Page 52 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

50 BASICS Travel essenTials
now as wired as most other places in the region. Outside Yangon (and indeed even in most parts
Free wi-fi is now available at virtually every hotel of Yangon itself), however, the lGBT scene remains
and guesthouse (although connections are often hit largely undercover, with rigidly conservative
and miss), as well as a fair number of restaurants and attitudes to homosexuality still the norm, informed
other establishments. Internet cafés are becoming by traditional Buddhist beliefs and the idea that all
increasingly hard to find; the few surviving places lGBT relations are simply some kind of perversion
typically charge around K500 per hour. indulged in only by foreigners. as such, discretion
The formerly stifling levels of internet censorship is naturally advised – you’re unlikely to encounter
have also been radically scaled back since 2012, any problems unless you very clearly call attention
allowing unrestricted access to international news to yourself. note that it’s culturally acceptable for
sites, dissident bloggers and the like. You probably Burmese friends of the same sex to hold hands in
won’t be aware that there’s any censorship at all public, although this is no indication of their sexual
unless you go surfing online for porn, poker or orientation.
Myanmar brides.
Maps
Laundry
The best country maps of Myanmar currently
not surprisingly, you won’t find any laundrettes in available are the ones published by reise
Myanmar. Upmarket (and some mid-range) hotels Know-How (1:1,500,000) and by Freytag & Berndt
generally have a laundry service, usually pricey, (1:1,200,000), although neither is generally available
while budget guesthouses may be able to wash in Myanmar itself. The local fold-up maps of major
clothes (or farm them out to someone who does). tourist towns around the country produced for the
alternatively, just look out for a convenient back- Ministry of Tourism by DPs Maps (Wdpsmap.com)
street laundry. These should be able to turn are also useful. They’re sometimes handed out free
washing around overnight, charging in the region by hotels, and are also widely available from local
of K500 per item. hawkers for $1–2.
LGBT travellers Meditation
Homosexuality is technically illegal in Myanmar and Myanmar is a good place to study or practise
punishable by fines or imprisonment – anything up meditation. some centres will only take foreigners
to life in theory under the country’s archaic penal who commit to staying for several weeks, but there
code, which dates back to colonial times. actual are also courses available in Yangon (see p.87) and
arrests are rare, however, and lGBT communities are at sagaing near Mandalay (see p.292). a special
gaining more recognition and acceptance meditation visa, valid for three months, is
following the return to democracy, while aung san available for people staying at a recognized
suu Kyi herself had called for the decriminalisation meditation centre.
of homosexuality (even if her ruling nlD party has
yet to do anything about it). see Wen.wikipedia Money
.org/wiki/lGBT_rights_in_Burma for more detailed
background on the general cultural and political Myanmar’s currency is the kyat (pronounced
situation, and Wutopia-asia.com/tipsburm.htm for something like “chat”), usually abbreviated as K or Ks
practical information. (or, officially, as MMK). notes are available in
There’s a discreet lGBT scene in Yangon – the city denominations of K1, K5, K10, K20, K50, K100, K200,
hosted its first Gay Pride event in 2012, followed in K500, K1000, K5000 and K10,000, although the
2014 by its first (unofficial) gay marriage and first lowest value you’re likely to encounter is the K100
lGBT film festival (which has run each year since note. There are no coins. The US dollar (again,
then at the institut Francaise, organized by the notes only) is widely used alongside the kyat as a
city’s &Proud group, who also organize other lGBT- secondary currency to pay for more expensive
oriented cultural events in the city – check items and services such as hotel rooms.
Wfacebook.com/andPrOUD for further informa- in the past, dollars were specifically needed to
tion. There’s also a regular lGBT club night, Fab pay for things like train tickets, entrance tickets to
(Wfacebook.com/eventsYG), currently held at the certain sights and other items, although now it’s
Muse Bar on ahlone rd. possible to pay for just about everything in kyat.

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