This post was written by Sorin Vlaicu who has been moving to Myanmar since 2014 & blogger and Myanmar travel expert, who blogs on KikiJourney.com and has a travel agency in Myanmar.

Everyone dreams of moving to South East Asia and to be close to the beach and enjoy a day in a warm water while eating great food. Most of the people think of Thailand and in the past years Vietnam expat  community is growing quite fast. Moving to Myanmar is most of a time not a personal choice but rather the company you have worked for does need you in Myanmar or you are an english teacher who wants to change a bit the atmosfer. I personally moved to Myanmar back on 2014 and lived every since in Yangon and it was by my choice!

Below you will find a list of things that you need to do before you buying  your one way flight  ticket to Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Being well prepared will put you on poll position to stay in Myanmar longer than the average expats stays (1 and a half years) and be able to stay longer than 5 years.

Moving to Myanmar it’s not easy as the country is still in the developing mode after many years of just not moving forward under the socialist government of Nay Win.

Tips for Moving to Myanmar

1. Apartment vs Condo Vs House 

While in western countries the cost of renting an apartment vs a condo is quite similar in Yangon, the economical capital of Myanmar there is a huge different in terms of quality, services and priced to be paid for the rent.

Apartments are those buildings build in Myanmar in the early 80 and 90’s or early 2010 and are located mostly in the downtown area or in the newly build townships. The older the place the lowest the rate has to be due to the poor quality of the building and 0 maintenance. Expect a rent of 150$ to 200$ per month but the living conditions are not even close to the one’s home. Most of the apartments do come empty in terms of furniture or kitchen appliance so add that to your renting cost. Almost all do not have an elevator and can go up to 6 or 8th floor high.

Living in a apartment build in the past years  (condo) will increase the comfort of your living but don’t expect a huge difference. Most of the apartments are made in a long haul style with a room, actually just a 4 wall square room build in the middle for privacy. Rent can go up to 35o-400$/month. 

Back in 2014 when I first rented my first apartment we have paid around 800$ for the first type of apartment mentioned here. And it come empty with no AC or Fridge. After payment the second year rent the owner added the fridge and AC but the rent increased with 50$.

Condominium are the highest in terms of quality and price in Yangon. Except to pay starting from 650$ to 1500$ month based on the location (maily) if furniture is provided or not. Prices are going down for this segment in the past years.

For all, there is a common rule: rent is paid at least 6 months to 1 year for the whole period! Moving into an expensive Condominium will mean paying at least 10,000$ at once.

Not to mention that if taking via an agent have to pay full or half month rent fee depending on the period.

It’s important to know that the owner is obliged to register you at the local ward and take the Form-C or any other form depending on visa type in Myanmar. But most of them do forget about you the moment of signing and paying the lease even if there is a damage in the house they don’t take full responsibility in order to fix it.

If you are looking for a house to rent  in Yangon you can either go in the Golden Valley area where most of the high end houses are located or go to the Pun Hlaing Estate where the cream of expats and locals do live. Expect to pay from 3000$ to 7,000$/per month.

Insider Tip: Spend a few weeks in a hotel in Yangon and visit in person the apartment. Even if it looks OK maybe the building or the area is not attractive for you. Secondly, count the distance and do one test from the apartment to your workplace during the rush hour; if it’s more than 40 minutes we might consider finding a different location close to your workplace. Moving to Myanmar with kids, we might consider living in an area & clean zone as Star City. 

2. 3rd Floor Rule

First, the ground floor does count as a floor in Myanmar. So if in Europe we are staying at 3rd floor in Myanmar you are are living on 2nd floor. This was one of the first advice: try to rent at higher floor (elevator must to included). I was told that during the monsoon season where streets are sometimes flooded, rats can go up to 2nd floor and can enter to your house!

Needles to stay that now I live on 3rd floor based on European scale and had some issue with some rats who entered via the kitchen area. One of the first apartment I lived for a short period it was located on 9th floor and got one time an uninvited guest: a small mouse! Usually the landlords to charge higher prices for higher apartments!

