Danger & Annoyance to travel Myanmar

Travel guide Myanmar will show you how travelers consider all the bad news that trickles out of Myanmar all the time. It may sound like a rather unsafe country to visit Myanmar. For the vast majority of visitors, the truth is quite the opposite as our guide Myanmar said. Traveling in Myanmar is safe all year round and nothing to worry about your danger.

Government-operated Myanmar Airways has a sketchy safety record. In 1994 a flight missed the runway at Kawthoung, killing 16 and in 1998 it took authorities 24 hours to realize one of its planes had crash-landed near Tachileik Myanmar, while another flight crashed route from Tandwe(sandoway) to Sittwe, killing 10 passengers. Avoid traveling with Myanmar airways if possible and take private airline in Myanmar.

Most travellers's memories of Myanmar locals grabbing your money are of someone chasing you down because you dropped a K 500 note in the street. In remote towns such as Shwebo or Monywa, You can feel pretty confident leaving a bag on the ground at a Myanmar bus station while you go for a quick tea. But don't tempt anyone: inflation is rising in an already poor Myanmar country. There has been a smattering of reports of street crime, particularly in Yangon Myanmar, which include burglaries of some expats' homes. Myanmar exercise guarded caution on vulnerable occasions when you're carrying your bags and when in particularly touristy places in Myanmar.

Myanmar saw some bombs set off, purportedly placed there by Myanmar insurgent groups In May 2005 three bombs at two Yangon shopping centers and a Thai trade expo killed up to 20 people and injured several hundred. During the previous year a bomb went off at a central Yangon Myanmar restaurant, injuring one person. The vigorous Burmese student Warriors supposedly claimed responsibility for this act. A few other explosions in Yangon were reported, without injuries, in mid-2004 and mid-2003 in Myanmar.

Despite treaties between Myanmar government and most insurgent groups in the late 1990s that give limited autonomy to many Myanmar areas, violent incidents on the Myanmar-Thai border could erupt at anytime, including several outbursts(and bombs) in and around Tachileik. Land mines are another threat (on the Myanmar side of the border). Most travel advisories warn against travel in this Myanmar border area, most of which is restricted to foreigners. Crossing the Myanmar border here, though, is likely to be OK, but seek advice first before you go.

In kayin Myanmar State, splintered Kayin groups live in a potential battle ground between the Karen National liberation Army and Myanmar government troops. The Myanmar border in a restricted area of Kayin between Umphang and Mae Sariang occasionally receives shelling from Myanmar troops in pursuit of Kayin(also known as Karen) or Mon rebels. The risks of catching a piece of shrapnel are substantially lower if you keep several kilometers between yourself and the Thai-Myanmar border in this area fighting can break out at anytime. The presence of Shan and Wa armies along the Myanmar-Thai border in northern Mae Hong Son makes this area dangerous if you attempt to travel near amphetamine and opium-trade border crossing obviously, these aren't signposted, so take care anywhere along Myanmar border in this area. In the past there have been reports of bandits holding up vehicles at night, most commonly in the Tanintharyi (Tenasserim) division in southeastern Myanmar often in pockets restricted to overland travel for foreigners in Myanmar. Some revolutionaries maintain the sympathy of most Myanmar locals. In the aftermath of the 1990 election controversy, a group of student Myanmar protestors hijacked a plane from Bangkok to get worldwide attention, and tearfully handed out snacks with apologies to the inconvenienced passengers.

Talking about Myanmar politics can get not only you but also Myanmar locals you're speaking with into trouble. Let them introduce the subject and proceed to talk with discretion. Following the 10th anniversary of the 1988 democracy demonstrations, 18 foreigners were arrested for handing out leaflets in Myanmar. In January 2005 another westerner was arrested for handing out leaflets outside Yangon's Myanmar City Hall. Be aware that if you're interesting in seeing Aung San Suu Kyi's house in Yangon Myanmar or are dropping by an NLD office, you not only risk trouble (possible deportation) but you implicate your Myanmar taxi or trishaw driver too. Myanmar guides, trishaw drivers, vendors and hotel staff are often able to talk at length with foreigners without suspicion due to their day to day contact with foreigners. Some can be surprisingly frank in their views. Tea house carry the reputation as being open-discussion forums for some Myanmar locals but not all.

Myanmar touts are pretty minor-league in comparison with those in India or the drivers in Bangkok. Most hassle is due to commissions. These small behind the scenes payments are made. Like it or not, for a Myanmar taxi or trishaw driver or Myanmar guide who takes you to a Myanmar hotel, to buy a Myanmar puppet or even to eat some rice. Often it doesn't affect the price you pay in Myanmar.

Arriving at a Myanmar bus station, you're likely to be quickly surrounded by touts, some of whom will try to steer you to a particular Myanmar hotel that offers them a commission as normal in Myanmar. Be wary if you hear that your chosen place is "no good", though in some cases we found that Myanmar trishaw drivers who had warned us "foreigners can't stay there" ended up being correct. If you know where you want to go and it's a good idea to pretend to, if you don't, persist and they'll take you. Myanmar Bus tickets in Yangon are sometimes sold in inflated prices. Be wary of offer of fanciful jade or other gems Myanmar has rich mines for these precious stones as some are filled with worthless rock or concrete mixture. Many Myanmar people may approach to say "hellos" on the street. In some cases, they're just curious or perhaps want to practice some English with you. In other cases, the conversation switches from "what country you from?" to "buy some postcards?" or "where you need to go" it's all pretty harmless. You'll be asked to change money frequently while you are walking on the street in Yangon Myanmar.

Mosquitoes, if offended, can have a field day with you. Bring repellent from home, as the good stuff (other than mosquito coils) is hard to come by Myanmar. Also, many Myanmar guesthouse and hotels don't have mosquito nets. Myanmar has on of the highest incidences of death from snakebite in the world. Watch your step in brush, forest and grasses. Myanmar rats aren't all that rampant. Family-run Myanmar guesthouses, like regular homes, might have a rodent or two. Wash your hands before sleeping and try to keep food out of your room. If you trek in Shan state and stay in Myanmar local accommodation, you may hear little footsteps at night. Monkeys can get a little friendly in some places. A Myanmar guide outside Monywa pointed out natural Myanmar medicines for "not shitting", "shitting" and "snakebites", but said there's nothing for monkey bites. "Monkey bite is normal". But I think you should try to minimize you chances of get ting rabies in Myanmar.