Travel Advice: Tibet and Burma/Myanmar

[TYMSMNY]

Hi All, looking to plan a trip to Tibet and Myanmar. I know there are political issues in the area but willing to take the chance. Depending on time frame, priority goes to Tibet.

I'm assuming I'll have to go somewhere close in China and take the train?

Are there any places that is a must see? Where's a good place to start?

I was hoping to see a good mix of touristy vs. non-touristy places with tons of food. :)

Inputs and suggestions are all welcomed.

TIA.

Edit: 2-3 weeks.

[holden]

I think getting a visa to Tibet will be the hard part, it's not the same visa as to the rest of mainland China. From what I've heard it's very difficult at the moment, most people are getting rejected from here. It might be easier to get it in China, perhaps you can grease the wheels.

You could go to Tibetan areas outside of the TAR (Tibet Autonomous Region), this only requires the normal visa. But I'm guessing you probably want to see the capital city Lhasa.

I think Myanmar would also be a great place to go right now. Get to see it before it opens up and gets too modernized.

[gatorade]

You are correct that getting in Tibet is a pain, and that in order to get in you have to go through China first and then take a few hours long train ride.

[TYMSMNY]

I guess the only way is through a tour and get a Tibetan Visa so that I can fly directly into Lhasa.

so my research brings me to that I need a Chinese Visa + TSB + PSB so I can get access to all the places I'd like to see. Only allowed entry and exit through tours so I guess it'll be "tours research" next. I'd like to join a non-chinese one...

Anyone taken the "land-cruiser" tour entry in? sounds exciting!

[20incheyes]

You can fly into Rangoon in Myanmar. I did it from BKK on Thai airways.

Bring crisp US dollar bills if you go to Rangoon. Super crisp!!!

People are very nice. There are no typical American franchises yet. I was only there for a few nights on business but the tourists I did meet at my hotel had great stories about Myanmar.

[CSMRX7]

I spent a few weeks in Burma a few years ago before it was opening up. My advice would be to Fly in to Yangon/Rangoon spend a couple of days there seeing the main sites, then go to Bago for the day, then I would recomend flying to Bagan and spending a few days there. Then take the train or ferry to Mandalay (the ferry is a full day trip but worth it). See Mandalay then take the bus to Inle Lake, and fly from Inle Lake back to Yangon.

If you want to relax for a few days you can also hit up the beach town at Ngwe Saung, we stayed in a grass hut right on the beach at the Sunny Paradise Resort and were extremely secluded.

I am sure there is a ton of other stuff to see but these are the places I went. Burma is still relatively untouched by the western world but at least now you can use a credit card. Also there is a better official exchange rate and larger bills. When I went we had to exchange all of our money on the black market the official exchange rate was something like 7 kyat / $ but the going rate on the black market was arount 1000 kyat / $ so a crazy difference. It was interesting at the time as the largest bill was 1000 kyat so you want to pay you 5 day hotel bill for $ 500 or 500 individual 1000 kyat bills. We had to travel with a backpack full of money!