Myanmar opens up to more travellers with visa-free entry to eight Asian nations

Myanmar, officially known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, is now offering visa-free entry for travellers from eight Asian countries, making it easier to explore the country’s stunning landscapes, historical sites, and cultural heritage. The initiative, aimed at boosting tourism and supporting the local economy, allows citizens from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam to visit Myanmar visa-free with a passport valid for at least six months.

Myanmar’s visa-free policy: Key details

Under Myanmar’s visa-free policy, visitors from Singapore can enter the country for both tourism and business purposes, with a maximum stay of 30 days. Singaporean citizens may enter and exit Myanmar through any available port, including land, air, or sea routes. Similarly, Vietnamese citizens are permitted a 30-day visa-free stay. However, for citizens from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, and Thailand, visa-free entry is limited to 14 days. Tourists from these countries are restricted to specific entry points, including Yangon International Airport, Nay Pyi Taw International Airport, and Mandalay International Airport.

Myanmar is experiencing a sizable tourism boost, with a 78 percent increase in visitors in 2022 compared to 2021. China is considered the leading source of tourists to Myanmar, with the country welcoming 749,719 Chinese travellers in 2019.  Additionally, about 273,157 tourists from Thailand visited Myanmar in 2019, followed by 125,706 from Japan and 111,794 from South Korea.

Myanmar is a popular destination in Southeast Asia, and home to numerous historic sites, pagodas, beaches, Buddhist sites, palaces, lakes, hiking trails, and more. Some of the best places to visit in Myanmar include Mansalay Hill, Inle Lake, Kuthodaw Pagoda, Kalaw Lake, Hpa-An Cave, Sule Pagoda, Mount Popa, Ngapali Beach, and the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda.

(Featured image credit: Jean-Marie Hullot, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

This story first appeared here.