Tips you should know while traveling Myanmar
As Thingyan, Myanmar’s water festival, begins, students enjoy their longest vacation and workers begin the year’s biggest holiday. Many celebrate the time off with long trips around Myanmar, visiting famous pagodas.
But beware – at each pagoda, various vendors and beggars are bound to annoy visitors by cheating them in a myriad of ways. From fake cleaners to elaborate legends, watch out for these classic tricks:
Cleaners
On one recent trip, I couldn’t understand why young and healthy men were sitting on the pagoda stairs, holding a small cloth and a wad of money. But they explained they were cleaning (one or two stairs by each man) for visitors, who should give them a small donation as thanks. They said it would also be a kind of donation to the pagoda, as well as other visitors who could enjoy smooth, clean steps.
In my opinion, these men are just in the way.
Vendors
Every region of Myanmar has significant goods to offer, from Shan weavings to Bamar longyis. The famous thanakha bark can be found in the upper country, as well as some rare herbs and dried meats. Be careful – check the prices between vendors, as some will try to overcharge. If you don’t want to give the extremely high amount of money after choosing a product, you will have issues, so just be sure to settle the price before you take something. Also, double- check the herbs to make sure they are real. The fake ones are not so rare. And when some vendors try to sell you snacks to feed monkeys or other animals, don’t feel bad for not buying them. They will blame you and say you have no heart, but it’s okay. The monkeys will find something to eat with or without you.
You might be a local in this beautiful country with this tips, and do you want to be a local in Vietnam? You can almost be if taking our Halong bay tour from Hanoi!
Foods
Puffy rice doesn’t look good but be careful of the curries because the pastes of dishes may have been cooked in the same pot for days. Fried snacks are different – when you taste before you buy, they can change drastically in the time it takes you to eat the full snack. Vendors sell politely and give lots of taste testers, but remember that food tastes a lot different cold. Milk may be watered down with river water, and I’ve heard rumours that they let it curdle to make creams. Also, the taste of palm paste snacks can be changed by adding tamarind seeds. If you want to eat warm and fresh foods, you need to discuss with your trip planner because all visitors have to deal with the smells once you’re seated on the bus.
Hostels
Monasteries and pagoda compounds usually announce that visitors can stay for free. But in reality, it’s expected that you will make a donation. Talk to your trip leader – many collect money ahead of times, but for big pagodas or large groups, it would be appropriate to donate additional money on your own. Bathrooms and toilets should be offered a K100 donation, unless there’s a crowd, in which case K200 is more appropriate. If your phone needs a charge, you can probably pay K500 to charge it somewhere at the pagoda. The point is, nothing is free. You will get dizzy looking for free stuff.
Orders
There are many historical places around Myanmar pagodas, and for each place there are guides who can explain the history and spiritual stories. So, all visitors should visit each shrine room and donate some amount of money. If you don’t, you will be judged and blamed as un-religious by those shrine leaders. You should also be prepared to buy their goods and obey their directions. Most importantly, don’t be rude. If you don’t believe one of their stories, keep it to yourself. Speaking out against them could have you bearing the brunt of the karmic blame if something goes wrong, such as a small accident or trip delay. For example, in a dry zone of upper Myanmar, there is a cold volcano and molten lava bubbles to the surface. Guides say that two dragons are living under the mountain, blowing the bubbles to answer visitors’ luck and questions. Visitors are then instructed to buy small milk cups to throw into the volcano – don’t complain or spread rumours that the milk is fake.
Beggars
If you make a long trip across the country, please bring small notes to donate to the huge numbers of beggars living around each pagoda. If you need to, use them to change notes – they often have more money in their bags or belongings. They typically sit in the compound, though some find quiet corners to sit or sleep. Sometimes they have bags and beds that are in the way, but if you are willing to go to paradise, you should donate and consider them as tests of your patience.
