Following recent government reforms and lifting of international sanctions in 2012, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) has begun to open its doors to the rest of the world. While some areas are still off-limits to travellers, it's easier to visit Myanmar now than it has been for over four decades. It's very much a new frontier withinSoutheast Asia, and the majority of its visitors are independent travellers.
Of the many countries I've visited, Myanmar is easily one of my favorites.
Myanmar is a bit of an unspoiled treasure in South-East Asia, and those who want to escape the hyper-touristed places in Thailand would do well to go there.
Something you may appreciate when backpacking in Myanmar is that the people are very welcoming to visitors. You will be greeted with a lot of friendly curiosity, especially if venturing outside of Yangon or Mandalay.
Boats arriving in Nyaung Shwe, near Lake Inle.
Since Myanmar has been essentially closed off from the rest of the world for decades, its traditions have been well preserved. Most noticeably, men wear a type of sarong called a longyi, while women and children paint their faces with a paste called thanakha (essentially a Myanmar version of makeup). Globalisation will no doubt begin putting its stamp on this country soon, but for now Myanmar remains uniquely authentic.
Backpacking in Myanmar is a little bit more challenging than other countries in South-East Asia. It tends to attract somewhat more ‘serious’ travellers, and the party crowd from Thailand and Laos does not go here. But backpacking in Myanmar is also not as challenging as some of the (now outdated) information out there might lead you to believe. As long as you can deal with some of the minor practicalities (covered further down the page), you will find travelling in Myanmar relatively easy and very much worth your while.
Places to go in Myanmar
Most of the notable sights in Myanmar can be found in and around Mandalay in the north, and this is where most travellers end up focusing their trip (and it's what the rest of this page mostly focuses on, too). There's also the capital of Yangon in the south, and the nearby Kyaikto where you can visit a Buddhist pilgrimage site which famously had a big Golden Rock perched on the edge of a cliff.
If you want to go off the beaten track you can head for the coast, where Chaungtha and Ngapali are two small and very undeveloped beach towns. You could then head on to Mrauk-U, which is a temple complex not unlike Bagan, but much smaller. This is relatively unexplored territory and tourist infrastructure is very basic. The majority of backpackers spend their limited visa time in Yangon and around Mandalay.
There's also the Mergui Archipelago in the south (not shown on the map) which may become an island destination in the future. Currently it's only visited by the occasional liveaboard dive expedition coming from Thailand which return to Thailand after a few days of scuba diving.
Yangon
The main attraction here is the Shwedagon Pagoda, a large golden Buddhist temple that is arguably more impressive than many other such golden temples found in Thailand. Sundown is a good time to go there.
Other than that, Yangon is not particularly rich in major sights or museums, but that’s okay. There are some interesting markets to wander through, and it’s an excellent place for people watching; find an authentic tea house and relax while you observe the street life that passes you by.
Interestingly, motorbikes are outlawed in Yangon. According to rumor a well-placed individual in the army had once been in a motorbike related accident, then decided the city could just as well do without them. I am not sure if this is true, but it’s a good story, and it gives the streets of Yangon a more quiet and pleasant character.
Mandalay
In some streets in the centre almost every other building has a massive generator outside (due to frequent power cuts) which gives it a bit of a messier character than Yangon (along with the many motorbikes you’ll see here). Still, the street life in Mandalay is also very much worth observing.
Mandalay is mainly a great base for daytrips to various sights in the area. Take a taxi or rent a scooter and make your way to the U Bien Bridge, Myanmar’s iconic 2.5 km long teak bridge and the cover image of many a guidebook. Another popular sight is Mandalay Hill, which has some great viewpoints.
Bagan
With over a 2000 temples, Bagan may well be the highlight of your trip to Myanmar. Explore the area on your own, or get a guide with horse carriage to ride you around. Be sure to return for sundown, and ask to go to a temple that can be climbed on top of for a spectacular view.
The temples of Bagan are sometimes mentioned in the same breath as Ankhor Wat in Cambodia, but in all honestly this is not a fair comparison. Ankhor Wat is much more diverse and interesting. Seen as a whole the temples of Bagan are certainly impressive, but their shapes and interiors are almost all identical; by the time you have seen the 7th temple you have already seen them all. That said, if you manage your expectations just a little bit, the temples of Bagan will likely still exceed them.
