Hello All,
Just return from Myanmar yesterday. This is confirmed. Motorcycle is strictly prohibited in Yangon but OK outside this city. I was told by a reliable local resources that must register in their Transport Authority to get local license before drive or ride vehicle. I cannot confirm about rental bike by foreigners.
It is soon before we can get to ride Myanmar. In a simple similarity, Myanmar is Mindanao, Philippines less communication network.

:oops2:

Another group to Enter Myanmar (Burma) January 7
 

Another group has organized an "Adventure Border Crossers Singapore Bike Expedition" tour into Myanmar, scheduled to enter January 7. Their Burma Government approved route and story starts here:


http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-f...html#post22871

The heading of this thread is "Myanmar with big bikes", which makes me wonder:

Is there no problem entering Burma with smaller bikes, like 125-250cc?

no- as a foreigner on foreign plates, I got turned away a year ago- things might have changed but that's not likely. They had a very aggressive 'no- you not come in' response no matter how hard I smiled.
Read posts from heike- it looks like she done it with connections and throwing a lot of backsheesh... errr cough...sorry I mean 'administrative' fees at the problem.
Looks like some lucrative admin habits in some countries just do not really change

well it seems very much like there are problems regardless of cc.

Well, you can rent and book tours with small motorcycles in Myanmar already for a long time. Bigger bikes are not available in the country - and if you come overland it doesn't matter whether it is a big bike or a small one.... it's difficult.....

btw... some recent informations:

I heard that some other groups have been allowed now into the country. And I know that the organization of another tour is currently going on... but it is still like when we applied for the permissions, the officals like to play around and let you wait....

Regarding the crossing through from India to Thailand or the other way around: it looks like it is still difficult and not going to happen so soon. You also need a contact in India, because special permissions are required to enter the areas in India that are close to the border with Mynamar....

But I received now some information about overlander truck trips from China to Thailand going via Myanmar. Maybe another option..... Overland Between Kunming And Bangkok Via Burma - holidays by Dragoman .... but the prices - ouch!....

to travel in the region near burma bordear in india no problem bean thear 10 years ago and whid some fake travel permits the army dont have a clue and any papper whid some offical stamp the leat yuo trou in burma 1995 i traveld all over the place and same thing the army dont have a clue now the copy the chines basterds whid travel permits and guide to have RICH people come and pay the DICTATERS and KILLERS off the burmes people big money one idiot i meat in tailand traveld to north corea and paid 200 us a day four a permit to travel in the facist state off north corea whid alot off money yuo can travel every wear its pitiful what people do four a littel bit off atencion

I believe the longest sentence in western literature is contained within 'Les Miserables' and while the above may not be literature . . . it's a bit less that ~800 words.

Nice try, though.

bikes and Myanmar/Burma
 

Amazing to see people are getting into Myanmar with bikes. Seems to be groups though. Anyone know of individual or a couple of riders who have gotten in?
I have been to Myanmar/Burma several times since 2001 and have rented scooters locally many times for about $10/day. Never had a problem driving myself. Could see a lot of the country which is open to foreign travel this way.
Things are changing crazy fast there so hopefully it will get easier to ride in yourself. All border areas are "brown" or "black" areas and very restricted to foreigners so will be very difficult to cross and then continue into Myanmar. Certainly will have to have a gov't licensed guide with you.
re money going to bad gov't:if that was criteria for travel I would visit very very few countries, even my own(Canada) because they all suck. Gov't is not the country nor representative of the people. Traveling to places like Myanmar is the best thing you can do and you can easily mainly support local businesses.

We might all be in business soon. the recent news was that a highway linking India & Thailand through Myanmar was being constructed with completion scheduled for 2016. this recent article suggests they are stepping it up:

Myanmar, India to speed up construction projects - The New Indian Express

We rode the road across West Bengal to Assam in India a couple months ago (super crappy - much of it deeply cratered ) but they are in the process of converting it to smooth dual carriageway. Further east in India you still need permits but perhaps that will be relaxed when all this becomes reality. Permits have already been loosened somewhat.

From Europe to India and then to Thailand - is definitively on my - "things i want to do" list.


Good to see that this seems to be possible soon :thumbup1:

Hello there,

We entered Myanmar thru the Moreh-Tamu border crossing from India on 2 March 2013. The thing is that in addition to visas, a special permit has to be obtained from the Government in Yangon. This we got by explaining our reasons for touring Myanmar. It took about two and half months for the Rome based Embassy to give the permit, written onto a letter in Burmese, from Yangon authorities.

The country is beautiful and the wait for the permit totally worth it. Roads from the border are in tough condition, calling for considerable skill, especially if you are travelling with a bigger bike like we are (BMW1200GS Adventure) with two up and luggage and i have been lucky with the worlds best pilot.

See us at www.facebook.com/wheelsontheworld

Hi,

are you travelling on your own through Myanmar, or did you have to take guided tour?

No burocatic problems with crossing the indian states close to Myanmar?

Cheers

Panny

Hi Guys,

Just had a look at the FB fotos, looks like Mayanmar is really beautiful! We would love to cross through from India to Thailand on two bikes ourselves. This may be a real stupid question (I'm afraid I only just came across your story now), but what was the reason for traveling through Mayanmar, that convinced them to write you the permit? Did the permit expire at some stage after it was granted? And did you have any restrictions as to where you were allowed to go?

Any hints/tips on how to get such a prized visa and permit would be great, if you have a spare minute that is.
Thanks loads in advance :mchappy:

http://followingtarmac.com/