Travel Myanmar
and discover a beautiful country.
The land of gilded temples and lime-washed stupas or, more convincingly, the land of kind and humble Buddhists, is alluring to world travellers with her glamorous spells from every magic corner.
Visiting Myanmar is a journey into a world of mystic culture and wonderful nature; it is also a visit to a community of more than 100 ethnic races living across the country, enticing an explorer with their unique traditions, peoples and hilly landscapes.
The land of gilded temples and lime-washed stupas or, more convincingly, the land of kind and humble Buddhists, is alluring to world travellers with her glamorous spells from every magic corner.
Visiting Myanmar is a journey into a world of mystic culture and wonderful nature; it is also a visit to a community of more than 100 ethnic races living across the country, enticing an explorer with their unique traditions, peoples and hilly landscapes.
We are not a travel agency, but we recommend 'Inspiration Myanmar'.
They organise individual (family) travel, group tours and incentive trips for companies, which is special interest travel. One of their specialities is to provide Car Rally logistics. The next one will be in November 2016, The Spice Road Classic, a Vintage Car Discovery Rally through three countries: Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.
On their Website you will find a clickable map with the most popular and also less popular but equally interesting destinations in Myanmar. On this Site we are offering a selection of our personal impressions based on our own trips in Myanmar.
They organise individual (family) travel, group tours and incentive trips for companies, which is special interest travel. One of their specialities is to provide Car Rally logistics. The next one will be in November 2016, The Spice Road Classic, a Vintage Car Discovery Rally through three countries: Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.
On their Website you will find a clickable map with the most popular and also less popular but equally interesting destinations in Myanmar. On this Site we are offering a selection of our personal impressions based on our own trips in Myanmar.
Our Travel Experience
Most tourists visit the country during the cool season, which is between November and February with a peak around Xmas and New Year and correspondingly higher prices. As the tourism sector is still underdeveloped, travel arrangements for Myanmar can be challenging if you do this yourself via the Internet. A travel agency, like 'Inspiration Myanmar', which is located in the country is quite helpful.
People sometimes ask about restrictions obviously having in mind the time before 2011, the year when the country started to open up and the government introduced reforms. Getting a visa and entering the country is not a big issue any more. You can exchange currency freely at a market rate - in other words, no black market exchange is needed. Since the beginning of 2015 the Myanmar currency 'Kyat' has devalued quite significantly against the Dollar and the Euro (for current exchange rate click here). You can freely travel the country and go wherever you wish with the exception of some well identified spots, mainly in the far North.
In general you can pay in cash in the shops which often accept or welcome Dollar notes, but be careful - they must be impeccable without any damage or looking used/worn-out. In other words, the Burmese love brand new Dollar notes.
Tourists visiting the country for the first time usually go to a couple of well-known attractions. A typical programme includes Yangon (arrival), Mandalay, Bagan, Inle, Pindaya and Napali Beach. This is what we also did and it was a great experience. Tourists having more time or the opportunity to make a second or third visit would explore other parts of the country. The less travelled paths will take you to: Kyaik Htee Yoe (Mon State), known as the Golden Rock pagoda with the amazing gilded boulder perched at the end of the sloping rock; Mrauk U, an ancient royal city in northern Rakhine State with 600 year-old temples and stupas; Putao, the northernmost town of Kachin State, where one can explore the rich subtropical flora along the adventurous trekkings towards the base of the mountains on the eastern edge of the Himalaya;Kalaw, Hsipaw, Lashio and Kyaing Tong, small towns of Shan State, which offer scenic views of Shan Hills and trekking tours around the villages of hill tribes; Nat Ma Taung (Mt Victoria) National Park (Chin State) with the stunning beauty of flora and fauna; Hpa-An (Karen State) with the picturesque Zwegabin Hill ; Loikaw (Kayah State) with fascinating volcanic lakes and mysterious caves etc.
Yangon
You will most likely start your trip with a visit to our vibrant city, ‘Yangon’, formerly ‘Rangoon’. It was the capital of Myanmar since 1948, the year of Burma’s independence, until 2005 when the military government started to run the new capital called ‘Naypyidaw’ (320 kilometres north of Yangon). Yangon remains the biggest city and also the most important commercial centre of Myanmar, being the Country’s major seaport and the hub of all the international organisations. Yangon International Airport is the busiest of the country’s three international airports although it has been less modernized and upgraded compared to the other two (in Naypyidaw and Mandalay). Read more.
