My favourite part was pagoda-hopping my way across town, starting at Sule and ending in Shwedagon by way of the icy air conditioning unit at Botataung. Change your money into US dollars before you go into the country. Our room was clean, noisy during the day, and the breakfasts… well, this was the first place we came across that had a local breakfast option as well as a “Continental breakfast”, but I didn’t like it because it contained peanuts. Sign in to like videos, comment, and subscribe. A country so rich in culture and exceptional sights, so abundant in natural beauty truly deserves to be there. More Myanmar protests follow strike, foreign concerns. I always try to keep my expectations low so I don’t end up disappointed, and it worked out well for Myanmar. The Circle Train was so interesting, and because we left super early, there were hardly any tourists on it, either. I’m also one of those “to see is to believe” kind of person, but also, I don’t expect too much to a place, but rather hopes that I would enjoy my stay on that place and that everything would be fine.. at least in the end. I was expecting to pay for everything in US dollars, but it ended up being the opposite. Have soup wherever possible. We only had four days in Bagan but I could quite happily have spent an entire month there. The super popular places, yes. Oh Myanmar, why I am totally in love with you. I actually did not know that Myanmar is some-kind of expensive in comparison with the other South East Asian countries – Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, etc. Don’t form an opinion of a place before you arrive. I think I expected it to be too challenging. I’d heard it was (aside from Singapore) the most expensive country in Southeast Asia, and offered poor value for money. If not, just bring a bicycle with you. Additionally! At the place I went to in Chiang Mai, they had a special drawer of pristine notes for this. Take more than you think you’ll need. We’d usually head to Travelfish to find somewhere that looked nice, and then book it on Agoda. Markets are certainly popular entities in Southeast Asia, and while neighboring countries have Myanmar’s markets beat in terms of size, they cannot compete in terms of the unique finds at these bazaars. Though cycling around the thousands of temples and pagodas of Bagan is certainly a memorable experience, one of the most awe-worthy (yet expensive) ways to view the temples is by hot air balloon. We travelled solely by bus, paying $18.50 for Yangon to Bagan; $12.00 for Bagan to Kalaw; $7.50 for Kalaw to Inle Lake; and $22.00 for Inle Lake to Yangon. I guess it just didn’t feel all that worthwhile. Thansk so much for this! I will be visiting Thailand on my birth month, June, and planning to stay there for a month. If you’ve enjoyed my articles and want to help support my site, take a look at my Patreon: it’s my second blog where I share my biggest and best travel stories! Thanks so much, Miriam! Hahaha, yes, I wasn’t quite sure how to refer to it but all of the locals we encountered called it Myanmar, so that’s what I went with. We hope this will help you to understand Myanmar (Burmese) better. Every year, I read about how more and more people are visiting Myanmar, and I kind of expected it to be overcrowded and packed with tourists. perhaps i can mix it up abit with one land ride? btw. Inle Lake. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Myanmar is a country that is still to be discovered. Your post and Dave’s post have definitely convinced me to visit! It was worth the sweat, though. Copyright Lauren Juliff © 2010-2020. Nestled on the edge of Southeast Asia, Myanmar is a beautiful, vast country full of rich tradition, delicious food and gorgeous natural sights. Those suffering from indulging themselves in neighboring countries and looking to save a buck or two need to head to Myanmar for this reason alone. You have to pay $15.00 to get into Bagan (now $20), and $10.00 to access Inle Lake. Already the country can be seen tailoring to its foreign customers and the country is even aiming to have 7.5 million visitors by 2020. I developed an obsession with Shan noodle soups, my staple for much of the trip. While overnight forms of transportation are never necessarily enjoyable, visitors will find themselves opting for an overnight bus every chance they get if not just to save on accommodation expenses. That photo up there is of a breakfast I was given at my guesthouse in Yangon. Wow, that’s incredible and sounds like it’s going to be an amazing trip. Whether visitors are