Myanmar wrap-up: route, transport, visa & budget

Visa

We got our Myanmar visa at the embassy in Kolkata and the process was easy and smooth.

• We wrote a letter explaining why we wanted to go to Myanmar.  Don’t really know if it was necessary, but after the issues we got with our Bangladesh visa we did it just to be sure.
• We took our passport pictures with us.
• We paid the fee (RS 1200).

… and after 3 days our visa was ready & approved.

The route

We spent 25 days (3.5 weeks) in Myanmar and this was our route:

• Flight to Yangon from Bangkok.
• Train from Yangon to Mandalay.
• Taxi from Mandalay to Pyin Oo Lwin & back to Mandalay.
• Bus from Mandalay to Bagan.
• Bus from Bagan to Inle lake.
• By night bus from Inle lake to Yangon.
• Flight to Bangkok again from Yangon.

The budget*

The estimate: $26/day/person (€ 21.17)
<>
The outcome: $24/day/person (€ 19.60) without our flight to and from Bangkok.
The outcome: $28.4/day/person (€ 23) with our flight to and from Bangkok.

Our primary expenses were:

• Stay: A whopping 51%! ($12.26 / € 9.93)
• Food (breakfast, lunch & dinner): 20% ($4.76/ € 3.85 a day)
• Public transport (train & bus): 7.5% ($1.8 / € 1.45 a day)
• Souvenir: 4.6% ($1.11 / € 0.9 a day)
• Taxi: 3.8% ($0.92 / € 0.74 a day)

* € is accurate, $ depends on the exchange rate.

Time of year

We went in April to be able to join the Water Festival. It was scorching hot in April and I often felt overwhelmed by the heath (like on the train to Mandalay). The only places that were bearable were Pyin Oo Lwin & Inle (because they where in the mountains).