In unprecedented times like these, it is a matter of concern for everyone out there battling their lives amidst the pandemic and missing out on what the world has to offer! Although, some places have been hit the worst by the pandemic, but there are other countries doing considerably well. However, if you are traveling to Myanmar for the purpose of business or tourism, you must be wondering: Is Myanmar Safe to visit? Well, as a matter of fact, this question is a major concern for many people aspiring to visit Myanmar but here’s how we can help you determine by giving you some reviews if you are planning a trip to Myanmar!
Is Myanmar Safe to visit? Myanmar Travel Restrictions COVID:
Starting off with the most daunting question: is Myanmar safe to work, the first priority for anyone traveling ever since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic at large would be concerned with the essential travel ban Myanmar that has been placed at various points of entry or borders.
However, Myanmar is still considered to be a safe destination as compared to a few surrounding south Asian countries! You could reconsider travelling to Myanmar due to COVID-19.
Myanmar is considered to be an undiscovered gem of Southeast Asia. It is a cultural wonderland with a huge mix of ethnic groups, rich history, and adventurous nature that gives you some of the best experiences.
However, given the history, you must be cautious when you are traveling and Myanmar has had an ongoing, 70-year-long ethnic civil war with the persecution of Rohingya Muslims, landmines, bandits, and the infamous opium trade hubs and mafia networks. All of these issues may have you asking yourself, “is Myanmar safe to travel alone?”
Given the volatile nature of these areas, you might not want to wander off on your own and trekking by yourself is not advisable. You may never know since there are exotic snakes around unexploded ordnance, mines and travelling into differently controlled areas be seriously life threatening.
Make sure to have the assistance of a local guide when you’re going off the beaten track. This will help you understand more about the area you’re travelling through and help you explore it better. Get a SIM card for yourself to be able to use the data for maps, phone your accommodation ahead of time, book restaurants, and most importantly keep yourself alert.
Overall, if you are concerned about general safety then Myanmar is a safe country to visit. The tourism industry over there is booming. In 2017, Myanmar had received around 3.44 million visitors and the numbers have been on a steady rise ever since. Historically, in 1995 Myanmar boasted just about 21,000 visitors. So ideally between 1995 and 2017, that’s an enormous increase of 16,190%.
Myanmar is essentially becoming a popular spot for backpackers with tourists from all places and traveling alone is possible!
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Is Myanmar Safe to Visit: Is Myanmar Poor?
Myanmar is not a model country that is highly rich and glamorous. Poverty and corruption are rife and prevalent, the military practically rules the country, and there are many incidents of armed inter-ethnic conflicts. Although, it is relatively a well-off place since Myanmar is also the world’s second largest producer of opium after Afghanistan. Besides that, Myanmar is still 122 on the Global Peace Index that lies just one below the USA. However, ever since the onset of 2021, things have tensed up a bit in Myanmar.
READ ALSO: Best Places To Visit In Myanmar
Is Myanmar Safe to visit? Travel Ban Myanmar:
With the beginning of February 2021, the situation in Myanmar started to tense up as the Military Staged a coup and imprisoned the lawfully elected government. Therefore, it is uncertain how the situation will pan out as there are severe instances of riots, civil unrest and martial law, so you may want to reconsider traveling to Myanmar as it clearly is not the best time to visit.
The grand majority area of Myanmar Capital is safe to visit right now but there are certain parts of the country that are not safe such as the northern parts of Shan State, the state of Kachin, Southern Chin, and Rakhine State that is home to Rohingya Muslims are unsafe to visit and are most of the times off-limits.
Certain towns within these areas, like His Paw in Shan are safe to travel but, overall, the areas around them are not safe. You can still attempt to visit these areas by ensuring that they are safe enough for a short visit by contacting a local agency or expert and check what the situation is like. Ever since it got independence from the UK in 1948, the internal conflicts in Myanmar have been on a rise becoming to be known as the world’s longest civil war.
Border areas are mostly the no-go zone area but if it comes to ‘Is Myanmar Safe for Indian’ then it is since Indian border are alright but to step anywhere between Myanmar and China, Thailand or Laos can be highly volatile such as the Karin and Mon States situated on the Thai border must be approached with caution.
With that said, Burmese people are still curious about foreigners rather than jaded. The natives are very eager to engage and learn new languages! We hope that this answers your concerned question “Is Myanmar Safe to visit?”
