Top Highlights for a Myanmar Tour

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a sovereign country in Southeast Asia. It is also a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It lies on the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea coast with Bangladesh. Myanmar is adjacent to India and Bangladesh in the northwest, China in the northeast, Thailand and Laos in the Southeast. The capital city of Myanmar is Naypyidaw, and Yangon is the largest city and former capital.

But compared to other tourism countries of Southeast Asia like Thailand, Vietnam or Laos, Myanmar is still not well known enough as them. It is worth exploring different regions to discover how varied its landscapes are, and how beautifully local traditions have been preserved. Burma is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia, its roads are poor and the government prohibits diving in many areas, so internal flights are necessary to make any headway on the landscape. Northern Burma is more popular, and few visitors currently explore the south.

If you are interested in having a Myanmar tour, we will introduce the top highlights for a Myanmar tour. You can check the content below and get more detailed information for your travel. 

Sightseeing the Mysterious Bagan

Located on the bank of the Irrawaddy River, Bagan is a historical ancient city, Buddhism cultural city and famous tourism destination. It is the home to the largest and densest concentration of Buddhism temples, pagodas, stupas and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th century. All the temples and pagodas are the epitome of Myanmar’s ancient architecture art.

Bagan ancient city is considered as the ultimate destination of Myanmar and even the Asian tour. It is one of the 3 major Buddhist relics in Asia and has also been praised as “the city of 10 thousand towers”. You can start your trip in Bagan passing through the colorful local market and visit the beautiful pagodas and temples of Bagan including Shwezigon Pagoda, Ananda Temple, Bupaya Pagoda and Manuha Temple. You can also visit the most treasured handicrafts workshops where craftsmen created fine lacquer ware nearby Myinkaba Village.

Bagan

And if you are going to overlook the whole scenery of the Bagan city, there is no better way to achieve the best vision of than by flying in a hot air balloon at sunset. You will pass all the pagodas and temples we mentioned above and finally be off in the countryside. During the balloon tour, you could enjoy the unique fairytale time for over 1 hour and take pictures to commemorate. Check for more about Myanmar attractions.

Explore the Spectacular Charm of Shwedagon Pagoda

Located in Yangon Myanmar, the Shwedagon Pagoda is a world-famous pagoda, and is also a symbol of Myanmar. It is known as one of the treasures of Oriental art with Borneo Pagoda in Indonesia and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Locally known as Shwedagon Zedi Daw The, Shwedagon Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in the world.

Since Yangon is the former capital of Myanmar, it remains the pulsing cultural and historical heart with vibrant markets and the fabulous Shwedagon Pagoda, as well as China town, India town and strands of Buddha Gautama’s hair. Considered as the most notable building in Yangon and one of the wonders of the religious world, Shwedagon Pagoda rises 326 feet on a hill 168 feet above the city. Enjoy a history of 2,500 years old, this structure guards Yangon city with four Buddhas inside.

Shwedagon Pagoda

At the northeast and northwest corners of the golden pagoda, there are two ancient bells----one is about 40 tons, the other is about 16 tons. Both of the two bells are very colorful and were donated in 1741 and 1778 by two reigning Kings of Burma. Burmese people regard the ancient bell in the northwest corner as a symbol of good luck and happiness. If you are going to visit Shwedagon Pagoda, strike the bell three time according to the local custom will bring you god luck and make your wish come true.

If you visit the Shwedagon Pagoda for worshiping the Buddha, please remember to be barefoot when entering the pagoda to show respects.

Spend a Day at the Markets of Mandalay

Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Myanmar . Located 716 km north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River. Mandalay is the economic center of Upper Burma and considered the center of Burmese culture. It gets overlooked because it doesn’t have a colonial district, but its setting on the banks of the lackadaisical Ayeyarwady River is sublime. And visiting the markets in Mandalay will be a pretty remarkable memory for you.

Street markets in Mandalay are the kind of markets that make ambling travelers almost revel in. They brim with charismatic locals sat under bright umbrellas selling anything from the ripest of mangoes to the dawn’s freshest catch. Mandalay’s market scene is where the allure of Myanmar’s culture comes to life, and here are some of the city’s best and most unique bazaars to explore.