When you are in Yangon, pay a visit to the Mausoleum of the last Queen of Myanmar. Read more.
Inle
Inle is the most famous lake in Myanmar (located in Shan State) because of its surrounding beauty and attractions. It is about 900 m above sea level and covers a surface of about 116 square kilometres. Photos of the fishermen on their shaky boats are known world wide. A boat tour on the lake is a must. Read more.
Water Festival
People in Myanmar celebrate the Water Festival between 13 and 17 April to welcome the New Year which falls on the last of these days. Read more.
Thandaung Gyi
A hilly resort with scenic views and a lot of nature still intact is just a few hours away from Yangon by land. The hills of Bago Yoma and the Sittaung Valley will offer you a breathtaking landscape of Karen state, one of Myanmar's seven states of ethnic minorities. Read more.
People sometimes ask about restrictions obviously having in mind the time before 2011, the year when the country started to open up and the government introduced reforms. Getting a visa and entering the country is not a big issue any more. You can exchange currency freely at a market rate - in other words, no black market exchange is needed. Since the beginning of 2015 the Myanmar currency 'Kyat' has devalued quite significantly against the Dollar and the Euro (for current exchange rate click here). You can freely travel the country and go wherever you wish with the exception of some well identified spots, mainly in the far North.
In general you can pay in cash in the shops which often accept or welcome Dollar notes, but be careful - they must be impeccable without any damage or looking used/worn-out. In other words, the Burmese love brand new Dollar notes.
Tourists visiting the country for the first time usually go to a couple of well-known attractions. A typical programme includes Yangon (arrival), Mandalay, Bagan, Inle, Pindaya and Napali Beach. This is what we also did and it was a great experience. Tourists having more time or the opportunity to make a second or third visit would explore other parts of the country. The less travelled paths will take you to: Kyaik Htee Yoe (Mon State), known as the Golden Rock pagoda with the amazing gilded boulder perched at the end of the sloping rock; Mrauk U, an ancient royal city in northern Rakhine State with 600 year-old temples and stupas; Putao, the northernmost town of Kachin State, where one can explore the rich subtropical flora along the adventurous trekkings towards the base of the mountains on the eastern edge of the Himalaya;Kalaw, Hsipaw, Lashio and Kyaing Tong, small towns of Shan State, which offer scenic views of Shan Hills and trekking tours around the villages of hill tribes; Nat Ma Taung (Mt Victoria) National Park (Chin State) with the stunning beauty of flora and fauna; Hpa-An (Karen State) with the picturesque Zwegabin Hill ; Loikaw (Kayah State) with fascinating volcanic lakes and mysterious caves etc.
Yangon
You will most likely start your trip with a visit to our vibrant city, ‘Yangon’, formerly ‘Rangoon’. It was the capital of Myanmar since 1948, the year of Burma’s independence, until 2005 when the military government started to run the new capital called ‘Naypyidaw’ (320 kilometres north of Yangon). Yangon remains the biggest city and also the most important commercial centre of Myanmar, being the Country’s major seaport and the hub of all the international organisations. Yangon International Airport is the busiest of the country’s three international airports although it has been less modernized and upgraded compared to the other two (in Naypyidaw and Mandalay). Read more.
When you are in Yangon, pay a visit to the Mausoleum of the last Queen of Myanmar. Read more.
Inle
Inle is the most famous lake in Myanmar (located in Shan State) because of its surrounding beauty and attractions. It is about 900 m above sea level and covers a surface of about 116 square kilometres. Photos of the fishermen on their shaky boats are known world wide. A boat tour on the lake is a must. Read more.
Water Festival
People in Myanmar celebrate the Water Festival between 13 and 17 April to welcome the New Year which falls on the last of these days. Read more.
Thandaung Gyi
A hilly resort with scenic views and a lot of nature still intact is just a few hours away from Yangon by land. The hills of Bago Yoma and the Sittaung Valley will offer you a breathtaking landscape of Karen state, one of Myanmar's seven states of ethnic minorities. Read more.