One day in Rangoon

[kingwilly]

I lived in Burma for 10 years (up until a year ago) So thought I'd dedicate my first post to a bit of informative one liners for prospective travelers. If there's anything i miss i'd be happy to give it a shot in later posts

If you're thinking of traveling to Mandalay, take the extra shot and go up to May Myo - It's a lovely place - not scummy like Yangon, up in the hills. A good afternoon can be spent at the Ayuthaya vinyard for some reasonable plonk. Fantastic views too.

If you're a business type, check out the bar at the Savoy hotel on Dhamazedi road - it's the local expat hangout, so you'll probably hookup.

If you're a golfer, try the Yangon Golf Course - this is the one built by the brits in 1909 - should cost $21 a round. It was a great course but i never played there after the cyclone. Prices range from $75 for the Pun Hlaing Golf Glub (very nice, but go with a member to get half price) through to 6000kyats (5 bucks) I forget the name but it's about 50 minutes drive out, korean designed course. not bad at all. Burma and Dagon golf courses are also pretty good. Brolly caddies, bag caddies and fore caddies should not set you back more than $10 combined for tip money (usually 3000 Kyats each brings smiles). Yangon course is the only one to have male caddies, but if you are learning, they are all single number hadicap players.

Burmese food is generally minging, but please do try the Shan Kow Shwe - it's noodles with pork but the best dish they got going. Also if you venture to an outside bar, have some "laphet" - pickled tea leaves. It does go well with a beer.

I recommend Kyaiktyio. One man can move that thing - it's amazing it's still there.

Gourmet Food: If you fancy a slapup - check out Le Planteur near the Golden Hill Towers- it's the best western food in town. A little pricey but Boris has an excellent wine cellar.

University Avenue. DO NOT leave BME (the girly nightclub there) shitfaced, jump the barricades before and after The Ladies house - i was told later i could have been shot

BME: girly bar on uni avenue.

Airport taxi: it's about 4 - 6000Kyat in local money - don't be scammed.

Mobile phones: Impossible to own, but you can "rent" a sim card for 45,000 kyat a month with a 3 month deposit. Useless for the short time traveller i know...

Kandawgyi lake: Great place to sit with a few beers and watch the world walk by. A few resturants also, which are "OK"

Friday Night Ruby: Ashoka restaurant is the best indian in town, near the Nikko Hotel. The Nikko is a mainly Japanese hotel, but the downstairs bar/ kareoke rooms sometimes offer fun times. Don't go alone though.

Internet: All over the place now i'd expect, but please bare in mind it is heavily monitored. Heavily.

Beer: Best is Myanmar draft, then a close second is Dagon draft. Avoid Mandalay like the plague.

If there's anything else, i'd be happy to amend.



Memories kicked in:

If you're stuck in Yangon, try to go to Kyaw Taik. It's a little village on the river about 40 minutes to the east. There's a pagoda right in the middle of the river which you can get a boat over to to feed the catfish. Makes for a pleasant few hours.

Toddy: If you do venture to the above, check out the few local resturants on the way back who offer "Toddy" - don't drink this if you drive, it's quite potent. It goes well with the fried jungle rat the place i went to also served, which was surprisingly delicious.

If you can, go south down to Myeik. The archipelago of islands down there are truly worth the hassle. There's an island to the west called "Sular Kamuk" which is a 70 - 80 metre rock column with some great diving. Further south is Lamphi national park - Lamphi island has a herd of wild elephants on, either freed or escaped from the illegal loggers, so it was a bit unnerving. (a phuket company, SEAL, also do tours up to lamphi (no promo here)).

Awesome first post mate. cheers for the info.

[phazey]

Long time no see Phazey, how you been and where's that cool dog/car window avatar?

Hello there matey, been a while - drinkypoos in the 'kok sometime soon?


Panama Hat: Yep, arrived in August '98 and kinda liked it ;-)

I've been a bit busy but will post some pics from my collection once i soft a few out.

[gazelle5661]

Thanks to phazey and Frankenstein for latest Myanmar info, should prove useful for January visit.

Thanks,

gazelle5661

[phazey]

Little phone snippet that came to mind.

AIS post paid phones roam in Yangon - not the one2call sim cards but the proper monthly billed cards. Or at least they did.