Mandalay

You can start a beautiful day with having the remarkable Breakfast here-----a bit of continental, a timid tentative of British and, mainly, fantastic noodles and rice. With a full belly you could amble towards the Zegyo Market to dip into the local culture. Before finding the market, you can count the streets being surrounded by fruit stalls and busy people hurrying back and forth.

In the afternoon you can head to the jade market, the biggest of its kind in the world and the hub where most of Burmese money is traded every day. It’s probably not a good idea to buy there unless you know exactly what you are doing, as there are lots of fake stones and skilled sellers. You can hear many interesting details on Mandalay and Burmese life if you choose to take trishaw which is an old Chinese bike with a hand-made sidecar attached along the dusty roads. Check for more about Myanmar shopping.

Visit the Long Neck Tribe Villages in Myanmar

Myanmar is a country with the largest number of different ethnicities in the world------a total of 135. Nevertheless, there is one minor group which is internationally famous and yet, a significant number of people don’t know where they actually come from. We are talking about the Kayan (long neck tribe) which becomes popular across all continents due to that the long neck women from part of this ethic group.

Visiting the Kayan long-neck village in Myanmar is the very exclusive experience to know the mystery and charm of the tradition of making the brass neck coils the jewelry. The Kayan women who have the elongated necks covered with the heavy brass rings look attractive. Besides, they are very good at wood carving and weaving. They together live the simple, monotonous, and hard-working lifestyle in both Burma and Thailand. Regardless of the living conditions, the Kayan people keep their long-standing habits alive. Therefore, a short excursion to the Kayan tribal village in Myanmar allows you to witness one of the most exotic traditions and people on this planet.

Long Neck Tribe Villages

You can eagerly talk to the long-neck women, ask about their favorite brass neck coils, and listen to their songs. Besides, it’s easy to buy some exclusive goods or crafts made by the skillful locals. Just communicate with the local Kayan people as they are mostly welcoming to the tourists. You only make the successful visit when you are ready to talk in the open demeanor. Remember to take some photos with the long-neck women to save the exotic experience forever.

Balloon Ride over Inle Lake

Located in the Nyaungshwe Township of Myanmar, Inle Lake is the second largest lake in Myanmar with an estimated surface area of 44.9 square miles. The Inle Lake region is one of Myanmar's most anticipated destinations, and all the hype is justified. Inle Lake is quite unlike anywhere else in Burma, surrounding the lake are hills that are home to myriad minorities.

You can join a visiting hot air balloon and hop into the basket, then sit down for launch. You are going to have a view of the lake and the villages sprawling from the edges of the valley and into the lake, with canals that looked and acted like veins and arteries, making transportation and life possible. The floating gardens that look like hundreds of glowing, furry caterpillars wiggling their way across the lake. The light is also amazing while the balloon soaking up. For the next hour and 45 min, you will float in the sky, sometimes dropping low over a village or floating garden, and other times lifting higher than the mountain ridges on either side of the valley.

Inle Lake

It seems a bit crazy to be landing a hot air balloon on a lake, but you will softly drop down on the platform that was barely bigger than the basket itself. And it will also be a very unforgettable memory during the Myanmar tour.

Trekking in the Mountains of Myanmar

Since Myanmar continues to open up to visitors, trekking trails are becoming more and more popular. Routes run through the whole of the country, from the Himalayan foothills in the north to the lower level rice fields of the south, with choices for hardy trekkers and normal trekkers alike. Compared with the rest of Southeast Asia, Myanmar’s trekking paths are yet to be overwhelmed by the footfall of tourism, and they give access to otherwise unreachable local tribal groups.

If you’re a first-time visitor to Burma, more likely than not your itinerary will include time in and around Inle Lake, where communities live on floating villages. As well as exploring the water by boat, we recommend you to take to the area’s paths on foot. we suggest spending at least a couple of hours meandering in the surrounding countryside and farmland of Shan State, a plateau that extends all the way from northeast of Mandalay to China.

Trekking in Burma is also a great way to visit remote villages and the distinctive indigenous people's which inhabit them. On a single trek in the countryside that surrounds Kyaingtong, a sleepy town in the far eastern Shan State, you’re likely to see 4 or 5 completely different hill tribes co-existing in close proximity.