South-Eastern Asia · UN member
Myanmar: Travel Guide & Requirements
Republic of the Union of Myanmar · ပြည်ထောင်စု သမ္မတ မြန်မာနိုင်ငံတော်
Myanmar is a country in South-Eastern Asia with its capital in Rangoon. It has a population of 54.9 million (#27 in the world) and covers 676,578 km². The official language is Burmese. The currency is the Burmese kyat (MMK, Ks).
Where is Myanmar? Map of Myanmar
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand.
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia
- Coordinates
- 22° N, 98° E
- Neighbours
- 5 — see list
- Coastline
- 1,930 km
- Myanmar
- Neighbours
- Capital
- Largest cities
Map of Myanmar showing Rangoon (capital) and the largest cities: Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Mawlamyine, Bago, Pathein, Monywa, Sittwe and Meiktila.
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to Myanmar
- Passport
Myanmar's eVisa notice says your passport validity must have at least 6 months.
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 11 need no visa, 92 need an eVisa, 95 need a visa from an embassy. Check yours or see Myanmar entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
Myanmar's eVisa notice says a proof of return ticket from Myanmar must be attached to the tourist eVisa application (or a trip plan if you will enter from the Kawthaung land border checkpoint), as well as a proof of hot…
- Proof of funds
No official requirement. The tourist eVisa notice asks for proof of a return ticket and a hotel booking.
- Travel insurance
No official requirement.
- Vaccinations
The UK Foreign Office says you must have a yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Myanmar if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.
- Customs allowance
The UK government says that if you plan to bring more than 10,000 US dollars' worth of any foreign currency, you must declare it to customs on arrival or risk imprisonment.
- Travel advice
Avoid travel — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
10 things to know before you travel to Myanmar
- Safety: Governments advise against travel to Myanmar: the US State Department rates Myanmar Level 4 (“Do Not Travel”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to parts of the country.
- Best time to go: November to January — when daytime highs in Rangoon are around 31–33°C.
- Money: the Burmese kyat (MMK) — 1 US dollar is about 2,099.3 MMK.
- Plugs: type A, C, D, F, G and I, 230 V, 50 Hz — standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
- Emergency numbers: Police 999, Ambulance 999, Fire 999.
- Language: Burmese is official.
- Driving: on the right — speed limits are 30 mph in built-up areas and 50 mph outside built-up areas.
- Time zone: UTC+6.5 in Rangoon.
- Capital: Rangoon. About 54.9 million people live in Myanmar.
- Outdoors: 10 national parks.
Key facts
Myanmar at a glance
Languages spoken: Burmese (official)
Geography & history
About Myanmar
Burma is home to ethnic Burmans and scores of other ethnic and religious minority groups that have resisted external efforts to consolidate control of the country throughout its history. Britain conquered Burma over a period extending from the 1820s to the 1880s and administered it as a province of India until 1937, when Burma became a self-governing colony. Burma gained full independence in 1948. In 1962, General NE WIN seized power and ruled the country until 1988 when a new military regime took control. In 1990, the military regime permitted an election but then rejected the results after the main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) and its leader AUNG SAN SUU KYI (ASSK) won i…
Read the full history
Burma is home to ethnic Burmans and scores of other ethnic and religious minority groups that have resisted external efforts to consolidate control of the country throughout its history. Britain conquered Burma over a period extending from the 1820s to the 1880s and administered it as a province of India until 1937, when Burma became a self-governing colony. Burma gained full independence in 1948. In 1962, General NE WIN seized power and ruled the country until 1988 when a new military regime took control. In 1990, the military regime permitted an election but then rejected the results after the main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) and its leader AUNG SAN SUU KYI (ASSK) won in a landslide. The military regime placed ASSK under house arrest until 2010. In 2007, rising fuel prices in Burma led pro-democracy activists and Buddhist monks to launch a "Saffron Revolution" consisting of large protests against the regime, which violently suppressed the movement. The regime prevented new elections until it had drafted a constitution designed to preserve the military's political control; it passed the new constitution in its 2008 referendum. The regime conducted an election in 2010, but the NLD boycotted the vote, and the military’s political proxy, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, easily won; international observers denounced the election as flawed. Burma nonetheless began a halting process of political and economic reforms. ASSK's return to government in 2012 eventually led to the NLD's sweeping victory in the 2015 election. With ASSK as the de facto head of state, Burma’s first credibly elected civilian government drew international criticism for blocking investigations into Burma’s military operations -- which the US Department of State determined constituted genocide -- against its ethnic Rohingya population. When the 2020 elections resulted in further NLD gains, the military denounced the vote as fraudulent. In 2021, the military's senior leader General MIN AUNG HLAING launched a coup that returned Burma to authoritarian rule, with military crackdowns that undid reforms and resulted in the detention of ASSK and thousands of pro-democracy actors. Pro-democracy organizations have formed in the wake of the coup, including the National Unity Government (NUG). Members of the NUG include representatives from the NLD, ethnic minority groups, and civil society. In 2021, the NUG announced the formation of armed militias called the People's Defense Forces (PDF) and an insurgency against the military junta. As of 2024, PDF units across the country continued to fight the regime with varying levels of support from and cooperation with the NUG and other anti-regime organizations, including armed ethnic groups that have been fighting the central government for decades.
