lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

Cash-Only Economy

Myanmar ATMS don't accept international cards. With few exceptions, credit cards and trav-

ellers cheques aren't accepted either. Budget carefully and get the right kind of bills before

your plane lands in Yangon. Otherwise, you'll end up in fi nancial trouble.

US dollar bills must be 2006 or later bills that have colour and are in absolutely perfect

condition: no folds, stamps, stains, writing marks or tears. On the black market, $100 bills

get a better rate of exchange than lower values ones – but bring some of those, too.

We know of only one Yangon hotel (Parkroyal; p 53 ) that is willing to provide cash against

a credit card, but it does so at 12% commission. For more on money matters, see p 364.

Important Numbers

Country code % 95

International access code % 00

Ambulance (Yangon) % 192

Fire (Yangon) % 191

Police (Yangon) % 199

Exchange Rates

The US dollar is the only foreign currency

that’s readily exchanged and/or accepted

as payment for goods and services. The

offi cial exchange rate (US$1 equals around

K6.5) is less than a tenth of the black-mar-

ket rate, so do not change money at airport

exchange booths or at banks. The best plac-

es to change money in Yangon are Bogyoke

Aung San Market (p 67 ) and your hotel.

Recent black-market rates in Yangon:

Australia A$1 K

Europe €1 K

Japan ¥100 K

UK UK£1 K

US US$1 K

Money

» Cash only. Credit
cards generally not
accepted. Bring only
pristine US bills for
exchange.

Visas

» Needed by everyone.

Maximum stay 28 days,

non-extendable.

Mobile Phones

» No international

roaming. Prepaid SIM

cards available for

locally bought phones.

Transp or t

» Buses and trains –

both are pretty slow,

especially trains.

Flights to major tourist

spots can get booked

up quickly in high

season.

We b s i t e s

» Lonely Planet (www.
lonelyplanet.com)
Good for pre-planning.

» Irrawaddy (www.
irrawaddy.org)
Thailand-based news
and features site.

» Myanmar Image
Gallery (www.
myanmar-image.com)
Pictures and text on
myriad Myanmar-
related subjects.

» Online Burma/
Myanmar Library
(www.burmalibrary.
org) Database of books
and past articles on
Myanmar.

» Demoractic Voice of
Burma (www.dvb.no)
Norway-based media
organisation.

Arriving in

Myanmar

Yangon International

Airport If you haven’t

pre-arranged a transfer

with you hotel or travel

agent, a taxi from the

airport to the city

centre will be $8. Bring

single bills with you

(see below) so that you

don’t have to change

money in the airport.

Also see p 71.

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