Things To Do in Myanmar: Top Tourist Attractions and Itinerary Ideas was first published on WanderingTrader.com on November 2016. However, ALL these Burma attractions will always be relevant! Unfortunately, the Government is currently persecuting the Muslim Rohingya…so practice responsible tourism.

Under iron-fist military rule for almost 50 years, Myanmar opened up to significant democratic reforms between 2011 and 2012.

Since then, tourism has boomed in the former hermit land, with an outstanding 60% growth expected this year (as of 2016).

Thankfully, it’s not too late to visit. Myanmar is still unspoiled by Southeast Asia standards.

It is truly a breath of fresh air!

From its genuine people to its virgin landscapes, I suggest you immerse yourself into this newly-opened country ASAP.

Below, the top things to do in Myanmar and tourist attractions that were part of my 2-week Burma itinerary.

Things To Do in Myanmar: Top Attractions and Burma Itinerary Ideas

Yangon, The Old Capital of Burma: 1-2 Days

Many people think about skipping Yangon, Myanmar’s old capital.

Please don’t!

If you’ve been to any major city in the world, you’ll feel a change of dynamics and energy right away.

Another reason Yangon is definitely worth a stop is to marvel at the Shwedagon Pagoda and its 325-foot golden stupa.

The sight’s aura will captivate you, for it is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in the country and an important pilgrimage site.

To me, there’s something deeper, inexplicably addicting about Yangon though–hiding somewhere between its feeble early 1900s baroque buildings, its people, colorful longyis (sarongs), and of course Shan noodles!

Many locals I met throughout my journey confirm the old Burmese capital is the best place to savor the traditional Burmese dish by the way.

So listen up foodies! I recommend you get lost and go on a scavenger hunt to find the country’s best Shan noodles during their visit.

Inle Lake: 3 Days

Nothing like the second-largest lake in Myanmar after a fast-paced introduction to the country in Yangon.

Home to several endangered species and other unique flora and fauna, Inle Lake became the first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the country in June 2015.

It is a fascinating wetland ecosystem, sprinkled with entire villages built on stilts; farmers practicing floating island agriculture; and fishermen with a distinctive one-legged rowing style.

Allow yourself at least 3 days to soak in its unique culture, naturally-clean air, water, and cooler mountain climate.

My friends and I booked a reasonably-priced local private guide and boat for a few days through One-Stop Travel Myanmar to explore hundreds of pagodas and vibrant markets at the Maing Thauk and Indein water villages.

We didn’t see one other tourist in the low season (June).

Amazing.

On our free day, we rented some bikes and cycled to the Red Mountain Estate, a winery and restaurant with a spectacular viewpoint.

Pindaya: Burma Day Trip from Inle Lake

My day trip to the Pindaya Caves was, hands down, one of my favorite Myanmar attractions. Just imagine more than 8,000 Buddha statues and altars, sheltered inside a mysterious system of caves.

Throw in a spectacular viewpoint before you even step foot into the attraction itself and…

Awestruck.

From solid gold to jade and marble, each Buddha has been donated by a family in the hopes of harvesting blessings.

Bagan: 4 Full Days

Between the 9th and 13th centuries, Bagan was the ancient capital of the Pagan Kingdom, which ultimately united all regions that make up modern-day Myanmar.

From the over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas, and monasteries erected during the kingdom’s height, about 2,200 survive today.

As such, this fascinating archaeological zone is Myanmar’s equivalent to Cambodia’s Angkor Wat–so you can’t miss it.

In 4 days, we were able to see all major attractions, in addition to several minor, yet still impressive sights, at a relatively-leisurely pace.

Again, our wonderful private local guide and driver booked through One-Stop Myanmar ensured we saw as much as we could, but without exhausting ourselves, on a comfortable air-conditioned van.

One of the days we explored Bagan independently, however, in order to rent bikes and see the ancient city from a different perspective.

It was extremely hot, exhausting, and dusty by the end of June–albeit rewarding.

We couldn’t have cycled for more than a day though! You just can’t cover as much ground.

Some of our favorite Bagan attractions and temples include:

• Ananda Phaya
• Dhammayangyi
• Gawdawpalin
• Gubyaukgyi
• Shwegugyi
• Sulamani
• That Byin Nyu

Mount Popa: Day Trip from Bagan

Mount Popa is a popular day trip from Bagan, included in most Myanmar itineraries.

However, I can’t really recommend this attraction for 2 weeks in Burma.

If it’s on your plans, I suggest you scratch it off.

Why?

Sure, Popa looks cool and special from a distance.

Yet, once you climb to the top, you quickly notice there are many other sites throughout the country that showcase more impressive architecture–and better viewpoints.

I can attest to this from personal experience.

Given the choice, I would opt for an extra day in Bagan or even Inle Lake instead.

Phoe Win Taung and Monywa: 2 Full Days, 1 Night

On our road trip from Bagan to Mandalay, we visited several off-the-beaten-path Myanmar attractions that blew us away.

First was Phoe Win Taung Hill, with its fascinating labyrinth of caves, filled with incredibly-well-preserved murals, frescoes, and Buddha statues.