Insider Ti: The higher the place is the smaller the rat will be! 

3. Must love animals when Moving to Myanmar

Dogs

Because they can be almost everywhere in your life. Rats can go up to 3rd floor or even more. Snakes are common if you are living in a ground house. Geckos are a common presence in almost all area (currently I have a family of 4-5 gekkos in the apartment I life and beside some extra poop on the floor they are not disturbing me; plus they are considered to bring luck in the house!

There are more than 150,000 stray dogs alone in Yangon; even if they are friendly and me personally I have dog phobia I never felt like going around them (only a few times) and never got bitten so far. Dogs in Myanmar tend to be bigger and a bit more dangerous based on climate. In Yangon there are more lazy while going up in the north where the climate is cooler (like Pyin Oo Lwin), they tend to be bigger and dangerous.

Insider Tip: Poison against the rats rarely work (it’s seem they really liked it). What it work was the sticky trap but it’s not an nice visual image after that! 

4. Learning Burmese Will Make Your Life Easier when Moving to Myanmar

Jean Fenouil @ Flickr (CC by 2.0)

And local people we do respect you more for sure! Compared with chinese language which has up to 26 tonnes or Thai Language which has 6 tonnes the Myanmar language has only 4 which does make it easier to be learned. But we need motivation for that and a true need to start learning. Before moving to Burma you can learn a few words just to impress the custom officers!

I did have only a slight need to learn while I was in the dating period but it got lost after I meet my future wife which does speak english.

Insider Tip: Go with the Pro as the Moe Myanmar Language Centre or if you don’t have time hire a private teacher to come to your place. 

5. Getting Married in Myanmar

Is quite easy and not as complicated as I thought at least in terms of paperwork. Burmese culture is a bit strict and you do must change your religion to buddhism if you are getting married with a buddhist women in Myanmar. Being a Christian does not make you any issue but if you are a muslim and want to get married with a local it would be almost impossible.

The process was quite simple: must to go monastery and make a donation, take 6 photos in from of a pagoda (which later will be handle to the judge); sign with your finger (literally) in from of the judge and that’s it!

You have to take into consideration that you must have the accept of the parents (especially the mother) and each ethnicity in Myanmar has its own rules and customs. For example in Kachin is comom for the future husband to buy an elephant for the girl parents!

Insider Tip: Once the mother loves you, it would be much more easier! 

6. Karaoke if Life when Moving to Myanmar

Karaoke Myanmar

After work people to go for a short dinner or have a beer at a local beer station (which is damm cheap – less than a 1$) and most of the time the night do end in a Karaoke or KTV how is locally know. And trust me, the burmese people do know how to sing!

Insider Tip: Join them to a Karaoke night; we will know your work colleagues better. 

7. Traveling to Thailand is Cheaper vs Travelling in Myanmar

How that can be possible you may ask?! First it’s the dual prices: local vs foreigners (or do you think locals do pay same price for renting an apartment?. The dual price is mostly implemented by the local airlines and sometimes prices can be not double but up to 3 times more! A one way flight to Ngapali Beach or Inle Lake can go up to 100$/person – one way!

That means 200$ for a round trip. If I want to go to Bangkok I usually pay 90$ for a round flight ticket plus a few bucks for a bus to the seaside which makes the travel cost almost half if you take into consideration only the flights.

Even if the price of the hotel is not double for the foreigners you do have a different. A double room can cost 60$ for foreigners and 60,000 kyats for locals (where the exchange rate in Myanmar is 1 usd = 1400 kayts) so around 40-45$.

The popular Balloons Over Bagan Ride tend to have the same price for locals and foreigners with some balloon companies trying to get an extra sale making the price lower for the locals but it’s not a norm.

Entrance fees; most of the cultural do have a fee for the foreigners and locals do not pay. This is a norm in most of the countries and no need to complain here.

