Myanmar travel blog — The fullest Myanmar travel guide & suggested Myanmar itinerary 7 days perfectly

• Mandalay Palace: Located in the middle of the city center, on the map is a large square in the middle of the center like the Old Town area that similar Chiang Mai Old town. The palace is a huge complex, with entrance fee of 10.000 Kyat.

• Mandalay Hill: Go to the top of the hill to visit Sutaungpyae Paya temple, watching the whole city from above.

There are also many other pagodas and temples if you have time to visit such as Kuthodaw Pagoda, Mahamuni Temple, Mahagandayon Monastery or other handicraft workshops.

Hotels in Mandalay: You should book via Booking.com or Agoda.com and choose the central area near Mandalay Palace with full restaurants and services.

Inle Lake

Inle Lake is a very large lake, but when sailing on it, I feel like I am wandering in the sea. The blue sky and white clouds with the mountains in the distance, the blue water and the fresh air create a wonderful scenery make I want to stay here forever.

The entrance fee to the Inle Lake area is 12.500 kyat, they charge at the entrance checkpoint to the Nyaung Shwe, staff will get on the bus and directly charge. Because they only charge tourists, so the Western backpackers have to pay, some Asian tourists who look like Burma people are likely to be missed (like me ^^).

Inle has a high mountainous climate like Sapa, Dalat of Vietnam, you should spend at least 2 days here, 1 day to sail on the lake and a day to visit Nyaung Shwe town, temples, pagodas, monateries and go to wine production vineyards.

Some activities to take part in Inle

Buy a boat tour on Inle Lake

A boat tour on the lake is similar to going to a floating market in Bangkok or the Mekong floating market in Vietnam, that is, you rent a private boat to go to the destinations in the itinerary, each point is a river wharf (lake) with different characteristics .

As soon as you get off the bus, you will meet a few fishing boat drivers, or you can go to the pier to buy a tour. I took a boat of Mr. Zaw Liwn, very satisfied, he met me at the bus station and introduced, affordable (actually the general price): 15.000 Kyat for a full day tour, if you want to go from early morning to late evening, it’s okay, go as many points as you want. Only Indein is a special place that not included in the tour, if you want to go to Indein you have to pay 2.000 Kyat more. Of course Indein is a very worthwhile place, so adding such a charge doesn’t matter. Zaw Liwn’s phone number is 0936 345 748, you can call or message him to book a tour in advance.

What will you experience through Inle Lake tour?

• Enjoy the free world with the vast sky and lake!
• Watch the fisherman artisans perform a special way to catch fish with one leg, especially at dawn or dusk. Remember watch the time to remind the boat driver to take you to the middle of the lake to watch the sunset.
• Visit the floating market on Inle Lake, but the market meeting in different locations so if you’re lucky you will be able to see. Market schedule you see here.
• Silver production place, watch them manipulate, fusing silver and create final products. Next to it is the local market and souvenir market, and a temple opposite.
• Indein: Is the most prominent place of the tour, where you will visit the complex of thousands of temples located close together (seemingly called ancient stupas).
• Visit Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery and Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, especially the monastery with a tranquil setting, wooden bridges across the lake and the architecture in a slightly Chinese style.
• Tomato gardens and long bridges span the blue water, floating houses and cafes in a space like paradise. This is the place to go to Maing Thauk village by boat.

 Discover Nyaung Shwe

• Mingalar Market: The market is quite large, including many stalls selling everything from fresh food, dried food, … come and experience the life of Inle people.
• Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery: Located right in the ticketing checkpoint of ​​Inle, this monastery is oustanding by vertical oval–shaped doorways, especially the images of young monks sitting by the window feeling watching a peaceful place in the remote place in the land of Buddha.
• Red Mountain Estate: The vast and lush vineyards on the high hills, along with the cups of the fine grape wines extracted from the selected grapes, sitting and watching the sunset is the purpose for me to come here.

In addition, if you stay in Inle longer you can go to places far away from the center such as Payana cave or Kakku, similar to Indein with lots of small stupa. Go to these locations, you should hire a taxi to go in groups to save costs.

The hotel I stayed in Inle: Manaw Thukha Hotel – Room rates $16/night including breakfast. (Agoda.com or Booking.com)

Myanmar itinerary 7 days (Myanmar 1 week itinerary): The detailed itinerary for the Myanmar trip 7 days 6 nights

My 7–day Myanmar itinerary 7 days (Myanmar 1 week itinerary) in Myanmar runs in the following circle: Yangon – Bagan – Mandalay – Inle – Yangon

Day 1 – Yangon

My flight landed at Yangon airport at 11pm, checked in, exchanged money and rented a taxi for the full day going 3 locations in Yangon, sharing money with 2 other friends. Taxis take us to the central market, Shwedagon Pagoda, Chauk–htat–gyi Buddha Temple (Reclining Buddha temple) and finally take to the bus station to getting to Bagan at 8 pm by JJ Express bus.

Day 2 – Bagan

5am I arrival at Bagan bus station, hire a taxi to go to Bulethi temple to watch the sunrise, also share money with a Malaysian uncle, make friends as a companion that day. Leaving Bulethi temple, I returned to check-in at Royal Bagan Hotel (Booking.com or Agoda.com), took a shower and then rented a electric bike by to run around Old Bagan area.

