Myanmar (Burma)

Travel tips for Myanmar (Burma): safety advisories, currency and cash vs. card, tap water, plugs, local phrases, food, and advice from travelers.

Cash and cards

Cash is essential. Cash is essential because ATMs are unreliable and cards are rarely accepted outside 5-star hotels, so travelers must bring pristine, uncreased USD to exchange for Kyat to fund all daily expenses.

Try the food

  • Mohinga (မုန့်ဟင်းခါး): A comforting, savory rice noodle and fish soup thickened with toasted chickpea flour, typically enjoyed for breakfast.
  • Tea Leaf Salad (လက်ဖက်သုပ်): A tart, savory, and crunchy salad made from fermented tea leaves mixed with fried beans, roasted peanuts, garlic, and sesame seeds.
  • Shan Noodles (ရှမ်းခေါက်ဆွဲ): Thin rice noodles served either in a peppery broth or dry with a sticky soy-based sauce, topped with marinated chicken or pork.

Say it in Burmese

  • Hello: မင်္ဂလာပါ (Mingalaba)
  • Thank you: ကျေးဇူးတင်ပါတယ် (Kyeizu tin ba de)
  • Please: ကျေးဇူးပြု၍ (Kyeizu pyu ywe)
  • Excuse me: ကန်တော့ပါ (Kadaw ba)
  • How much is this?: ဒါဘယ်လောက်လဲ (Da be lout le?)
  • The bill please: ရှင်းမယ် (Shin me)
  • Yes: ဟုတ်ကဲ့ (Hote ke)
  • No: ဟင့်အင်း (Hin in)

Essentials

Plugs
Type C / Type D / Type F / Type G
Voltage
230V, 50Hz
Driving
Right side
Tap water
Avoid — buy bottled
Emergency
199 (police), 192 (ambulance), 191 (fire)
SIM tip
Purchase a local SIM card from providers like MPT, Ooredoo, or Atom at the airport upon arrival, or buy an eSIM online beforehand for immediate connectivity.

Etiquette

Always remove your shoes and socks before entering any Buddhist temple, pagoda, or monastery, and ensure your shoulders and knees are covered.

Airports in Myanmar (Burma)