Insider Tip: Airasia is the no 1 choice in terms of cheap flights from Yangon to Bangkok. With planning & sale can go as low as 60$ round trip to Thailand! 

8. GPS is No 1 Enemy 

Of the taxi drivers. Or used to be. When Uber came to Myanmar back a few years ago it was a big relief and I did not have to spend up to 10 minutes to negotiate the fare and then to explain where I wanted to go.

The Uber sold its shares to Grab which is the most popular ride app in Myanmar. At the beginning I have rarely seen the taxi drivers the GPS and I do remembered sometimes I was the one with the GPS opened and showed the driver the road. Things have changed in the past years and more and more taxi drivers are using it.

Before the fare was negotiated and I always wanted to pay the normal price not the double/tourist fare. I do remembered once I have rejected up to 20 taxi drivers in a raw for only a 500 kyat difference (around 30c). I was raining cats and dogs but I wanted to pay for normal price.

If your taxi driver says: I know a shortcut that’s a bad sign; he will go on a more crowded road for sure!

9. Facebook is the INTERNET. Google comes in second

Everything happens on Facebook in Myanmar: shopping, dating and searching. While in Yangon the Facebook user number is up t0 6 million people, Google has a target of only half of that. And most people do not know how to search on Google.

Few years ago they had no clue want an URL or a webpage does mean as I have seen it at a local marketing event presentation. Before moving to Myanmar you better join a Facebook group as Yangon Connection for the latest updates and information. On Google we won’t find to many things (Except for this blog post)!

10. Utility is cheap when moving to Myanmar

Electricity Bill Myanmar

And locally there is no real winter or snow in Yangon so no gas bill to pay as in Europe for example. I did not pay for the water since a year ago when suddenly I have started to pay: it’s less than 2$ per month. Electricity has one of the lowest rate in the world till the price was raised to more than triple last year.

I used to pay around 1,5$/month for electricity in Yangon (and I don’t have AC). Now with the new tarrifs I pay around 14,000 kyat which is around 8$. But the price paid it would depend on the place we are rating. You might pay up to 50$ if you are staying in a condominium. Garbage fee is around 1$/per month. So my average utility fee is now 10$/month!

And they never come in an envelope. For example the electricity bill is left downstairs and every person has to take it and then either go and pay it or recently can be easily paid via several payment apps.

11. Be AWARE of MSG when Moving to Myanmar

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that’s “generally recognized as safe,” but its use remains controversial.

Why is controversial? MSG was invented by a Japanese company and guess what, now it’s banned to be used in Japan but it’s widdly popular in Asia. You can find MSG (it’s a white powder) in Knorr as well but the quantity is very small. If added in large quantities symbols as headache or thirsty are come in first.

Like any other additive, the long terms use can cause obesity and even cancer. So when you are order food in Myanmar or South-East Asia. always ask and say: NO MSG

11. Ikea in Myanmar?

Unfortunately it’s not yet in Myanmar even if they do have an office in here and they exploit some wood from Myanmar. Furniture tends to be quite expensive in Myanmar and does not very good design (tends to be very heavy furniture). Before moving to Myanmar either ship a container with your furniture or buy locally teak furniture.

Lucky they are a few companies who does buy from Ikea Bangkok the furniture we want and delivery to your home in Yangon with a fee of 25 to 30% of the total price. Taking into consideration the transportation, logistics and the custom it’s quite a fair price.

12. Women pay at the first date 

Or at least my future wife did and told me it’a a custom in here!

13. Poor Public Infrastructure 

Yangon has only buses and taxis for transportation. And an circular train which is being modernized by the Japan which will make it run much better. Still your only option for transportation in Yangon will remain the local taxi and buses tend to be crowded plus it’s written only in local language.

Sorry folks, no metro, subway or BTS trains as in Bangkok. For now as they is in plan to be build one with the deadline of 2027 to be running!

