Last Updated on March 28, 2023 by PowersToTravel
I’ve written an in-depth page on all travel challenges for type 1 diabetics regardless of the continent. Click here to read it. It is my intention to supplement that page with specifics for each country I’ve visited, specifics based on my own experience.
Vaccines and Travel Clinic, before you go
Definitely check with the CDC, but when we went, Typhoid vaccines were recommended and Malaria was endemic in Bagan where we intended to visit. Hepatitis B is also recommended, and many people may not have the Hep-B vaccine since it is not always recommended for the general public. However, they say that those who might have to deal with contaminated needles and blood products should be vaccinated. No, I’m not planning on a tattoo! However diabetics have a greater risk of hospitalization and needle-sticks and should always be up to date on the Hep-B vaccine.
Flying challenges
Most international travelers reach Yangon first, and so the challenges of International Travel affect them. We, on the other hand, flew from Chiang Mai to Mandalay on Bangkok Airways, a route I much recommend. Read all about it in my article, “Mandalay, first, in Myanmar.” With that route, the plane was small, an ATR 72. While Bangkok Airways’ other carry-on policies were what I would call “normal”, for the ATR 72 it was 50 x 36 x 23 centimeters in dimension and 5 kg in weight. Since the restrictions were apparently due to the size of the aircraft, I could guess that the restrictions were due to the physical size of the overhead bin.
Horror of horrors, my wonderful, colorful diabetic be-all-to-end-all case would be too large. I had to concoct a plan to transfer and separate my diabetic supplies into other bags which both Greg and I would carry. It wouldn’t have been too difficult if that had been the only flight of the Southeast Asia Odyssey, however it was just the first of six flights before we would get home. I had to create a plan whose parts would fit in the rest of the luggage.
Luckily I saw that Bangkok Airways has a frequent flyer program that allows each person to take an additional 10 kg in the checked luggage. This benefit was available from the very first flight. So, I signed up, and we instantly were able to redistribute some of our carry-on items into our checked luggage. Normally they would have been overweight, but not now!
You don’t want to hear all about my redistribution plan which I documented and weighed before the trip so that I could simply execute it stresss-free during the trip, but the Travel Tip here is to pay close attention to the actual plane you are traveling on in Southeast Asia and make sure you understand its particular baggage restrictions. Additionally, many Asian airlines are very, very strict about weight and dimension and I did not want a situation to arise due to my insulin and diabetic supplies.
Avoiding the Water
That goes without saying. Definitely. I had no problems in Myanmar, thankfully. I enjoyed the entire uneventful visit!
Avoiding the Mosquitoes
Although the travel clinic and CDC said that mosquitoes were endemic to Bagan, I don’t know that I ever saw one. Definitely December is the dry season there, and we were quite comfortable. That didn’t mean I let down my guard: I always put DEET on every square of skin exposed when we went out at night for dinner.
Travel Insurance
Myanmar is an awesome look back in time before the crush of technology and the modern world. This means that healthcare is almost non-existent for the local villagers, and hospitals are not up to snuff. There is one western clinic in Bagan, called Global Care Clinic, which is probably safe to visit.
Otherwise, in you get sick in Mandalay, the word out is that you need to get the next plane to Bangkok.
For that reason, travel insurance with EVACUATION is an absolute necessity for diabetics and especially for us, as we would be visiting Mandalay, Monywa, Bagan and Yangon.
Foot Health, particularly in Myanmar
The health of my feet was a particular concern in Myanmar. Culture prohibits entering a temple without taking off your shoes AND YOUR SOCKS. I read about it and discussed this with the travel agent ahead of time. Hopefully they allowed socks or sandals for the “infirm”? There are NO exceptions.
This was a concern but not a problem in Mandalay and Yangon, as the temples there were generally tiled. It was critical to pay attention to the sun and make sure I walked only on shaded tiles.
But in Bagan, the floors of the temples were often brick or cement, without the benefit of smooth tiles. Frequently grit and gravel from the outside would coat the floors creating a very rough surface. I’m not quite sure of the exact health status of my feet, because although I am confident I have diabetic peripheral neuropathy, my feet are EXTREMELY sensitive (contradiction, that, I know). I worried about cuts and infections, as well as fungus and diseases. Diabetics’ feet are nothing to play with!
Internally, I became angry at the Myanmar Buddhist culture there which did not allow me put my health first. (All of the other Southeast Asia countries let me keep my socks on.)
The only advice I can give is to step carefully and don’t let anyone rush you through a temple.
Take care of your eyes
You will hopefully find it as unusual as I that workmen in Myamar, and in most of the Southeast Asian countries, wear so little to protect themselves. In Thailand we were brought to a “factory” where they made Buddha images, and a grinding activity let loose with some metal fragment and it zinged and wounded me in my leg. I bled and put antibiotic on it when we returned to the car, and was not terribly concerned. However, it made me very aware that flying objects can be a real danger here. I was so happy it was just my leg.
Good thing I had a great zoom lens!
Our guide in Mandalay took us to see marble scupltors as they too created Buddha images, this time with stone and power grinding tools. Remembering Thailand, I immediately put on my sunglasses, however sunglasses aren’t the same as protective glasses. I kept fairly far back so as not to be near the flying fragments.
The guide was puzzled, “Don’t you want to see?”
“I’m fine.” In my mind, I kept seeing that metal shard from Thailand just flying out.
Always keep yourself safe, because they definitely will not.
Summary
Don’t forget to read my in-depth page on diabetic travel tips for type 1 diabetics regardless of the continent.
Last but not least: Enjoy; Myanmar is a wonderful vibrant, colorful, exciting place to be.
