Driving all the way from India to Bangkok has been a longstanding dream for lots of road trippers and adventure-seekers in India. As a destination, Bangkok has always enjoyed a huge tourist inflow, due to easy and cheap accessibility from India. Myanmar, on the other hand, was closed to foreigners for a long time, and hence has a mystique about it. Sanjay (Madan) and I had already driven down this route during our ‘Great Indian World Trip’ drive, and were quite inspired by all that Myanmar and Thailand had to offer. Both countries were a treasure of heritage sites and incredibly warm people, just waiting to welcome travellers with open arms. It was this incredible experience that helped us conceive the trip to Bangkok.
People had an inherent curiosity about Myanmar as a country, and were quite thrilled with the concept of driving all the way to Bangkok. It was a cakewalk to launch the trip, but taking care of the logistics involved in making it happen was the real challenge. The first challenge was explaining why it was so expensive: at Rs. 3 to 4 lakhs (all inclusive) for a 16-day round trip snaking through India, Myanmar and Thailand, people were baffled, as Thailand has always been a less-expensive holiday destination. With the help of articles and supporting documents, we explained all the costs incurred, including the paperwork. There were overland permissions for Myanmar and Thailand to be obtained, border crossings, driving permits and an escort vehicle in Myanmar. We also had to get the Carnet de Passage, which is like a passport for your vehicle, issued by the Automobile Association of India.
It takes at least four weeks to obtain all the mandatory permissions to drive through Myanmar. In addition, we had to make sure that the route covered the most scenic places. The idea was to explore as much of the country as possible, as it had been closed to tourists for a long time. Every vehicle required documentation, including the original RC, insurance etc.
Participants had to be ready to drive on the right side of the road in Myanmar, and switch back to the left side in Thailand. They were also briefed on food, culture, currency, time zone, weather, driving etiquette... The trip started on January 23 from Imphal. We were a group of 25, with people from Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa. We met as strangers, but over the period of two weeks, all of us experienced new highs, dealt with breakdowns and other obstacles together as a team, sampled exotic food, drove long hours at a stretch for many days in a row, and finally, together, achieved the common goal — reaching Bangkok by road all the way from India. The journey connected us, and has made us friends for life.
Here are some of the highlights:
WW II-era bridgesAs you cross the border and enter Myanmar, get ready to eat some dust as you cross 46 iron bridges, all within 100 km, and built during World War II. This historic road crosses the Tropic of Cancer and is maintained by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of India.
BaganThis is a temple city that is home to 4,456 pagodas, dating back more than 1,500 years. No matter where you look, you can see ancient, magnificent temples. It is a sea of pagodas, and while you’re there, you will be able to feel the calm, peace and vibrations of this holy land.
Inle lakeA beautiful freshwater lake located in the Shan Plateau. It is home to the Intha people, who are lake dwellers, and are known for their unique leg-rowed traditional boats.
MandalayThe former capital of Burma, Mandalay has a rich and exotic past. This city houses the historical prison where famous Indian freedom fighters like Bal Gangadhar Tilak were imprisoned during the British Raj. Half of Burma’s monks reside in this city, and it has its share of royal palaces and monasteries.
Remember, anyone can take a flight to Bangkok; it takes someone special to attempt the drive!