14. Water is not clean

Skin problems are quite often after moving to Myanmar. Either use a special shower gel or buy from your home a shower filter and have it installed on your new home in Yangon. Clothes tend to get a bit yellow in time (white one’s) mainly due to the water.

Pipes are starting to being replaced in Yangon but it would take a while to have it in all Yangon.

15. Waterboys  Delivery – when moving to Myanmar

Tap water is not safe for drinking. I had expats friend which were using bottle water to wash their teeth. I personally used from the beginning the tap water and this made my organism a bit more resistant to local climate and bacterias.

Safe, drinking water is brought to your home by the water boys in 20 litillers  at a price of less than 1$ per big bottle.

Take into consideration that the water is treated via osmosis process which takes out as well the minerals so after 1 month in Myanmar we might need to drink some bottle water with minerals or take some supplements.

Insider Tip: Alpine & PMG Water are considered to be the best in terms of quality.

16. Speaking-tube

Even if they are forbidden by law are used a lot in Myanmar. Yangon is a very noisy city. I have been to Tokyo after 5 years of living in Myanmar and I was amazing to see and hear no noise in all transportation means, on the street or coming from the cars. Once my trolley had an issue and it was a bit noisy it I was so embarrassed and I wanted to go as fast I as could out of that neighborhood.

Back to Myanmar. Starting from early morning (around 4 as they tend to wake up early) till late in the night there is a constant noisy: from people selling food to people collecting garbage or other things.  To cars honking (and not only once but 1 minute without stop) to people yelling or singing via a megaphone as if it’s a concert downstairs and from late dogs barking late in the evening, there is no silence!

I remembered a passage from Orwell book, Burmese Days when one british tried to evacuate the mistress from the house. She started to throw out all the things, made a lot of noise for neighbours to see and hear. After she left, dogs started to bark; the guy desepared used some rocks to hit it and used the gun to make them go (they still continued to bark!). So nothing have changed since Orwell left Myanmar.

Insider Tip: Ear phone and try to get a house in a quiet area. 

17. Downloading is permitted when Moving to Myanmar

If you are coming from a country as Germany where downloading a movie from torrent can bring a law suite, here you can still find movies being sold on the side road and torrents are widely used for downloading TV series and music.

18. Buying an Condo in Myanmar

Condo Yangon

It’s almost possible and legal. The Condominium Law was enacted in 2016 but a few by-laws are needed to make it 100% possible for foreigners to buy a condominium only in Myanmar. There are a few tricky rules: first it only has to be from 6th floor up the flat you are buying (I think that rule it’s still valid).

Then, the foreigners can only buy 40% of the total available flats in that building. Lastly, they must transfer the money from abroad to an Myanmar bank account which is a bit tricky.

Taking into consideration the prices are quite high for those available buildings (up from 200,000 USD) and still in the bubble area I am not sure that except some Chinese investors are willing to buy property in Myanmar in the luxury end market; of course there are people willing to buy but not the tens of thousands building available.

Insider Tip: Go through a legal channel: either direct with the developer or a reputable real estate company rather then classified ads in Myanmar. 

19. Picking the right internet provider when Moving to Myanmar

With barely a competition back in 2013 it was so difficult to find a reliable internet provider in those years. Back then the installation fee was around 500$ and the internet fee was around 150$. And sometimes it would take around 20 min for Gmail to load!

Moving forward to 2020 things are so different. With competitions comes good offers and providers. Had a few providers in the past years. From Myanmar Net which was the best in 2017 but now there services are not that good anymore to Telenor Wifi which was great but when it was rainy for example the internet it was not working too well.

Now I have settle with cable internet from MPT the main provider in Myanmar. Installation was free of charge and now with a plan of 20GB speed download I pay only 40,000 per month! Compare with the early years that’s a real change for the internet in Myanmar!

Insider Tip: What works for me might not work for you. The internet connection might work well for a user based on location and township. When moving ask on Facebook or your neighbours which internet provider to they use in that area! 

