Is traveling to Burma dangerous?

South East Asiatico it is generally safe always and everywhere and I believe I am not wrong if I maintain that Burma is characterized by being perhaps one of the safest countries in the whole area.

Despite the fact that the republic of Myanmar (what we call Burma) still lives in a repressive military regime considered the most corrupt in the world, even if after the elections last January 2011 it seems that things are changing on the positive side, and at the beginning I had some hesitations also in terms of safety I can safely say that I have never felt so safe as I do in this country.

The public works are few and/or non-existent, the bathrooms are often squat ones (remember??), the roads are not asphalted, traveling here is an incredible and unrepeatable experience from all points of view, decidedly complicated if not you are used to traveling independently and if you are not ready that could make the trip more than an unforgettable experience a rapid descent into hell.

As far as I’m concerned, my stay in Myanmar, unfortunately only 17 days, I can define it as a journey in the true sense of the word as perhaps few people do in life.
The bus stations are crowded, chaotic and messy, I had never seen anything like it, the cities are dirty in the evening and then clean again at dawn and get dirty again in the early morning, the rubbish bins seem to be optional and the things are thrown on the ground or thrown.
The tireless horns sound for every reason, as in Italy after all… but more than that, they sound to say hello, move over, I’m coming, come out, I’m out, sometimes I think even for the mere pleasure of making a bit of noise.
Men and women walk the streets in a disorderly manner, the scooters whiz by, the pick-ups already full of people stop every 3 meters to let new ones get on, so much so that if you aren’t inside on the roof or clinging to the tailgate you can always find space, the options for the place there are numerous especially if you are men, only they are allowed to stay on the roof of the van, a possibility forbidden to women.

The arrival in Yangon had a strange effect on me and left me rather disoriented and above all it didn’t seem so safe, but one day and a few chats with those who had already been there were enough for me to actually realize that in Burma it is late hour or dawn walking the streets is absolutely safe.

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The only thing you have to get used to, but which is nice, is the call of people who want to talk to you, those who ask you to take a photo of them, those who pose, those who want to shake your hand and exchange just some chatter in broken English, a string of curious eyes on you who tirelessly scrutinize you and seem not to want to let you go without having spoken at least a few seconds with you.
I therefore agree with what was written by Lonely Planet speaking of Burma “if someone runs away with your money it’s only because they want to give it back to you because you dropped it!”.
And I can confirm this since I inadvertently tested their good faith.

Burma, as written in the post about responsible tourism in Myanmar, is a country that with due care can be discovered without favoring the military government, instead favoring the population who will make you feel at home even if home is not only physically distant but complicated to reach via the internet.
In fact, the Internet is spreading quickly and is easy to find but the connections are so slow that they would not support a Skype call.

Apart from this, if you are worried about the political situation, I can reassure you in this case too. The regime is there and people are starting to talk about it but they are still there are off limits for tourists therefore in many cases it is necessary to stick more or less to the same itinerary beyond which one cannot go, apart from this annoyance I have neither encountered nor perceived any type of problem at any time of day or night.

brown temples during daytime

Single women traveling in Burma

For women, I believe Myanmar is one of the safest countries in the world, no one bothers and the dangers are truly at an all-time low.
The woman who travels alone arouses great curiosity among the Burmese, who generally travel in groups. The fact that she is not married or engaged leaves them even more astonished and this single status will be a cause for questions.

It can easily happen that during a walk or a simple visit to a temple you are stopped by some woman who wants to know more about you and, in my lucky case as usual, I also had an invitation to dinner.
A Burmese dinner, in a typical Myanmar house where I was the exotic one and the grandmother who had never seen Westerners before looked at me fascinated.
In this regard, if someone is going or about to go to Bagan and is at the Ananda Pagoda send my warmest regards and a big hug to this splendid and strong lady who gave me a special evening, her name is Aye Aye Aye (pronounced EE) and sells handicrafts at the entrance to the pagoda.

The only recommendations I can give you to avoid any problems mainly concern the dress decently no shorts or tank tops but always cover shoulders and legs.
The clothing is fundamental as it gives the impression of being a tourist who respects local habits and traditions and above all in my experience it was a means of communication with the locals themselves who found in my “longy” a point of contact.
As a solo traveler in Myanmar, I have had experiences that I had not yet had in other places (with the exception of Morocco), these beautiful moments have accentuated the awareness that Burma is a country that is not only worth visiting but must be experienced. Experienced from inside the houses, experienced on the street.
No danger so, if not to fall in love with this splendid country.