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Due to the political turbulence in Myanmar since 1 February 2021, we have halted our weekly COVID-19 updates because of the lack of reliable data available. Nonetheless, on this page we have tried to answer common questions and provide useful resources. You can subscribe to our newsletter by clicking on the button below to receive updates once they are resumed or email us directly.
Many of the highest quality hotels are closed but some are open including on the beach at Ngapali and Ngwe Saung and in Southern Shan State. We are in touch with these hotels in regard to the guest-requirements, safety measures and promotional rates.
Please contact us for more information.
Be sure to confirm the status of the hotel you wish to stay at with a tour operator, travel agent or the hotel directly. Also be aware that the requirements of each hotel (eg. some require health certificate and / or test results) can change at the last minute. You will want to ensure with your travel provider or directly with the hotel that full refunds will be offered in case you are unable to travel due to a change in requirements.
Domestic airlines are operating, including KBZ which from 1 October will be operating the Yangon – Nyaung U – Heho sector.
All travellers by air from ‘Stay-at-Home’ townships are required to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival to their destination city – although this is not always enforced. Travellers to some destinations will need to take COVID-19 RDT test before travel. Further restrictions and requirements apply depending on where you are travelling to and where you are travelling from.
Please contact us for further information.
All travellers from ‘Stay-at-Home’ townships are required to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival to their destination city – although this is not always enforced.
To be safe, you will want to have with you a ward endorsement letter and / or accommodation reference ie. evidence of a confirmed booking at the accommodation you wish to stay at. If you have been vaccinated, it is recommended that you bring with you proof of vaccination as it may allow you to avoid quarantine and further COVID-19 tests.
As laid out by the Control and Emergency Response Committee, upon entering different states and townships your body temperature and oxygen saturation may be taken. If you have a fever and your SpO2 level is under 92%, you may then be required to take an RDT COVID-19 test and if you test positive taken into state quarantine.
Most coach companies are currently not accepting foreigners.
JJ Express is accepting foreigners so long as they have a valid passport and visa, as well as recommendation letter from their company or ward endorsement letter. JJ Express is currently operating between Yangon and Mandalay as well as Yangon and Taunggyi.
Asia Dragon Express is also accepting foreigners and operating between Yangon to Ngwe Saung Beach and Chaungtha.
Coach companies will not take responsibility of any possible problems when passing military check points along the way.
Most attractions and sites are closed however some restaurants and bars are beginning to allow dine-in once more. Most shops are open. Shopping malls will likely insist upon taking your body temperature before entry.
Note that in Yangon and much of the country the 10AM to 4AM curfew remains in place.
The suspension of international flights has been extended until 31 October 2021.
Relief flights are operating but Myanmar eVisas, visas on arrival, and visa exemptions are not being issued currently.
To enter Myanmar foreigners must:
Myanmar authorities have announced that those entering Myanmar with proof of having recovered from COVID-19 in the last 90 days will be exempt from quarantining. However there has been no announcement yet in regard to exemptions for people who are fully vaccinated.
Foreign nationals arriving in Myanmar will need to undergo hotel quarantine. Most travellers will be covered by the following quarantine requirements:
These rules are subject to change at short notice and the authorities may extend quarantine periods for a number of reasons, even for those who have been granted permission to undergo a shorter quarantine period. This includes if any person on a flight you might have used tests positive for COVID-19, or in response to the situation in a country you might have recently visited.
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Here is an in-depth dashboard of the situation in Myanmar including the death rate and the number of positive cases in different locations.
Here you will find the pandemic-specific travel advice from the British Foreign Office.
We recommend Frontier as a reliable on-the-ground news source. You can subscribe to their Daily Briefing here.
For a global view of the pandemic and current health guidelines please refer to the World Health Organization. They also have a page on Myanmar.
We recommend Pear Anderson’s Coronavirus Travel Impact Dashboard for the latest travel industry news and analysis across Southeast Asia. Our World in Data has a plethora of charts, graphs and statistics of the situation globally.
Here you can see the “Safe Travels” Global Protocols from the World Travel & Tourism Council.
Our first priority is to ensure that the Sampan team is safe. Work from home is facilitated and strongly encouraged for those who are at high-risk or living with high-risk individuals. Those showing symptoms of COVID-19 are requested to stay away from the office.
Hygiene measures have been put in place in the office. Physical distancing is allowed for and external visitors are kept to a bare minimum.
Information and clear communication about Sampan’s internal office policies in response to the coronavirus pandemic are displayed.
Our full internal policy can be seen here. Please note that this is a breathing document that will be adapted as the situation develops.
Sampan Travel requires assurance from all our partners throughout our supply chain on the precautions they are taking to keep our guests safe.
Sampan has created the following guidelines to which our Partners must adhere to:
These guidelines have been based on regulations drawn up by the Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism (MOHT), the World Travel and Tourism Council, and the “Tour Care” Guidelines created by the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO), the European Tourism Association (ETOA), and the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA).
In addition to the above Guidelines, guests of Sampan are invited to request to see the specific policies and guidelines of any of Sampan’s partners collaborating on their journey.
Sampan Travel will provide clear, consistent and up-to-date communication to Our Guests on new health & hygiene protocols.
The Guidelines referred to in the “Our Partners” section above will be shared with Our Guests prior to their trip. Specific precautions being taken by specific partners can be provided upon request.
Our Guests are requested to read Sampan’s COVID-19 Secure Policy – Our Guests in full so they are aware of both the precautions we are taking to keep them safe and the precautions expected of them to keep others safe.
Sampan would like to congratulate our friends and partners working in their communities to help those in most need during this difficult time, particularly Sa Ba Street Food Tours, Uncharted Horizons, and Doh Eain.
Sampan`s newsletter specifically for information about traveling through Myanmar during the pandemic, focusing on government regulations, requirements and permissions, has currently been suspended due to political turbulence. You can subscribe to below to receive updates when we recommence.