Second stop was Bodhi Tataung, or Buddha ‘the Redeemer statue’ (as like I like to call it!), in the outskirts of Monywa.

Soaring at 424 feet (129 meters), it is the second-largest statue in the world!

Speaking of Monywa, both the city itself and the vicinity were surprisingly interesting.

We stayed at the Hotel Chindwin, which proved to be a brilliant choice as it has outstanding rooms. Better yet, it is a short walking distance from Monywa’s night market, full of cheap local street food to sample.

Another unique Burma attraction that stunned me was the unique design of Thanboddhay Paya.

According to locals, its design was conceived by a globetrotting monk who explained each of the paya’s Buddhas represented men who became enlightened thanks to him–over half a million or so.

Wow!

The paya might only be 80 years old, but its history, bright Candyland-like colors, and 500,000+ Buddha images make it worth visit.

Bagan-Mandalay by Boat

Need more downtime or ideas for unique things to do in Myanmar? Another option is to take a 10-hour day cruise between Bagan and Mandalay.

While no stops are offered at sites of interest, you get to see hundreds of glimmering pagodas, village people, and brightly-robed monks from the historic Irrawaddy River.

If you opt for a boat trip transfer, however, you must ensure you visit in the right season or river levels can adversely affect your Myanmar holiday.

When to go down the Irrawaddy, then? Right after the rainy season, between October and January. During these months, river levels are high, storms are unlikely, and the sun is not that hot yet.

Keep in mind, though: dry season also coincides with high season. In turn, you will encounter a larger volume of travelers and more crowded tourist attractions in Myanmar.

Mandalay: 3 Full Days

The last royal capital of Burma is a fantastic base to explore several top attractions in the central region.

From Mandalay, you can see Amarapura, Sagaing, and Inwa in one full day; while you can pay a visit to Mingun in a leisure morning.

Again, I recommend enlisting the help of a local guide and driver will ensure good time management and a wealth of historical fun facts.

What about Mandalay itself? You can hit all significant sights in just one day.

Some must-see attractions in Mandalay area include:

• Myatheindan Pagoda, Myanmar’s Taj Mahal equivalent as it was built for love
• Kuthodaw Pagoda and The World’s Biggest Book; Kyauktawgyi Temple and its big Buddha, carved from a single block of marble
• Mandalay Hill, its bedazzled temple and ritualistic sunset chats with local monks
• U Bein Bridge, the longest and oldest teakwood bridge in the world
• Shwenandaw Monastery, a converted teakwood royal palace, gilt with gold and filled with exquisite carvings

Have you been or wish to travel to Myanmar? Let me know below!

Liked this Burma 2-week itinerary guide? PIN it for reference:

“At the moment, 10 out of 14 states and divisions have been flooded. Many towns and villages are badly damaged. Although the floods didn’t affect the major tourist sites, at least 100 people have been killed and many more lost homes and land. If you can mention something about it and convince tourists to help the people while they are here, it’ll be great. For effective Myanmar flood relief, there should be a lot of volunteers. As you know, we do not know that much about marketing. I am sure your blog will be much more effective on this issue.” -Kyaw, One-Stop Travel.

It was that infamous throat taco, as we say in Puerto Rico. You know, the feeling of starting to choke in your own tears. My heart was squeezing itself. Hard. A quite familiar feeling, as I experienced it every time I checked out of a local guest house throughout my Myanmar trip last June.

The Burmese people, who captivated my heart like no other group has in the world, were suffering. I have not even told you about my 16 days in the country yet. But this is more important: thousands of people have been affected. They need bloggers and other volunteers like YOU to mobilize hands and funds to the right Myanmar flood relief organizations.

I picked One-Stop Travel to lead my private tours and chauffeur me around Myanmar because they are 100% local. Not only is its owner Burmese, but the agency also employs stationed guides.

What does this mean?

That means every time you book a city tour, One-Stop Travel assigns a travel guide from that very village to show you the local attractions and teach you about their culture.

100% of your money goes to the communities you visit in Myanmar

So when Kyaw, the owner himself emailed me to help, it reassured me that I chose the right agency. Keep in mind, his company is not organizing any volunteer trips. Yet, they are pulling money from their own budget, giving funds to rehabilitation programs.

Moreover, he kindly asked me to share the names of the organizations that he personally confirmed are directly involved with the 2015 Myanmar flood relief:

Wai Lu Kyaw Foundation
Free Funeral Services Society

Kyaw and several of One-Stop Travel’s employees have personally volunteered and helped the aforementioned organizations on their relief efforts as well.

If you’re planning a trip to Myanmar, I suggest you consider not only booking through this sustainable agency, but also consider giving at least a day or 2 to help.

Not planning a trip to Myanmar in the near future? Kindly share this blog post or publish an article on your own mediums, spreading the word and cry for help. The beautiful Burmese people will greatly appreciate it.

If you have any questions about flood relief efforts and/or Myanmar trips, please contact me or Kyaw directly at onestop.myanmar at gmail.com.

Contribute to the 2015 Myanmar flood relief: every bit counts.