Best Places to Visit in Myanmar

Published July 27, 2019 · Updated November 12, 2020

Have you ever heard about a massive rock that challenges earth’s gravity by the powers of relics of Lord Buddha’s hair? Did you ever come across a real-life gigantic python-monk that blesses the devotees by its tail? It all happens in Myanmar or former Burma in Southeast Asia. Myanmar is incredible with amazing things that are rare to experience in other parts of the world such as miles of untouched landscapes, pristine beaches, iconic sights of pagodas, a gorgeous blue lake, and above all, the historic and diversified rich ethnic culture and traditions. Whether you are looking for the best places to visit in Myanmar or top things to do in Myanmar, the country has got everything for you.

Get into Myanmar at least once in a lifetime to witness the dreamy sunrise sight over Bagan temple or to try climbing a massive 777 steps top up to the holy mount Popa. Besides this, present-day Myanmar places to visit have abundant and amazing things to offer you in your great trip to Myanmar.

Myanmar is one of the incredible nations in SouthEast Asia which has been rapidly growing in the tourism sector. It is surrounded by some of the auspicious tourist destinations and often visited by travelers who are always in search of adventure. Besides, you can spot everything here ranging from natural landscapes, cultural landmarks, and fantastic historical sites. If you are planning to explore the gems of Myanmar in the coming time then here are few places that you shouldn’t miss:

How and Where-about Reaching Myanmar:

From Abroad:

You can get into Myanmar both by air and by crossing the land border through several points such as:

Mandalay international airport
Yangon international airport
Nay-Pyi Taw international airport
Myawaddy border (crossing through the land)
Tachileik border (crossing through the land)
Kawthaung border (crossing through the land)

However, traveling from abroad and in Myanmar through road is daunting as you will have to travel a long distance. Secondly, it takes a long time to reach your destination. The best way is flying which is affordable too.

You need to mention the entry point on the e-visa to enter into Myanmar. However, you can still enter the country through a different entry point other than the mentioned point. But it may take longer to process the visa while arriving.

Getting a visa to explore the best places to visit in Myanmar is easier and faster. It hardly takes around ten minutes to apply for a visa and it is approved maximum within three days and even earlier. Your visa is usually valid for 90 days and you can stay in Myanmar for 28 days with the same.

The best way to get a visa is through your embassy which is cheaper. However, you can also apply for e-visa through the below link.

Traveling in and around Myanmar:

Flying in and around Myanmar is faster and cheaper in comparison to other modes of travel. You can easily get a flight from several airlines that are affordable which usually includes a snack box and free luggage checking.

You can also travel around Myanmar by VIP luxury busses that may be tiring but exciting. Almost all long-rout busses travel overnight. Traveling overnight may be beneficial in terms of saving time.

On the other hand, you may not get a good sleep on the bus and may not enjoy sightseeing while traveling. Another potential problem of traveling overnight is the reaching time and hotel or hostel check-in. Night busses reach early in the morning and you cannot check-in your hotel until 2 PM.

You can also roam around Myanmar by train, taxi, hiring bikes and e-bikes, or experience a boat journey. However, the boat journey is very slow and you should never take an e-bike in the case of not effectively handling the bike.

Wonderful Tourist Attractions of Myanmar Never to Miss:

Bagan Temple to Witness a Spectacular Sunrise:

Watching the sunrise from the Bagan temple mist-covered plane is an amazing and unforgettable experience you must never miss. The sky turns colorful and the vast plain up to the horizon becomes iconic when the sun rises breaking the darkness. This unique and exciting experience stays alive in your mind keeping you mesmerized for a long time.

Staying in Bagan: You have old and new Bagan and there are plenty of good hotels as well as residents to offer you a stay and hospitality. You can check for good hotels such as ZFreet hotel, hotel Zein, Sky View hotel, etc. at Nguang-U. Similarly, go to Aureum palace hotel and resort in Old Bagan, and Bagan Lodge in New Bagan.

Shwedagon Pagoda to Feel the Perfect Calm Night

This incredible pagoda is said to be the most sacred bestowing peace and perfect calmness, especially in the night. It is said that this pagoda contains the relics of four different Buddhas incarnated over the ages. This popular belief attracts crowds of devotees to spend the night and experience the heavenly peace of mind and the perfect calmness of nature.

The place to stay: You can get plenty of places in Yangon to stay. However, the most adjacent to Shwedagon pagoda is the Novotel Yangon, Chatrium hotel, Loft hotel, the Strand, Belmond residence, etc.

