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For your convenience, we have collected a summary of guidelines and regulations for foreigners traveling in Myanmar during the global pandemic. These will be updated and sent out weekly. As with everything at the moment, guidelines are subject to change because the situation remains fluid. We recommend that you check with your trip providers to ensure you are prepared for the journey.
Due to the second wave of COVID-19 travel is not currently recommended. Those who do travel are likely to be denied entry or placed in facility quarantine.
In addition to your passport and valid visa, we recommend that you travel with a ward endorsement. A “Travel Record” and health endorsement may also be necessary.
A ward endorsement is a document stating your recent travel history. A template can be seen here. This should be renewed on a monthly basis. A “Travel Record” is also from your ward office and states your local travel history. Health endorsements are issued by the Public Health Department of your respective township.
Requirements vary from region to region and are likely to be stricter on public holidays and dependent on where you are travelling from and where you live. Please scroll down and view “Recommended Documentation.”
Some hotels never re-opened after the first wave of COVID-19 in Myanmar and most have closed again following the second wave. Be sure to confirm the status of the hotel you wish to stay at with a tour operator, travel agent or the hotel directly. We have heard reports of Online Travel Agents (OTAs) processing bookings to hotels that have not yet re-opened.
Whether or not facilities such as swimming pools, spas and even hotel restaurants are open will depend upon local authorities and the policy of individual hotels.
Domestic flights have been halted. When flights re-start, be aware that social distancing is not always enforced. Prevention guidelines have been laid out.
Not currently.
Before the second wave and the most recent restrictions, it depended on the coach company and the route you were taking. JJ & Famous were accepting internationals but most other companies were not. It is required that travellers must present both ward endorsement and health endorsement. Regulations such as mask-wearing and distancing between passengers will apply. Please be sure to check the policy of particular coach companies with your travel agent or directly with the coach company. Note that different restrictions apply to different routes. You will likely be required to reserve two seats per person (or a single seat in a 2+1 VIP vehicle) so to allow for social distancing and prices will be higher than pre-COVID. Blankets may not be provided. If chartering a private coach you will be required to allow for physical distancing by leaving some seats empty.
Most attractions and sites, including pagodas, are closed. If open, certain regulations are likely to apply, such as limits on group numbers and the need for advance notification. Health certificates may be required. It is likely you will be asked to store hand luggage in a locker and wear disposable slippers provided. International visitors may be asked to go through more intensive screening than Myanmar nationals.
Those living in an area under a ‘Stay at Home’ order should stay in their homes, only leaving for work, government business, medical reasons (two persons per household) and essential shopping (one person per household). For additional business, permission is required from the local ward administrator. If you are in an area under a ‘Stay at Home’ order you should contact the local ward administrators for details, including any requirements that may be specific to that location.
Any person travelling from a township placed under a ‘Stay at Home’ order to another part of Myanmar may refused entry or be placed in a government quarantine facility for at least 14 days upon arrival at their destination. This will include testing for COVID-19 for which foreign nationals may be charged. Those travelling by air may need to home quarantine for a further seven days.
The Government of Myanmar has suspended all international commercial passenger flights from any of its airports until 30th September. It will then review the situation. New tourist visa applications are currently suspended until 30th September.
At present Myanmar authorities may offer business visas and assist with flight bookings for certain foreign nationals who are urgently required to come back to Myanmar. Visas will only be issued after scrutiny from the Central Committee for Prevention, Control and Treatment of COVID-19. Enquiries should be put to your nearest Myanmar embassy.
Yes. There are temperature checks for all arrivals. Arrivals must also take an RT-PCR test and obtain a COVID-19 free health certificate 36 hours before boarding a flight to Myanmar. A swab test must be taken within one day of landing in Myanmar. A further swab test is required after quarantine.
Yes. Arrivals in Myanmar must enter government-arranged quarantine. You will likely have a choice of hotel. You will be provided with food, for which you will be charged.
The standard quarantine period for new arrivals is 28 days (21 days in a government-arranged facility, followed by 7 days of home quarantine). However, foreign nationals can, through contacting their nearest Myanmar Embassy, request permission to undergo a shorter quarantine period.
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For more information from the Myanmar Government on the pandemic in Myanmar and travelling through the country please consult the Ministry of Health & Sport (MOHS) and the Ministry of Hotels & Tourism (MOHT).
Here is an expansive, cross-industry report on the restrictions and guidelines in place in regard to the pandemic in Myanmar produced by the British Chamber of Commerce. This report is updated periodically. Please be sure to check the date of the report.
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.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) presents the outlook for Asia and the Pacific.
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.
Our Terms & Conditions have been made more flexible so to allow more confidence when our guests make a booking. A deposit is not required upon booking but only 30 days prior to the start of the trip. Our cancellation policy has also become more lenient. Please see full Terms & Conditions here.
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 Travel has launched a newsletter specifically for information about traveling through Myanmar during the pandemic. The newsletter focuses on government regulations, requirements and permissions. Sign up by clicking the button below.
