Reasons you should go on a trip to Myanmar
When I first thought about my trip to Southeast Asia, countries like Thailand and Indonesia were the ones that came to my mind. They are totally worth the visit, don’t get me wrong, but for being very touristic already, we need to agree they won’t change much in the next couple of years. The same can’t be said about Myanmar, also known as the old Burma. Myanmar is bordered by India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand. To be honest, since I didn’t know much about this country, it wasn’t a priority for me to go there. I’m really glad I talked to a couple of travellers that made me change my mind, and I hope I can help you with some reasons you should include Myanmar on your next trip to Asia as well.

Myanmar is still very untouched by external influences
Opening the doors for tourism
The main reason I wanted to visit Myanmar was it’s very new tourism activities. Not so long ago Myanmar was ruled by a military dictatorship and its tourism was completely controlled by the government. In the 70’s, you would only have seven days to visit the country, with regulated tours to specific places. It wasn’t until 2012 that the country was officially open for tourism, allowing its visitors to experience a place still very untouched by external influences.
Local woman praying at Sule Pagoda
Yangon
Also known as Ragoon, Myanmar’s capital was my first stop in the country. As soon as I arrived at the airport I could tell it would be a totally different experience than the country I came from, Thailand. The taxi driver was wearing their traditional long skirt and his lips and teeth were fully red while he was hiding under the bottom lip some substance he would eventually spit out. Later, I found out he was chewing on betel nut mixed with tabacco, something you can easily notice they all do – first because of their red smiles, second because of the red spots on the streets.
Man walking around in burmese traditional skirts
Fun things to do once in Yangon:
- See the sunset at Shwedagon Pagoda and stay around until it’s all lighten up
- Have a picnic at Kandawgyi Park and refresh yourself by its beautiful lake
- Have lunch at Karaweik Palace and enjoy traditional music and dance
- Experience the locals praying at Sule Pagoda and walk around its area
- Shop or get a late night snack and beer in Chinatown

Shwedagon Pagoda: the country’s biggest and most impressive pagoda
Shwedagon Pagoda: the country’s biggest and most impressive pagoda
Bagan
Once I decided to go to Myanmar, this was the place I was excited about the most. A quick google research will tell you why (hint: it’s simply beautiful). The city used to have more than ten thousand temples, but after a big fire only three thousand temples remained – which is still quite a bit if you ask me. The temples are located among the trees and getting up in the ones tourists are allowed to – since the preservation of its structures over time started being something they need to care about – you get the most stunning landscape you will see in Myanmar! That is basically all you will do in Bagan – but, believe me, you won’t get tired of it any time soon.
Sunrise above the more than three thousand temples
Sunrise above the more than three thousand temples
Inle Lake
This was the last place I visited during my trip to Myanmar. I decided not to go to Mandalay, its second main city, since I had just seen quite a few temples in Bagan and could use some chill time, instead of a big city’s crowd (travellers say it is totally worth it though so check it out!). I also didn’t have a lot of days left in the country, so instead of doing the track from Kalaw to Inle Lake – something very recommended for its beautiful landscapes along the way and amazing activities with the locals – I went straight to this small city located around a huge lake.
A traditional fisherman using his ‘ballet’ technique
A traditional fisherman using his ‘ballet’ technique
How to enjoy Inle Lake:
- Boat trip during sunrise to see the fishermen
- Bicycle around the lake to enjoy many beautiful landscapes
- Visit Maing Thauk, a village set half on dry land and half over the water
- Try different wines while watching the sunset at Red Mountain Estate Winery and Vineyards
- Guided tours to see the process of making silk, clay pots and traditional rolled cigarettes
Mariana Castro
My name is Mariana, I’m 23 years old and I’m from Brazil. I’m a journalist and writing is one of my biggest passions. I love journaling, story-telling and learning about new things I can later tell others in my own words. My other big passion is travelling. I’ve been to fifteen countries and fell in love with each one of them. I also love travelling in my own country- I believe you don’t have to go far to find beautiful places and amazing people! Recently, I travelled around Asia for a couple of months while doing volunteer jobs and that experience completely changed me. I want to share my stories and, mainly, other people’s stories. Mostly, I want to keep writing and travelling, since I feel my purpose is connected to communicating with the world.