Vietnam's Vietjet is set to introduce a new daily flight between Hanoi and Yangon on 31 August 2017, a route it expects to be popular with business, government and NGO-related travelers.
One of the few low-cost airlines with traffic rights to Myanmar, Vietjet already operates on the Ho Chi Minh City-Yangon route with a daily service.
Vietnam Airlines meanwhile is to increase the frequency on its existing Hanoi-Yangon route from five flights a week to a daily flight, starting 15 June 2017. At the same time it will resume its Ho Chi Minh City-Yangon route with a daily flight.
August of last year saw Emirates launch a daily service from Dubai to Yangon and on to Hanoi, which expanded the airline's network of destinations in Southeast Asia to 12 cities in seven countries. The new flight to Yangon marked Emirates' first air service to Myanmar.
In July 2017 the airline will switch Hanoi for Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh on this route and at the same time begin serving Hanoi with its own nonstop flight from Dubai.
As Myanmar's largest city and main commercial centre, Yangon continues to be the main international entry point. Foreign visitor arrivals surged in recent years as the country opened up more to the outside world.
According to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Myanmar welcomed 4.6 million visitors in 2015, representing a significant increase on the 816,400 arrivals recorded in 2011. The 2016 total dropped from that of 2015 to around 2.9 million arrivals, but the ministry attributed this to the exclusion from the yearly total of foreigners who entered via land borders.
Expansion work at Yangon International Airport to cater for increased passenger numbers and more air services saw the opening in 2016 of new international and domestic terminals.
For the visiting tourist, Yangon offers enchanting pagodas and temples, museums, bustling markets, scenic parks and lakes and some of the most impressive colonial architecture to be found anywhere in the region.
One of the finest historic hotels in Southeast Asia is The Strand Yangon, a luxury all suite property and iconic city landmark that was built well over a century ago in 1901. Once a gathering place for adventurers, explorers and raconteurs including Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham, George Orwell, Orson Welles and Sir Noel Coward, this most famous of five star hotels in Yangon and a legendary name among luxury hotels in Myanmar is today a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
A major restoration project was carried out in 2016 to usher The Strand Yangon into the 21st Century. This included upgrades to air-conditioning and in-room technologies for its 31 suites, a remodeling of the famous hotel bar and extensive staff training based on the renowned Strand level of service. At the same time careful effort went into maintaining original architectural details and features of the property such as its beloved period furnishings, chandeliers and ceiling fans.
Last year also saw the launch of the Strand Cruise, a 61-metre purpose-built luxury cruise ship operating three and four night cruises on the Ayeyarwady River between Mandalay and Bagan. Mirroring the legendary style and heritage of The Strand Yangon, the Strand Cruise journeys are positioned as remarkable voyages of discovery that blend exceptional comfort, discreet personalized service and the latest technology, with visits to temples, pagodas, palaces, monasteries and remote villages.
Martin Wynn
