There's More to Myanmar Than Hot Air Balloons and Misty Sunrises
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MYANMAR The Insiders' Guide There’s more to Myanmar than hot air balloons and misty sunrises. Contents Overview Kyaiktiyo Pagoda Contents Yangon Overview 3 Amarapura 32 Top 10 Experiences in Myanmar 3 Inwa 33 Climate and Weather 6 Hsipaw 34 Where to Stay 7 Getting Around 9 Bagan and Mandalay Cuisine 11 Central Myanmar 35 Cultural Highlights 13 Bagan 36 Etiquette and Faux Pas 16 Inle Lake 38 Safety and Scams 17 Monywa District 39 Visa and Vaccinations 19 Naypyidaw 41 Yangon and Adventure in Myanmar 43 Bagan Southern Myanmar 20 Hiking and Cycling 44 Yangon 21 Caves 46 Bago 23 Mrauk U 47 Hpa An 25 Beaches to Explore 27 Essential Insurance Tips 48 Adventure Our Contributors 50 Mandalay and See Our Other Guides 50 Northern Myanmar 29 Get a Quote 51 Mandalay 30 2 Welcome! Myanmar isn’t all about temples and sunsets. Hike to rural villages in Hsipaw, slurp delicious shan noodles on the streets of Yangon, discover secluded beaches in the south, and crawl through limestone caves in Hpa An. Choose your method of transport wisely, and enjoy Myanmar’s secrets while they’re… secret. Contents Hsipaw Monywa Mandalay Our Pick of the Amarapura Top 10 Experiences Bagan Inwa Mrauk U Inle Lake in Myanmar Overview Naypyidaw Witness a Bagan sunrise hefty price-tag, there Watching the sunrise over the temples are plenty of temples of Bagan is a highlight for most travelers, that offer stunning Bago but there are two ways to do this. Either vantage points, and Yangon Hpa An you choose to take the luxury method can be conveniently Yangon of a hot air balloon ride, or watch from reached by e-bike (US the top of a temple. $5–$10/day). If you’ve got your heart set on ballooning, know that it’s pricey – Cruise along the around US $300 – and needs to be Irrawaddy River Mandalay booked well in advance. Balloon rides Trade the hustle and bustle of also only occur between October– sightseeing on land for a leisurely boat March. For those who travel outside ride upriver from Bagan to Mandalay. of this period, or can’t quite afford the Cruising this route may not seem like the most obvious choice – buses make the trip in six hours, compared to 12 on the river – but it’s the best way to Bagan discover rural life along the river banks. If you’ve Many boats make afternoon stops at riverside villages, like Yandabo, an got your historic town known for pots and other heart set on goods made of river clay. From the ballooning, Adventure deck, see kids playing and bathing in know that the river, farmers tending their fields, it’s pricey – and fishermen reeling in their catch-of- around US Bagan Pete Rojwongsuriya the-day. $300. 3 Chasing waterfalls and hot springs in Hsipaw Set at the foot of snow-capped mountains and alongside the Duthawadi River in northern Myanmar, take a hike through rice paddies to find ancient payas, natural hot springs, and rushing waterfalls in Hsipaw. Contents Ask your guesthouse owner for a map, and take an easy two-hour hike through the jungle to find Nam Tuk waterfall – a moss-covered cliff, towering over a bubbling pool below. There are a few hot springs around Overview Hsipaw that are an easy day-hike from the center of town. If you go there late in the afternoon or early morning, Will Hatton you’ll meet locals who are often relaxing in the warm water. check out. A highlight is Sutaungpyei pagoda on top, which has several Yangon Meet the one-legged Dotting lookouts where you’ll be rewarded fishermen on Inle Lake Inle Lake with panoramic views. If you’re chasing Dotting Inle Lake are the famous one- are the sunsets in Myanmar, this is a spot to legged fishermen, who steer their famous add to the list. boats by wrapping one leg around the one-legged Mandalay oar. Their impressive balancing skills fishermen, Trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake will leave you wanting to sign up for a who steer If bucket showers and squat toilets yoga class. Enjoy their catch-of-the-day their boats aren’t your thing, skip this multi-day- at one of the stilt-restaurants that rise by wrapping trek. Still got your attention? Great. above the lake. one leg A trek to Inle Lake from Kalaw will around put you in the heart of Myanmar’s Take a hike up Mandalay Hill the oar. wilderness, and take you back to basics. Bagan Walking up Mandalay Hill will take Heading west out of Inle Lake, you about 30-45 minutes, without can trek directly to the former British stopping. If you choose to walk, keep Hill Station of Kalaw. While this trek an eye out for snakes – especially after has become popular, there’s a chance dark. If you’re not a fan of working up you won’t see any other tourists on the Adventure a sweat, get your driver to take you to path. Hire an English-speaking guide the top. who’ll be able to translate for you once This popular pilgrimage site has you reach the Pa’O, Palaung, Taungthu, several pagodas and monasteries to and Danu villages. 