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About Burma
Burma (Myanmar) has always been very high on my list of places to visit. I really wanted to see the long neck women. It ends up that seeing them was one of the most disappointing travel experiences I have had but, the rest of our journey was one of the BEST. I absolutely LOVE Burma. There are over over 100 minority groups but mostly they are Buddhist so you see monks walking around every where. It’s so sad what has happened recently with the Rohinga people and I am saddened to see Aung San Su response to the crisis. I hope it doesn’t deter people from visiting this incredible place. The people are so warm and friendly and still dress traditionally. You will see a moped with a family of 5 riding on it. You feel like a celebrity as people ask to take selfies with you constantly. The food is delicious (influenced by India, Thailand and China) and the prices are extremely reasonable. It’s easy to get around (we flew everywhere) and within cities, you can hire a taxi for the day to take you around.
Tips:
-from our experience (we went in 2015 so things could change), you need to bring lots of US cash ($100; pristine) – use for more expensive things; banks and money changers offer good rates; ATMs around but not reliable; best to bring all cash you need and use ATM as backup; credit cards can be used in some hotels and higher end restaurants
-if you see people with yellow all over their faces it’s thanaka: made from groung tree bark; they use it as sunblock, perfume and just decoration
-must try mohinga: noodle soup in fish broth flavored with lemongrass, lime, chili, coriander
-great to experiences a Burmese teahouse
-if you get sick, contact International SOS, Inya Lake Resort, 37 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd. 01 657922; internationalsos.com; OR go to Asia Royal Hospital , 14 Baho St. 01 538955, asiaroyalmedical.com which is a private hospital
-I always book my travel on my own but booking the local flights got difficult: some airlines didn’t post their flight schedule yet and others had flights that would likely get cancelled; I worked with Khine Sabai Oo (09 451356862; Sales2@onestop-myanmar.com) and she was amazing
-you can easily find drivers to take you around for the day; we particularly liked our driver in Mandalay: Mr. Phone Hlaing
(09 431 99192; phonehlaing62@gmail.com; he took us to his local Indian chapatti place (so cheap and delicious)
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Eat / Play / Shop
Yangon:
-$3 taxi to get around the city (Golden Harp taxi – prisoners of conscience)
-Downtown stroll (Colonial architecture)
-Sule pagoda
-Mahabandoola Garden
-Bogyoke Mkt (touristy)
-Theingy Zei market
-Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue
-Chinatown (very lively; Kheng Hock Keong Temple)
-Botatuang Paya
-Shwedagon Pagoda
-Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda (reclining Buddha)
-Nga Htat Gyi Pagoda (tall Buddha)
Bagan:
-morning market: Nyaung U and New Bagan; Myinkaba Village Morning Market (south of old bagan across from Manuha Temple;small)
-7:00 am alms (monk is called Sanghas; along Nyaung Oo rd from Thante Hotel to Shwezigon Pagoda)
-don’t go on horsecart to get around during the day (hot; bumpy); get hired taxi (w/ ac; pay for day 35,000 and get guide); can rent ebikes
-$15 entrance fee to Bagan
-airport 4 km from town (7000 kyat)
-ATM in banks in Nyaung U
-sunset spots: Shwesandaw, Shwegugyi paya
-night market
Sites to see:
-great sites: Shwesandaw, Dhammayangi, Sulamani, Ananda Paya, Shwezigon Pagoda
-good sites: Gubyaukgyi Paya (great frescoes), Htilominlo paya, Upali Thein
Inle:
-10,000 K entrance fee to Inle (but since coming from hike might not need to pay)
-night market (eat at roadside bbq stands)
-Khaung Daing hot spring
-Winery (wine was terrible but we rented bikes for the day and ended up at a winery for a great lunch)
-Monasteries (east of Mong Li canal); hear them chanting early in morning
-Visit Nantha (just south of the city: stilted homes, friendly, rural)
-Aung puppet show
-Boat journey (say “don’t visit shops”; bring umbrella, earplugs; Padaung ladies- they are the ones with the long necks -it was my LIFE DREAM to see them and it was so touristy it was one of my MOST DISAPPOINTING travel experiences; you will see floating gardens -try to walk around on one, it’s surreal)
-Ywama floating mkt
-Lunch at Nampan; walk around stilted homes (miss shops if not interested)
-Inthein (touristy village but behind is Nyaung Oak –pretty overgrown stupas)
-Jumping Cat monestary (Ngaphe Kyaung): we didn’t go but I understand there are elaborate carvings and a great souvenir shop
-it was too far for us but the south end of lake is less touristy; has markets at Thaung Tho and Kyauk Thaung; Sankar village and Tharkong pagoda – 3 hour boat ride each way through villages and great scenery
-on the way back to the airport in Heho, we went through Pindaya to visit: Shwe Oo Min Cave: there are over 8000 buddha images; it was fantastic
-here is a great site which we never visited but wish we did
Mandaly:
-night food market
-Shwenandaw Kyaung (Golden Palace Monastery)
-Mandalay Hill (watch sunset)
-Mahanumi Pagoda (gold buddha)
-Kuthodaw Pagoda (lots of white padodas – Sanda Muni paya)
-Bargaya monastery
-Mahar Aung Myay Jade and Gem market
-Gold pounder workshop (open to visitors; King Galon is a good one to visit)
-Stone carver district (along Sagaing Mandalay rd)
-Amarapura and U Bein Bridge (nice at sunset)
-Maha Gandhayon Kyaung Monastery (alms at 10:00 am)
-Sagaing Hill (nice view); buddhist; steep to get up
-Inwa (take ferry here from Sagaing)
-Mingun (ferry from Mandalay at 9 am) boat ride upstream on River Irrawaddy lovely then bullock cart to get to temple; Pahtodawgi Pagoda; Hsinbyume Pagoda
-Moustache Brothers show or water puppet theatre (Mintha Theatre)
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Itinerary
Yangon: July 9-10
Hotel: Esperado Lake View Hotel
Bagan: July 11-12
Hotel: Hotel @ Tharabor Gate (fantastic!!!)
Inle: July 12-15
Fly to Heho and meet guide for 2 day hike in Kalaw (one of our best travel experiences; I don’t remember our guide’s contact info but A1 Trekking is highly recommended)
After hike, stay at Viewpoint Hotel
Mandalay: July 16-19
Hotel: Bagan King
Yangon: July 20
Hotel: The Loft Hotel
