I went to Myanmar for 3 weeks at the end of 2013 and visited several places. In this article, I will share my favorite places in Myanmar. Find my opinion on Myanmar.
📋 Key points to remember: Myanmar remains one of the most authentic countries in Southeast Asia, still little touristy. The classic trio: Yangon (Shwedagon Pagoda), Bagan (more than 2,000 temples on the plain), Inle Lake (lake of the standing fishermen). Plan for 15 to 21 days minimum. Budget 30-50 €/day. Dry season November-February. The political situation has remained tense since 2021, check travel alerts.
The best places in Myanmar
Myanmar is still a place with few tourists compared to other Southeast Asian destinations such as Thailand or Vietnam. Currently, it is the best time to go there to enjoy the country before the influx of tourists in the coming years.
The population is still not very used to seeing foreigners and still retains their authenticity; in a few years, we will talk again about the changes in this country.
You understood, I recommend this destination and I will talk about two destinations that I really liked.
One of the most beautiful places in Myanmar: Inle Lake
If there is really one thing not to miss, it is Inle Lake, 400km north of Rangoon.
Inle Lake can be the start or end point of several days’ hikes in the different ethnic Burmese villages. I personally did a 3-day/2-night trek and visited small villages, was invited to a wedding, and even celebrated Christmas there. These were simply magical moments because the people were welcoming and did everything to satisfy you. They want to make you feel comfortable.
🌍 Did you know?
In Bagan, there are more than 2,200 temples and stupas over 40 km², built between the 9th and 13th centuries. The site rivals Angkor in density but is much less crowded. The sunrise by hot air balloon over the Bagan plain is regularly ranked among the most beautiful travel experiences in the world.
It is possible to tour Inle Lake by motorboat in these small boats that can hold up to 5 people, which take you to several places such as the jumping cat temples, the forge, the homemade longyi or fabric factory, a pagoda, the floating gardens, or even to eat at a restaurant on the lake.
Tip: the boat tour of the lake is quite fun but avoid buying things on the lake, they are a bit more expensive than in town.
What I liked best: are the houses on the water’s edge and also the sunset over the lake with the fish fishermen.
Some indicative prices: 40,000 Kyats (about 35 euros) per person for 5 people for the 3-day trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake with guide and meals. The price is higher if you go with 2, 3, or 4 people, maximum 60,000 Kyats if you are two.
20,000 to 30,000 Kyats for boat rental per day to tour Inle Lake.
The entrance and access fee to the lake is 10,000 Kyats, valid for one week.
Starting from travel stories from Kalaw (the place where we started our trek to Inle Lake): my friend and I were previously in Yangon. We took a night bus and we were the only tourists on this bus. We then arrived in Kalaw at 3 a.m. It was below 10 degrees. We had not booked our accommodation so we accepted the first English-speaking tout who offered us a room for 7,000 Kyats. So we spent the first night at the Golden Lilly Guesthouse. The guesthouse is nice for the price but there is no hot water and the owners are not very friendly. I recommend staying there for the price but not taking the trek with them. Take the time to ask around town. It is a guesthouse where there are only foreign tourists. The next day, we rented a van with three other people (a Czech, a Ukrainian, and a Frenchman) to go to Pindaya. What is quite nice is to do the “5days market” (which is a large local market) and the Pindaya cave.
| Step | To see / do | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Yangon | Shwedagon Pagoda, Bogyoke Market | 2 days |
| Bagan | 2200 temples, sunrise, e-bike | 3-4 days |
| Mandalay | Mahamuni, U Bein Bridge, Sutaungpyei Pagoda | 2-3 days |
| Inle Lake | Standing fishermen, floating villages | 2-3 days |
| Kalaw – Inle Trek | 3-day hike through Shan villages | 3 days |
| Ngapali Beach | Quiet beach (end of trip option) | 2-3 days |
We bought our respective Christmas gifts and were offered food by the locals, they were very nice.
Van price per day: 30,000 Kyats or 6,000 per person.
🗣️ My experience: Sunrise in a hot air balloon over Bagan in November. Takeoff at 5:45 am, 45 minutes above the plain dotted with temples emerging from the mist as the sun rises. Cost: €320 at the time, the most memorable souvenir of my trips to Asia. Booking is essential 2-3 months in advance during high season.
The highlight of this day towards Pindaya: See a local market, try Burmese specialties, be offered things, the market is not touristy so prices are local, no tourists. The Pindaya cave is magnificent, it can be visited in two hours maximum.
Advice: during this kind of visit, the driver will take you to see craft shops (paper umbrella making for example). Prices are a bit higher than shops you might find in town.
If you don’t know where to stay upon arrival in Nyangshwe or Kalaw, the arrival or departure points of the trek, you can ask the agency where you booked the trek to find you a room according to your budget.
The best of Myanmar to see: the temples at Bagan.
Bagan is one of the two must-see places in Myanmar. It is a place that gathers more than 8,000 temples. It is possible to visit the site by bicycle or electric bike. We chose the bicycle option. The bikes are a bit old, even from a past era, just a heads-up.
🍀 Visiting Myanmar
- Preserved authenticity (little tourism)
- Unique sites (Bagan, Inle)
- Welcoming population
- Very affordable prices
🔻 Limitations
- Tense political situation (since 2021)
- Limited tourist infrastructure outside cities
- Slow internet connection
- English rarely spoken in villages
If you want to avoid getting tired, you can rent a car for half a day or a full day to take you to see the sunrise and the various temples. Sunrise is the most magical moment of this place with the hot air balloons in the background.
Nyaung U is the place where you will arrive when you get off the bus from Mandalay or Inle Lake, and it is also where the guesthouses are located. It takes about twenty minutes at least to reach the first real temple by bike.
Attention: you must pay 10,000 kyats to enter the archaeological site of Bagan, but you will only be asked for an entrance ticket at certain popular tourist temples. If you want to avoid paying this fee, you can always ask other tourists leaving Bagan, or you can choose not to visit the temple(s) where they require this ticket. For us, a French couple kindly gave us the access tickets, and we were checked 3 times during the 4 days we were in Bagan. The ticket is valid for 5 days.
Just follow the different roads and visit each temple in turn.
⚠️ Classic trap
Leaving without checking the current political situation. Since the February 2021 coup d’état, the country has experienced ongoing tensions (variable curfews, restricted areas). Always check the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Travel Advice) website before and during your trip. Subscribe to insurance that covers cancellations due to political instability.
What I liked best: the sunrise over Bagan, the bike ride around the temples.
The price: You can rent a car for 40,000 Kyats to go to Mount Popa or pay 10,000 per person if you are fewer than 4. We were 5! Ask for several prices.
Renting a bike costs 1,500 Kyats per day, or 1,000 Kyats for half a day.
Electric bikes start at 5,000 Kyats, with several models available.
To prepare for health and safety, Chapka insurance with Adventure+ option is recommended. Regarding the overall budget for the area, the Thailand budget provides comparable estimates. And to discover another Southeast Asian gem, things to do in Vietnam offers a complementary alternative.
Going to Mount Popa is not mandatory but it is a nice visit, nothing more, yet it is a symbolic place with a pagoda at the top of the mountain. The sunset is beautiful to see.
Prices are from late December 2013 and may differ a few months later.
And you? Are you more into temples/culture or hiking/boat visits on the lake?
