Originally Posted by
Mandaloopy
Having lived here for a year I'll give my two kyat
Incredible Cuisine- I'm at home with food poisoning, so I'll try to be objective about it. Some of it is really rather nice: Shan Noodles, Tomato salad and more than just a few of the curries are pretty decent. The vegetables have been the biggest let down for me- drowned in oil. However, to counter this there is some truly fantastic Indian veggie food to be had. The Chinese food on offer is disappointingly average. I've also eaten some Thai food that was some the best I have eaten.The amount of oil is also a big turn off for me
Hotels- always found somewhere comfy to rest for $30-$50. I haven't done backpacker digs here and don't intend to. I don't share bathrooms, I need aircon and I want a double bed. Fussy,eh?
Traveling: Not as easy as Thailand- the buses leave at odd hours and the trains are bouncy-really! That said, I have found the VIP buses to be far superior to their Thai counterpart. The trains, to be fair, do have a certain faded glory kinda atmosphere about them that I like.
The People: Just lovely- welcoming, friendly and keen to show you their country and help you out. The highlight of life so far in Myanmar has been the people.
Stuff to see and do: You better like pagodas! For me the highlight of my holidays in Myanmar has been the hiking opportunities in Shan State. Actually, Shan State in general seems to be nicer than Mandalay. The food would be the most striking example. I'd recommend coming over before the countryside gets too developed.
Not been to the coast yet but it is on the list- it's certainly not cheaper than Thailand. Some of the resorts at Ngapali will set you back over $100++