NEW
Myanmar: Be Enchanted
DURATION
9 Days
TRIP TYPE
Bus
E-bike
Boat
On Foot
ATTRACTIONS
TYPE
– Temples
– Viewpoints
– Ancient sites
– Nature (rivers, sunrise, sunset, rock formation, & green hills)
– Architecture
– Culture (thanaka powder, fishing, food, textile, & cheroot)
LOCATIONS
– Yangon
– Bagan
– Kyaik Htee Yoe (Golden Rock)
– Nyaungshwe (Inle Lake)
– Mandalay
OVERVIEW
Budget
| EXPENSE TYPE | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| ACCOMMODATION | In Yangon, Nyaungshwe, and few in Mandalay, the cheap range including hostels start at around 20 USD per night. However in Bagan, being touristic, I only found places starting at around 30 USD. |
| FOOD | In Yangon, a basic meal starts at 2.5 USD. In Mandalay, Nyaungshwe, and Bagan it’s mostly at 3+ USD. |
| TAXI | I have personally not used any taxis in Myanmar but I heard that they are expensive and typically without licensed drivers, so it’s better to opt for ride-hailing apps such as Grab or Loyar. |
| GRAB | It’s recommended to use Grab as it’s reliable with fixed fares and licensed drivers only. Aside from Yangon, Grab is also available in Mandalay and Bagan. You may hear or see “GrabThoneBane” which is the tuk-tuk service of Grab with a base fare of 1000 MMK that increases by 300 MMK per kilometer. |
| PUBLIC BUS | Something I also did not use is the Yangon Bus Transportation (YBT), which is an air-conditioned BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) or fast bus that serves routes within the city of Yangon. Most of the routes pass through famous attractions. Fares are much more affordable at just 300-400 MMK. |
| E-BIKE RENT | I rented one in Bagan for 6000-8000 MMK per day with a battery life of around 8 hours. You can find them rental shops or ask your hotel staff. |
| WATER TRANSPORT | In different cities around Myanmar including Yangon, Bagan, and Mandalay, you can take the boat to different places. Although some are more in the form of public transportation (around 1200 MMK) than for tourism (10-70 USD). I personally took a touristic boat ride in Bagan but took a boat as a form of public transportation in Mandalay. |
| TOUR BUS | The inter-city bus conditions are excellent, clean, punctual and comfortable with blankets and neck pillows. Prices vary between 11,000 MMK to 24,000 MMK depending on your destination and operating companies. I paid 15,000 MMK to go from Yangon to Bagan. I bought my ticket directly at the bus station but you can book them online as well. |
Best Time To Visit
The best time to travel is when there is no public holidays or festivals, unless that’s your purpose.
Here is the list of public holidays and festival dates as per the Wikipedia updates.
Other than that, November to February would be my recommended period to visit the main attractions of Myanmar. The temperatures are mild and the rainy season which is typically from May to October is out of the way. However, it is also around the peak season, so take note of that.
Travel Itinerary
DAY 1: YANGON
- Arrive at Yangon International Airport
- Kandawgyi Nature Park
- Bogyoke Aung San Market
- Lunch at Feel Myanmar Restaurant
- Shwedagon Pagoda
- Dining in the Monkew lakeside area by Inya Lake
- Stay one night at Yangon
Arrive at Yangon International Airport. The best and seemingly only option if you’re traveling to Myanmar by yourself is to use Grab to travel from the airport to downtown Yangon.
I first headed to Kandawgyi Nature Park where there was a market with street food and wooden platforms above the lake with a view of some Yangon buildings and a glimpse of the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda. Good vibes!
Then I dropped by the Bogyoke Aung San Market, which hosts more than 2000 shops including antique, Burmese handicraft and jewellery shops, art galleries, clothing stores, and forex stalls with good rates. Being there was quite overwhelming as it was an extremely hectic place full of people going in all directions.
For lunch, I enjoyed some authentic Burmese cuisine at Feel Myanmar.
Once my belly was full, of course, I had to go to Shwedagon Pagoda, the most important and religious site in Myanmar! Or else, I could not say I had been to Myanmar, right? 🙂 As of October 2023, the entrance fee is 20,000 MMK. The entrance starts at a building with flights of stairs surrounded by shops up to the Pagoda. There are escalators as well.
