5 Days in Myanmar (Burma)
We planned this trip a week in advance, after finding out we had time off for Chinese New Year. With that in mind, we did a lot of asking around and booking as we went, but still managed to do a week long trip for 400USD. We also did 3 overnight buses: the most efficient and economical way to travel, but only possible if you're fine with not sleeping too much. Here's what we loved and how to see it!
Sunrise over Bagan
Myanmar is a predominately Buddhist country with a long history: we spent two full days in Old Bagan, a temple complex built starting in the eleventh century! Myanmar only recently opened to foreign tourists, so we found the sprawling desert area with 3,000 temples surprisingly empty--kind of eerie but incredible. You can see a lot on foot: we started from the Winner Guest Hostel (amazing hot showers, good wifi, $2 mojitos next door and only 11USD per night!) and trekked our way through over 10 miles of temples the first day.
That being said, temple fatigue is real... so make sure you grab a map and plan well to see the temples you are interested in before you get too hot and take a four hour tea break! (Though tea and lassi breaks are highly recommended).
The temples really are the most beautiful at sunrise and sunset, so set your alarm for 5:30am and take a taxi to a tall temple in your area. The taxi drivers will know where the "best" spot is, but this may be the one time you see crowds of tourists and cameras. Make sure you stay after you think the sun has risen: the sunrise is breathtaking on its own, but once the hot air balloons rose it was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen.
Ride Motorbikes through Bagan
Bicycles are also available, but the heat is real in Myanmar! (But if you go in winter/dry season...bring a sweatshirt for nightfall! And scarf! And a parka! We were not prepared). Doubling up on the bikes, it only cost 5000kyats, or 5USD for the whole day. Once you get the hang of balancing the bike in the deep sand, you can have a blast just riding/driving, and cover a lot more ground--Bagan is huge!
We thoroughly enjoyed having 2 full days to get a sunrise and sunset, and enough time to frequently sit around and talk and eat. If you get restless relaxing while traveling, you could probably see what you want in a single day, but try to get at least one sunrise in! There are also lots of souvenir opportunities; we loved the intricate "carvings" of sand on fabric.
Trek from Kalaw to Inlay Lake
We booked our 2 day hike for 30USD through EverSmile Trekking, which included all food, lodging, a guide and a boat trip into the lake. Another example of how prepared we were for this week: I was surprised to find the hike more mountainous and countryside than jungle!
We trekked 23miles in total so it was strenuous by my standards, but also so peaceful and nice to just talk and walk for 2 straight days. You can also see how local tribes harvest ginger and chilis, and get (probably a little too) close to water buffalo and dogs that will follow along for segments of the trek!
The food was also delicious, and we loved getting to know the Catalonian group hiking with us and spending the night cuddled together in a bamboo house. The stars were beautiful.
Take a Boat into Inlay Lake
I grew up on a lake so boats are always when I get the most homesick. But this was also our favorite part of the trip, and I would definitely recommend it. For 500kyat extra, we piled in and our boat driver took us by several tourist stops.
Don't be afraid to ask (through hand gestures if needed) to tailor your stops to what you want to see: if you're interested in "traditional arts" you can see a lot around Inlay Lake--silver smithing, umbrella painting, cigar rolling and weaving by women with traditional neck coils, but these stops can also feel like tourists traps so do what you like best!
The best parts for us were just riding around (so relaxing after that hike) and seeing the floating gardens, houses on stilts, and fisherman!
We only have an afternoon here before we had to catch our bus, but you could definitely spend a day or two.
Shwedagon Pagoda
So. Gold. This pagoda is Yangon's biggest tourist attraction, and it is well worth the 8USD entrance fee! We spent upwards of 3 hours here, but if you're immune to temple fatigue or go during a less hot part of the day, you could definitely spend longer.
Take a million pictures of the main looming bright gold plated pagoda itself, or get lost in temples jam packed with religious figures, relics (8 hairs and a tooth of Buddha's are enshrined here), paintings and offerings. Bonus: the temple has free water and wifi. What more could you need.
Get lost in the Colonial District
(Maybe not as lost as we got). The British made Yangon their administrative capital, so you can still see remnants of the city's colonial past: it's eerily like walking down a European street in terms of architecture, but changed over time. The area is now home to China Town (bordering the Bogyoke Aung San Market where we bought even more souvenirs) and Little India, and you can see more pagodas and relax in the beautiful park across from city hall! We only spent one day in Yangon, and that was plenty for the tourist stops.
Ride in a Tuk-Tuk, try some Burmese food & Check out local arts!
It's not all about the site seeing :) Taxi was the way we mostly got around, but the open back taxis were a blast riding through the country!
We tried to get ahold of Burmese food, and loved curries, bamboo shoots and chicken kalathar (and pork and drinks before we head back to Malaysia!).
We also spent a lot of time checking out paintings, carvings, puppets and lacquerware: and took home lots of gifts for our families, friends and fellow teachers!
Over all, we couldn't have been happier with our choice to visit Myanmar. It appears less often in SE Asia travel bucket lists than Thailand or Cambodia, but we found it very underrated! We were also able to learn about the ongoing conflicts (also research before going to any country: tourism is great but be aware if you can of contemporary politics and issues; we had a lot to learn!) and how they are represented in the media, as well as the historical background for cultural clashes and even how the tourism industry affects Burmese people. (Fun fact: "Myan" was the Chinese word for the Burmese people, but there is still discussion over the country's current name!)
We are headed back to Malaysia now to have our first full week of teaching, and attend a Malaysian wedding!