Myanmar: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Myanmar feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 56 written places.
Gentle, devout and courteous; the head is sacred, the feet are lowly, and a smile answers most things.
✓ Considered polite
- Remove shoes and socks at every pagoda and monastery - barefoot means fully barefoot
- Cover shoulders and knees at religious sites - a longyi works well and locals enjoy seeing one worn
- Give and receive with your right hand or both hands
- Walk clockwise around pagodas and stupas
✗ Better avoided
- Touch anyone on the head, including children
- Point your feet at people or Buddha images when sitting
- Touch a monk if you are a woman - pass offerings via a man or set them down instead
- Show more than minimal public affection - even couples rarely embrace in public
Worth knowing
- Cash is king - bring crisp, unmarked US dollar notes, as worn bills can be refused
- Kyat handles everyday purchases, dollars the big-ticket items
- Tipping is not traditional, though small notes for guides and drivers are welcome
- Mohinga noodle soup is the classic breakfast, ladled out from early-morning street stalls
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.