zipping around the islands of Thailand or motorbiking down the coast of Vietnam, tourists to Southeast Asia are always finding ways in which to hop on a motorbike and explore. I admire your courage to live life to your fullest potential How far is it from bagan? On my first day, I offered a woman $1 for a bottle of water and she burst out laughing. You can buy SIM cards for them almost everywhere! Please post more ;), Got lots of posts planned for this week! It looked pretty from the outside, though), the “long neck” Padaung tribe (skip! But now it’s time for a second trip and I hope your tips will help me having a … The bridge in Mandalay is worth seeing. (which routes?) Great! They’re loads of fun, and make it so easy to get away from the tourists. The roads were chaotic but, unlike in most other Southeast Asian cities, there wasn’t a scooter to be seen (they’re illegal in Yangon). Great stuff. Of course, we were only in tourist areas. Even though bus traffic is making it touristy. I’d heard the Internet was unusable and for some reason my planned trips would always coincide with a heavy workload. All rights reserved. I was just just in Yangon. 1 talking about this. How to Travel the Maldives on a Budget: It’s Possible! It was mega touristy, they told us, and there’s not that much to do there. I like the fact that there’s no power cut and WiFi is pretty good! Renting an electric bicycle in Bagan should cost about 3,000-5,000 kyat per day. Instead, head outside and look for a steaming bowl of mohinga instead. I recommend booking with JJ Express — the best company we travelled with — and booking more than a few days in advance. Pleased to hear that’s not the case. If you love historical attractions, this is definitely up your alley. Anyway, thank you for all the advice. Bagan: Bagan Princess Hotel — We paid $35 a night for a room here and it had the worst Internet of my life. I guess this post could be summarised as: Myanmar is awesome. If you planned for 14, you could squeeze a couple of days into Mandalay. Your blog about our country is very useful and interesting. I was fully expecting to get sick. ), and the Jumping Cat Monastery (there were no jumping cats). Our day tour was spent exploring stilted overwater villages, a silver factory (boring), a lotus weaving factory (really interesting), cheroot-making factory (I immediately developed an addiction to rose-flavoured cheroots), Phaung Daw Oo pagoda (didn’t go inside because my scandalous shoulders were exposed. The hiking is incredible. Bagan was where Myanmar’s first ancient empire was born. It is certainly a stunning structure, with its golden leaves and shining mirrors reflecting the sunlight during the day and lit up after dark. (we will invite you ). The Sule Pagoda, found in the city center, is estimated to be about 2,000 years old. I had very tasty breakfasts because I just walked the streets until I found a place that all the locals were eating. I actually didn’t fly any of it — I took buses everywhere. Sigh. Now I really, really want to go…, Never been to Myanmar, but heard a lot of good things about it. Expected to be over 2,500 years old, it is considered one of the holiest relics in the entire country. Those colourful buildings in Yangon are just insane, all of your photos are! Shwedagon Pagoda was full of people at sunset, but Sule and Botataung were quiet in comparison. Why do you love Myanmar? It’s a banana toastie. Reply. There are now ATMs in the country, but my bank (Natwest in the UK) and Dave’s banks (Bank of Melbourne and Citibank in Australia, Wells Fargo in the US, and ANZ in New Zealand), still have banking sanctions in Myanmar, and you won’t be able to use them there. What do you reckon ? Myanmar is a thrilling country with a diverse range of excursions, activities, and ancient monuments to explore, and the sheer number of choices available can make planning your luxury Myanmar vacation daunting. I actually could relax. To allow us to provide a better and more tailored experience please click "OK", Inle Lake, Maing Touk Village, Myanmar | © insideout78/Shutterstock, Bagan, Myanmar Courtesy of Marcela Tokatjian/Flickr, Bagan sunrise w balloons Courtesy of organic maven/Flickr, Ngapali Beach, Rakhine State, Myanmar Courtesy of Stefan Fussan/Flickr. The free breakfasts were terrible. Dishes can be as cheap as 1,000 kyat depending on where it is visitors dine. Once a hill station for the British to escape the heat, it’s now a pretty mountain town with a ton of hiking trails. I ended up with enough cash to last me, thankfully! I