1 week itinerary
My girlfriend and I are off to south east Asia in late November and have scheduled in a quick trip into Myanmar. We arrive into Yangon on the early morning flight from Bangkok on 29 November and fly out of Mandalay on 6 December. 7 nights only! We don't want to do rush around too much or want to waste much time travelling, obviously (but at the same time we'd rather travel over land to soak up a bit of atmosphere and see the countryside than spend time in airports).So far the plan is to not stay in Yangon at all - we'll spend the day we arrive there seeing the big sites (Schwedagon temple etc) and then get an overnight bus straight up to Bagan. We have the next 3 nights booked in there (have Balloons over Bagan booked for morning of Sunday 2nd). Original plan was to head over to Inle "on the way" to Mandalay, but it sounds like the journey from Bagan to Inle takes a while and we'd waste a lot of time doing that. Sounds like the sort of place you'd want to give more time to - we'll save that for the next trip.
So rather than going straight to Mandalay and spending 3 nights there, does anyone have a suggestion of somewhere else that would be good to see that would make sense logistically? I found mention elsewhere of a public boat from Bagan to Mandalay running twice weekly and luckily for us the timing is perfect. This sounds great, but then we're in Mandalay which is perhaps not what we want.
Anyway - anyone's thoughts on this would be much appreciated!
1
Inle is not on the way, Mandalay is sort of on the way to Inle. There are some places to go outside Mandalay, the ancient cities will take 2 days but really with your time frame Bagan and Mandalay it is unless you do the Pakkoku and Mongwa route to Mandalay that could work although most people do it the other way around.2
Thanks HerbieBagan -> Pakkoku -> Monywa -> Mandalay looks like a great option. Perhaps we'll take the Monday morning public boat up the river as far as Pakkoku, have a quick look around (sounds like there are interesting markets and things to see, but the accommodation is thin on the ground) and then head up to Monywa for 1 or 2 nights before heading over to Mandalay. There seems to be a train leaving Monywa at midday which might be a more interesting way to travel to Mandalay than by bus.
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7 days I'd personally skip mandalay and head straight same dfay you arrive to inle lake 2 full days here and then take early after breakfast pick up to Kalow afternoon and night and get 730am bus to bagan 2 nights Bagan and night bus back to yangon leaves you last day in yangon and night before flying out but if your bagan nights are prtebooked with the balloons over bagan then overnight bus to Bagan day you arrive, Bagan to Inle on 430am bus bac to Kalow wna get the overnight bus back to yangon frome here after seeing kalow through the day.Burma basics FAQ73
FAQ87 update
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sorry I missed that one Herbie Ha! Ha! in trhat case overnight bus from Kalow to Mandalay and get them to drop off at airport on way lol what times the flight as there is a day bus leaves kalow around 8am and ends up late afternoon in mandalay7
Monty- thanks for the suggestions but I think we're definitely going to skip kalow/inle this time - we don't want to rush any more than necessary. We're now thinking of the trip as being centred around Bagan with a taste of the rest of myanmar either side rather than trying to squeeze all the big sites into 1 very short stay.Herbie- interesting about the boats. Perhaps easier ad quicker to just bus up to Pakokku then. We'll have plenty timeto weigh up options during our few days in Bagan. I've read elsewhere that that stretch of river isn't particularly interesting so the time may be better spent elsewhere.
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Cantada...or just go straight from Bagan to Mandalay and spend a couple days checking out places outside the city like Mingun and Amarapura, etc...??If you go to Pakokku probably easiest/quicker to just go via road now with the bridge. You could also drop a day off Bagan and skip outa there after your balloon flight....2 days is adequate to see plenty of temples there, and that would allow you more time for the Pakokku-Monywa-Mandalay route.
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also easier to skip pokokku and head straight for Monwya for a day and a night and then 8am after great breakfast at Te Shwe Tarn hotel by bus direct to Mandalay 4+ hrs afternoon do the 1,0000 bhudda temples and the tower block Bhudda and cavesdo early am Mingun bell M,andalay by boat then take a mazda taxi for the rest of day Sagaing Inwya and sunset at Ubein bridge.
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Rivaltribal - re: dropping a day off Bagan - good idea - we've decided to do exactly that. Apparently we should be dropped off back at hotel after the balloon trip by 9am so still plenty of time to hit the road that day and get all the way up to Monywa. 1 day and night there as Montyman suggests (will look up the Te Shwe Tarn hotel) and then head to Mandalay for however much time we have left.Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice.
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so early morning balloon and then off on a bike around the temples stay Naung U, I stay eden motel bercause I like the breakfast on the roof, head out towards airport then right at airport turn off staright ahead as maion rd bears left left when paved road heads right toe the generals mosntrosity and past the walsl on right is best viewpoint at top of temple head to New bagan and just as rd becomes dual carriageway is great breakfast place on left for a ley peye after head for Old bagan stopping temples left and right on way finally after old bagan anmd archway anada is on right good for food and after that head towards balloons over bagan and on left is temple for sunset view. next day enjoy another ride and head for Monwya by bus but check if there is boat to Pokkokok.have a great time
