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Top Marvelous Things to Do and See for Memorable Myanmar Tours

Extraordinary Activities in Mandalay

Hot-air Balloon Ride in Bagan

Bagan was once the capital of the ancient Pagan kingdom and now a top tourist destination for a Myanmar vacation, attracting visitors from all over the world to come and admire the spectacular sight of man-made wonder. During the heyday of Pagan, during the 11th – 13th centuries, more than 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas, and monasteries were constructed in the Bagan plain alone. Currently, there are up to 2000 temples as well as pagodas remained, creating such a definitely singular and otherworldly vista when seen from above. A hot-air balloon ride in Bagan would be the highlighted travel experience for the best Myanmar vacation. You’ll be flying over the ancient temples and pagodas of Bagan for about 40 minutes, guided by an absolutely professional team. This trip includes a pick up at your hotel before the sunrise, and a hot cup of tea and coffee while waiting for the balloon to be inflated and champagne and croissant after the flight. The price is quite expensive but the experience is really nice and worth it. It is one of my favorite activities when I enjoyed my very best Myanmar vacation.

Visit Mandalay Palace

Mandalay Palace is the last royal palace of the last Burmese monarchy, structured in 2 years - from 1857 to 1859 as a part of Mindon’s founding of the new royal capital city of Mandalay. This complex followed the traditional palace design, inside a walled fort covered by a moat. As you roam around the palace, you can easily find the presence of gold in the hall – the element that has great influence in Burmese culture and religious life. The throne room is rather simple with the main color of gold and deep red. The large part of the whole complex was faithful to the original design but some modern materials like concrete and iron were used since the place was reconstructed. But the use of modern elements is not obvious and blends nicely with the original buildings.

Marvel at the Taj Mahal of Myanmar

If India is renowned for the impressive Taj Mahal as a symbol of love, Myanmar has its own thing – the Hsinbyume Pagoda, a true labor of love. The pagoda is situated on the northern side of Mingun in Sagaing Region, the western bank of Irrawaddy River. This pagoda is painted in all white and was dedicated to the memory of Bagyidaw’s first consort and cousin, Princess Hsinbyume or Princess White Elephant who had died in childbirth. The pagoda is faithful to Burmese pagoda design norms, built on the descriptions of the mythical Sulamani pagoda on the legendary Meru Mountain. The white main stupa on top was covered by manifold wave-like terraces one of another. Hsinbyunme Pagoda is very photogenic and you’ll have a great time here. You can visit this place when visit Mingun. Do not forget to pay a visit to such an amazing site while indulging in your exciting Myanmar tours.

Take a Walk on U-Bein Bridge

Let’s take a break from all the pagodas and temples to get closer to nature. U-Bein is just a perfect place for it. Taking place outside Mandalay city just a bit so that U-Bein is fairly easy to visit. This bridge is the longest teak footbridge in the world and spreads about 1300 yards across the Taungthaman Lake. U-Bein is even more fantastic to head to during sunset. Remember to bring your camera to capture breathtaking photos. You’ll also have a chance to interact with the locals and see tranquil their daily life around the lake.

Top Overjoyed Destinations for the Thrilling Myanmar Tours

Make Your Way to the Sacred Shwedagon Pagoda

Just like Bagan, Shwedagon can compete for the very top thing to do for Myanmar vacation that no visitor should miss, no matter how short your visit is. Shwedagon is the most essential religious construction ever constructed in the country. The pagoda’s appearance is just as striking as it is magnificent: a 99m-high golden chedi is visible throughout the city, even more, sparkling when it reflects the sunlight. On sunny days, one can hardly look at the pagoda without squinting the eyes. The stupa is gilded with gold and on the top is jeweled 5448 diamonds and 3217 rubies. On the very top is a 76-carat diamond. The location of this pagoda is also ideal because from here you can enjoy the view of Yangon city.

