Myanmar was one of my best country and you know why? Because it is one of the most recent country who are open for the tourist. So, actually, there are no lot of tourist, but will be change very fast… If you plan to visit Myanmar, do it quickly and read this article. Maybe it can help you.
The Visa
During a long time, the Visa was a problem for travellers. That’s why come in this country was so hard. Today the rules are changed and it’s really easy (maybe too easy) to make a Visa. You just need 2 ID photos, 1 passport copy, the address of your first night in Myanmar and 20$. Nothing about the flight ticket back, the itinerary inside the country… I tell you: today it’s very easy to make a Myanmar Visa.
My itinerary
Yangon – Bagan
I stayed just 1 night in Yangon, was too crowded for my first place. From each touristic place, you can book a bus easily to every big city in the country. For Bagan, I booked a night bus. Was an awesome night bus with your own screen, kind of snack and coffee when you want.
So, Bagan was my first real place. It’s also the most famous place in the country. Thousands and thousands pagodas in the same area. I can’t explain by text, photos are better. But please, if you plan to go there, you need to see a sunrise and a sunset. Just magic.
Pagan is divided into 3 parts: New Bagan and Nyaung-U (hostels and guesthouse), Old Bagan (temples and pagodas). Between each place there are 7 to 10 kilometres. So, you can use a tuktuk (expensive), a bicycle (tired) or an e-bike (best idea).
Bagan – Mandalay
The 2 cities are not too far. Maybe 3 hours between the both.
Mandalay is a big city with lot of traffic, very noisy, but not too expensive. You can find easily some street food for nothing (0.20 to 0.80€). For the rest, you need to go around because inside Mandalay you will see nothing.
The best way is a motorbike renting for a day. Maybe 2 days is better. Close to Mandalay, in the north you can go to the Mandalay Hill, a temple on the top of a hill (of course) with a great view. Around this place, there are others temples and the Royal Palace.
In the south of the city, my favourite place was Sagaing. It’s a hill town with lot of pagodas and amazing landscape. One of my best place in Myanmar.
Close to Sagaing, you have the famous the U Pain Bridge. The longest wood bridge in the world. It’s the perfect place to see a beautiful sunset.
Mandalay – Hsipaw
Now we are out of the “basic touristic circuit”. Hsipaw is a local town where you can do some trek by yourself to see temples and monasteries, waterfall and village minorities. Always good to see.
Hsipaw – Pyin Oo Lwin
The reason to go in Hsipaw is just for the train. 7 hours between 2 towns close when you see a map but far because it’s a railway in the mountains. The way is unique and the view crazy… when you cross the bridge it’s just impressive.
Pyin Oo Lwin is good to see waterfall and botanic garden. But after that…
Pyin Oo Lwin – Kalaw
Honestly, there are nothing here. Kalaw is just the town where you book a 3 days trekking to Inle Lake.
Kalaw – Inle Lake
If you book a trek, book with Sam Family. It’s a very good agency. For 40$ all is included (food, accommodation, guide, boat on Inle Lake) and you leave is a small group (6 is the maximum).
During the trek you cross some farms, villages, meet local people, swim with buffaloes, sleep in homestay, share local food… It was a great moment in my Myanmar trip. And, at the end, you take a boat to cross the lake, see floating garden and fisherman.
Around Inle Lake, you can rent a bicycle to go to the winery (wine is not so good in Myanmar) and visit (again) temples or pagodas.
Inle Lake – Yangon
Back to Yangon after 2 amazing weeks. Now I can spent some times to visit the most important city of Myanmar. It’s easy to visit Yangon, there are 3 steps.
The Yangon Circular Line is a loop train around Yangon. 3 hours and 0.15€ to live with local people and see some places far from the civilisation.
The downtown trek is a small hike than you can finish in a couple of hours. It’s good to see old buildings and monuments.
The big loop to the main pagoda is the most famous circuit in Yangon. By this way you can cross a zoo (for 3€), a beautiful park, and see the Shwedagon Pagoda, the biggest and the most beautiful pagoda in Myanmar.
I can’t explain better but you can imagine how this country is wonderful.