World Country Guide

Travel - International

Note
All travel to the 'Burmese' side of the Myanmar/Thai border should ideally be avoided, especially since a number of bomb explosions have occurred in public places, for which no group claimed full responsibility, although a student group has claimed responsibility for some of the attacks and threatened more in the future. The political situation in Myanmar remains unsettled and there continues to be stringent restrictions on freedom of movement and speech.

Air
Myanmar’s national airline is Myanmar Airways International (UB) (website: www.maiair.com). Yangon has direct air links with Bangkok, Bangladesh, Calcutta, Jakarta, Kunming, Moscow and Singapore. Airlines serving Myanmar include Air China, Austrian Airlines, Bangladesh Airlines, Indian Airlines, Lufthansa, Silk Air and Thai Airways International.

International airports
Yangon (RGN) is 19km (12 miles) from the city. Airport facilities include restaurant, bar, snack bar, bank, post office, duty free shop and tourist information. Buses go to the city (travel time – 30 minutes). Taxis are also available (travel time – 45 minutes).

Departure tax
US$10, payable also in FECs (Foreign Exchange Certificates; see also Money section for details). Passengers in direct transit are exempt.

Sea
Cruise ships call at Yangon Port.

Road
Overland entry with a border pass is, in theory, permitted at the following border check points: Kyukoke, Namkhan and Muse on the Myanmar-Yunnan (People’s Republic of China) border; and Tachileik, Myawaddy and Kawthaung on the Mynamar-Thailand border. Generally speaking, however, foreigners are only allowed to travel as part of an organised group. Owing to continuing political instability, borders may periodically close. Contact the nearest Embassy for up-to-date details.
Note: It is recommended to use only air travel as a means of access into Myanmar.