A selection of photographs taken during a month-long visit to Burma in July 2004.

After much deliberation and soul searching I finally took the decision to visit Burma in July 2004.

For anyone concerned with whether or not you should travel to Burma (Myanmar) whilst the country remains under the current regime, I thought that my own experiences of recent travel to Burma might be of interest. It certainly is a contentious and emotionally charged issue and from personal experience the decision on whether to go there is not an easy one to make.

I spent a great deal of time deliberating long and hard about whether visiting Burma was morally the right thing to do or not. Having been there I think that it was. However, with so many issues at stake I don’t think I could ever really feel 100% certain that I did the right thing.
Certainly from the reception I received from the Burmese people I was left feeling that independent travel to the country appears to be welcomed with open arms by the vast majority of people. Obviously in a country as desperately poor as Burma one would expect people to relish the opportunity to grab a few tourist dollars, regardless of the political implications. However, I found that the people genuinely wanted me to be there (irrespective of the potential for financial gain).

In Burma it can be very dangerous for people to be overheard discussing anything of a ‘sensitive’ nature with foreigners. However, one place that is generally out of reach of government spies is the monastery and I was fortunate enough to spend a great deal of time discussing politics with the monks. In a country where freedom of information and freedom of speech is so forcibly suppressed, they welcomed the opportunity to discuss both their own country’s political situation and that of the outside world.

Before I bought my plane ticket to Burma I was able to speak to a number of other travellers who had recently returned from Burma. As ‘politically aware’ visitors they were able to give me their own first-hand impressions of the country and answer some my main concerns. These were:

1. I had heard that foreigners still had to exchange 200 US Dollars into government ‘Foreign Exchange Certificates’ upon arrival in Yangon (Rangoon). This ‘hard currency’ would then find it’s way into government hands. This practice I discovered has now been discontinued.

2. I wondered how difficult it would be to avoid government-controlled transport. The reality is that there has been an expansion in the number of private/non-government travel services, including a very comprehensive private bus network. As a result I was able to avoid travelling on any government transport. I did have to make a few changes to my itinerary but overall I had no problems here.

3. I had similar concerns about government run hotels. In the event I found there to be alternatives to these establishments in every place I visited.

4. I was obviously concerned about how the Burmese people would view me. Would there be hostility towards me as a ‘tourist’? I think I’ve covered that already, however, I would stress that organised, package holidays still do (in many case) use government services and as such this type of tourism is viewed differently by the people I was able to discuss these issues with.

Obviously in a country run by such a corrupt and suppressive military regime I was only able to see what they were prepared to let me see. Many parts of the country are still off limits to foreigners for various reasons.

Upon arrival in any major town the bus would always stop at an army checkpoint and the passengers onboard would have to show their papers. The sudden silence and obvious look of anxiety and fear on peoples faces made it all too apparent that the Burmese people are a very long way from experiencing the kind of freedoms we take for granted.

Even living under these conditions I still found the Burmese to be amongst the warmest and most good-humoured people I have ever met, with a rich and diverse culture that appears very much alive.
The natural and man-made beauty in the country is staggering. From the vast ancient ruins of Bagan to the tranquil ‘heaven-on-earth’ that is Inley Lake.

People opposed to travel to Burma often use these two main arguments:

1. That visitors to the country give the Burmese government access to much needed hard-currency which helps sustain the regime

2. That tourism helps give the regime credibility in the outside world

Well I feel that after spending a month in Burma that the vast majority of my money went directly to the Burmese people – who very much needed it.

I also can’t see how independent travel by politically informed and responsible individuals can possibly bring credibility to the regime. Quite the opposite actually, since returning from the country I’ve been able to talk about the situation there with a far greater authority and understanding than before. Thereby drawing attention to the plight of the Burmese people.

The Lonely Planet sums up the main pros and cons of visiting the country as follows:

Reasons Not to Go: Aung San Suu Kyi (the Burmese political leader who has been under house arrest for some ten years) has asked tourists not to; the government used forced labour to ready tourist-related sights and services; international tourism can be seen as a stamp of approval to the Myanmar government; the government forbids travel to many areas, particularly in areas inhabited by minority groups; it's impossible to visit without some money going to the military junta (visa, departure fee, tax on purchases); and Activists claim that tourism dollars fuel government repression directly.

Reasons to Go: Tourism remains one of the few industries to which ordinary locals have access - in terms of income and communication; vast majority of locals want you there; human-rights abuses are less likely to occur in areas where the international community is present; the government stopped mandating foreigners change US$200.00 into government notes upon arrival; the majority (possibly over 80%) of a careful independent traveller's expenses goes into the private sector; and keeping the people isolated from international witnesses to internal oppression may only cement the government's ability to rule.

For anyone wishing to find out more about Burma or for anyone wishing to get directly involved in raising awareness of the plight of the Burmese people, please visit www.burmacampaign.org.uk