Lake Inle
The lake is one of the main attractions in Myanmar, but you should really go there for the surrounding nature which is excellent for trekking. I did a 2 day trek from Kalaw to Nyaung Shwe which was inexpensive and very worthwhile.
You can take a tour of the lake by boat where you will see local fisherman use special techniques to set their nets, and you may spot some interesting birds as well, though this tour also passes some tacky souvenir shops (with some Karen tribespeople posing for photos). Nyaung Shwe is a touristy but pleasant town to stay a couple of days.
Train to Hsipaw
Do not leave Myanmar without having experienced a train ride there. Probably the most scenic one is the train going from Mandalay to Hsipah, in the region east of Mandalay. It’s best to get a minivan or taxi to Pyin Oo Lwin first and get on the train in the morning. There’s no need to pack lunch as all sorts of food will be sold in and along the train the whole way through.
The train crosses an old bridge which Lonely Planet hypes up a little too much, but stand in the doorway of the carriage and you may still gasp as you look down into a large canyon—with no railings whatsoever.
The brief crossing of the bridge is not what makes the train ride so great however: it’s the landscapes that pass you by, as well as the experience of riding in a truly ancient train. When it picks up speed you will surely be bouncing around the cabin. Watch your head if you’re near an open window; trees and bushes get very close to the train to the point where it cuts off lots of leaves and branches.
Hsipaw is a good base for hiking.
Other things to see and do
- Myanmar is not necessarily a well-known beach destination the way its neighbours are, but that makes it perhaps an ideal beach destination for those who want a little peace and quiet. Some travel companions of mine went to Ngapali Beachand spoke highly of it. Forget the mega-resorts of Thailand; here you will often find little huts only.
- The official capital of Naypyidaw is an interesting curiosity. Built from scratch as an administrative centre, its stark character gives you perhaps some idea of what the previous regime in Myanmar was like. It’s halfway between Yangon and Mandalay.
- Don’t miss out on the Burmese food! It is very tasty and distinctly different from neighbouring cuisines. Go to the right eateries and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised with an array of little plates and bowls, each containing something delicious.
'Bamboo village' near Kalaw
Practical information
Permitted areas for visitors
Most tourism occurs around the central 'Tourist Triangle' of Mandalay, Lake Inle and Bagan, and it is here that most notable sights can be found. In the south you've also got Yangon, the temples of Mrauk U and a few beach towns such as Ngapali and Ngwe Saung attracting visitors. You are completely unrestricted in visiting any of these parts so long as you have a visa.
However, many other areas of Myanmar are not permitted for tourists. For up-to-date information, check this list by Myanmar's Ministry Of Hotels & Tourism. Some areas are theoretically open but require a special permit or come with special restrictions (e.g. no overnight stays). As a rule of thumb, assume that anywhere in the mountanous north and most regions bordering Thailand, Laos and India are a no-go.
Most land borders are closed. Overlanding it from Thailand is not an obvious option at the moment. Crossings at Mae Sot and Kawthaung/Rannong have opened, though things are not always straightforward (for example, the borders may be open only in one direction on certain days, and you may need to exit the country via the same border). These borders are still mainly used for visa runs, i.e. people going in and out on the same day to extend their Thai visa. Overlanding from China, Bangladesh, India or Laos into Myanmar is not possible.
Flying into Mandalay or Yangon is the easiest way of getting into Myanmar.
Money & ATMs
Before Myanmar opened up to the world, travellers were advised to bring a big pile of US dollars in cash as financial services in the country were limited or non-existent.This is no longer true! Websites or travel guides that still claim this are outdated at this point.
There are currently over 600 ATMs accepting foreign debit or credit cards in Myanmar. They are commonly found in airports, hotel lobbies, major markets (e.g., retailers in Bogyoke Market in Yangon) and bank branches. Over 1000 merchants now accept Visa and Mastercard, and they are concentrated particularly in and around Yangon and the 'tourist triangle' of Mandalay, Bagan, and Inle Lake.
