Travel to Myanmar

Flying to Myanmar

The national airline is MAI - Myanmar Airways International (www.maiair.com). Usually the cheapest way to get to Myanmar is either via a Middle Eastern airport, for example with Qatar Airways (www.qatarairways.com), or via a regional hub such as Singapore or Bangkok.

The major airport is: Yangon International Airport.

Notes

Low-cost carrier Air Asia (www.airasia.com) serves both Yangon and Mandalay. This makes possible a cheap open-jaw route flying into Yangon and out of Mandalay, saving on travel time within Myanmar if you plan to visit both the south and the north of the country.

Airport Guides

Flight times

From London - 15 hours (including stopover); New York - 24 hours (including stopover).

Departure tax

Included in the airfare.

Travelling to Myanmar by Rail

There are no international passenger rail routes into Myanmar.

Driving to Myanmar

Entering Myanmar overland is far from straightforward and not recommended. The borders with Laos and Bangladesh are completely closed to foreigners, while the crossing between Moreh (India) and Tamu (Myanmar) requires a permit which can take several months to arrange. The border crossing from Ruili (China) to Muse (Myanmar) has long been closed to all but organised tour groups, who receive special permits.

That leaves the Thai border crossings as the only realistic options for most travellers. It is possible to cross at four points but only three are accessible with a Tourist Visa for onward travel: Ranong/Kawthaung, Mae Sot/Myawaddy and Mae Sai/Tachiliek. Rules and regulations change frequently so it’s best to check border access with the authorities in advance. In general, therefore it is much better to fly into the country rather than to enter overland.

Driving note

Rules on border crossings are particularly subject to change.

Getting to Myanmar by boat

The main port, as far as passenger services is concerned, is Yangon. From here it is possible to take smaller boats up rivers including the Irrawaddy (the country’s main artery) and the Chindwin.

Cruise ships

A small but growing number of cruise itineraries include Yangon, often alongside other ports in the region such as Singapore, Phuket (Thailand) and Penang (Malaysia).