Quick trip to Myanmar

Replies: 16 - Last Post: Aug 25, 2012 3:12 AM Last Post By: montyman

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Aug 7, 2012 9:18 PM
Posts: 155

Quick trip to Myanmar

I'm going to be visiting Myanmar in November but will probably only have 5-6 days (Arriving 7:30 AM on a Saturday and departing 9:50AM Thursday). Any ideas on good itineraries? just doing a quick loop Yangon/Mandalay/Bagan via flights or overnight bus is probably best. I'd really like to see the Golden Rock though and drop Mandalay if necessary, is that possible? Is Inle lake that worthwhile?

RUGMM

Aug 7, 2012 10:09 PM
Posts: 85

According to your flight time , I would suggest the itinerary

Sat : arrival and Yangon sightseeing
Sun : Yangon-Bagan by morning flight and Bagan sightseeing
Mon: Bagan sightseeing
Tue : Bagan - Yangon by morning flight and continue to Golden Rock
Wed : Golden rock - Bago - Yangon
Thus : Departure

In our big four ( Yangon , Mandalay , Bagan and Inle ) , among them , Bagan and Inle are must .For architect and culture , Bagan is must and for ethnic group and feel natural , Inle is must .

You can replace Inle in stead of Bagan .

welcome to Myanmar !

montyman

Aug 7, 2012 11:20 PM
Posts: 3,445

or arrive 730am take same day flight to Heho and prebook GH taxi to pick you up at Heho ie around $12-$15 40min drive. next am day 2 do boat trip to include Indein and next day walk up to Bhudd monastary and caves next am day 4 Kalow do bhudda caves and walk to mtn top and same evening get overnight bus to Yangon and get off at Bago and take taxi/pick up to Golden rock and after the rock take the next bus back to Yangon overnight.
personally I would skip goldeen rock and spend last day night in Yangon.

Herbie47

Aug 8, 2012 2:02 AM
Posts: 3,605

Yes I would fly to Bagan or Heho(Inle) on Saturday, 2 days in each place and then back to Yangon, skip Mandalay and Golden Rock this trip or go for longer.

water_lili

Aug 8, 2012 10:02 AM
Posts: 160

Inle Lake is amazing and was the most favourite part of my trip. I think you could skip Yangon and Golden Rock. You can even just spend one day in Inle Lake.

Cassiecat

Aug 8, 2012 12:22 PM
Posts: 1,030

I agree, fly out as soon as you can after your arrival in Yangon, visit both Inle and Bagan, skip the other places, get back to Yangon the day before your flight out.

hauteboy0

Aug 8, 2012 2:39 PM
Posts: 155

What is so good/interesting about Inle? I'm somehow drawn to the Golden Rock though.. maybe it's not so interesting to others.

Shahjakhan

Aug 8, 2012 9:25 PM
Posts: 177

Inle is both culturally and ecologically phenomenal. It's not only a beautifully scenic lake surrounded by lush hills and plantations, but also a great place to see the everyday life of some of Myanmar's most unique ethnic groups. Compared to the dusty grunge of the bigger Burmese cities, Inle seems almost like a Shangri-La. Most people come to either trek in the surrounding hills and take in traditional village life, cruise the lake and explore tribal markets/temples, or do a combination of both.

In my personal opinion (and with all due respect to Burmese religious practices), the Golden Rock is just, well, a golden rock. I found it rather anticlimactic.

HedgePiglet

Aug 8, 2012 9:35 PM
Posts: 9

I visited Golden Rock 3 weeks ago. I had been very keen to see it and was rather disappointed. There's a railing around most of the boulder itself to stop you from falling off the slab it's balanced on and it's very built up all around. The final approach is a broadly paved with many buildings all around. Admittedly the weather wasn't great but I don't think that made a huge difference. The bus ride from Yangon took about 5 hours.

Despite the fact that it's heavily touristed (by Burmese standards), I also found Inle much more interesting.

montyman

Aug 8, 2012 10:50 PM
Posts: 3,445

Also Kyakme the smmall village where you take the truck up to Goldne rock is a pretty basic stall market selling tourist and religious TAT for locals that pilgrimage to the place.with only 6 days I'd stick to Inle and Kalow maybe even morning in Taungyy by local pick up from Inle and last night in Yangon. Take the overnight bus from Kalow to Yangon and this will leave you full day in Yangon and after your last 6am breakfast head for airport.

kristofe80

Aug 9, 2012 2:03 AM
Posts: 61

Hi,

Golden Rock is not very interesting. It's just a rock and if there is no ceremony the day of your visit, you will be disappointed.
When you arrive in Yangon, go directly to Bagan and stay 2 days. After, I recommand a flight for going to Heho and visit Inle Lake and a market around the lake. For the end, don't forget to visit Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.
Bon voyage

http://coupsdecoeurenasie.over-blog.fr

ikombazana

Aug 9, 2012 9:48 PM
Posts: 60

Definately Bagan, and unlike others, I found the area around Mandalay, Sagaing, Amarapura, etc. to be fascinating, and an easy hop from Bagan. I am going south this year, and honestly have no desire to see Golden Rock for the reasons others have stated. Hpa An is high on my list, as is Dawei and Myeik, but not in a week.

strangesoundingnames

Aug 10, 2012 7:46 AM
Posts: 3

I went this past December and Inle and Yangon were my absolute favourites. Inle is the most beautiful, amazing place I have ever seen and Yangon is bustling with activity and interesting sights. I didn't make it to Golden Rock but it does eat up your travel time on so short a trip. A full day in Inle will allow you to see the lake (the best part) and give you time to make it to Bagan as well, which is stunning in its own way. For Yangon accommodation I highly recommend a place called the White House (I think?) it isn't in the guide but is cheap and serves the best buffet breakfast! Enjoy :)

1tvlr

Aug 11, 2012 9:50 PM
Posts: 33

How did you find the White House? Are they reachable by email?

Thanks.

hauteboy0

Aug 24, 2012 10:47 AM
Posts: 155

My flight itinerary got messed up.. I'd booked an award ticket many weeks ago but for some reason it didn't ticket and now there's no availability that day. I'll now be arriving early Sunday morning (9AM) instead. So that cuts my itinerary down by a day. :(

I guess I could do:
sun: arrive yangon 8:45 AM, fly to inle
mon: fly to bagan
tue: all day bagan
wed: fly to yangon
thu: depart yangon 9:50 AM

But I think the flight schedules from Bagan, I'd arrive too late to see anything in Yangon. Or fly back to Yangon on Tue evening.