Enjoy the Inle lake and View the Amazing Stupas in Indein

This is where you can get the double benefits of enjoying the blue waters of the Inle lake as well as view hundreds of colorful stupas on the hill of Indein. Indein is a rural village situated at Inle lake’s narrow creek. These stupas have been made across a period of 2000 years.

Stay in over-water villas: Inle lake is famous for its floating residences with marvelous gardens. You can stay a night in the over-water villa and witness a rare floating market in Ywama village and the jumping cat monastery. You can also stay in Inle Princess hotel, Treasure resort, hotel Royal NyaungShwe, etc.

Kyaiktiyo- the Golden Rock Challenging the Earth’s Gravity

Mount Kyaiktiyo, the wonderful rock which stands firm against gravity is considered one of the most sacred pagodas in Myanmar. The pagoda is claimed to have relics of Lord Buddha’s hair. Your Myanmar visit should never be completed without witnessing this amazing site.

Where to stay? You have two choices either to stay in the temple itself besides the golden rock or go to hotels in Kinpur. You have several places such as Hotel Golden Bliss, Pan Myo Thu Inn, Sea Sar guesthouse, 5star Guesthouse, etc. famous for their wonderful hospitality in Kinpur.

The Python Monk in Bago Monastery

Bago is the former Pegu the Mon Kingdom’s capital and is a historical city in Myanmar. There are many things not to miss such as an enormous statue of Lord Buddha namedShwethalyaung, the Golden God Temple, and the historical ruins, etc. in Bago. One of the famous tourist attractions is the Bago monastery where a gigantic python is worshiped as the reincarnation of a monk. Interestingly, the Python blesses the pilgrims by its tail.

Mount Popa

If you love hiking then Mount Popa is one of the most preferred destinations and places to visit you can find in Myanmar. It is a site created due to an extinct volcano that offers you outstanding views when you reach at the peak. It takes only around 800 steps to reach the pinnacle of Mount Popa and once you reach there you can’t stop yourself from capturing some of the breathtaking views of Mandalay.

Kalaw

It is one of the top places to visit in Myanmar that is known for its amazing landscape and breathtaking views. You will be surprised to see such natural scenery that features several trekking trails that welcome you to cruise through them in order to enjoy one of the most memorable experiences of your lifetime. On the virtue of its high altitude, you will feel an extremely healthy ambiance here that will force you to spend some extended time in the vicinity of nature.

Ngapali Beach

It is an awesome experience to relax at the seaside places to visit in Myanmar such as Ngapali Beach. Here you can enjoy both village and modern culture as there are several resorts located next to fishing villages that will give you a taste of diverse lives. For water sports lovers, there are several top things to do in Myanmar including kayaking, boat tours, snorkeling, scuba diving, and much more.

Macleod Island

Located in the Southern zone of Myanmar it is listed in one of the pristine islands of the Andaman Sea. Once you reach at this island, you will be mesmerized by its breathtaking flora and fauna. If you want to find out ultimate peace of mind in the tropical surroundings then Macleod Island is a place to be.

Bagan Archaeological Museum

If you are done exploring the tourist attractions of Myanmar, it’s time to explore some museums and galleries here. Bagan Archaeological Museum is run by the local government authorities featuring an immense collection of ruins of Bagan history. From murals, paintings to artistic pieces, you will find everything in this Museum very extraordinary. Here you will get an idea about how ancient people of Myanmar lived their life.

What’s next waiting for you?

The natives in Myanmar are exclusively and amazingly friendly and cooperative especially towards the people from abroad. However, Myanmar suffered prolonged political unrest resulting in frequent military restrictions and local terrorist attacks which have come to a halt presently. Still, it is not safe for travelers to visit the extreme border areas which may result even in life risks. But no worry, if you pay a visit to Myanmar, you need to be alert but not terrifically alarmed as such.

Myanmar is not a very big country in terms of geographical location and this makes it a very convenient destination that you can consider visiting in a couple of days. Once you reach here, you can make a proper planning of specific destinations you want to cover and other ones you want to skip. No matter what your age and interests are, you will definitely find something of your interest here. Now you know what to do in Myanmar, go ahead and plan your journey now.

About Author: Sukant Montry writes Yoast SEO articles on travel, health and fitness, and miscellaneous niches and is associated with -Government of India-Odisha-Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) sponsored “SHAKTI VARTA” HNWASH (Health Nutrition Water Sanitation and Hygiene) program.