Asia and Oceania

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• The political situation in Burma remains unsettled and tensions could resurface as preparations for the elections in 2010 gather momentum.  Visitors and residents should exercise caution, avoid all demonstrations and large gatherings and avoid taking photographs or videos of the military, the police or demonstrations as doing so could be interpreted as provocative. See the Political situation section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• For general guidance on H1N1 please see the following link: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-alerts/swine-flu. Routine medical advice and treatment can be obtained in Rangoon and Mandalay, but elsewhere you should not assume that competent advice and treatment is available. Visitors to Burma may be subjected to temperature checks on arrival and will be required to complete health and travel history forms on arrival as well as giving details of accommodation arrangements. Those considered to be at risk of having H1N1 may be quarantined in one of the government hospitals identified for the purpose.
  
  
• On 6 June 2009, a Myanmar Airways aircraft skidded off the runway at Sittwe Airport, injuring three. Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff have been advised to avoid flying with Myanmar Airways. See the Air Safety section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• Fighting between the Burmese military and armed ethnic groups in Northern Shan State, on the border with China, was reported in September. There are also mounting tensions with other armed ethnic groups in Southern Shan State near borders with Thailand, Laos and China.
  
  
• There is a general threat from terrorism in Burma.  Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.  Since April 2005, there have been a number of bomb explosions targeting commercial interests, public transport and places that tourists may visit.    The most recent were on 16-17 September 2009, when seven small blasts occurred in different areas on the outskirts of Rangoon, although there were no reported casualties. See the Terrorism section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• There are stringent restrictions on freedom of movement and speech.  British Embassy officials are not allowed to travel freely outside Rangoon without prior permission from the Burmese government, except to a limited number of destinations.  Consular assistance in an emergency may therefore be restricted or delayed.
  
  
• Cyclones occasionally occur in Burma between April and October.  Floods and landslides may occur.  Local and international weather updates are available through the http://www.wmo.ch/pages/index_en.html
  
  
• Around 3,200 British tourists visited Burma in 2007 (Burmese Central Statistical Organisation figures). Most visits are trouble-free. Ten British nationals required consular assistance in Burma in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (3 cases); hospitalisations (1 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (0 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (1 cases).
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.  See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and travel insurance for more details.