was able to check emails, upload photos, and sit on Facebook. Although, looking at the picture of that Bagan Princess Hotel, I don`t find 35 dollars is a big amount of money. It is also believed to provide a cooling effectin the hot Burmese weather. It was the view from our guesthouse in Yangon :-). $5 a month gives you access to a hundred untold mishaps as well as weekly long-form narratives and behind-the-scenes updates. What’s it Like in New Zealand’s Managed Isolation. The VIP buses are so nice! We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. Whether visitors find … Or, all it has is pollution and trash. The souvenirs are also extremely cheap. on the top of pagodas.. In fact, I regularly write about how I’m really keen to return to China to discover a different side to it, and how my biggest travel regret is the way I behaved while I was there. Bit of a mixed bag here. (probably more). Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The train ride takes about three hours in total. Everyone comes to Kalaw to hike. Dave hiked, I ate. Our bus ride from Bagan was packed with people but when it came time to leave, we were the only foreigners on the bus. Hey Lauren! Fun day! Myanmar (myan-mar) OR Burma (bama), Share With Us Your Experiences. Why You Need to Go to Myanmar in 15 Photos Myanmar is a global traveler’s dream. Inle Lake is so cute! Fair enough I’d expect a bit more banana in one, maybe a bit of cinnamon but they are great. Sep 27, 2016 Jun 10, 2020 Lynette. Especially about using ATMs…. Visitors from all walks of life can find reasons to visit and fall in love with this wondrous ancient land. I usually changed my USD at our guesthouses for convenience more than anything else. Excellent post. I was in a bad mood and let my grumpiness get the better of me :-), My husband and I are heading to Myanmar in August. All income generated from my Patreon goes straight back here to ensure I can continue to keep my content helpful, entertaining, and free of sponsorships or press trips. I enjoyed reading about your travels. I hope you have a wonderful time! and countless others to follow :), I have yet to discover the wonders of Asia and Myanmar You’re gonna love Myanmar! Because I had such misguided preconceptions, I didn’t prioritise my Myanmar trip. The rooms weren’t the greatest — a bit dingy and dark, but the swimming pool was perfect for relaxing beside after a hot day exploring Bagan. My Great Uncle died as a prisoner of war, building the Burmese railway, so we are going to visit his grave (amazing that he even has one there!) We began our explorations on Yangon’s rickety Circle line (19 cents for a three-hour ride! But anyway, I agree with you, I shouldn’t have used the word moron. I couldn’t even imagine saying something like that about any country. Like many of Myanmar’s delicious neighbors, the cuisine in this country is a fusion of flavors, ingredients, and dishes that have come together to make this country one of the most coveted among foodies. Just as a shout out. And that is why I love Myanmar. November 4, 2019. In Bagan, it was awful but other than that, it was pretty usable. I love you entries. The two most famous of them all are the Sule Pagoda and the Shwedagon Pagoda. and will definitely be visiting Yangon, Bagan, Inle Lake and probably Mandalay and Kalaw too. March 3, 2016. I have traveled all over SE Asia. I guess I just haven’t heard much about it. I should have spent one night in Kalaw, and spent the extra two days in Bagan and Inle Lake. You didn’t miss much in Mandalay so don’t worry. I have to agree with you that Bagan is spectacular. Accommodation was the most expensive aspect but even that wasn’t too bad, hovering at around $35 a night for somewhere clean and comfortable with hot water and Wi-Fi. Make sure you do the three day trek from Kalaw to Inle lake as well as the Golden Rock next time. 8. Lauren. King Anawrahta reunified Myanmar in 1044 in Bagan. Alot have adviced to just take flights to save time, given i only have 7 days and would like to do the typical 4 hot spot . The Shwedagon Pagoda is stunning as well, if not even more so than its competing religious structure. I hate being shuttled from stop to stop to stop, where everyone tries to make you buy things, but I didn’t feel pressured into it at all. I wish I`d go and see it myself. This is a really great guide – we’re going to Myanmar soon and I can’t wait to see the temples in Bagan, they look amazing in your pictures. Myanmar, also called Burma, country, located in the western portion of mainland Southeast