Burma/Myanmar: Go or No Go
Sep 13, 2017 19:57:48 #
My wife and I have a trip planned to Myanmar/Burma for 3 weeks in the end of January, 2018. We will start our trip in Yagnon and go on to Mandalay and Inle Lake. We will have a driver and guides for the entire trip and will not be staying or venturing into hostile areas. However, the country is going through political turmoil and we have concerns for our safety. Our guide company is saying that the areas we are traveling have not had conflict and are safe. Have any of you traveled to Myanmar recently and did you feel comfortable? I live in LA so I know that many communities have potential risks but can be isolated from areas that are visited by tourists. This is turning out to be a tough call and I am hoping that any of you who have been there recently can offer your experience or suggestions.
Sep 13, 2017 20:19:19 #
Resqu2
Loc: SW Va
I only know what I read and I’d put that place right above a visit to NK, not as much risk as NK of course but I’m not going to either place. I could think of lots safer places to go in the world. If you do go, enjoy, stay safe and post lots of pictures.
Sep 13, 2017 20:24:37 #
Sep 13, 2017 20:40:13 #
I have spent LOTS of time in Southeast Asia and there are many reasons why folks like me will NOT travel to Burma (or Myanmar, or whatever it may call itself next month). First and foremost, there is complete absence of government protection (both theirs and ours). If something happens, NO ONE is there to help you and your wife. Secondly, there are so many wonderful places right around the corner...Thailand, Cambodia and so on. Lets me just say, "been there, done that, got the shirt and not again..." Obviously if you have the where-for-all to travel there, you are intelligent enough to realize that if anything happens to you, there is simply no help available.
Sep 14, 2017 02:25:55 #
Seemed like a good idea when I booked the trip several months ago but recent events have spooked us. Doing all the research I can before I pull the plug.
Sep 14, 2017 02:30:10 #
I have my airline booked and have six weeks until my deposit goes hard. Plan B is starting to look like southern India. We did 3 weeks in northern India in January and loved it. However, I am feeling pretty bad about the thought of missing some great photo opportunities in Burma and Cambodia.
Sep 14, 2017 02:40:05 #
I have been looking online for 6 months and have not seen any comments on visiting Burma as strong as yours. Are you aware of tourists being molested in Burma? I have put myself in a couple of dangerous situations while taking photos but this was just me trying too hard to get a shot that I thought I needed to have. Other than getting in the middle of a Communist labor protest on the Chain Bridge in Budapest by accident, I have avoided political activists and demonstrations. However, I am not a gambler, especially with my wife traveling with me so I will probably have to come up with a plan B.
Sep 14, 2017 06:01:54 #
I was just in Myanmar in May/June of this year. I felt perfectly safe. We went to Yangon, Bagan, Kanpetlet, Loikow, Inle Lake and Mandalay just to name a few. I am going back this November. I loved it there. Yes, there are problems near the Bangladesh border. I traveled with a guide and a driver. I never felt uncomfortable in Myanmar. I travel and work in that part of the world all of the time.
Sep 14, 2017 06:07:14 #
Whist your personal safety should be your primary consideration, do you really want to financially support a regime that is "ethnically cleansing" the minority Rohingya Muslims?
Sep 14, 2017 06:35:39 #
mikegreenwald
Loc: Illinois
A really dangerous choice; It reminds me of people who chose to ride out the hurricane. Most make it OK. Is "most" good enough?
Sep 14, 2017 06:37:55 #
i prefer not to go there because the way the muslims are treated there.they are fleeing that place to Bangladesh&India.i will not spend my money enriching their tourist industry until they start treating human beings as human beings and not like animals.ironically the majority of the Burmese who treat their muslim counterparts that way and Buddha taught nonviolence.
Sep 14, 2017 07:03:53 #
Myanmar is a great place to visit but I wouldn't depend on non-guided tours here. You will wait your whole life to go somewhere if you wait for perfect governments or
for causes that are not supported where you go.
for causes that are not supported where you go.
Sep 14, 2017 07:21:12 #
sueyeisert
Loc: New Jersey
Agree, why take a risk with your safety. How can you support a country evolved in ethnic cleansing???? By going there.
Sep 14, 2017 07:32:32 #
berchman
Loc: South Central PA
katu41 wrote:
My wife and I have a trip planned to Myanmar/Burma for 3 weeks in the end of January, 2018. This is turning out to be a tough call and I am hoping that any of you who have been there recently can offer your experience or suggestions.
Go. I took a 3 week tour there with a driver/guide with no problems and no danger. We tried to stay at hotels not contributing to the military and ate at small local restaurants. Great people, great food, great scenery. If you're going to make politics a criterion of where to travel, then southern India should also be a no-go because of official Hindu prejudice against Muslims. I've been to southern India. It's wonderful and the people are friendlier than in northern India.
Sep 14, 2017 07:38:54 #
My husband and I were in Myanmar 2 years ago. In all of SE Asia it was our favorite. There was some trouble then but not to the extent it is now. We would not go now and not just from a safety point of view but we couldn't support the current regime creating this nightmare. When we were in Africa on safari (3times) we refused to include Zimbabwe for the same regime issues.
By the way, we are going to South India (Kerala and Tamil Nadu) in January for 3 weeks. Very excited. Have been to Rajhastan.
By the way, we are going to South India (Kerala and Tamil Nadu) in January for 3 weeks. Very excited. Have been to Rajhastan.
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