country here. As of March 2007, travel
beyond Kengtung to the rest of Myanmar is not
possible, even with a valid tourist visa (can
however visit Mongla, but this has become more
respectable as the Chinese casinos have cleaned up
their act). Travellers wishing to exit Myanmar at
Tachileik can only do so with a permit from the MTT
office in Yangon.
* Myawaddy / Mae Sot - foreigners can only
access this crossing from the Thai side; neither
onward travel into Myanmar (ie beyond the border
town) nor overnight stays are possible. No visa
needed; instead there's an entry stamp fee - US$10
if paid with US$ notes, more (500 baht) if paid with
Thai currency. As of August 2009, only Thai baht is
accepted.
* Three Pagodas Pass (Payathonzu /
Sangkhlaburi) - foreigners can only access this
crossing from the Thai side; onward travel into
Myanmar (ie beyond the border town) is not possible;
entry/exit stamps are NOT issued here, and
foreigners passports are held at the Myanmar
checkpoint, where a fee is levied - US$10 if paid
with US$ notes, more (500 baht) if paid with Thai
currency. However, as of November 25, 2008, this
crossing is temporarily closed. Note: It was
reopened in December 2010.
* Kawthoung / Ranong - foreigners can access
this crossing from either side, and enter and/or
exit either country here. If entering without a
visa, maximum stay is 3 days / 2 nights, travel
beyond Kawthoung is not permitted, and there's an
entry stamp fee - US$10 if paid with US$ notes, more
(500 baht) if paid with Thai currency. As of March
2007, the only way to continue onward from here
appears to be by plane to Mergui or Yangon, although
there have previously been ferries on these routes
as well.
China - foreigners can enter Myanmar at
Lashio via Ruili (in Yunnan), although a permit
(as well as a visa) and a guide are needed. You will
most likely need to join an organized tour, costing
1450 RMB as of January 2009. As of April 2009, it is
impossible for foriegners to cross over from Ruili,
even for the day, without first getting a visa in
Kunming, ie a tour group. Crossing in the opposite
direction is more difficult to arrange and details
are uncertain; however, it's possible to fly from
Mandalay to Kunming, and there's even a Chinese
consulate that issues visas in Mandalay.
India - a land border crossing exists between
India and Myanmar at Moreh/Tamu. While there have
been confirmed reports of some travellers crossing
into Myanmar from India, with their own transport as
well as with permits arranged in advance, the
general consensus is that obtaining all the
necessary permits is very hard. At the least, a
foreign (a person who is neither a citizen of India
nor a citizen of Myanmar) will need to get an Indian
permit to visit the state of Manipur, and an
MTT permit to enter or leave Myanmar at Tamu.
Travellers may also need a permit to travel from
Tamu to Kalewa, although there are unconfirmed
reports that this is no longer required.
Bangladesh / Laos - it is not currently
feasible to independently cross the borders between
Myanmar and Bangladesh or Laos.
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