Im booked finally!!! Anyone used Explore Myanmar agency?

You%26#39;ll be all relieved %26amp; pleased to know that i have finally booked the trip which has become our honeymoon trip for december this year!! I got flights with Qatar air with three nights included at the Savoy in yangon (deluxe suites) for 拢850 each from LHR.I dont think thats bad for 15th Dec - 10th Jan. We booked through Dial a flight who the boyfriend uses for work.

We are then going to travel around budget style to mandalay, bagan and anywhere else i see on this forum posted for 9 days!

Then heading for 9 nights to Ngapali - we%26#39;ve settled for the Amata in the houses with private soak tubs considering its our honeymoon! Ive got a price from an agency called Explore Myanmar ($165) - do you think im best to book through them based in myanmar - the website doesnt have a booking direct facility - or someone in the Uk? Who? i tried Trailfinders on recommendation from you guys, but Myanmar doesnt feature on their website.....

We will stayover in Yangon again before flying back to london - i think ill try the hotel that you were all telling me about near the airport for 2 nights maybe....i was confused but ive now realised there are two different places Inle lake and Inya lake (one in yangon and one far away, right?) thanks!!! trying to plan a wedding and all of this in a few months means im slightly reading over things, sorry! All help appreciated to make this trip extra special!!

Im booked finally!!! Anyone used Explore Myanmar agency?

Re; Inle and Inya lakes... correct... Inle lake is, I think, the second largest inland lake in Myanmar.... Kind of east of Bagan towards the Thai border in mountains of the Shan state.

Inya lake is kind of halfway between Yangon center and it%26#39;s airport... Northside suburban area of Yangon..

But don%26#39;t get too hung up on being near the airport.. its only something like a 20 min to half hour taxi-ride from the airport to Yangon center... (USD5 or6).. No big deal... There%26#39;s a second lake kind of midway between Inya lake and Yangon center... called Kandawgy lake.. again slightly to the north of Yangon center... close to the Shwe Dagon Pagoda.

Will check out the Ngapali Amata .. I think you need to make the booking rather than wait in order to get the best price.

Im booked finally!!! Anyone used Explore Myanmar agency?

Just read some reviews about the Amata... not a lot of info... but from what I can gather it is around 2 years old.. perhaps a copy of the Sandoway.... some suggest a poor copy:-(.. but I never went to Ngapali.. so my guess is not even as good as your.. Here are, without endorsing any of them.. some agents that seem to be able to book these for you:

Myanmar Tourex, Exotissimo Travel, asiatours.net, agoda.com, myanmarhotelstravel.com, radianttours.com, asiabesthotel.com,

Hi,

You%26#39;ve picked one of the best in Ngapali. It is towards the south end of the beach. the beach there is very good. The Paradise Island, which used to be accessable only at low tide is not far off and It marks the south end of the beach. (Now they have built a bridge - pity- although you still have to wade across a short distance as a token novelty) Beyond is the fishing villages. (should you organise a barbecue on the beach - the hotel will help you with that - mine did very willlingly - get up early and go into the fishing village and get fresh sea food very very reasonably priced!!! and yummy yummy!!!) Do visit the Paradise Island because the view is wonderful, especially at sunset. Amata Christmas and New Year parties are very good. If they do the lantern-balloons, do join in. they%26#39;re great fun!

Amata Hotel: I have not heard of, and I dont think they have an agent in UK.

Trailfinders, although good otherwise, I am disappointed where Myanmar is concerned. I got no help at all from them! They will book flight to Yangon; but apart from that I got their message! So my advice re Trailfinders where Myanmar is concerned - don%26#39;t bother.

Return: Why do you want to spend 2 nights in a hotel out in the middle of nowhere except being next to the airport, no convenient transport into Yangon, you may well have to pay over the odds if you want ot go into Yangon (which I am sure you wil want to), which is like any other hotel , when you could spend far more value for money/time elsewhere. If you think you might be ';fed up'; of being too touristy, like being at the Traders or the Grand Plaza, I would suggest the Kandawgyi Palace on the Royal Lake with the magnificient view of the Shwedagon (within accessible distance) and the Karaweik in the lake itself. The Karaweik is the restaurant/function hall built in the form of a mythical bird in the middle of Royal Lake. There it will be quieter, peaceful and pleasant.

Best Wishes,

Khayeethe

perfect - im glad of your opinion of not spending 2 nights at the end in the Inya lake hotel..i had this idea that the views over a lake might be nice and relaxing before heading back, but i think you%26#39;re right stay more central and say bye to all the relatives before heading home and stay somewhere central

25 years ago when the government tourist bureau assigned visitors to hotels upon arrival I was put in the Inya Lake, a massive structure built I believe by the Russians. Though it may be much improved now I found it impersonal and out of the way. Incidentally, the other 2 hotels then assigned in Rangoon were a very run-down Strand and the Thamada, near the RR station.

Hi Mazzaroo,

I must apologise for jumping to conclusions with regards your hotel near the airport in Yangon. I realised this when I read your response/reply.

When you mentioned about the hotel near the airport, I thought you really meant the Airport Hotel which is just across the road from the Airport, ';in the middle of nowhere';; I didn%26#39;t think you meant the Inya Lake Hotel. I wouldn%26#39;t be that disparaging about the Inya Lake Hotel; although I would say it is well out of Yangon; and that you will be having to take taxi%26#39;s for anything you wanted to do. Although the World Peace Pagoda (the Kaba Aye Pagoda) and the man-made Mahathana Cave is close by (but still you wil need a taxi!) Certainly the Inya Lake Hotel is much nearer to the airport.. About a little more than half the way to the airport from the city center. The Inya Lake does offer the peace and tranquility on the lake-side you mentioned and the surroundings are indeed sumptious (unlike the Airport Hotel!) Both are also available at the Kandawgyi Palace. But the Kandawgyi has the advantage of the view of the Shwedagon Pagoda and the Karaweik across the Lake. The Kandawgyi being closer to the City, but just that distant that you don%26#39;t feel you are in a city center hotel like the Traders or the Grand Plaza. My hunch is that if you ask your relatives, they might just urge you to go to the Inya Lake for that sophisticated, chic, panache factor! (A touch more expensive though).

Now the crunch: What will I do? Well, done the tourist bit, transport is relatively cheap compared to UK (Taxi into town/city would be around USD 5-6, say, for each way, for a distance of about 7-8 miles each way) or have transport provided: I will go and relax and wind down at the Inya Lake!

Khayeethe

Have a quick look at the pics I posted of the Dusit Inya Lake wonderful grounds and great pool.

Just re read the postings and forgot that we lunched a couple of times at the Amata last year and was pretty impressed by the Hotel.

Not as upmarket as Sandoway Resort (and about half the price over New Year) but nice sized rooms and a very good menu with a European chef.

Pool is quite small but you have the warm Bay of Bengal in front of you!