Burmese Kyat

Get to know the Burmese Kyat with real experiences from mr.hotsia

If you are planning a trip to Myanmar, one of the things mr.hotsia wants to remind you to prepare well is the Burmese Kyat, the main currency of the country. Using money in Myanmar might seem complicated for Thai tourists who have never experienced it before, but if you understand the system and how to exchange it properly, it will make you feel more comfortable and travel more conveniently.

In mr.hotsia's memory, when arriving at Yangon Airport, I prepared plenty of US dollars (USD), especially "new dollar bills" to bring along. Old or crumpled bills are not accepted for exchange here. They are quite strict about this. I recommend preparing large denomination bills like 100 USD or 50 USD to exchange at the airport as it offers the best rates and convenience. Keep 20 USD and 1 USD bills for small expenses or taxi fares in the city.

Regarding exchange rates, mr.hotsia clearly remembers about 1 USD exchanging for around 900 Kyat. Thai Baht can be roughly calculated by thinking 1 Baht equals 30 Kyat. For example, if a taxi fare in Yangon is "3,000 Kyat," it means about 3 dollars or 90 Thai Baht. A simple way to calculate is to remove the last three digits from the Kyat amount and multiply by 30 to get an approximate Thai price.

How to exchange and use Kyat in real life

After exchanging money at the airport, mr.hotsia went for a walk in Yangon and other cities and found that shops, taxis, and even the riverside markets along the Irrawaddy River in Pathein mostly use Kyat. Some places also accept dollars, especially large shops or tourist hotels.

At the airport or in Myanmar cities, if you run out of Kyat, you can exchange more at banks or money changers in town. However, mr.hotsia recommends not exchanging more than necessary because sometimes the rates in town are not as good as at the airport.

Another thing to prepare for using money in Myanmar is "counting Kyat." Locals sometimes say amounts in "thousands of Kyat," for example, 3,000 Kyat is said as "three thousand," which actually means about 3 US dollars or 90 Thai Baht. This is something mr.hotsia had to listen carefully to when paying taxi fares or buying things at the market.

Connecting community life and using Kyat at tourist spots

From traveling experiences in Myanmar, mr.hotsia had the chance to visitKachin StateHere, besides being the source of the important Irrawaddy River, the use of Kyat in daily life of locals is very evident. I rented a motorcycle to ride around villages by the river, using Kyat to buy food and pay for various services easily.

In Kachin State, I also visited Indawgyi Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Local spending around this area is almost entirely in Kyat, whether renting boats for wildlife viewing or buying souvenirs from villages around the lake.Indawgyiis a very interesting area for nature lovers and those who want to experience authentic Burmese life.

Also, when going south to Bagan, I fully experienced local food and markets. Payments still mainly used Kyat. Local street restaurants in backpacker alleys or famous local eateries like “Shwe Yar Su,” where I enjoyed beer and delicious Burmese food, all accepted Kyat. For tourists like us, it is recommended to exchange enough Kyat to avoid worries when paying.

Tips from mr.hotsia for first-time travelers to Myanmar

1.Prepare new dollar billsbefore traveling because old bills will definitely not be accepted for exchange.
2.Exchange Kyat at the airportto get the best and most convenient exchange rates.
3.Don’t forget to bring a face maskespecially when walking markets or riding horse carts in Yangon or Bagan because there is a lot of dust.
4.Practice counting Kyatand listening to prices said in thousands of Kyat to avoid confusion when paying.
5.Carry Kyat for taxi faresas it is more convenient than paying in dollars in the city.
6.Don’t exchange too much moneyonly enough for daily expenses to avoid carrying too much cash and risk of theft.

Summary

The Burmese Kyat is something you need to understand and prepare well for traveling in Myanmar. mr.hotsia assures that if you know how to exchange and use Kyat correctly, your trip in Myanmar will be much more comfortable and enjoyable. In fact, Kyat is not too difficult for tourists who are ready to study and plan before traveling.

If you like this article, don’t forget to follow my travel stories, mr.hotsia, who will take you to experience various aspects of Myanmar, including riverside markets, street food in Yangon, and horse cart rides in Bagan, which I have shared inHorse Cart Ride in Bagan ArticleandFood in Bagan, Myanmarwhich will enrich your feelings and real-life images for every traveler.

See you again on the next journey with mr.hotsia!