Withdrawing money is easy especially in tourist destinations. It may still be a little more difficult to find an ATM in more remote places, so it's always a good idea to withdraw cash when you're in cities and to keep some emergency dollars with you as well (though that goes for travelling in any country).
Government situation
Some older guidebooks will still give you tips and tricks on how to avoid your tourist money from flowing to the then military government. While the internal politics of Myanmar are not exactly all rainbows and unicorns today, the situation has improved such that the ethical concerns of the past no longer apply.
Visas
The maximum stay in Myanmar is 30 days and you need to get tourist visas in advance. The embassies in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are good places to get your visa. It will require some proof of departure, i.e. you need to have your inbound and outbound flight already booked.
You can get an agency to handle the visa request for you for a fee. In KL there’s such an agency conveniently located near many of the major hostels (Reggae Mansion, etc.) – ask for directions at your hostel reception. It costs a bit more but is a bit easier.
There is no visa-on-arrival for tourists; this is for business travellers only.
Accommodation
Hotel room in Mandalay
There are almost no backpacker hostels as such in Myanmar, and so you will have to use hotels and guesthouses. Accommodation is not as cheap as in some other South East-Asian countries; expect to pay around $10 - $15 for a room. Many hotels used to be government-owned and rooms are often very basic and dark, looking like they haven’t changed since the 70ies. If you are a budget traveller, you probably won't mind.
It is advisable to book ahead your accommodation especially in high season. The extreme high season is in Oct-Dec, and I've been told things get pretty rammed during this time. The low season is Apr-Sep; I went during this time and while finding accommodation wasn't too difficult, the climate can be very hot especially in the central plains (Mandalay, Bagan). You might have to take a little siesta in the afternoon to escape the heat.
Internet is not a huge thing yet in Myanmar but a number of places in Yangon can be booked via e-mail (I personally liked Motherland Inn 2, which is one of the main backpacker places in the capital). Some guesthouses in Mandalay can be booked via e-mail too. Otherwise it is easiest to make reservations by phone; just ask to use a phone at reception.
You can still wing it and not make any reservations, but this can be a bit more difficult than in other countries. Myanmar didn’t have many international visitors before, so its limited tourist capacity is being somewhat overrun at the moment.
Internet is available though not very widely, and it’s often slow.
Power cuts are frequent. Bring a headlamp or flashlight so you can find your toothbrush in the dark if needed.
More info on Myanmar (Burma)
On my destination pages I try to mix general information with a bit of personal flavor. Hope you find it useful!
There are a couple of resources I use myself when researching a destination. The first I want to mention is WikiVoyage, a free collaborative wikipedia-style travel guide. Since it's collaboratively written it lacks the personal touch (and the information on specific accommodation can often be outdated compared to other sources), but the site is absolutely perfect for high-level research. You can find the WikiVoyage page for Myanmar here.
Another little-known website that has a lot of useful information isTravelIndependent.info. It is specifically geared towards budget/backpacker style travel and has some great destination info.
I do also use *gasp* guidebooks! I have used Rough Guides occasionally (and I like them) but my favorite guidebook publisher is still Lonely Planet. People will sometimes refer to the Lonely Planet as "The Book" or "The Bible", and it's easy to joke about newbie travellers who clutch their Lonely Planet a bit too tightly. Nevertheless I find these guides to be indispensible sources of information; their maps and itineraries in particular are some of the best around. As long as you use them as aguide and not as a rule they can help you save a lot of time in figuring out a rough main thread for your journey from which you can improvise the rest. You can check out theMyanmar Lonely Planet here. These days they're made available digitally as well (whole or by specific chapter).
Finally, for general travel advice that you can use in Myanmar or anywhere, check out my book Travel the World Without Worries. It deals with such topics as how to plan a trip, how to "wing it with a plan", how to budget your trip and reduce your expenses, dealing with language, safety or health related issues, how to pack the smart way, how to make your experience more unique and adventurous, and much much more. I've poured two years of continuous travel experience into trying to write a comprehensive guide, so be sure to have a look as it may save you lots of time, money and effort!
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