What to bring when traveling to Myanmar
Myanmar is a new destination in Southeast Asia for many foreign tourists, so what should bring when traveling to this country is a matter of concern for many tourists who are intending to come to
Myanmar. You may not expect the very modern and luxury accommodation and the very professional services but the stunning scenic all around and the rich typical culture of the country will be exceeding.
This essential list below will help you don’t miss any and fully enjoy the trip to this fast-developing country.
Passports, Tickets, Vaccinations
Passports and tickets seem the most important thing for your trip anywhere.
- Make sure the validity of your passport is six months minimum with a blank page free for the stamp.
- Remember your visa on arrival is made in advance by your travel agent, or you must apply by yourself before you fly to Myanmar.
- Ask for your doctor’s advice about the pertinent vaccines six weeks at the latest before your trip.
- Check with your bank if your credit card will work well in Myanmar and inform them about your trip to avoid being blocked. Prepare cash also for any issue due to internet access.
- Keep your passport data and credit cards and save them in your mobile phone or your online account such as email. This not only helps you to access if they are lost but also saves your time to cancel and replace them.
Insurance
This seems the most important thing you need to cover before the start of the journey. You should choose the package that covers many or almost the cases of risk.
Medicines
Please don’t forget Myanmar is a developing country and their care system and hospitals are not as adequate as Western standards. In case you suffer from a bad situation, you can move to an international hospital in
Bangkok. Your insurance will be the savior in these cases.
- First Aid Kit: plasters, antiseptic ointment to treat rashes, cuts, and scratches.
- Diarrhea/Indigestion remedy: Food prep and hygiene are not as standard as in Europe and other developed countries. But actually, most cases of upset stomachs are often due to a change in the diet rather than poisoning. Plain soda water can help in many cases by providing you the belches in the relief. Or you can use diarrhea tablets, (organic activated) charcoal tablets, and rehydration packets sparingly and drink lots of water and eat bland thin food like porridge to help restore your guts.
- Mosquito repellant: Ass a tropical country, mosquitoes and other nasty insects can be everywhere where there is water. So mosquito/insect repellant is very necessary especially when you are around Inle Lake and the Irrawaddy River. It’d better use it daily and re-apply as its direction.
- Malaria: Asking for your doctor’s advice to take medication or vaccination of malaria is a suggestion.
- Painkillers: a good way to find comfort in general cases when you are in not good weather (tropical weather).
If you have a headache, make sure to drink enough water per day (2 - 3 liters). You’re dehydrated if you see the yellow in urine.
- Please well aware of the sun and heat. Protect your head and your neck to avoid sunstroke. Stay hydrated, use sunscreen and remember a water bottle whenever you leave your room.
Myanmar SIM Cards And Internet Access
The internet of Myanmar is still slower than the western standards’. We should set suitable expectations to enjoy the pleasure. We should prepare the trip documents (air tickets, reservations…) on paper but not keep them online only to avoid the loss when your phone is disconnected.
Free wifi is offered at your accommodation and restaurants with different varying quality or sometimes not working. We try to take advantage of the rest time in the hotel to make important connections that need a lot of capacity to save 3G capacity. Public network services in Myanmar are not yet popular, public access points are only available in big cities and the price is not cheap. So in general, have a SIM card is the perfect solution to keep stable wifi. However, the present 3G network in Myanmar has not covered the whole territory. Some undeveloped regions may not have 3G coverage. So, if you do not need to use many networks, you can consider using Roaming.
To connect the 3G and access the Internet, you’d better buy the Myanmar SIM cards at the airport when because the staff there can speak English and the cost is fixed.
There are some main providers such as MPT, Telenor, Ooderoo... These are all big, reputable companies and have stable network connection quality. Just need about 1,500 Kyat for SIM card and about 6,000 Kyat for the recharge cards, you can use the 3G network comfortably during the trip.
Luggage
- Travel passport wallet: passport, valuables, travel documents, credit cards, and cash are worth being kelp in one place and a travel passport wallet is a good idea for you to easily organize and keep it safe.
- Hidden money belt: It is also considered as the important thing for the trip to store your cash and other valuables to keep your items from pickpockets especially in a crowded place or at night time.
- Dry bag: This is needed in the rainy season or when you have the days at the beach with activities of snorkeling, swimming, visiting waterfalls… Keeping your phone and camera out of water damage is important.
- Backpacks: a backpack is almost a must especially when you have a long journey or you have a big trek in amazing Myanmar. Make sure you have comfortable and not hurting your back. A daypack is also very useful for city tours or short visits.
- Day bag: the same as a day pack, a day bag is helpful for your short tours for the active and convenient. It should be lightweight, anti-theft, incredibly durable, and water-resistant.
- Packing cubes: are recommended to save your time by helping you easily find the thing instead of hunting it in a huge suitcase.
- Luggage Locks: it’s hard to forget but it worth to be reminded of the importance of keeping everything safe. If you travel from the USA, please make sure the locks are TSA-approved luggage ones.