4 Food in Yangon There’s also a lot of skewered meat to General try on most street corners. Accompany Cost Guide a stick of pork, chicken, fish, or shrimp It’s not difficult to with a small curry, and you’ve got explore Myanmar on a budget, but yourself a cheap and delicious meal. you should still be Always check the stall before you savvy with your order, making sure cooking surfaces cash. are clean. Remember, the busy stalls Street food in a Contents are always your best option – the locals small town: US $1 know best. Street food in larger cities: Long journeys equal big US $2-$3 Explore Sadan Cave in Hpa An rewards on Myanmar’s coast Western dinner: Hidden away in the mountains around Take a 16-hour bus from Yangon to US $10-$15 Overview Hpa An are several impressive caves, Dawei to escape the tourist trail and Dormitory bed: which can be easily explored over two kick back in tropical Myanmar. To reach US $20/night days. The most remarkable of these is truly untouched beaches and fishing Private room in the colossal Sadan Cave. It spans the villages, you’ll want to rent a motorbike a hostel: US $30-$40 entire underside of the mountain, and to explore the Dawei peninsula. Take Luxury takes you right through to the other the journey (1.5 – 3 hours from Dawei) Yangon accommodation: side via a network of dimly-lit tunnels to reach Grandfather’s, Sin Htauk, and US $100/night and cavernous chambers filled with Paradise beach. One-way bus depictions of Buddha. ticket for a 6-8 On the far side, you’ll discover a secret Get a super-soaker and hour journey: US $15-$20 lake covered in water lilies, where a small experience Thingyan Water Mandalay wooden canoe will take you back under Festival Long distance trains: the mountain. Myanmar’s answer to Thailand’s US $15-$25 Songkran Water Festival, the Thingyan ATMs are readily Sample Burmese cuisine Water Festival is held during Burmese available in major on the streets New Year (usually around mid-April) and cities and tourist Hands-down, Yangon is the best place to is a major Buddhist celebration in the towns, although functionality Bagan try street food. With so much to choose country. cannot be relied from, you can eat on the curb every day The festival is basically a massive upon 100%. It’s a for a year and still have more to try. Be water fight, where people throw water good idea to carry back-up funds, sure to try the south-Indian-inspired at each other from any vessels they can and attempt dosa sandwich, the tasty quail egg find. Some use super soakers, some use withdrawals in snack mont lin ma yar, and classic shan pots from the kitchen, and others have advance. Adventure noodles. Finish off a day of food delights massive water cannons! It’s easy to join If you want to use with a sticky-rice and shaved coconut. In in the fun – you can hit the streets with US dollars, bills will need to be in Mandalay, don’t miss mont di, which is your water-weapon of choice, and start pristine condition. thick rice noodles with chickpea flour. soaking everyone you see. 5 Climate & Weather The best time to visit Myanmar is between November–April when it’s sunny, dry, and cooler – but most importantly, it’s festival Contents season. Before you pick a time to go, keep in mind the balloons over Bagan only fly between October–April. If this is on your bucket list, you’ll Overview need to plan accordingly. Buddhist shrine Cool season ImagesSpaces During the cool season November– February the climate offers warm This isn’t actually all that bad, as you’ll temperatures with relatively dry air. still have a few dry days here and Yangon Just remember this is peak tourist there, less crowds, and much lower season, so expect larger crowds and prices. Trekking, however, can be hit higher prices for accommodation. and miss during monsoon season, Always book in advance: don’t leave it with the rain often turning the muddy to chance! paths into slip-and-slides. Mandalay Hot season It’ll be hot between March–May, with Book a Trip to Suit Your Style temperatures reaching 85ºF (30ºC).