Top 8 Places To Visit Through Myanmar

Explore in Yangon

Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar’s landmark, the amazing golden temple, and the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar (Burma), is located on the hill of Singuttara Hill, Yangon (Rangoon),  with its legendary 4 holy relics buried underneath the temple. A place where local people always be for their deferential and belief in Buddhism.

Shwedagon Pagoda – Yangon

Walking Locally to downtown Yangon – arrived late afternoon, decided to walk around and visit tourist attractions and Brits colonial buildings left over the place. Take a walk through the park and head to the lake of Kandawgyi to see the only beautiful Karaweik Hall (golden barge shaped a Karaweik bird) known as the Karaweik Palace, floating on the lake.

Downtown Yangon

Night Sightseeing after dark, back to see the most stunning and sparkling golden glims pagoda of Shwedagon. The temple is viewable as it is on the hill with the golden light.

Golden glims pagoda of Shwedagon

Hiking on Bago

The Golden Rock is located on top of Kyaikhtiyo Mountain. Taking a one-day private taxi over a 4-hour drive from Yangon. Need to hop on a truck, shared with local people (always packed) the only vehicle that is allowed. Either take another truck, hike for around 15-20 minutes, or pay extra for the cable car to reach the top and another 5 -10 minutes walk to the temple.

The Golden Rock – Kyaikhtiyo

Shwemawdaw Paya on the way back to the city, takes a break at Bago Shwemawdaw pagoda with huge giant mythical lions guardian watching over the entrance. It is known as the tallest pagoda in Myanmar.

Shwemawdaw Paya

Pagodas are all in the Bago area, there are plenty of pagodas every 5 minutes drive, choose your favorite spot for the sunset view over the temple.

Sunset on top Pagoda – Bago – Myanmar

Tanned at Ngwe Saung

Taking a bus in the early morning from Yangon to arrive at the coast around early afternoon, to enjoy the sunset view.

Sunset Eskala Resort is a few minutes walks from Ngwe Saung town down to the coast. The resort is extremely huge with beautiful palm trees and the best location for a gorgeous sunset view over the swimming pool.

Sunset Eskala Resort

Cleaned and Quiet wonderful white sand, holding your lover walking along its distance with a lovely environment, jumping for a swim to cool down and get tanned after your deep sleep on the beach. 

Ngwe Saung

Love Island is located in the middle of the Ngwe Saung coast, attached to the mainland by wide white sand. Short hiking through the jungle on the hill. In between, you meet the twin rocks.

Love Island – Ngwe Saung

Twin Rock The Kyauk Maung Nama Pagoda known as the twin temple on the top of two rocks facing the ocean.

Twin Rock – Ngwe Saung

Adventures Of Bagan

Taking the bus back to Yangon, staying overnight, and taking a flight to Mandalay the next day – by the time I arrived at the hotel, it was already dark.

Mount Popa is the region of Mandalay, southeast of Bagan (Pagan) just about 60km from the town. Take a taxi in the morning stop at the palm village to taste the tradition of palm sugar then head straight to Popa Mountain Resort for the best view of Mount Popa.

Mount Popa – Bagan

Afternoon Ride, back from Popa, rent an E-bike to explore a thousand of Bagan Temples.  It’s a bit dusty but the best way to explore and so much fun.

Bagan

Sunrise Bagan, joined Grasshopper Adventure Bike Tour for the sunrise on a special spot, waiting for the sun to come up with Bagan hot air balloons rising up too.

Sunrise Bagan

Morning Ride, after the sunrise finished, headed back to town for a local breakfast. Then start the morning tour from the Grasshopper office located in Old Bagan – bike-through alleys see the local and some temples with stories told by the tour guide. The tour was finished around lunchtime, with lunch included at the local restaurant.

Bagan

Sunset Bagan, because there are thousands of temples in Bagan, that’s why I rent another E-bike to explore in the afternoon once again, riding the bike from temple to temple, looking for the best spot for a sunset view.

Sunset Bagan

Experience In Kalaw

Hiking And Feel The Cold, taking a night bus from Bagan to Kalaw, arrived late at night the next morning. Kalaw is a beautiful small town and it is absolutely freezing at night, make sure you got jeans and jumpers on. It’s very mountainous, a place where travelers start their hike and camp.

Kalaw

Amazed Pindaya Cave

Renting a car for a one-day tour with a driver, from the hotel in Kalaw to Inle Lake took about two hours. The cave is the first stop to visit, and it is a Sacred Place, a popular tourist attraction, also known as a golden cave with thousands of golden Buddha statues located on a limestone ridge next to Pindaya town. The cave is huge, with its golden light, reflected on the inside green stones, making the cave looks stunning and the outside view is gorgeous.

Pindaya Cave

Fondness Of Inle Lake

Arrived at the Boat Tour Center before lunchtime – got the ticket and hop on the boat. If you already stay in the Inle area or Nyaungshwe, you can start the boat trip before or after lunch. I had a lovely lunch at the restaurant on the floating village along the way before going to the next stop.

Inn Dein, to visit Shwe In Thein Paya, Inn Dein stupas and temples. It is the farthest place on the itinerary of the tour so you might need to visit it first and the rest after.

Inn Dein

Sunset On The Lake, once you have done places on the tour, (floating farm, floating village, wood and sigaret workshop, long neck lady, silver shop..etc) you are now sitting on the boat in the middle of the lake to see this amazing sunset over mountains and the lake.

Unforgettable Mandalay

Mingun, a tourist attraction just outside of Mandalay, along the western bank of the Irrawaddy River to visit the four highlights of temples (Mingun Bell, Hsinbyume Pagoda, Mingun Pahtodawgyi and the Lion of Stone).

Hsinbyume Pagoda

Inn Wa Sagaing, about half an hour from Mandalay capital and an hour from Mingun city, is a place with numerous Buddhist monasteries all over the place.

U-Bein Bridge, one of Myanmar’s landmarks and the highlight to see in Mandalay, the longest teakwood bridge that crosses the entire Taungthaman Lake, very popular and tourists.

U-Bein Bridge

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References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar