Things to do in Myanmar: a 15-day route and itinerary
We wrote this guide in Spanish and translated it with the help of AI. Leer en castellano
For us, Myanmar was a one-of-a-kind experience. The country opened its doors to tourism just a few years ago, and ever since then the Burmese haven't tired of smiling at every traveler they come across. It's a land of pagodas, spirituality and incredible scenery! For us, it's Southeast Asia's best-kept secret. Many travelers leave it off their itinerary, which makes it even more spectacular: it isn't overrun with tourists yet, like its neighbor Thailand. In this post we give you some information about the country and a 15-day route through Myanmar.
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Visa for Myanmar
For Argentine passports, Myanmar has no visa on arrival. You have to get it in advance, and it lets you stay in the country for 28 days. There are two ways to get it:
- Embassy visa: You can apply at a Myanmar embassy. The price depends on how fast you want it, but it varies between US$50 and US$80. This way of getting the visa was very common before the e-Visa existed.
- e-Visa: The easiest way to do it. You can get it from the official immigration website: https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/. It costs US$50 and takes about 3 business days to come through. To apply, you have to say which border crossing you plan to use, upload a passport-style photo to the system (it can be one you take with your phone against a white background) and pay. Remember to print it, because they'll ask for it at immigration.
The e-Visa is valid for entry through the three international airports and the following land crossings:
- Mae Sot / Myawaddy (Thailand)
- Mae Sai / Tachileik (Thailand)
- Ranong / Kawthaung (Thailand)
- Moreh / Tamu (India)
- Zokhawthar / Rih Khaw Dar (India)
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How to get around Myanmar
Train: A very cheap way to get around (about US$3), but we've heard that traveling by train is a nightmare: trains take much longer than a bus and tend to be very dirty.
Bus: The best value for money. The distances are long and the roads aren't in the best shape, so it takes quite a while! For example, one time it took us about 5-6 hours to cover 250 km, but we still found it the best way to get around. Depending on the distance and the type of bus you choose (VIP or sleeper bus), prices run between US$6 and US$20 per leg.
Plane: If you're short on time, flying is probably your best option. Just keep in mind that the flights aren't very cheap.
Budget for Myanmar
We traveled for 11 days and spent an average of US$22 per day each, not counting the visa, which is US$50. Here's a bit more about our backpacker budget.
Food: At local restaurants a plate of food is between US$1 and US$2, and at a slightly more touristy place it's around US$4-6. A beer is around US$1, a soda US$0.50 and water US$0.20.
Accommodation: Between US$6 and US$10 per person per night.
Long-distance bus: About US$1 per hour of travel, so a 10-hour trip will probably cost US$10. We spent around US$32 each on long-distance transportation.
Taxi: Tuk-tuk rides are between US$1.50 and US$3, and a longer taxi ride to the airport or bus station is between US$6 and US$8.
Bus stations are often far from the center of town. Your best bet is to use Grab, because taxi drivers try to take advantage of tourists and charge outrageous prices. It happened to us when we got to Yangon around 3 in the morning, super tired. We asked a taxi driver how much he'd charge us and he said US$30, which seemed crazy to us! So we looked it up on Grab and the real price was US$8!! Be careful with this: always check the price on Grab, so you know how much room you have to negotiate.
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15-day route through Myanmar
- Day 1: On the road from Thailand to Myanmar
- Days 2 and 3: Hpa An
- Days 4 and 5: Yangon
- Day 6: Transfer from Yangon to Bagan
- Days 7, 8 and 9: Bagan
- Days 10 and 11: Mandalay
- Days 12 and 13: Kalaw to Inle Lake
- Day 14: Inle Lake
- Day 15: Heading home
Day 1: Thailand to Myanmar
We crossed the border into Myanmar by land from Thailand, using the Mae Sot / Myawaddy crossing. Once at the border, we took a taxi to Hpa An, where we spent our first night in Myanmar. You can read how the land crossing went here.
Days 2 and 3: Hpa An
Our first stop in Myanmar was the incredible town of Hpa An, which fit perfectly on our route coming from Thailand. It isn't usually on the typical Myanmar route, and that's a shame. It's full of limestone mountains you can climb to watch the sunrise, surrounded by rice fields and incredible temples inside caves, just waiting to be discovered. It's one of Myanmar's little hidden treasures. We gave it two full days. Things to do in Hpa An
Days 4 and 5: Yangon
Myanmar's former capital is one of the country's largest cities. It has some incredible pagodas, among them Shwedagon Pagoda, which is 2,600 years old, has a stupa entirely covered in gold and is one of the most important temples in Asia.
We spent 2 days there, and it was perfect for exploring the different parts of the city and enjoying its food.
If you're flying to Myanmar, Yangon is one of the cheapest airports to fly into!
Two days in Yangon: 9 places to visit.
Day 6: Yangon to Bagan
We spent this day traveling from Yangon to Bagan by bus. All the buses we took were with JJ Express, which several travelers recommended to us, and you can buy your tickets online on their website.
We decided to do this leg during the day, since it was a long way and we don't much enjoy spending all night on the road.
Days 7, 8 and 9: Bagan
Bagan is one of those places that leave you speechless. The capital of the Burmese Empire from the 9th to the 13th century, it has the highest density of Buddhist temples in the world.
It's a place for enjoying sunrises while hot-air balloons float over thousands of temples, admiring incredible sunsets and exploring pagodas that are hundreds of years old. Definitely our favorite place in Myanmar.
We stayed two and a half days. That gave us time to see almost all of it and enjoy it without rushing around. With a more flexible itinerary, it's worth staying longer!
Guide to exploring Bagan: the best temples to see
Days 10 and 11: Mandalay
We spent two days exploring Myanmar's second-largest city. It has some incredible temples, like Kuthodaw Pagoda (considered the world's largest book) and Hsinbyume Pagoda!
Two days was enough to see the city and its surroundings.
16 things to see and do in Mandalay
On day 12 we took a flight from Mandalay to Bangkok. If you have more days, below we suggest how to continue your trip through this wonderful country!
Days 12 and 13: Kalaw to Inle Lake
One of the things you can't miss in Myanmar (we really regret not doing it) is the famous trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake.
To get to Kalaw, you can take a night bus from Mandalay that takes between 5 and 6 hours. You can book the trek at an agency once you get to Kalaw, for around US$20 to US$30. You can do it as 3 days and 2 nights or as 2 days and 1 night.
They say the scenery along the way is incredible, and that it takes you right into the real, rural Myanmar!
Day 14: Inle Lake
You can spend this day exploring Inle Lake, going out with its famous fishermen and resting after all that walking.
Day 15: Back home or on to your next destination
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