EXPECTATIONS
I was used to comfortable travel, having the convenience of efficient transportation around the city and a myriad of shopping stores which, even though I rarely really buy anything from them, gives the experience of urbanity and affluence different from what I am used to back home. Of course, more than anything, my love for travel is rooted from the fact that I want to know about other cultures—what moves that part of the world and why, or how similar they might actually be to us. Until recently however, and with a few exceptions, my “cultural explorations” (explorations daw o!) have only been within countries where getting around is easy and convenient.
That is why, the closer we got to our Myanmar trip, the more anxious I became. The decision to go was, to be honest, barely calculated. There was a photo I saw of an aerial view of Bagan on Instagram, and that was enough to convince me to go. The moment I saw an AirAsia seat sale, I asked 3 of my friends to go with me, and they agreed as impulsively. Lels. The real hustle slowly sank in while I was doing the itinerary. First of all, the weather in Myanmar is just like in the Philippines, which is extremely warm. So walking around would definitely soak our shirts and oil our faces to a point worthy of a germicidal soap commercial. There was also the issue of where and what to eat, in case our stomachs rejected Burmese food. The reviews of the hotels we were looking at weren’t so encouraging either. Even the ones with the best ratings had several comments about intermittent water supply and a weak wi-fi connection. The latter issue I normally wouldn’t have been too concerned about, but being at a rural area far from home, I would prefer to have some sort of connection to the outside world.
To add to my worries, 2 of the 3 friends I booked for had to cancel for unavoidable reasons, so that left only me and Jedi to sort through this labyrinth of a trip. We were both very innocent-looking (don’t argue) women, and the idea of us travelling to Bagan gave me flashes of scenes from those Hostel movies. At one point I even considered not going myself, but I was won over by the kuripot in me and decided I didn’t want to waste a P9,000.00 airfare. We’d just have to see this through and hope we come out of it alive. LOL
THE AMAZING RACE
As with any impulsive decision, the travel period we chose was short-sighted. We would leave Manila on Nov. 14, 4:50PM and would be back on Nov. 20. These include 8 to 10-hour stopovers at Kuala Lumpur (to and from Yangon), so that just left us with 5 days for the actual trip. We thought we could go out and at least visit the Petronas, but when we checked our tickets again, our layover at KL would be from late night until early morning…basically when the city is asleep and there would be no means for us to get to Petronas from the airport. SIGH.
Capsule Hotel
Where to spend the night was another dilemma. I seriously considered finding a comfortable spot in the airport and sleeping on the floor (which was not an original idea, as we later found out), but I didn’t want to wake up the next day feeling tired from the lack of sleep, when we still had another set of challenges to face. Enter CAPSULE by CONTAINER HOTEL. It’s as simple as its name...you sleep inside a capsule, or in this case, inside one of the shipping containers stacked side by side and one on top of the other. The design was very basic, but surprisingly clean and comfy. I have never tried dorm-type accommodations before, more so capsules, as I preferred to have privacy and enough space to move around. But this experience changed my standards. I could barely fully stretch my arms sideways when I’m inside the container, but no doubt it was where I had the best sleep the entire trip. They’ll also provide you with everything you’ll need in a hotel—a towel, dental kit, slippers, a bottle of water, and your own locker for your luggage. The capsule itself has a reading light and outlets for your phone chargers and whatnot. The male and female guests are separated but there’s also a mixed section for couples. Each section has a set of common comfort and bathroom stalls. Basically everything is provided—everything BUT a real door. You’ll only get a draw down curtain to cover your “space,” but I personally think it’s nothing but a small compromise. This type of hotel obviously isn’t for everyone, but it’s a really great experience for those who are willing to try. Book in advance here since it does get fully-booked quickly. Below is the only photo I was able to take of the capsule. Lol, sorry...but that's pretty much the entire space.
We didn’t have to check-in as our KL-YGN tickets and seat numbers were already printed for us at NAIA3, so we had time to get breakfast before we proceeded to the boarding gate. A lot of restaurants are already open at KLIA2 by about 5AM, so it wasn’t hard to find a place to eat. Just be aware of how far the restaurant is from your gate and how much time it will take you to get there. KLIA2 is HUGE and if you’re not careful, you’ll risk running a marathon right after breakfast to board on time…like Jedi and I did.
Where to Leave Your Luggage
We were only going to be in Yangon for a few hours before we get on the bus going to Bagan, so we didn’t book in any hotel. Instead, we decided to find a place to leave our luggage so we can freely walk around the city. We asked a few personnel at the airport and were basically tossed around to the wrong places. But I’ll save you the trouble and tell you the correct place here. Lol.