Asia.In 1989 the country’s official English name, which it had held since 1885, was changed from the Union of Burma to the Union of Myanmar; in the Burmese language the country has been known as Myanma (or, more precisely, Mranma Prañ) since the 13th century. The free breakfasts were the worst of my life. I want to go back soon. You definitely need to head to Asia soon :-). I paid for accommodation in USD, and everything else was Kyat. It`s like from fairytale. I’d heard, I’d heard, I’d heard. Lauren! Thank you thank you! I came from Cambodia to Myanmar and I had felt stressed and a little angry in Cambodia with the constant PUSHING PUSHING PUSHING. I was expecting to spend my time in Myanmar offline so this was a pleasant surprise. Union of Myanmar Pyidaungzu … OUR ULTIMATE COVID BOOKING GUARANTEE. The country of Myanmar may not necessarily be known for its stunning, white sand beaches, however, it surely has its fair share of stretches of sand that are worth a visit. I hope you make it there, Maria! Hire a wooden boat for the day and prepare to … 18013. Sign in with your Netflix account to watch instantly on the web at netflix.com from your personal computer or on any internet-connected device that offers the Netflix app, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, streaming media players and … So much food and it was all AMAZING. It was perfectly located, right next to where you catch the boats to head out on the lake. These quiet bikes are not only safer than motorbikes (as they do not go as fast) but they are also better for the environment. Apologies to Emma’s friend! Dave and I had several notes turned down — one because it had a slight bend (not like it had been folded or anything, it just didn’t lie flat on the desk), and the other because there was a small grey smudge on it. Mohinga, coconut noodles, e kya kway, Myanmar tea… uufff sooo good! Great guide! I was originally planning on walking the three-day trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake but backed out at the last minute because I was still suffering from mono and sleeping all the time. Have you heard anything about that? I’m headed to Myanmar next month following almost exactly your route and I’m suddenly so excited!! I guess that’s all you’d really need, but I could have stayed for three nights or so. Hi Lauren, thank you for writing such a good post. I really wanted to see the Golden Rock but didn’t have enough time. Next time, include Ngwe Saung Beach – amazing! I’d heard the buses and trains were uncomfortable and unsafe. ps Found you over On Marko’s Blog The XRay Cat. News. I have recently returned from a trip to Myanmar and my personal experiences and feeling of the country are very different from yours. But banana toasties are ace..! Visitors will take to winding trails, where they will come across things like farmers caring for cabbage or children playing caneball. Many Myanmarese practise Theravada Buddhism, and this is certainly reflected in the number of monasteries found around the country. They definitely weren’t as good value as other places in Southeast Asia but I found ours to be fine, and much cheaper than other people said they would be! =). We were quoted $380 each, for a 45 minute ride. Great post here about Myanmar. There are also a plethora of cool food markets found throughout the country, where visitors can watch (possibly in horror) as fish are sliced and diced right in front of their eyes only to be devoured soon afterwards by another local. The mysterious field of Buddhas in the jungle. Ahh, it was so incredible! your blog overall. I have been thinking of going to Myanmar but heard that it is difficult; like taking prescription medication over there. 19. The train moves at a relatively slow pace, allowing visitors to watch as food markets, rice fields, local homes, and more lull by before disappearing. Equipped with plush seating and metal fans for a slight breeze, visitors will explore the outskirts of the city in a unique way. You’d pay $5 for them in Thailand. ‘I love you mom’: Myanmar protesters write emergency details on arms. This short Myanmar travel guide lists some of the most popular destinations, sites, and accommodations in the country. No scams, no tricks: just friendly Myanmarese looking to chat. Those who crave a unique main course may opt for nangyi thoke, while those with a palate craving something different may instead try Myanmar’s famous tea leaf salad, that is chock full of nuts, tea leaves, and shrimp sauce, making for one of the world’s most interesting salads.