Are you planning a trip to Myanmar? Or maybe you’re still making your mind up about it? I have used my local experience to create a 2-week Myanmar itinerary and to give you some tips that will help you have the best experience there.
Click on a section in the list to jump down the page.
Myanmar was one of the highlights of our 8 months in Asia. It’s truly a special corner of the world that worth the time to explore.
But, is Myanmar Safe?
Let me tell you right from the start – Yes, Myanmar is safe for everyone, no matter your religion, where you come from, and how you look. We never felt unsafe during our time traveling around Myanmar. Of course, there are some places that are unsafe, but tourists, as well as locals, are not allowed to go anywhere close to the conflict zones.
However, the real question is: is it bad to visit a country that demonstrates no respect for human rights? The answer is probably yes? It took me a while to decide whether to go or not. But after all, we travel to open our eyes and learn more about the world.
Wherever we went in Myanmar, we saw people of different races and religions living a normal life – Besides, Burmese are among the friendliest people we have ever encountered. My personal approach is that by traveling to Myanmar, we support small businesses and local people who benefit from our visit. We should not fault Burmese people for their government’s abuses.
➵ Read: Things to know when traveling to Myanmar
Myanmar Route Guide
My 2-week Myanmar itinerary will take you to the major cities of Yangon and Mandalay. You will relax in Inle Lake and roam in Hpa-An. You will get lost in the magical Bagan and see the shining Golden Rock. This is the exact itinerary we followed (but in a slower pace as we were not on a strict schedule), so do not hesitate to get inspired and customize your itinerary which will suit the best your interests, time, and budget.
➵ Order your E-visa here
Yangon
More than likely you will be flying into Yangon, Myanmar’s largest and busiest city. Try to book a flight that lands as early as possible to relax and recover from jetlag. I recommend you stay at least 1 full day in Yangon, preferably 2 if you can cope with Yangon’s hustle and bustle.
➵ Read more: Things to do in Yangon
Inle Lake & Nyaung Shwe
From Yangon make your way to Inle Lake. Nyaung Shwe is the principal town near the lake. Here you will find the best restaurants and budget accommodations. Spend 2- 3 days relaxing in nature. Hire a boat and explore the stilt villages, watch Intha fishermen in action, go hiking or rent a bike and roam through rice fields. This place is full of incredible adventures just waiting for you.
➵ Read more: Things to do around Inle Lake
Mandalay
After spending a couple of days of your 2-week Myanmar itinerary relaxing and enjoying the laidback atmosphere of Inle Lake, it’s time to board a bus to Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city and the cultural, and religious center of Buddhism. Yes, Mandalay is noisy, and yes it’s busy, but it’s much quieter than Yangon. Spend 2 full days in Mandalay to explore the city. Admire its unique pagodas, visit the Royal Palace, enjoy the view from Mandalay Hill, and watch the sunset from U Bein Bridge.
Bagan
No itinerary for Myanmar would be complete without seeing the magical Bagan. The days spent in Began were some of the most exhausting of the whole trip. I was sick and it was damn hot, yet Began was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. I recommend spending 2 full days in Bagan. Rent an E-bike and explore its fascinating Pagodas.
The Golden Rock
The next stop on this 2-week itinerary will be The Golden Rock, also called Kyaiktiyo Pagoda.
We decided to visit Kyaiktiyo Pagoda for two reasons:
First, this huge golden rock perched at the summit of Mount Kyaiktiyo is one of the three most sacred religious sites in Myanmar along with Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, and Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay.
The second reason was that it’s halfway between Yangon and our final destination.
To get from Bagan to Mount Kyaiktiyo without losing an entire day, we took an overnight bus to Yangon, and from there took another bus that goes to Kinpun.
Depending on what time you arrive, and also on your energy level, you can either ascend the mountain the day you arrive or the following morning.
There are a few hotels at the top of Mount Kyaiktiyo, but I recommend staying in the base camp village of Kinpun, which has a good range of places to eat. 1 night is enough.
Hpa-An
Hpa-An is the last destination on this 2-week Myanmar itinerary. It’s not part of the route many travelers follow, but if you are wondering if this is a place you can skip, stop right there. Hpa-An is definitely among the best places we visited in Myanmar. Climb Mount Zwekabin, explore the caves, enjoy the beauty of Hpa-An’s rice fields, and admire the limestone mountains before your flight back home.
Getting from Thailand to Myanmar?
Hpa-An can be a starting point of a trip to Myanmar for those who cross the land border from northern Thailand. If that’s what you are planning to do, this 2-week itinerary can be easily adjusted.
Back to Yangon
Head back to Yangon. You have now seen some of Myanmar’s best places to visit. You’ve had some adventures and some time to unwind, some city explorations and countryside expeditions. Now it’s time to take a taxi to the airport and head home!
Note that there is another international airport in Mandalay. You can choose to fly out either from Yangon or Mandalay, or travel into Thailand by crossing the land border from Hpa-An. As I mentioned above, you can use this itinerary to get inspired and design your own journey.
- Yangon: 2 days / 2 nights – Night bus to Inle Lake
- Inle Lake : 3 days / 3 nights – Bus to Mandalay
- Mandalay: 2 days / 3 nights – Bus to Bagan
- Bagan: 2 days / 2 nights – Night Bus to Yangon, and then a bus to Kinpun- Golden Rock (Mt Kyaiktiyo)
- Golden Rock: 1 days / 1 night. Bus to Hpa-An
- Hpa-An :2 days/ 3 nights
Optional Places
These are other places you may want to visit:
- Bago
- Hsipaw
- Kalaw (3-day hike to Inle Lake)
- Ngapali beach
We had to make some decisions about what was and wasn’t going to be included in this Myanmar itinerary. These decisions were mainly based on our personal preferences, transport availability, and travel restrictions.
Tip: Due to the readily changeable political situation in Myanmar, the best piece of advice is to check the list of restricted areas before planning your trip.
How Successful Was Our Trip To Myanmar?
Like I mentioned at the start, we visited all the places on this Myanmar itinerary on our trip and had an amazing experience there. Although Myanmar does not offer the most stunning scenery in Southeast Asia, the country is packed with authentic and unique adventures, and the people have simply captured our heart.
So, there you have it! I hope this 2-week Myanmar itinerary will help you have an amazing time on your trip and enjoy your travel experience as much as we did! If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments.
Don’t miss the rest of my Myanmar posts
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Lili says
Thank you Nesrine for sharing so much information about myanmar, a gold mine for people who want to discover this place
admin says
Oww, Thank you so much. I’m glad you like it!