AboutNancy B Expertise One of my all-time favorites. I`ve been there more than 10 times (for at least a month each time), done the tourist loop five times and travelled to several permit-only areas. Aside from the Yangon, Bago, Inle, Kalaw, Mandalay, Pagan, Pyay route, I`ve travelled twice to Sittwe, Mrauk-U and the Chin areas and then down to Ramree Island, Ngapali and Pathein. Been on the wonderful boat from Bhamo to Mandalay and sojourned in the south a bit past Moulmein. Most recently I trekked in the northern Kachin state, camped and stayed with the Rawang tribe, for 2 weeks on the way to Phonekan Razi to see the Himalayas from the east. I`ve taken nearly every mode of transport--trains, planes, buses, boats, bikes, oxcarts, trekking on foot. I can answer logistical questions about airfare, hotels, restaurants, trekking, trains, restricted/open areas and, especially, cultural/religious sites and their significance.
Experience The world is a fascinating place and nothing reveals this more thoroughly than exploring faraway lands. I've got a penchant for the exotic, a friendly face and a true curiousity about the people, art and life.
Question Hello Nancy! I am trying to find a way crossing Myanmar. Before finding this site I already asked the official Myanmar travel agency how to enter from India and they just told me very briefly that istīs not possible. I found out that is just because there are no open borders. Now I am trying to find a way to come directly to Yangon preferably by ferry boat from India. I am by bike, still possible for me to leave from every city in the Bengalese Bay.
I want to go down entering Thailand either at Ranong or at Mae Sot, depending which coastline is more beautiful, in the east in Thailand or the western part in Myanmar?
If it is not possible I will have to find a solution going maybe directly to Sumatra which is the worst case. I will be there in around 6 months. I will leave Europe in around one month.
I hope you can help me.
Thankfully
Johannes
Answer Hi, Johannes. Interesting. There is certainly routing by boat (though not little ferries . . . you're aware of the distances, right?)and since the route from western Burma's town of Sittwe into Bangadesh is a major smuggling point, both the land and water are VERY tightly controlled.
You could come into Yangon by boat, at the very least by cargo boat. The problem is, as far as I know, NO entry is permitted for foreigners as there is no visa check service like there is coming from Ranong, Thailand. (Obviously, if you fly in there's an immigration point at the airport. (See, http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South/Ranong/blog-48440.html for info about the Thailand TO Burma route). There is no checking when you EXIT from the Mergui archipelago TO Thailand (but that is not even a guarantee, since it technically applies to ships they already checked coming in). So, chances are, your boat would be stopped on the way into Yangon, and they wouldn't let you go onward to Yangon. If they let you go on, you probably won't be able to get off onto land (or switch boats).
Seems to me you should be able to get a boat DIRECT from India to Thailand.
Have fun,
Nancy B
