In the last post I mentioned tourists... and we see a fair few at the moment. That is not what I wanted to mention though.

Most people don't know much about Burma (Myanmar). They have heard about the country (and seldom in a positive light) but not many people know where it is exactly and what it is like here. This is not Thailand (even though that is a neighbour). What surprises me every year, and this year is no exception, how ill-prepared some tourists are.

First of all, quite a few people think since this is not on the general tourist trail in SE-Asia, it is a dirt cheap country to visit. This country is much more expensive in general than e.g. Thailand. There is not a lot on offer accommodation wise, there are no 'tourist buses' that travel between favourite destinations, and food is cheap but only if you know where to look. So, regularly, people arrive here with a few dollars in their pocket thinking this is just an undiscovered, and therefore cheaper, version of Thailand. Which brings me to the second thing that people should know about this destination.. THERE ARE NO ATM's! (actually since a few weeks there are ATM's they are just no use to anyone yet). No places to cash in traveller's cheques and very very few places where you can pay with a credit card. And Western Union has no auxiliary here. And every year people haven't done their homework and arrive here only to find that they have a problem.

Money is just the biggest problem if people haven't researched this country, but I've met people thinking that the beaches here were just like Thai beaches (with all the nightlife). Well.... not exactly. The beaches are nice but apart from swimming and sunbathing there isn't much to do. Some guys think that there are girlie bars here on every corner too... Mmm, no. There is a little bit of nighlife going on in the bars of the big hotels but that is about all. Last year we met some very disappointed travellers. they had prepared themselves for some  serious clubbing only to find that there was nothing going...

You can't hire a car here as a tourist, nor motor bikes, scooters, etc.. Bicycles, yes. In Bagan and Mandalay especially. Mobile phones don't work here but it is no problem bringing them into the country. And nowadays you CAN buy a prepaid card. You just can't top it up. Internet works in the main destinations, though sometimes at a snail's pace, and I've carried in (and out) several cameras and a laptop on many occasions. That is fine. No worries there.

This whole pots was triggered by a comment on a travel forum. Not that posting this will help much but at least I've mentioned it (again).