Witness the Impressive Architecture of Sule Pagoda

Listed in Yangon city heritage, Sule pagoda is obviously a worthy choice of your visit. The Sule Pagoda isn’t only a religious and historical landmark in Yangon but also a navigational landmark as well. As they have that saying, all roads in Yangon lead to Sule Pagoda. Therefore, you can visit the pagoda quite easily. Like Shwedagon pagoda, the most impressive feature about Sule is its gilded stupa which originally incorporated the original Indian structure. However, as the Burmese culture grew, and became independent of Indian culture, the shape and design of the stupa were changed over time to embrace more Burmese features. This site is believed to have a strand of hair of Buddha. The sight of Sule’s stupa makes Yangon’s cityscape singular and different from many other cities. This site is super splendid. Are you ready to enjoy Myanmar vacation?

Pay a Visit to Bogyoke Aung San Market

Bogyoke Aung San (Scott Market) is known as the best market for tourists. It is a major bazaar taking place in Pabedan township in central Yangon. The architecture of the market is quite well known for its cobblestone streets. Coming to Bogyoke Aung San, you’ll find yourself lost in hundreds of stores and shops selling Burmese handicrafts, jewelry, accessories, artworks, and clothes. This market is known to be a popular black market location to exchange money. The new wing of the market houses shops that sell medicine, foodstuffs, garment, and foreign goods. The Bogyoke Aung San Market is also the place in Yangon where you can buy famous Burmese items like longyi and Shan paper umbrellas.

Strive Traditional Burmese Attire – Longyi

Don’t miss this wonderful experience, it’s such a beautiful thing to do for a Myanmar vacation. If you walk on the streets of Myanmar, you’ll realize that everyone, men, women, young, old, rich-poor, all wear the same kind of skirt-like garment which is called longyi. This garment became really popular in Myanmar during the British colonial period, influenced by the customs of India and Malaysia. Longyi seems like a unisex fashion; however, it is not. Men and women put on this garment differently according to the customs. Different patterns are more preferred for different sexes. Thanks to the popularity of longyi, tourists can easily own one and try this garment in many markets in Myanmar.

Top Joyful Things to Do and See in Inle Lake

Board on a Boat Ride and Witness Fishermen

It’s no exaggeration that Inle Lake is one of the most stunning lakes in the world, not only for its beautiful scenery but also for the great views of the golden stupas and rustic stilt houses. One of the best ways to enjoy the beauties of Inle Lake is to ride on one of the long tail wooden boats just like the locals do. This slender boat will take you along the lake to see its most stunning moment during the sunrise or sunset. The real privilege is watching the local village life unfolding before your eyes while floating on the water. Keep your eyes on the fishermen! They will show you a rowing method that looks a lot like a magic trick. They show a perfect balance on the boat while using one leg-rowing technique to keep the boat going while dipping the fishnet into the water.

Get Lost amidst the Hundred Stupas in Indein and Kakku

First of all, the journey from Inle to Indein is a fun ride where you weave through narrow and overgrown waterways and you’ll meet plenty of local farmers and boatmen. Indein and Kakku are the places where treasures like those in the wonderful movies are kept. When you see Indein, you’ll see hundreds of ancient stupas in many colors of red, white and brown standing one by one next to each other. There are both old-aged and newly restored stupas with different and fascinating details which would make your exploration even more stimulating. Kakku isn’t so that much different from Indein but still an interesting place if you prefer this type of destination. Kakku has a collection of 2478 stupas and is the religious center of Pa’O people. The stupas here have more of a homogenous look than those in India.

Discover the Village of Long-neck Women in Kayan

Kayan women wear large brass neck rings since they were young children to deform the collar bones and upper ribs to make their neck stretched longer. The moment you see them, you’ll know they’re the Kayan people. Head to one of the Kayan villages, you will see some women weaving and manifold craft shops around in these villages. You can also find longyi woven by the women in these shops. For those who are first-timers getting into Myanmar vacation, they can feel a bit scared when they see long-necked women but trust me, they are so friendly and adorable.

Admire the Beautiful Stilt Houses on Inle Lake

As you float on the lake, you see numerous small villages along the lake’s shores and on the lake. These villages are a great example of how people here live with water. The super scenic 22km-long lake is dotted with stilt houses and verdant floating vegetable gardens. Most of the local residents belong to the Intha group who are the people with famous leg-rowing technique.