If you’d like to learn more about this special place and buddhism in Myanmar, you can also book a half-day guided tour that starts in the morning.
NOTE: The dress code is for both men and women to cover their knees. Longyi, a traditional, sarong-style garment can be lent if you happen to be there in shorts. Shoulders must be covered. Avoid tight & revealing clothes as well as shirts with religious themes, death, or offensive messages.
WHEN TO GO: It’s best to go late afternoon as the sun will be setting (it’s otherwise super hot) and click pics of the pagoda both during the day and after sunset as they are completely different experienced. See for yourself:
Want more of authentic Burmese food after long walks around Shwedagon Pagoda? Well, head to Inya Lake where you have a myriad of restaurants to choose from right by the lake. After enjoying dinner, you can roam around the Inya Lake Park (West Bank) or the other side before heading to the hotel to spend your first night in Yangon!
Although the hotel I stayed at doesn’t seem to be operating anymore, there are plenty of other great options (4-5-star rating by guests) depending on your budget:
BUDGET: HOOD Hostel
MID-RANGE: Esperado Lake View Hotel
FANCY: Pan-Pacific Yangon (right next to Bogyoke Aung San Market)
Other places worth visiting if you have extra time:
– Maha Bandula Park
– National Museum of Myanmar
– Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple
DAY 2: GOLDEN ROCK MOUNTAIN
- Take bus to Kin Pun
- Take truck up to the Golden Rock Mountain
- Take bus back to Yangon
DAY 3: BAGAN
DAY 4: MOUNT POPA
- Head to Mt. Popa via tour vehicle
- Stop by a sweets shop
- Climb up to Mt. Popa
- Back to Bagan
DAY 5: INLE LAKE – NYAUNGSHWE
DAY 6: RED MOUNTAIN ESTATE VINEYARDS & WINERY
- Wine tasting at Red Mountain Estate Vineyards & Winery
- Back to Nyaungshwe to take bus to Mandalay
DAY 7: MANDALAY – U-BEIN BRIDGE & SAGAING HILL
- Arrive at Mandalay, check in at hotel
- Rent bike, see sunrise at U-Bein bridge
- Sagaing Hill
- Stay in Mandalay
DAY 8: MIN KUN (BELL)
- Take boat to Min Kun
- Mingun Pahtodawgyi
- Min Kun Bell
- Hsinbyume Pagoda (Myatheindan Pagoda)
- Back to Mandalay by boat
- Mandalay – Pyin Oo Lwin Highway sunset viewpoint
- Dinner at MinGalaBar restaurant
- Stay in Mandalay
DAY 9: MANDALAY HILL & PALACE
- Mandalay Hill
- Kuthodaw Pagoda
- Shwenandaw Buddhist Temple (Golden Palace Monastery)
- Atumashi Monastery
- Mandalay Palace
- Airport – Congratulations! You’ve completed the trip!
Download These Apps
| APP NAME | PURPOSE | PRICING |
|---|---|---|
| Maps.me | Map | Free |
| Grab | Taxi | Free download, in-app purchase |
| Loyar | Taxi | Free download, in-app purchase |
What To Pack?
Break down into categories:
Travel basics
Bag
Sandals
Shirts
Long pants
Hat(s)
Sun glasses
Gear
Camera
Tripod
Electronics
Phone
Laptop
Charger
Camping
Sleeping bag
Tent
More Details
Break down into categories:
Language: Myanmar (Burmese)
Myanmar/Burmese is the official language of Myanmar spoken by two thirds of the population.
English is semi-official. You will see some English in touristic areas.
Other languages include regional languages such as Shan, Mon, Karen, etc. and minority languages such as Sin-Tibetan, Tai-Kadai, Indo-Aryan, etc.
Currency: Myanmar Kyat (MMK)
1 USD ~ 2100 MMK
Plug Type: C, D, F & G
Festivals & Public Holidays
Myanmar has at least 1 festival every month with the most important one being the Pagoda festival occurring in March.
See more festivals in Myanmar here.
More Photos of Myanmar
I took many more photos during my trip in Myanmar which this page alone can’t handle (lol).
See more photos in Myanmar here.
AUTHOR
We are Alissa and Jay