Subscribe to our mailing list
We are still here! Let us send you tips for travelling through Myanmar and stories from the road …
On this page we have answered common questions and provide useful resources for those wishing to travel to Myanmar in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is also information on travel regulations for those already within Myanmar. The information on this page is updated regularly. However if you wish for extra clarity or reassurance on any of the below you are welcome to email us directly.
Yes. Visas are being issued and arrivals are operating under a `test-and-go` system.
To enter Myanmar international visitors must:
Myanmar recognizes the following vaccines:
The country, name and date(s) of vaccination must be clearly stated in English and/or Burmese, along with the particulars of the travellers according to their passport.
We recommend bringing multiple, hard copies of the required documents.
Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test results must be in English or Burmese and must state the date of the test taken, with the particulars of the travellers according to their passports.
After disembarking from the plane:
These rules are subject to change at short notice and the authorities may extend quarantine periods for a number of reasons. 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.
Most hotels are open. Please contact us for more information.
Domestic airlines are operating.
According to the Ministry of Health’s latest announcement for domestic travel, fully vaccinated passengers are exempted from COVID-19 RDT testing requirements starting from 1 June 2022.
Those who are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated still need to present a negative result of COVID-19 RDT test issued no more than 48 hours at the check-in and check-out counter. Children under 6 years old are exempted from the RDT test.
Please note that all COVID-19 related documents should be brought as hard copies. Soft copies may not be accepted.
Please contact us for further information.
To be safe, you will want to have with you a ward recommendation letter and/or accommodation reference i.e. 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 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.
Some coach companies are accepting foreigners.
JJ Express and Lumbini Express are accepting international travellers so long as they have a valid passport and visa, as well as a recommendation letter from their company. Asia Dragon Express is also accepting international travellers, but only operating between Yangon to Ngwe Saung Beach and Chaung Thar Beach.
Coach companies will not take responsibility of any possible problems when passing military check points along the way.
Most pagodas have re-opened. Most restaurants, cafés, tea shops and bars have re-opened and are welcoming dine-in guests. Shopping malls will likely insist upon taking your body temperature before entry.
Note that in Yangon there is a 12 midnight to 4AM curfew. Curfews in other parts of the country may be stricter or more relaxed and are subject to change at short notice.
*
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.
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.
