Trip to the Land of Golden Pagodas - Part 1

I visited the Land of Golden Pagodas in early May.  This is my first trip into the country which has been closed for years.  Even now, I still need to get visa, although I hold ASEAN country passport. 

The process of taking visa is actually quite easy, 1 working day process.  You submit today and you will collect it tomorrow afternoon.   However, as I was lazy to go to Myanmar embassy in Singapore, I decided to use a travel agent service.  I went to Peninsula Plaza which is known as Little Myanmar to look for travel agent.  Apparently, due to a week of New Year holiday in Myanmar, the embassy was closed.  So some travel agent has back-log and they told me they can only submit the application for a limited number (some say 5, some say 6) per day.  I managed to get the agent that can do it for me (as I need to be in HKG on Monday before Labour day) and my trip to Yangon was on 3-May.


I took a very early morning flight (0755) out of SIN to RGN, as only the morning flight is SQ flight and the rest is MI flight, as I prefer to fly on non-single aisle plane as much as I can.  Here is the plan that will take me to Yangon

The flight was quite empty.  I think the load may not even 50%.  Most of the passengers are Myanmarese.  I guess not many Singapore-based business people flies to Yangon on Friday morning.  May the belly is full.

The flight was nothing to talk about.  The plane is rather old B777-200ER (10+ years) which still have a very small screen in economy, although it is AVOD.   The aircraft registration is 9V-SVK.

After about close to 3 hours, we were about to land at Yangon Mingaladon International airport.  From above, you can see a big river, I suspect it should be the mighty Irrawady river.

My friend told me he saw a big Pagoda when he about to land.  We suspect it is the Shwedagon Pagoda which I will cover later.

To be very honest, I expect that the RGN airport will be a very run down airport and nothing much to expect.  But oh boy, I am very very wrong.  Although, it is not very big, it has a very modern look and clean.


My flight just arrived from SIN and they have aero-bridge :)

There were some traffic on the late morning in RGN.  Most of the airlines that I never see before.

The terminal is very clean and modern look.

The arrival is on the 2nd floor, so you have to go down to pass the immigration and custom.  There is a sign welcoming you to Myanmar.  Mingalabar!!!

The luggage area is just after you pass immigration.  Immigration is fast.

You need to put your bag in X-ray machine to pass the custom.



There is a money changer just after you pass the custom to your left.  It is advisable to exchange some local money here, Kyat (pronounce likes Chat) - MMK.  The rate is quite good.  If I am not mistaken 1SGD = MMK 718 at that time.  When I took money using my Citibank ATM on the hotel the following Sunday, the rate is MMK695.   Now a days, you can withdraw money through the local bank ATM using MasterCard/Visa, but they will impose some small fee (cannot recall) on top on what your bank will charge you.You need to calculate carefully so that.

Please be warn also, you can forget your Credit Card in Myanmar.  Everything is in cash.  The hotel only accept room bill settlement using Credit Card.  What I heard, MasterCard is planning to be the first one to introduce credit card in Myanmar but this will only happen toward end of 2013.

Here is the scene after you pass the immigration.  Many people are waiting.  It seems they are waiting for their relatives or families member come back from overseas.  There is also a monitor to display flight arrival information like many other airport.

Part 2