20. Religion & Buddhism are taboo Subject

Shwedagon Pagoda

21. Water Festival

The Water Festival is the New Year’s celebrations that take place in Southeast Asian nations such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand as well as among the Dai people of China. Thingyan as it’s known in Myanmar is the main holiday in Myanmar and it’s celebrated in mid-April.

Important to know is that almost everything is closed for almost one week (from banks, shops, restaurants, offices, factories) as everyone goes to their homes or villages. I usually try to exist Myanmar on those days (too hot, too crowded, many drunk young people on the streets, too weet).

But if you are planning to exist Myanmar buy the flight tickets months ahead as prices are quite high as many people do travel abroad as well. Beaches is Myanmar as Ngapali Beach are extremely crowded so I don’t recommend traveling during Water Festival in Myanmar as buses are not running as well and prices are very high on each services (hotels, flights, accommodation)

Insider Tip: Enjoy one year the Water Festival in Myanmar and then try to spend it in a quiet place outside Myanmar

22. Cash Society

Less than 1% of the Myanmar people do have a credit card. But they have entered the digital payment era straight away. Still most people prefer to use cash for payments.

If you have added your credit card to your Grab Account it might not be a good idea as drivers are paid bi-monthly by Grab and drivers do need the money on daily basis to pay for food and car rentals fees.

ATM security & fraud is happening more often and banks do not invest too much on this area. I remembered once a client got it’s credit card blocked (it was a power cut) and since it was Friday the hotel manager (where the ATM was located) that the bank team will be on Monday!! Crazy, no? Even if was a 24h services from the bank side.

Plus, some vendors as hotels do charge a 3% fee for each transaction so cards are not that used in paying the services.

Insider Tip: Visa & Mastercard are mostly used and working in Myanmar. Revolut as well is working in paying and withdrawing money. Note that the limit for withdraw is 300,000 kyats per ATM but some banks allow 600,000 kyats per day. 

23. Astrology is still a thing!

During Nay Win regim country was ruled in the same time by an astrologist (which past away last year) and each decision he tool was based on that! No wonder country was doing so bad! Before moving to Myanmar I have read intesibley about the Myanmar culture and I was intrigued by the astrology and how it still used on daily basis. People still go today to an astrolog to see if it’s OK to start a business and if the astrologist says that Tuesday is not good to go outside and meet with someone, they don’t go outside on that day!

Even my wife have started to follow a page on Facebook where a astrology informs about the possible winning combination for the Myanmar lottery!

Insider Tips: Palm readers astrology are common in Yangon and are to be found mainly in the Sule Pagoda area; I personally did not go but at some point wanted because I am a couriss person by nature! But go with a local for better understanding of your palm readings! 

24. Health Insurance in Myanmar

Myanmar medical infrastructure and the standards of healthcare in the country are very low. In Yangon we do find a few hospital and clinics  with good doctors but for a medium to high operation, most of the locals and Myanmar expats do prefer to go to Bangkok, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur for medical treatment. Before moving to Myanmar better buy it from your home country.

I have been sick only 2 times in the past years (stomach issue) and some nasty flu (or was it COVID back last year?! and I have been to Pun Hlaing Clinic downtown; service was so so. Doctor decent but he insisted on having the dengue test (which is quite predominant in Yangon during the rainy season) even if I had no symptoms as I have already got informed. In the end had no dengue but did not managed to find out what the issue was. I remember once one friend had some blood test and doctor informed him he had all hepatitis types! Crazy; reading by the local doctors here can be quite a mystery.

For clinics  I do recommend International SOS Yangon Clinic;caters mostly for expats. Good service and doctors (had to do some vaccines before going to Africa) or Samitivej International where had to go for an eczema and they do have a good french doctor.

Till this year (2020) the foreign insurance company was not allowed to operate but after almost 5 years of waiting the market has been liberalized. Now insurance as ManuLife, Dai-ichi Life Insurance or AIA are present in Myanmar and more insurance packages are available in Myanmar.

