Myanmar family holidays

The most popular time of year to visit Myanmar is between November and February, when the weather is mostly warm and dry. However, many experienced travellers consider the ‘shoulder-season’, either side of this peak period, as the best time to visit Myanmar. The weather is still generally very good and the crowds are far more minimal. Myanmar has two distinct seasons – dry (October - May) and wet (May/June - October). The drier months leading up to the wet season (March and April) and the early wet season (May and June) are usually the hottest of the year when temperatures can reach astronomical highs. The driest regions of the country are the plains surrounding Bagan and Mandalay, which remain relatively dry (aside from the odd heavy downpour) all the way through to August. As you might expect, temperatures throughout the country are greatly affected by altitude, and therefore the hill stations, lakes and Himalayan foothills are far cooler than the southern lowland and coastal regions.

Whenever our Destination Specialists have visited Myanmar they’ve had a really warm and welcoming reception - it’s often said to be one of the friendliest countries in Asia. Families are likely to find themselves especially effusively received, and kids will be constantly fussed over and even offered sweets or fruit in the markets! It does, of course, remain a complicated country, with distinct ethical dilemmas, and you have to follow your own counsel when it comes to visiting. If you do decide to travel to Myanmar, we can help you do so in a way that benefits the people who live there the most, and makes sure the money your visit brings into the country gets straight to local communities, individuals and small businesses.

Having an experienced, knowledgeable and welcoming local guide on hand during your trip is absolutely invaluable. They’ll be able to meet you upon arrival, act as translator, transfer you between locations, and generally make everything go as smoothly as possible. They’ll leave you to your own devices as much or as little as you wish, but we think a good guide is essential for a successful family holiday. We pride ourselves on using only the best guides in a given region. All our guides are trained to the highest level, and fully certified and licensed. The feedback we get from our clients is that the guides make a great trip into an outstanding one.

Whenever our Destination Specialists have visited Myanmar they’ve had a really warm and welcoming reception - it’s often said to be one of the friendliest countries in Asia. Families are likely to find themselves especially effusively received, and kids will be constantly fussed over and even offered sweets or fruit in the markets! It does, of course, remain a complicated country, with distinct ethical dilemmas, and you have to follow your own counsel when it comes to visiting. If you do decide to travel to Myanmar, we can help you do so in a way that benefits the people who live there the most, and makes sure the money your visit brings into the country gets straight to local communities, individuals and small businesses.

When planning a trip to Asia, it’s important to consider the possible requirement for vaccinations and immunisations. Most importantly, we stress that you should contact your doctor or medical practitioner well before you depart to get their advice on any vaccinations you may need for your trip. If you’ve travelled recently and believe that you are already up-to-date, it is still worth checking as vaccinations have a varying life span. The NHS Fit For Travel Myanmar has the latest information on the country’s malaria status, and the NHS Travel Vaccinations site also has lots of up-to-date information.

Everyone visiting Myanmar requires a visa. There are two types of entry visa: the e-visa service which can be arranged online if arriving into Myanmar at Yangon, Mandalay or Nay Pyi Taw international airports, and the package tour visa (EVT), which can be obtained at the Myanmar Embassy in London and at other embassies worldwide. The standard tourist visa is a single entry visa that allows you to travel in Myanmar for 28 days from the date of your proposed entry. You must only obtain your visa once you are within 3 months of your return date from Myanmar as the visa expires 3 months after being stamped into your passport. For UK residents, further information is available at www.londonmyanmarembassy.com

We’d recommend taking supplies of any essentials, such as favourite nappies, formula etc., as well as your preferred brand of sunscreen and insect repellent, as it might be tricky to get hold of things while you’re there. Light, long sleeved shirts, a light scarf or two, and long trousers or skirts will mean that you’re prepared for any modest dress code requirements. They’ll also help provide valuable protection against strong sunlight and mosquitoes. If you’re travelling with tinies, consider taking a really good baby carrier, as push-chairs might be more difficult to get about with.

Despite significant modifications in recent years, Myanmar still boasts one of the more complicated currency 'situations' in Asia. As is often the case, you cannot obtain the local kyat (pronounced 'chat') outside Myanmar. Until recently, we were advising that it was essential to arrive with most of your spending money in US$ cash, with all notes in absolutely perfect condition. In November 2015 the Central Bank of Myanmar announced the revocation of foreign exchange licences, essentially meaning that US dollars are no longer an acceptable form of payment in the country. However, this rule has seemingly not yet been fully enforced and, even though the ruling is still technically in place, it’s common for hotels and restaurants to accept both US dollars and Myanmar kyat. As ATM machines have now become prevalent across much of Myanmar, certainly in the key tourist destinations, we would suggest using ATMs to withdraw Myanmar kyat (they only dispense local currency) as you travel through the country, withdrawing extra if you are travelling more off the beaten track.