Myanmar is often overlooked in favor of its more popular siblings, such as Thailand, when choosing a place to vacation.
However, Myanmar has just as many fantastic places to visit! The country is perfect for every type of traveller, whether you crave heart-pumping adventure, or simply want to relax on a peaceful beach, explore the country’s thousand-plus pagodas, go shopping for one-of-a-kind trinkets, and more. Don’t forget your Myanmar Indian Visa before booking a ticket!
Bagan: Land of a thousand pagodas
Bagan is a city that is worth seeing at least once in your lifetime! Touted as one of the most popular sites in Myanmar for travellers, Bagan is rich with culture, architecture, and adventures.
Bagan’s peak happened between the 9th to the 13th centuries, when it was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan. During this time, more than ten thousand various temples, pagodas and stupas were built, and about two thousand of these relics are still standing today.
Myanmar is often nicknamed ‘land of a thousand pagodas,’ and with a visit to Bagan, you’ll understand why. The most famous pagodas in Bagan include Shwezigon Pagoda and the golden-domed Lawkananda Pagoda, which holds a replica of a Buddha tooth relic. The pagodas and temples impress every guest with their beauty and atmosphere, and those who come to Bagan are obliged to watch the sunset from the temples at least once during their trip!
On a more practical note, it is best to explore Bagan on a bike. These can be rented at virtually any hotel or guesthouse, and make the distances between tourist attractions seem less further than they really are. Of course, travellers looking for an unforgettable experience should definitely book a hot air balloon flight! You will have an incredible view of thousands of temples peeking out behind the mist of the early morning, and it will be a memory that you will surely change your life.
Relax on a white sand beach
Although the country is most famous for its pagodas, Myanmar is also an up-and-coming beach destination!
Thanks to its long, flat piece of land in the south, Myanmar’s coastline spans more than 1900 kilometers and has hundreds of beautiful sandy beaches that are still yet to be explored. Clear water, swaying palm trees, and the cool breeze from the sea — what could be better?
Myanmar is also home to some of the most beautiful and unexplored diving sites, like Shark Cave off the coast of the Mergui archipelago, where grey reef sharks and nurse sharks come out to swim. Of course, there are also plenty of snorkeling sites where you can find turtles, schools of colorful fish, and more.
The most popular beach destination is Ngapali Beach in the Bay of Bengal, which is a real paradise for beach lovers thanks to its clean white sand and azure waters.
Mount Popa (Taung Kalat): Paradise For Hikers
If you want to feel the spirit of adventure and see something truly unique, definitely add Mount Popa to your itinerary! That’s because Mount Popa is considered by many locals and tourists to be one of the most spectacular and scenic spots in Myanmar.
What makes this rock so special? At the top of the mountain, there is a Buddhist monastery that can only be reached by a staircase that has 777 steps. During the ascent to the monastery, you will be greeted by monkeys, food stalls, and plenty of nature. Although Taung Kalat Monastery is small, there are observation decks and buildings located on several levels colored in the traditional Burmese-Buddhist style: snow white with gold.
The territory of the Taung Kalat monastery offers a magnificent view of the surroundings, Mount Popa, Taung Ma-gyi volcano, and the ancient city of Bagan. If you are going to visit Mount Popu, it is worth noting that you should not wear black, red, or green clothes, and that you should not bring meat, since it is believed that this annoys the Nats spirits that reside in the monastery. The monastery is located about one hour outside of Bagan.
See the Shwedagon Pagoda
The Shwedagon Pagoda is located in Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar, and is considered one of the most sacred Buddhist sites. It can be seen from almost anywhere in Yangon. It is believed that the 98-meter gilded stupa holds the relics of four previous Buddhas of the present kalpa. The Singuttara Hill, on which the pagoda is located, according to legend, has been sacred since the beginning of time.
This is a unique pagoda, because here you will not only find many unique Buddhist relics, but you can also observe daily Burmese: there are always many people and monks coming to visit the pagoda. In fact, you can spend the whole day here, especially when the weather is pleasant and sunny.