Lunch at Indian restaurant near the hotel, in the afternoon I visit Ananda Temple and some nearby temples, Dhammayangyi Temple, .. In the late afternoon, I come to Shwesandaw Temple early to choose a good spot to watch the sunset.

Day 3 – Bagan

Get up at 4am to prepare to go to Shwesandaw Pagoda to watch the sunrise. About 8am leave the temple and back to the hotel for breakfast, pack luggage to check out the hotel, send luggage and take e-bike to wandering around.

Go to Shwezigon Pagoda, see the life around the Ayeyarwady River, then take photos in the legendary corridor near Shwezion Pagoda. Noon, lunch with traditional Myanmar meal at Golden Myanmar restaurant. Continue wandering in the burning meadows, watching cowherds, and then discover the strange temples that aren’t yet on the guide book. In the afternoon watching sunset at Ta Wet Hpaya Pagoda, then take the Shwe Man Thu bus to Mandalay, they pick up me at the hotel.

Day 4 – Mandalay

Around 3:30 am, the bus arrived in Mandalay, took a motorbike taxi to the city to rent a motorbike, and then heading to Ubein bridge to catch sunrise. At around 8am, it was heavy rain was forced to stay in a eatery near the bridge until 12am, then returned to take a boat to Mingun. When coming to know only 1 trip a day, had to change the itinerary to run to Mandalay Hill. At 3pm, going to the Inwa village until 5pm, return to watch the sunset at Ubein Bridge. 7pm return to the city center to have dinner at the Golden Duck restaurant and then return the motorbike, take the motorbike taxi to the bus station to getting to Inle at 10pm.

Day 5 – Inle Lake

At 5:30 am JJ Express bus just arrived in Inle, walked to the nearby Manaw Thukha Hotel (Agoda.com or Booking.com) and then take the Inle Lake tour right away. The boat runs through handicraft villages, Indein, Nga Phe Kyaung monastery, Maing Thauk floating village. In the afternoon take sunset photos with the fisherman. Evening wandering around Nyaung Shwe and eating and drinking.

Day 6 – Inle Lake

Get up early in the morning to get a bike and ride around Nyaung Shwe, take photos at the central Mingalar market then return to the hotel for breakfast. Then visit Shwe Yan Pyay monastery and return to lunch at Dim Sum restaurant near the hotel. In the afternoon, check out hotel and go back to Shwe Yan Pyay to hunt the novice monks for take pictures but it is not very successful. Around 3 am cycling up Red Mountain Estate to enjoy wine and watch the sunset. 5:30pm go back to the hotel to pick up luggage and then go to the bus station to take the JJ Express bus to Yangon.

Day 7 – Yangon

Around 5 am the bus arrived Yangon, take a motorbike taxi to the train station to take photos. Walk from the train station to the nearby airport, on the way, drop by and have breakfast at a local restaurant, watching the daily life of the Myanmar people. 11am, boarding and goodbye Yangon.

Myanmar 1 week itinerary: Trip summary – Impressions and costs

The trip took a lot of money, especially the broken BW filter of the camera lens, right from the time of entering the market in Yangon, lost $65, sad in 5 minutes :(. But anyway, the mental compensation for enjoying the beautiful scenery, being able to live a week with a relaxed mood and the eagerness to explore new things also helps a lot and gain so much.

Myanmar itinerary 7 days: What’s impression of the trip?

In Yangon, the impression of the sidewalk eateries, enjoy a unique breakfast and full is only 1.200 Kyat at a roadside eatery that only goes deep into the alleys to meet, bonus sunshine smiles of his 3 brothers serve at the eatery. In Bagan is not the majestic image of the hot air balloons, but the feeling of climbing a small deserted temple, watching the golden sunset slowly as time slowly. In Mandalay is the feeling of a cold morning at Ubein Bridge, the image of a tourist standing on the bridge and bringing the camera to look for something far away. Or Inle is a paradise life, I love the life, the scenery, the atmosphere and everything here, from rivers to mountains, people, the boat drivers and people there …

All expenses for the trip are calculated in Kyat, particularly air tickets in USD:

• Air tickets: $106.72 – buy cheap tickets of Nok Air.
• Bus costs traveling between cities: Yangon – Bagan: 27.000 Kyat; Bagan – Mandalay: 11.684 Kyat; Mandalay – Inle: 17.615 Kyat; Inle – Yangon: 27.700 Kyat, total: 84.000 Kyat.
• Transportation in the cities (taxi, rent motorbike, e-bike, motorbike taxi, boat): 65.000 Kyat.
• Hotels: 35.520 Kyat.
• Eating and drinking: 45.000 Kyat.
• Miscellaneous things: 80.000 Kyat (tickets to Bagan 25.000 Kyat but not spend tickets to Inle 12.500 Kyat).

Total cost excluding air tickets: 264.500 Kyat ~ $189.90.
Total trip cost: ~ $341.59.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Yangon you can refer to

• Yangon Private Car Charter
• Yangon Walking Tour
• Yangon Highlights Private Tour
• Yangon’s Streets by Night Guided Tour
• Yangon Insider Half Day Private Walking Tour
• Myanmar 4G SIM Card (HK Airport Pick Up)
• 4G GO INTER SIM Card (Siam Center or BKK Airport Pick Up) for Myanmar from DTAC

Are you looking for more Yangon travel guide and top things to do in Yangon: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Read more: Yangon itinerary 3 days — What to do & how to spend 3 days in Yangon?