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Climate
tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
Terrain
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Highest point
Gamlang Razi 5,870 m
Natural resources
petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower, arable land
Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
National symbols
chinthe (mythical lion)
Driving
Speed limits & road rules in Myanmar
The default speed limits in Myanmar are 30 mph in built-up areas and 50 mph outside built-up areas. Posted signs always take priority over these defaults.
- SPEED
LIMIT3030 mphBuilt-up areasTowns and citiesWith a trailer: 20 mph - SPEED
LIMIT5050 mphOutside built-up areasCountry roads
- International Driving PermitRecognised: 1968 ViennaCarry the IDP together with your national licence
- Driving sideDrive on the rightOvertake on the left
- Seat beltsRequired by law
- Child seatsNo national child-restraint law
- Motorcycle helmetsRequired for riders
- Road deaths (2021)19.3 per 100,000 peopleHigher than most countries (median 12.4)
Speed limits: OpenStreetMap wiki — Default speed limits (CC BY-SA 2.0). Road-safety laws: WHO Global Health Observatory. Compare speed limits and alcohol limits by country. Defaults for cars; local signs, weather and vehicle type can lower them.
Safety
Is Myanmar safe to visit?
Governments advise against travel to Myanmar: the US State Department rates Myanmar Level 4 (“Do Not Travel”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to parts of the country.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: New information about mobile device registration and drone use (‘Safety and security’ page).
Updated 4 Aug 2026 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit Myanmar
The best time to visit Myanmar is November to January, when daytime highs in Rangoon are around 31–33°C. February and October are also a good time to go. April is the warmest month (39°C by day), January the coldest (18°C at night), and July the wettest with about 280 mm of rain.
- Jan33°C18°C
- Feb36°C19°C
- Mar38°C22°C
- Apr39°C26°C
- May35°C26°C
- Jun32°C25°C
- Jul30°C25°C
- Aug30°C24°C
- Sep30°C24°C
- Oct31°C24°C
- Nov32°C22°C
- Dec31°C19°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in Myanmar
Plugs & sockets
- Type Atwo flat parallel pins
- Type C (Europlug)two round pins
- Type Dthree large round pins in a triangle
- Type F (Schuko)two round pins with earth clips on the sides
- Type Gthree rectangular pins in a triangle
- Type Itwo flat pins in a V shape, often with an earth pin
230 V, 50 Hz · Standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
Emergency numbers
Save the local numbers before you travel — 112 or 911 may not connect here. All countries →
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
National parks
10 national parks in Myanmar
- 12,114 km² protected
- oldest from 1893
Largest: Khakaborazi National Park · Lenya National Park · Tanintharyi National Park
Currency · 26 October 2026
Burmese kyat exchange rates today
Myanmar uses the Burmese kyat (MMK, Ks). One US dollar buys 2,099.3 MMK; over the last 30 days the MMK has gained 0.0% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in MMK
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where Myanmar ranks
How Myanmar compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in Myanmar
80 airports and airfields — 3 large, 19 medium and 52 small, plus 6 heliports. 23 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
Neighbouring countries
Myanmar borders 5 countries along 6,522 km of land borders. Coastline: 1,930 km.
Military
Burmese armed forces
Myanmar ranks #38 of 145 in the Global Firepower military strength ranking, with a defence budget of $5.0 billion (2024).
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Rangoon (5.6 million), Mandalay (1.5 million)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; cement, construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; oil and natural gas; garments; jade and gems
Export partners
China 32%, Thailand 16%, Japan 7%, Germany 6%, India 5% (2023)
Top exports
garments, natural gas, dried legumes, rare-earth metal compounds, precious stones (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to Myanmar
Next public holiday
Thadingyut Holidays — Tuesday, 27 October 2026. Then Diwali (10 Nov).
Burmese passport
Ranked #186: 13 countries visa-free, 27 with visa on arrival, 4 with an eTA and 48 with an eVisa.
Burmese passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for Myanmar's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling Myanmar
Dial +95 before the local number. Internet domain .mm.
Climate footprint
31.6 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 0.58 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting Myanmar: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about Myanmar
Sri Lanka Detains 1,000 Foreign Scam Suspects and Charges Visa Breaches
Sri Lankan police have detained more than 1,000 foreign suspects in cyber-scam raids this year but secured no successful prosecution. Most detainees …
Myanmar Keeps Visa on Arrival for Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Korean Tourists
Myanmar has extended its trial visa-on-arrival scheme for tourists flying in from China, India, Japan, South Korea and Macau by another year. The ext…
US adds wrongful detention warning to its China travel advisory
The US State Department has added a "D" wrongful detention risk indicator to its Level 2 China travel advisory, citing arbitrary detention, exit bans…
Frequently asked questions about Myanmar
What do I need to travel to Myanmar?
How long must my passport be valid for Myanmar?
Where is Myanmar?
What is Myanmar known for?
What is the capital of Myanmar?
What language is spoken in Myanmar?
What currency does Myanmar use?
What is the calling code of Myanmar?
Which countries border Myanmar?
How strong is the Burmese passport?
What is the speed limit in Myanmar?
Is Myanmar safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit Myanmar?
What plug type does Myanmar use?
How many airports does Myanmar have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.