[sunsetter]

so is the border there anygood for a quick in and out visa run?

[Davis Knowlton]

Sounds just about as unfun as it was when I was there a few years ago. I've been to the Frankenstein nightclub with the guys giving out flower garlands. I was in Burma for about two or three weeks - it was an eternity. I was very pleased to leave and get back to LOS. Generally pretty grim.

[burmad]

Phazey,
Thanks heaps for your info on Burma.
Do you know of a lawyer there who is good for working with property deals that are going on?
Whats the savoy like to stay at?
you mention theres a good bar there so thinking of checking it out.
Nice work
thanks

[Dagnump]

There are, without exaggeration, hundred's of 'girly' bars in Yangon. The format is completely different to what you will find in Thailand. You won't see scantily clad girls hanging outside on bar stools, everything here happens behind closed doors, often with little to suggest on the outside what goes on inside. The vast majority of these places are KTV joints. There are very very few places like those you find in places like Pattaya where they offer an inhouse service.

Marmite mentioned the Sedona, the bar he referred to as "Irish" is called Paddy O'Malley's. The girls turn up around 8:00pm, go any earlier (as I think he did) and you will see nothing. Expensive and all there for foreign tourists/businessmen and rich locals but the girls are generally more attractive.

No different is the Music Club (basement) of the Park Royal Hotel, or BME 2 (as Phazey mentioned) of even BME 1 near the Yangon International hotel. All of these cater for foreigners.

Until recently there have been very few foreigners living in Yangon. The business community is very small and most are diplomats, UN staff and a few teachers.

50th Street used to be the place to go until it was published in the Lonely Planet guide and ended up as a tourist place. Some NGO types and diplomats go there still. The Savoy is a place where local business people meet yes, but it's an expensive place to stay. Reasonable grub though.

Loads of local places where you can get reasonable western food, but at a price. It is generally far more expensive here than Thailand. You have to remember that people such as myself go to Bangkok for shopping as it's so much cheaper and the quality is better.

[Simon43]

4 days ago I left my wife and ex-wife in charge of my airport hotels (oh fcuk), and relocated to Yangon. I'm living in a nice condo in China Town, near to the river. The condo is provide free of charge by my new employer. My job is to pretend to be one of The Wiggles and to teach English to a group of smart little 7-year olds....

There is some reason in my madness. My move here is all part of my master plan to obtain an amateur radio licence to operate from Myanmar. WTF for you might ask? Well, amateur radio is not technically illegal over here, but no-one has done it for the past 10 years. So I'm hoping by living and working here, I'll stand a good chance of getting the licence.

In my first 3 days here, I have not seen a single foreigner, apart from at my school.

My average daily spend for a hearty lunch, evening meal and beer is 120 baht.....

Does anyone know how to sing baa baa black sheep in Burmese?

[Bower]

There is some reason in my madness. My move here is all part of my master plan to obtain an amateur radio licence to operate from Myanmar. WTF for you might ask? Well, amateur radio is not technically illegal over here, but no-one has done it for the past 10 years. So I'm hoping by living and working here, I'll stand a good chance of getting the licence.

Simon, in your thread 'Paradise to Shithole, you say you are the only licensed ham in the country ?

I still am of the opinion that ham radio will get you 'watched'. Its not so long ago that you had to leave your mobile phone/laptop at the airport.

[Simon43]

@Bower, ham radio is not illegal in Myanmar - it's just that no-one usually does it. The last foreigner to get a licenece was 10 years ago, and yes - he was watched by the military.

But times have moved on. The internet is open, but slow. FaceBook and Twitter are the means to spread politcal comment and dissent, not some tinpot little radio transmitter.

I will ty to locate the PTT office next week and go and ask them for the application form...

[Marmite the Dog]

The Classique Inn charges $30 for one person or $35 for two in one of their very comfortable upstairs rooms.

Just checked their website and see the $35 room is now $120.

Classique Inn - Myanmar Inn

[Simon43]

Just checked their website and see the $35 room is now $120.

Hmm - I am thinking of opening a campsite in Yangon, rent a piece of land, build a few clean toilets and warm showers, add a restaurant and voila!!

Simon