Asia and Oceania

Insurance 

We strongly recommend that comprehensive travel and medical insurance, which includes air evacuation by a recognised carrier, be obtained before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all activities you want to undertake. For more general information, see travel insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is how we can help.

 

Replacement passports 

The British Embassy in Rangoon does not issue passports and, before setting off, you should ensure that your passport has sufficient validity (over six months) and a plentiful supply of unused pages. You are encouraged to carry photocopies of your passport at all times. Applications for new passports are accepted in Rangoon for forwarding to the British Embassy in Bangkok for processing, but this may take up to six weeks. If a courier is used, the cost will have to be borne by the applicant.

 

Registering with the British Embassy 

If you intend to stay in Burma for over a month, you are advised to register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.

 

Mobile phones

International GSM roaming is not available in Burma. 

On arrival/departure 

You should expect to have your baggage searched and/or x-rayed on arrival.  You may be required to leave items such as mobile phones and personal computers with customs, for collection upon departure. You are required to declare any foreign currency over US $2,000. Failure to do so may result in imprisonment. A departure tax of 10 US Dollars/FEC (Foreign Exchange Certificate) is payable when you check in for your departure flight.

 

Money 

There are no ATMs in Burma.

 

Following the adoption of the Burma Freedom and Democracy Act by the US Government, credit cards and travellers' cheques are rarely accepted in Burma.  One or two major hotels in Rangoon do accept credit cards, but this is subject to change. If you wish to pay by credit card, you should check with your hotel or tour operator. You should bring enough US Dollars to fund your stay. Be aware that because of concerns over counterfeit money, US Dollars with the letters AB and CB at the start of the serial number (top left-hand corner of note) are not always accepted. Notes should also be in good condition, those with pen marks or tears are not always accepted.

 

You no longer need to change US $200 into FECs on arrival at Rangoon.  Exchange counters at the airport offer the government approved rate (450 kyats to the US$), which is significantly less than the market rate. Since most businesses catering to tourists accept dollars, you may wish to avoid changing money at the airport to avoid unnecessary losses.

 

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) 

Burma is a party to the CITES.  Visitors should therefore be aware of the restrictions placed on the export of endangered species by CITES, particularly when deciding whether to buy exotic souvenirs such as those made from turtles.  Over 800 species of animals and plants are currently banned from international trade and a further 30,000 are strictly controlled by CITES and EU legislation.  Further information is available on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITIES) website.