Insider Tip: When buying a health insurance be sure to be covered for Thailand and Singapore as well as we will probably use it for other medical services which are not available in Myanmar. 

25. Driving Licence

Driving

There are a few bilateral agreements between Myanmar and some countries and we only need to make a request for your driving licence to be recognized in Myanmar. But most countries do not have agreements so we do need to take a few driving lesson and then to take the written exam.

International Driving Licence is not recognized in Myanmar and can not be used.

Insider Tip: Traffic is horrible in Yangon and the way our myanmar people driving will drive you crazy. Better rent a car ( around 3,5 lakhs per month and a driver with a 1-2lks per month) and arrive in a serene mood at the office and then back home!

26 Long Stay Visa in Myanmar

For Tourists there is no long stay visa for Myanmar; tourists can stay legally only 28 days in Myanmar. The most common visa type for foreigners is Business Visa (70 days is the most common one) and can be made then of 6 and 1 year extension.

Social Visa for Myanmar is the second most popular (for people married with locals). A bit more expensive than  the Business Visa and you need to go with the whole process of extension: 70 days Single, 70 days Multiple, 3 months Multiple, 6 months multiple and 1 year multiple. If you miss one, we will go again t o square one!!

Prices for both, Business and Social Visa are quite high. You can find the visa cost for Myanmar here.

Insider Tip: Most of the time is much easier and faster to go to Bangkok or Singapore to do your visa at their embassies rather than in Myanmar! 

27. Vaccination

Beside Yellow Fever, Different Types of Hepatitis there are no mandatories vaccines for Myanmar. Malaria is present in Myanmar but only in the deep south and on the Thai-Myanmar jungle area border so no need to take the malarone pills with you only if you are working in those area.

I did again the Polio vaccines this years and Myanmar was on the list of Polio countries and I was afraid I would be asked on a plane back to Myanmar.

Insider Tip: If you are moving to Myanmar with a toddler just check to see if the vaccine shots she/he might need it are available in Myanmar. SOS clinic is one of the best clinic for expats in Myanmar. 

28. Things to bring from abroad

Now there are a few online services which can help you buy things from Amazon (either Singapore or USA) or Lazada Thailand and other Thai Shopping Websites.

I would say the most important things would be:

• extra side clothes & shoes : most of the cloths made for Asian are in the smaller size
• Specific Medicine & Vitamins
• Some food we only find at your local store

Insider Tip: Bangkok is only 50 minutes away by flight so if you are looking for a shopping weekend just go! For quality and luxury good Singapore is the choice and only 3 hour flight from Yangon. 

29. Getting used with the Myanmar Climate

One expat was asking how not to sweet too much during the hot & humid days of April to September. And my answer and other people living here was quite simple & the same. Don’t have an AC at home! At least for one year and so. I rarely had an AC during my 7 years and counting in Myanmar. Now, even if it’s super hot I do not sweat too much because my body is regulating itself.

What’s very high in Myanmar is the UV. During the summer days 12 and above is a regular thing and the Sun in Myanmar is much stronger compared with Europe for example. An umbrella is a must for all season in Myanmar.

Insider Tip: Try to ventilate your home or use only a electric fan for the first year and so and then switch to AC but mostly during the hot summer nights and not during the day.

30. Private education is Expensive

If you have a family, another major portion of your income will be spent on educating your children. There’s a public school system in Myanmar, and it’s free — but only for the locals only. There are a few International Schools but prices are as high as in Singapore or even higher compared with Europe.

Insider Tip: When negotiating the contract before moving to Myanmar try to include the cost of education for the children in the package or at least half the amount. 

31. Almost perfect USD Bills

This is a headache for both locals, tourists and expats as well. If you go to an exchange office and your 100$ bill has a very little dot or a sign (as it’s common in US and Europe for banks to make a sign) you either may get a lower rate or not being able to exchange it! With an old, tore bill note it would be almost impossible to change it in Myanmar.

