Heading back to Myanmar in dec

[Phuketrichard]

Has anyone here been down south?

plan's are for trains, bus's & trains from Yangon all the way south to Kawthoung and crossing back at Ranong and only a 4 hour bus ride home.

Anyone been/suggestions or sites to see other than what the books, and go -myanmar tell ya.

[terry57]

^

Hey Dick,

Gona be fun changing all those septic dollars of yours into local and carrying it around in a wheel barrow.

[Phuketrichard]

why> u can use $$ for just about anything

i take it u have never been?

[terry57]

^

Oh yes I have dick.

You obviously ain't been following the new currency exchange rules which state......

US dollars cash will no longer be accepted as payment and all exchanges must be made in local.

That's the official line but let us know how you go.

[Joko]

I live in Myanmar, and did the southern trip just last years for Christmas and New Years.

Take the early morning train out of Yangon to Mawlamyine. You roll slowly into your destination just at sunset and get to see an amazingly beautiful combination of hills, city, water and sky as the train travels down the longest elevated track I've ever been on.

Two suggestions: you may need to book the ticket a day or two in advance if you want the first class car (worth it). Bring some packaged goodies along that can be easily thrown as you'll pass hundreds of Myanmar kids lining the track and waving as the train goes by.

Check out Hpa-an, the capital of Kayin state, a few hours north of Mawlawmyine. Incredible geography. DOn't miss the bat cave.

Lastly, Maungmagan Beach, a few miles out of Dawei. It's in that sweet spot of having just enough accommodations for tourists that you're comfortable but still feels undeveloped, pristine and authentically tropical beach paradise.

[terry57]

^

So whats the skinny on the new currency exchange rules then. ?

Anything changed or just all spin.

[Joko]

The new rules apply to all businesses EXCEPT those primarily involved in the tourist trade. So, in the context of this discussion, hotels, tour companies, etc, the new rules mean no change.

The Myanmar Kyat (like all the currencies of the world) has fallen against the strong USD this year, and some companies have responded by requiring payment in USD or the Kyat equivalent at the current exchange rate. Myanmar doesn't want to end up like Cambodia where three different economies exist (Dollar, Baht and Riel), so they make new laws...

That said, yeah, it's spin. Companies that want to (like mine which pay their expat employees in USD) can still peg their prices to the Dollar... They just can't take the Dollar as payment.

[terry57]

^

Thanks for clearing that up Mate.

Whenever these rule changes get printed one never knows how it ill pan out.

Good Info. Thanks.

[beerlaodrinker]

I live in Myanmar, and did the southern trip just last years for Christmas and New Years.

Take the early morning train out of Yangon to Mawlamyine. You roll slowly into your destination just at sunset and get to see an amazingly beautiful combination of hills, city, water and sky as the train travels down the longest elevated track I've ever been on.

Two suggestions: you may need to book the ticket a day or two in advance if you want the first class car (worth it). Bring some packaged goodies along that can be easily thrown as you'll pass hundreds of Myanmar kids lining the track and waving as the train goes by.

Check out Hpa-an, the capital of Kayin state, a few hours north of Mawlawmyine. Incredible geography. DOn't miss the bat cave.

Lastly, Maungmagan Beach, a few miles out of Dawei. It's in that sweet spot of having just enough accommodations for tourists that you're comfortable but still feels undeveloped, pristine and authentically tropical beach paradise.

Thanks for the heads up on that sounds like a great little trip

[Phuketrichard]

back and contrary to the new rules, u can still pay everywhere in $$ or Kyat; Terry off base again.....
Hotels, Boats & bus's But they do prefer Kyat

flew into Yangon an stayed with friends for 3 days.
bus down to Kyaikto (golden rock) 3 hours Fantastic open top truck to the top 45 minutes
Local Bus to Hpa-an......4 hours... Great caves and a nice temple on a small island
Boat to Moulmen 2 hours
Train to Ye nice small town and a great small expat American run GH out of Phuket on the lake
Train to Dawei---Maungmagan Beach 18 klms out of town, Nabule ( 1 hour
further north is even nicer miles and miles of deserted beaches but no place to
stay an NO people,
Boat to Myeik 4 hour express boat, left at 12:30 am!! first a 1 hour bus ride to the boat landing
Boat to Kwathoung express 7 hours
Bus back to Phuket


as to Mawlamyine the ONLY city i have visited in the country i did not like, totally soulless an very spread out and no life.

[terry57]

^

So where's your pics then Cock.

[Phuketrichard]

pics are with me,

[StephanieGodfrey]

@Joko: Can you give me an advice, please? I am going to visit Burma in 2016,
I'm interested in this tour: (https://www.bestpricevn.com/Tour_Hig...ar-9-days.html) Do you think these are all the highlights of Burma and best way to explore this lovely country? Actually, I have 2 weeks so I can add more places to my plan, do you have any suggestion?

[Phuketrichard]

the tour looks nice an hits the high spots but u can do it on ur own very easy for less thna half of that and enjoy more i am sure

also rather than fly in and depart at Yangon, fly into Mandalay an make ur way south an fly out of Yangon

add an extra day in Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan

seems ur trip is spent going to an departing airports rather than seeing the country

[StephanieGodfrey]

the tour looks nice an hits the high spots but u can do it on ur own very easy for less thna half of that and enjoy more i am sure

also rather than fly in and depart at Yangon, fly into Mandalay an make ur way south an fly out of Yangon

add an extra day in Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan

seems ur trip is spent going to an departing airports rather than seeing the country

Thank you very much for your advice

[Phuketrichard]

Latest photos are up
Richard Reitman Photography | Myanmar (Burma)
Yangon
South from Yangon,

Here is a small write up; Cambodia Forums ? View topic - Photo essay; Yangon to Kwathoung Myanmar

[kingwilly]

Nice One mate. And ignore Terry. He is a know it all troll

[Phuketrichard]

Nice One mate. And ignore Terry. He is a know it all troll

Thanks :-)
LOL: he is the ONLY one on my ignore list so i dont see his posts,
twit

[bobo746]

Great photos mate well done.

[Jofrey]

Very nice pics. Thanks.