Individual Travel in Myanmar (Burma)

In 1988, Rena and I planned to visit Myanmar after trekking in Nepal. But tourism came to a halt due to the political unrest that year. In 1993, individual tourism again became possible but it took us 9 years to go.

There is much controversy about whether tourists should visit. In May 1990, a free election was held but the military government refused to step down after losing. Many of the newly elected members of parliament were imprisoned. Opponents to travel say that tourism will benefit the military government and "legitimize its authority". On the other hand, dollars spent by individual tourists go mostly to the local people providing much needed income to this very poor country where the average wage is less than $1 per day. Individual tourists provide a safety net in the less touristy parts of the country. Local people feel safer from government actions such as subscripted labor, which has been halted in touristed areas. After studying the arguments and surveying people we met, we concluded that responsible individual tourism was the way to go.

In November 2002, we flew from Bangkok to Yangon (formally Rangoon), a city of 3-5 million people and the only "large" city in Myanmar. Traveling with local transport is extremely slow and uncomfortable. We did our share, but also used air flights and taxis, selectively, to save time and to avoid some 25-hour bus rides. Lodging at guesthouses was easy and the quality was higher than in many Asian countries. Simple meals of Burmese, Chinese, and Indian food were readily available. It is unbelievably cheap to travel there.

In our 40-day stay, we visited many areas of the country including all the well known "tourist destinations". These included:

1. The impressive Shwedagon Paya (pagoda) in Yangon, a massive complex of Buddhist temples and pavilions containing a huge 300-foot high golden Stupa visited by thousands of pilgrims each day.
2. Some of the many temples and palace ruins around Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city.
3. The spectacular plains of Bagan covered with the ruins of 2,000 temples from around the 12th century.
4. Inle Lake, where a long-tail boat ride takes you to floating markets, monasteries on stilts, and allows you to see the famous "one-legged-rowers". Fishermen in small boats balance on one foot while controlling an oar with the other foot keeping their hands free for fishing.

But our best memories were the places not frequented by the tour buses. Myanmar has about 50 separate ethnic minority groups known as hill tribes many of whom are subsistence farmers. A 4-day trek from the old British hill station of Kalaw with a local guide was one of our best cultural experiences ever. One of the rustic villages we stayed in had never had Western guests before. We communicated through our guide/interpreter and had a marvelous interaction. Never have we met people so friendly and hospitable. We did not even mind the water buffalo slamming into the poles supporting our bamboo house all night below our room. Later in the trip, we flew to Kengtung in the heart of the Golden Triangle (the area near the borders of China, Thailand and Myanmar) for more trekking among hill tribes of several ethnicities. We attended a large wedding in one of the poorer villages that was like no wedding you have ever been to. Generally, in this area, there was more poverty, lack of education, and government neglect because of the remoteness.

We attended a fire balloon festival in Taunggyi, which occurs on the week of the full moon each year in November. In a competition, teams of people launched 25-foot diameter balloons by igniting a flaming torch tied to the bottom. First, they raced to cover the balloons with hundreds of candles outlining Buddhist figures. Other balloons carried aloft 100 pounds of fireworks, which exploded in every direction as the balloon ascended. The resulting spectacle, excitement, and fervor of thousands of people chanting and waving their arms upward, made our 4th of July fireworks in the USA seem quite tame. 50,000 people including many ethnic hill tribes wearing their traditional dress attended the festival.

From Mandalay, the old Burma Road that was constructed to move supplies during WW II travels northeast into China. It is a heavily used trade route today. Pyin U Lwin was our first stop on this road, where we spent time visiting waterfalls and botanical gardens in this town still dominated by dilapidated British houses and buildings dating from the colonial period. Britain controlled Burma for 100 years, ending in 1948 when independence occurred. We took a 7-hour train ride over the Gokteik Viaduct, a 100-year old bridge that spans a 900-foot gorge. When it was built, it was the 2nd highest railroad bridge in the world. It was not clear whether any maintenance has occurred on the bridge since! The train crossed it going about 3 miles per hour. Happy to be on the other side, we visited the town of Hsipaw, a traveler friendly place where we walked to surrounding villages, biked along the river, and got 60 cent massages from an old Burmese woman.

Before our trip, we had heard a lot about the political situation in Myanmar including that the people were not allowed to receive information from the outside world. Yet we saw copies of Time and Newsweek for sale in bookstores in Yangon and free world radio broadcasts are also available. In fact we met many people who listen to Voice of America (VOA) and BBC in the evenings. For those who can afford it, satellite TV is available with access to unedited programming from BBC and CNN. People are not afraid to be seen talking to foreigners, a dramatic change over the past few years. Also, children are learning English in the schools.

The Mustache Brothers performed in Myanmar for many years. Their show consists of dance, satire, and jokes often about politics. In 1995, one of the 2 brothers was imprisoned for more than 5 years because of a joke he told that criticized the government. He was recently released and we saw them perform together in Mandalay. One of the jokes we heard was much more seditious than the one which resulted in imprisonment; perhaps another sign that the situation is improving.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the charismatic daughter of Aung San, is now traveling around the country. Her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) won the free elections in 1990 but was not allowed to take office. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 and had been under house arrest in Yangon until recently. She is the symbol and proponent of democracy in the country and it is a positive sign that she is not still being silenced. We attended a rally in Hsipaw and heard her speak, as BBC, VOA, and government intelligence cameras recorded the event. This would have been unheard of a couple of years ago.

However, the situation around the Thai/China Border is still very bad. Groups of Shan and Karin people are fighting with government troops and reports of severe human rights violations continue to be heard. Amnesty International and other websites contain ample documentation that these problems are indeed real. But the life of the average Burmese in places we traveled appears to be improving. They are still very poor and inflation is causing distress but there is no question that the situation is better now than it was in 1988. Hopefully, the future will bring resolution for some of the pressing political issues such as human rights.

When tour groups visit Myanmar, almost all the money they spend goes to the government through state sponsored travel agencies and hotels. Our plan was to limit that kind of spending and to support hotels, restaurants, and travel businesses owned by the private sector. 90% of the money we spent did indeed end up in local pockets. But we have some misgivings about the current boycott supported by the USA and much of Europe. The purpose of the boycott, which prohibits foreign investment in the country, is to keep pressure on the current government. However, the first people to be affected are the general population. Lack of foreign investment limits jobs and income for individuals well before government officials are affected. A result of the boycott is to make life so miserable for people that they will revolt. We don't think this is a very civilized way to promote change.

So what advice do we have? Yes, travel as an individual. No, do not go on a group tour. If you go as an individual, you will find some of the friendliest people on earth in an exotic Buddhist environment. Although the travel and facilities were somewhat primitive, Myanmar may be the safest country we have ever visited.