Clothes
- Hat: is essential to help protect your face – a handy cap or a wider hat will protect your head, your face, and your neck.
Sunglasses: The sun in Myanmar is incredibly strong. To protect harmful UV light from your eyes and enjoy the comfort in good shapes, decent sunglasses are worth to invest.
- Modest Clothing: Almost all tourist points in Myanmar are religious sites and the whole life of local people also around temples, so you may not need tiny shorts on this trip. The essential clothes for the Myanmar trip are modest and respectful ones. Your shoulders and your knees are required to be covered, so the clothes are as least revealing as possible should be prepared.
The lightweight breathable fabrics that are anti-stink, quick-dry, and easily machine washable seem the best option for a trip in a country that has three seasons of hot, hotter, and hot and wet. Because you should be covered most of the time, stick to loose flowy clothing to keep yourself comfortable and enjoy the visit. You can easily find out the laundry services in Myanmar so please enjoy the services to keep you enjoying the time.
Linen and cotton are ok, but they still keep the moisture so you may have unexpected damp patches on the outer garments. Especially with underwear, you can be inconvenienced by the chafing caused by wet patches.
Moisture-wicking sports clothes are made of synthetic fibers that keep you dry/much dryer and are much more comfortable. The underwear made of this garment type takes high cost but with its advantages, it is also worth your investment.
Loose long-sleeved top and loose trousers are helpful for you to avoid mosquitoes in the evenings.
When you are at beaches, board shorts and sarong are also useful for multiple beaches uses.
A lightweight foldable rain jacket is good in sudden rain.
- Uncomplicated Footwear: the most important condition is they are needed to be easy to take on and take off. Please make sure your shoes are comfortable in hot weather, light-weight, durable, and easy to clean. A sturdy sandal is perfect to keep your toes fresh.
Toiletries
- Toilet bag: Having a well-stocked toiletries bag to store everything that needs for your comfortable and enjoyable trip.
- Tissues and wet wipes: It is not only very helpful for wiping layers of sweat, bug repellant, sunscreen before reapplication but also for most restrooms on the way of the trip.
- Camping Toilet Paper and hand sanitizer: toilet paper is not commonly used in Myanmar, they prefer the bidet sprayer. Hence, taking the toilet paper and hand sanitizer with you is a good tip for the trip.
- Compressed tissue: with just one or two drops of water, you can make a compressed “candy” to real wet tissue. It is so convenient and hygienic.
- Quick Dry Towel or Microfibre travel towel: a quick-dry travel towel is ideal for a standard beach. This towel is lightweight and takes a very short time to be dried. You can use it when to relax on the beach, camping, use as a blanket, pillow…
- Sunscreen: This is an indispensable item when you travel in a tropical country, especially Myanmar – the “tropical of tropical” country. You will defiantly need it before going out of the hotel room. Moreover, sunscreen is quite expensive in Myanmar. So not only one tube, you should pack two or even more if you have a long trip in this country. Ensure you have at least SPF 30 and make sure you apply suncream to all exposed areas of your skin, not just your face. If you often still to be get burnt after the sun, remember to bring more “After Sun Repair” cream.
Electronics
Myanmar uses 220-volt electricity, 2 round pins plug, or 3 round/flat pins
- Universal power adapter: one of these is essential to power all your electronics – get one with a surge protector built-in
- Portable power bank: This device helps your phone to be charged when traveling long distances outdoors without an electrical outlet.
- Protective phone case: we should protect your phone to avoid being dropped on hard
platform with a good protective phone case.
- Selfie stick: be free to take photos of yourself with this amazing accessory.
- Kindle: This is also a thing that you cannot miss if you like reading, especially when you have a long journey with flights, bring you a relaxing read on the beach or a quiet evening away from the beach bars.
Others necessary accessory
- Water phone case: Myanmar brings you the perfect chance to enjoy multi activities such as hiking volcanoes, epic cliff jumping spots, exploring waterfalls and islands, and beach relaxing. Hence a waterproof phone case is an essential thing for your trip without sand and water damage.
- (Waterproof) camera: A camera is a must when you travel, especially with the journey to amazing Myanmar. It captures all your best moments and you can travel here again whenever you see the unforgettable memories with the photos.
- Slip-on Water Shoes: If you love to explore water sport and adventures or muddy hikes, don’t forget to put these shoes in your luggage as Myanmar is famous for water adventure.
- Headlamp (head torch): You will need it when nighttime power outages; while walking around in sunrise/sunset or exploring the many temples that have dark interiors and steep staircases. That is great if it is waterproof and being USB rechargeable.
- Travel pillow: this is the thing you need for a good sleep on buses and flights.
- Hoodie: to keep you warm in planes, shops, hotels with low temperatures. it can be used as a pillow or blanket sometimes.
- Rain jacket: The tropical climate of Myanmar makes the weather here quite unpredictable so, besides an umbrella, a waterproof rain jacket is needed for your day trip.
- Reusable water bottle: this is a must on adventures in Myanmar. It keeps you enough water with the exact icy cool drink you like and reducing plastics for the environment.
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