Even if the Central Bank of Myanmar has a rule that specify regarding the exchaining all the note, no one is enforcing them.

Why and when this have started? There are a few legends and one say that during the military rule, Singapore was one of the country where economical exchange was possible. And they have demand for all US bills to be almost new and no mark or anything written on it!

Insider Tip: Some exchange offices downtown do accept old and tore notes and with written on it but a lower rate (not that much minus). Outside Yangon in destination as Inle, Bagan it would be very difficult to exchange it even at local banks.

32. Viss

Traditional Burmese units of measurement are still used in some local markets. A Burmese unit of measure for weight, approximately 1.63293 kilograms (3.6 pounds). So if you are going to a wet market and buy 1 kg of tomato the vendor will probably understand that we want 1 Viss so it would charge you more but still the correct amount!

Insider Tip: Supermarkets are using the standard measurements and KG. 

33. Wet Markets

Wet Markets Yangon

After Covid Virus first appeared in a Wet Market in Wuhan, China the wet market got a very negative PR. In Myanmar wet market are still the main location for buying fresh vegetable, rice and meat. Even if the conditions are not too hygienic (compared with Japan or other location we will probably not eat again after visiting one market) but they do tend to be cleaner even than supermarkets where quality control is not too much enforced.

I had a friend with a toddler and she was buying meat only from a wet market (Same person and she watch here and see if she is clean and her products are safe and free of chemicals – as few vendors do add medicine or other very toxic substance especially in the chicken to look bigger or fish to look fresher)

Insider Tip: For fresh meat and good quality head to Makro Myanmar; has a wide selection and good service. 

34. Viber is more popular than Whatsapp

Phone Apps

Same as Facebook vs Google in Myanmar Viber is widely used versu Whatsapp in terms of communication and even if you have a business who sells online people do prefer to be contacted via Viber.

Insider Tip: Before moving to Myanmar Try to install on your phone regional apps as WeChat, Line or Viber.

35. Drivers don’t stop

Yangon Traffic

And this should be rule number one to be know before moving to Myanmar.  Even if at your pedestrian crossing you have GREEN and car has RED, they do not stop! Cars do have priority in Yangon at least not people so you you have to be very careful when you are crossing the road.

I remembered when I was in Japan even if it was Red and no cars on the road people were still not crossing.

Insider Tip: Have an umbrella all the time just to keep the distance between you and the car. 

36. Look the 4 Ways

Before crossing the street and this is not a joke. When you are crossing the street first you need to look left, right? But we need to look right too many a bicycle is coming (with the delivery companies as FoodPanda or GrabFood the number has increased a lot!).

Then look ahead maybe a tricksaw might come and then look back again to see if any car is coming as well. All per above did happen to me very often so be careful in  the Yangon Jungle of the road crossing!

Insider: Wait for all cars to pass!

37. Lunch is Sacred

If you are a manager or have to coordinate a local team remember this rule: Lunch is sacred in Myanmar (usually between 12 to 1pm). We will see people going to working with food containers (rice & meat and vegetable) and they prefer to cook at home to save more money.

Don’t ever put a meeting during lunch time: can be considered an personal offence and that emeply will never ever like you again and will not make your life easier at work.

38. Alcohol Can Be Fake

Alcohol as whisky, gin and rom can not be imported legally at this moment in Myanmar. So that means all the market is flooded with illegal alcohol mainly via Thailand. Some can be legally bought in Thailand and be illegally imported in Myanmar but there is a huge fake quantation on the market. If you go  to  a party/club in Yangon and have a headache next day we probably drunk not so good alcohol.

Wine can be imported legally in Yangon and there are a few suppliers in Myanmar.  Can buy and see the price of wine price list in Myanmar.

Insider Tip: Before Moving to Myanmar on the way to Yangon try to buy some original alcohol as whisky or gin.