I'm not sure whether you will be able to answer this question or not (hopefully you will!) as this is a new tour, but I notice in the info re Burma that as of November last year everything has to be paid in local currency. I am taking US $ to change, but I wondered whether it is better to take larger notes i.e. $50 rather than smaller to change? I know some countries exchange notes by the number rather than the denomination.

Getting very excited about this trip!

Cheers,

Hils

All USD brought into Burma must be in pristine condition (new or nearly new bills).

Make sure that your paper notes are not marked or stamped IN ANY WAY. Pencil marks can be removed but any permanent marks will adversely impact a note’s value or cause it to be rejected altogether. Do not have any creases or fold lines as this will also decrease a note’s value. Make sure that your bills are current US currency; none of the older variations such as those depicting smaller images of presidents. Make sure that if you are carrying $100 bills that their serial numbers do not begin with CB as this will possibly result in the bill’s rejection. $100 bills yield the best exchange rate while smaller denominations are slightly more expensive to exchange.

I hope this helps.

Kindest regards,

Monty

Many thanks for that. I probably don't need to bring any $1 bills then!

Cheers,

Hils

Cindy

I sometimes wonder why notes have to be in pristine conditions in some countries to be accepted? I can understand about very tatty or torn notes - after all money is money!

Jaya

Seeing as the Myanmar Government is trying to stop USD being accepted for any spending purpose in an attempt to strengthen their own currency (complete opposite to Vietnam's and Cambodia's approach who want tourists spending strong currency to boost their foreign exchange reserves), I'm just planning to take out 300,000 kyats (about £162) from an ATM in Yangon Airport on the way in - of which there are now many according to many forums. 300,000 is the maximum you can take out in a single transaction and there is a local bank charge of 5,000 kyats per transaction in all ATMs - having read that on other forums too.

If I have anything left it at the end of the trip it will either go on duty free on the way out, or changed back into GBP at the airport.

I'm not taking USD to then change them into MMK as you're effectively paying two sets of commission from GBP. Also, I bank with HSBC and have an account that does not charge extra fees to take foreign currency out of my current account via an ATM, just their rate for the exchange which will always beat a cash conversion rate from a non-convertible (non-tradeable) currency.

Very excited too, had text yesterday to say final docs on their way.

Hi

I sometimes wonder why notes have to be in pristine conditions in some countries to be accepted? I can understand about very tatty or torn notes - after all money is money!

Jaya

Hi Jaya

Yes, I have often wondered that - especially as local notes (and not only in Asia) always do not meet the specification!

I have several times found it difficult to obtain notes of acceptable quality. My bank's reaction was much the same as yours when I went in to complain after obtaining a really shoddy collection of notes last year from the ATM: they claimed that they simply did not have such notes in stock (they were probably all out in China, or wherever) . . .

Jim

Very well said! It makes you wonder what these countries, who insist on pristine notes do with them? Probably frame them!

Jaya