I am an amateur photographer considering going to Burma next year. I imagine there are some great photo opportunities. But I do not know much about the country except what I have read in books concerning the oppression of the people. Has anyone one been there and could tell me about their experience?

Peru Photos

I have been on the Thai border and have crossed over to ... what turned out to be (Karen) rebel-controlled part of Burma.
At night back in our 4 star hotel on the Thai side (in Mei Hong Son), we were woken up by mortar explosions. It was the dry season, which is also the warring season between the government and everybody else.
For the above reason concerning the safety issue, and for other reasons that you have sited, I would not visit Burma yet.
I hear it is a beautiful country. The day when Aung San Suu Kyi says it's ok to visit, I will be the first to go. Her statements on the issue are easy to google.

If your concern is not to support an oppressive regime, you will want to stay away from Myanmar. If your concern is personal safety, you will have to weigh the information that you find on government travel advisories (bearing in mind that if you took very seriously the advisory for Italy, for example, posted by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, you would never set foot in the country – governments tend to do a lot of CYAing…).

As for Americana’s experience, the person(s) who took her into the Myanmar-Thai border area were highly irresponsible; it’s been known for decades that it is rebel-held territory and dangerous. If you’re traveling in Myanmar from within Myanmar, you are not allowed anywhere near that part of the country.

My visit to Burma (as it then was) was over 20 years ago. At that time, tourist visas were issued for a maximum of seven days, and independent travel was discouraged. Just as well, because domestic flights were changed at a whim, and I have no idea how an independent traveler would have known that the flight from Pagan to Rangoon was leaving two hours early…

It seems that tourist infrastructure is still a fairly iffy proposition in Myanmar. There’s a fair amount of information at www.diethelmtravel.com. It’s the Swiss-owned travel agency that I went to Burma with; they’ve been operating in southeast Asia for over 50 years.

I would not have wanted to miss Burma for the world; it’s a fascinating country, culturally and socially.

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As for Americana’s experience, the person(s) who took her into the Myanmar-Thai border area were highly irresponsible

No one took me there. As always I was travelling independently.

I agree that Burma is a fascinating country, culturally and socially. I will be very happy to visit it when the time comes.

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But I do not know much about the country except what I have read in books concerning the oppression of the people. Has anyone one been there and could tell me about their experience?

I'd suggest, then, that you read Amy Tan's novel "Saving Fish from Drowning" which is a cuttingly humorous, politically charged novel set in Burma (Myanmar). It traces the experiences of a group of eleven tourists who disappear into the depths of the country

In a review in USA TODAY, the reviewer says,
"Throughout the novel, Tan also deals with "ugly Americans" and their ignorance of other cultures. One clueless tourist, for example, urinates on a sacred shrine, and they all carry a sense of entitlement."

The book made me aware of how easy it is to shock, offend, humiliate (ourselves as well as others) and destroy because of sheer ignorance and conceit.

I commend you for seeking information before you go - then you can judge whether to go or not on informed and extensive knowledge of the culture, the politics and the social dynamics of this country.

Like Americana, I'm waiting for Aung San Suu Kyi's OK.

Thank you everyone for responding. Valda, I did read Amy Tans book. I am glad you reminded me. I have been looking through my stack of books trying to figure out which book it was I read about Burma a few months ago. I want to go back and reread it. Thanks to you I found it and I can start in on it again tonight.

The Piano Tuner is another good book which is set in Burma.

Oh, yes, that was an excellent read - very, very unusual.

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Originally posted by Americana in Parigi:

I hear it is a beautiful country. The day when Aung San Suu Kyi says it's ok to visit, I will be the first to go.

Well said, Americana.....

Joan

My opinion is probably somewhat biased since my one visit to Burma almost 10 years ago (on a consulting job at the US Embassy) occured during one of the more severe crackdowns by the regime on students who were protesting the imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi. There were tanks in the streets, more than a few fatalities, and a lot of chaos. It seemed like an interesting country and I loved the people I met there, but I would not return in the current political environment.

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Originally posted by Kevin Clark:
My opinion is probably somewhat biased ... I would not return in the current political environment.

Kevin, I would not call your opinion biased, quite the contrary. It only shows that your respect for the local people exceeds your desire to visit. Bravo.

Janetwh

I cannot help you with your questions or give advice expect this ...

Over at photography website Photo.net I particpate in, a photographer just recently photographed Myanmar and posted his photos. I suggest you touch base with him.

New online gallery:Myanmar

Bill

Burma is a photographer's paradise. My colleage took a group of 15 ladies over there in Febuary and they had a wonderful time. There is so many temples, pagodas to photogragh. Inlet lake is beautiful area. Keep in mind if you go that you must fly betweem cities because of the no so good road system.Even though the political situation is far from ideal. Your tourist dollars when you buy food and goods help the people of Burma to survive. they did not encouner any difficulties and were with a guide the all time. But a good one!Not like the Amy Tan book... Hope this help.

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Originally posted by arabesque2:
Your tourist dollars when you buy food and goods help the people of Burma to survive.

Would you have said the same thing about tourism in the South Africa under Apartheid, that your tourist dollars when you bought food and goods helped the people of apartheid South Africa to survive?

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The day when Aung San Suu Kyi says it's ok to visit, I will be the first to go.

I completely agree with this sentiment. I also appreciate the title of this subject: Burma with (Myanmar) as an aside.

Aung San Suu Kyi asks tourists NOT to come to Burma until her democratic party is free. She was openly elected as president of Burma and then was overthrown and imprisoned by the current oppressive regime, which then changed the name of the country.

Charity

I've been to Myanmar twice, once in '95 and again in '96. Its an amazing country and I felt entirely safe. I was there a month both times. I hired a vehicle with a driver independently, and he took me wherever I wanted to go. Inley Lake, into a forested area where mahogany logging was going on, to ride a very wild eyed elephant, Mandalay, Bagon-I road the ferry from Mandalay- and many other places. Can't say enough good things about the country. If you are observant, you can spot some of the military junta's heavy hand. In my case, I just plain decided to visit some restricted areas and villages. Hop on a rented bike and go into restricted villages, hike in the highlands and once even an all day boat ride that was 'not possible' because it originated in the wrong place. My 2cents worth is- go visit the country. Historically, change within happens by just our presence and influence on the local people. The more exposure to the outside world, the quicker this gov't will be overturned. Our miniscul expenditures are not going to make that much difference if we keep the cash going to the locals as much as possible.

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Originally posted by luangwablondes:
I hired a vehicle with a driver independently, and he took me wherever I wanted to go... Historically, change within happens by just our presence and influence on the local people... Our miniscul expenditures are not going to make that much difference if we keep the cash going to the locals as much as possible.

Your independent travel in Burma sounds great.

How I wish it were not true, but sadly I have not seen much historical proof that change within happens by just our presence and influence on the local people.

I agree that independent travel may be the best way to ensure that the money one spends does not go to the government or, worse, into the tourism infrastructure which uses forced labor, as Aung San Suu Kyi pointed out.

But with recent events, independent travel may mean a degree of risk-taking. And the risk we foreignerers take is nothing compared to the risk of those taken by locals in contact with us.

For all these reasons, - and because I respect Aung San Suu Kyi and her sacrifice and her words, - I would not yet recommend the visit of this admittedly beautiful country for a travel forum like this one, even though many of us - like myself - champion independent travel.