AirAsia lands on Terminal 1 of the Yangon International Airport, so after going through immigration, exit terminal 1 and turn right. Walk straight past the domestic terminal and onto Terminal 2. Go inside the first entrance and look for the Ministry of Tourismbooth on your left. They can keep your luggage for you for 1,000 kyat per luggage. NOTE that they will not keep it overnight and you should claim it before their closing time. ALSO NOTE that they do not have lockers as it is actually an information booth. They will just keep your bags stacked behind them inside the booth, so manage your expectations and decide whether or not you feel safe with this setup…although there really are no other options inside the airport.
You can, however, opt to leave it at JJ Express like we did. This is IF you will be boarding their bus on the same day. JJ Express is one of the bus companies offering a YANGON-BAGAN VIP Bus route. We figured it would be more efficient to leave our luggage there so we wouldn’t have to go back to the airport. I’ve asked JJ Express beforehand while we made our booking via email, and they said a lot of their customers leave their bags at the office/terminal as well. Again, they DO NOT have lockers. They’ll also just stack your bags behind the counter. So make sure you keep your valuables with you and securely lock your bags.
If you’re not comfortable with the above setups, it might be better to pack light so you can bring your stuff with you everywhere. We have tried both options though (we have also left our bags at the tourism booth before our flight back to KL), and can attest that there were no damages or lost items when we retrieved our luggage. The other travelers who left their bags there would also just mind their own and leave yours alone. Of course, it still pays to be vigilant and wary so always check your bags after retrieving them for any sign that it’s been meddled with, just to be sure.
A GLIMPSE OF YANGON
We rode taxis to get around Yangon, as they’re the most convenient and easiest to find in the city. They don’t use taxi meters though. The drivers will ask you where you want to go and they’ll tell you how much they will charge. They’re generally honest, but I would recommend that you research on how much you need to pay to get to your destination, just to avoid overpaying. You can also ask the locals around to confirm the taxi fare.
We didn’t really have a set itinerary for Yangon as we were only going to be there for a few hours. So we just went to Bogyoke Market (pronounced “Bogjok”) and Shwedagon Pagoda. Bogyoke had a lot of souvenir stores, but it’s dominated by textile shops…I would guess it’s basically for longyis,a traditional sarong-like clothing still very much patronized by both men and women in Myanmar.
Bogyoke had a separate building for its “food court,” a kind of hawker-type place with several food stalls with their own dining areas. It was there that Jedi and I decided to eat lunch and wanted to go and try something authentically Burmese. However, as soon as we stepped foot, all the ushers crowded towards us, each wanting to get us to eat at their respective stalls. Napressure kami ng slight, so we hurriedly went to the nearest seat we could find, and later realized we ended up in a Korean food stall. LOL! So much for authentic Burmese food. Most of the Burmese still don’t speak English though, so there was a bit of trial and error in what we ordered. Luckily the food was good, and we enjoyed a good meal despite the previous hooha.
Dahil wala kaming kabusugan, we also went to find the Shan Noodle shop, because we’ve read about it on several blogs. Finally, real Burmese food! Jedi ordered the one with soup and I had the “dry” noodles. Both were soooooooooo good, especially the one I ordered (lol). The noodles' texture was similar to misua, and there was some kind sorcery at play as all the spices blended together into one harmonious flavor that my mouth and stomach loved. It definitely filled us up for the rest of the day.
One distinct feature in Bogyoke is their toilet “system.” Apparently the stalls were padlocked, so you have to pay outside (200 kyat, if I remember correctly) and they’ll give you a key to open it. Well, that’s one good way to ensure your patrons pay before they pee. J
After Bogyoke we had a bit more time to visit the Shwedagon Pagoda. It’s a sacred venue, so you have to remove your shoes at the foot of the stairs and carry them with you to the Pagoda. I don’t really have much to say about it, as it’s basically in every travel blog about Yangon, and what you read is what you get. There’s also an USD8.00 entrance fee, so obviously that alone dissuaded us to go inside. LOL.
We left early and got a taxi to Aung Mingalar Bus Station, where the JJ Express terminal was. The call time was 7PM, so we were still able to wash up, brush our teeth, and change clothes in the JJ Express waiting area before our bus arrived. A few minutes before boarding, they were already putting tags on the luggage and checking seat numbers on our tickets, and by 8PM we were on the 10-hour overnight trip to Bagan, curled up on our comfy VIP seats, under our cozy blankets, and enjoying the in-seat entertainment.
| Snacks, blanket, and in-seat movies and games! |
| Free snacks with bottled water! |
Here's a video I took inside the VIP bus. Sorry that it's very dark, I just used my phone...but it basically shows how cool it is inside. To book a seat in JJ EXPRESS BUS, send them an email at [email protected] and list the names of the passengers, their passport numbers, the starting point and destination, and the intended departure date.
TO BE CONTINUED.... :)
