Motorcycle

For tour Myanmar journey, Motorbikes were once restricted for foreigners, but it is now possible to rent one, though few Myanmar locals advertise this in Myanmar. Ask around. In Mandalay, for example, it's about K8000 per day to rent a motorbike; it's a couple of thousand kyat less in towns such as Myitkyina. Unlike while cycling, you are supposedly required to wear a helmet while riding a motorbike in Myanmar. If one's not available, you can buy one (pretty cheaply make) for K 2000 and up.

Hitching is never entirely safe in any country in the world, and we don't recommend it. Travelers who decide to hitch should understand that they are talking a small but potentially serious risk. People who do choose to hitch will be safer if they travel in pairs and let someone know where they are planning to go.

One extra reason to avoid hitching in Myanmar is that local Myanmar drivers may not know which area are off limits to foreigners and may unwittingly transport them into such areas. In such cases the driver will probably be punished in Myanmar.

Larger towns in Myanmar offer a variety of city buses (Ka), bicycle rickshaws or trishaws (saiq-ka, for sidecar) horse carts (Myint hlei), ox carts, vintage taxis (taxi), more modern little three-wheelers somewhat akin to Thai tuk-tuks (thoun bein, meaning three wheels), tiny four wheeled blue taxi Mazdas (lei bein, meaning "four-wheels") and modern Japanese pick-up trucks (lain ka, meaning "line car").

Small Myanmar towns rely heavily on horse carts and trishaws as the main mode of Myanmar local transport. However, in the five largest cities (Yangon, Mandalay, Pathein, Mawlamyine and Taunggyi) Myanmar public buses take regular routes along the main avenues for a fixed per-person rate, usually K 50 to K 100.

Standard rates for Myanmar taxis, trishaws and Myanmar horse carts are sometimes "boosted" for foreigners. A little bargaining may be in order. Generally a ride from the Myanmar bus station to central hotel often a distance of 2 km or more is K 1500. Myanmar rides around the centre can be arranged for K 200 to K 300. Ask around locally to find out what the going fares are in Myanmar. The supply of Myanmar drivers and vehicles often exceeds demand, so it's usually not hard to bargain the fare down towards the levels the Myanmar locals pay.

Japanese made pick-up trucks feature three rows of bench seats in the covered back, most Myanmar pick-ups connect short-distance destinations, making many stops along the way to pick up people or cargo. They are often packed (yet somehow never full according to the driver). Myanmar Pick-ups trace some useful or necessary routes, such as from Mandalay to Amarapura, from Myingyan to Meiktila and from Pyinmana to Taungoo. Unlike buses, they go regularly during the day.

Myanmar bus fares are not necessarily cheaper than those charged for Myanmar local bus trips of the same length and prices often double after dark. You can, however, pay 25 % to 50 % extra for seat up the front. It's often worth the extra expense, if don't want to do scrunch duty. Sometimes you may share your spot with a monk riding for free; usually you get exactly what you pay for (the whole front), unlike in some other parts of South East Asia.

Pick-ups often start from Myanmar bus station (in some towns they linger under a big banyan tree in the centre) and then, unlike many buses, make rounds through the central streets to snare more passengers in Myanmar.

Many high-end Myanmar hotels offer expensive day tour Myanmar journey. If you want to have your Myanmar journey planned out, you can still do it and keep your money in the private sector.