suggested places to see---first time

I am trying to get to Myanmar the beginning of December. Two questions. First, I will be out of the country by December 15. Will it be overrun with tourists at that time, or does the crowds only really develop right around Christmas/New Years?

The most important question is what to see. From looking at LP, it seems like it is a compelling country to visit---so compelling, that it is impossible to see it all in 14-17 days, or even a fraction of what there is to see. I am not sure exactly how to handle things with the common tourist areas (the big four) and smaller towns which might be more interesting for someone like me who likes photography and likes to get off the beaten path a little.

Right now, without doing much research, I am leaning towards only seeing the big four and adding a few collateral side day trips to an interesting small town or two near the big four, but not going too far off the tourist trail. As an aide, I am a firm believer that even in a city with tourism, it is not too hard to get away from the main sites to see how regular people live.

The other possibility is to not do the big four, and instead choose to do a region or two--Southern Myanmar seems interesting as well as Eastern Myanmar. But...for this being my first trip, it might be better to see the highlights on the first trip and then dissect an area more the second trip or see an area later on as part of a larger trip (such as Northern Thailand and Eastern Myanmar)

So, this is a long winded way of me asking...for a first timer, do you think I will be better served seeing the big four with a few small day trips to lesser traveled areas, or just seeing 1 or 2 of the big four and then going off the beaten path?

The primary motivation of the trip is photography and to expose myself to something different, outside suburbia USA.

In 2015 Bagan welcomed more than 300,000 visitors but ... Angkor Wat got 2.1 million visitors; seven times more. There are now 650 hotels in Siem Reap but less than 100 in Bagan. There are less tourists coming to all of Burma than the 2.1 million going to Angkor.

So its not really overrun with tourists (yet), tho around Christmas/New Years is the most busy. And 14 days is plenty to see the big four. Also real easy to get off the beaten path - a 15 min. bike ride in Inle gets you into the countryside, or an afternoon taxi ride to Bago for example. So i would go ahead and do the side trips - many people visit Mandalay for just 1-2 days but that's not even enough to see the main sights, which are a bit out of town (Inwa, Sagaing) or a ferry trip away (Mingun).

In Burma you can do some research on Golden Rock, worth visiting.

Christmas / New Years really doesn't make much difference....it is peak season from Nov thru Feb....

It really depends on your personal likes/interests....but maybe concentrate on the big 4, with a side trip from Mandalay up to Hsipaw and take the train back down over the viaduct....also worthwhile is a trip towards the south, to Hpa'an and Mawlamyine...you don't mention how you are getting in/out, or where U will be coming from, but you could exit that way via land border at Myawaddy to Mae Sot, Thailand...

I suggest flying into Mandalay and spend all the time in the north, go to Inle, Bagan, Mandalay and a few side trips like Kyaukme/Hsipaw, the small towns I found more interesting for photos. Also consider going from Bagan to Mandalay via Pakokku, Monywa and Shwebo.

Then you can do Yangon and the south next trip. December/January are peak time so you may need to book some rooms ahead.

Definitely book accommodation ahead. I am researching for another trip this coming January and finding a few hotels we like are already fully booked. We were there last January and I was surprised by the number of tourists at Inle Lake. But even in Bagan we headed out on bicycles to some of the outlying temples and several times we had a temple all to ourselves except for the occasional goat herder or group of children at play. It is easy to get away from the crowds practically anywhere.

It's not so much the crowds but the lack of rooms that's the problem at peak times although I feel the situation has eased somewhat recently, I was there this year and generally found it better than 5 years ago. Off the beaten track I found getting rooms on a Friday night to be a problem as it seems the Burmese like to go away then. Outside Bagan and Inle you probably won't notice that many tourists, I went several days and hardly saw any and that was within a few hours of Mandalay.

Unfortunately, I think I can only fly in and out of Myanmar via Yangon since this will be done via frequent flier miles. The alternative is for me to fly on my own from wherever to Yangon on the way back. Can't fly directly in or out of Mandalay.

Can you not fly to Bangkok then fly Air Asia to Mandalay?

The only towns it is best to pre-book accomm for is Inle and Bagan (due to their popularity and relatively low number of options)....even for peak season, but even those places many report still finding walk-ins these days.
A few years ago it was more a problem, but not so much now. At most, just pre-book your accommodation for your first nights arrival, then just phone ahead a couple days as you go and book the next room.
That is all I ever do and never had a problem.

The OP might consider pre-booking if they decide to go a little off the beaten track to someplace that has few licensed hotels for foreigners. One never knows if a Paya Festival is going on nearby. We went to Shwebo last January and there happened to be one at a temple just outside of town and everything listed in LP and Rough Guide was booked solid. We stared to worry since it would mean a 3 hour ride back to Mandalay or the same on to Monywa. Our taxi driver asked around and finally found us a hotel, but it was right across from the bus station on a busy road used by not only the buses but freight haulers going through town. It was really noisy, even during the night and especially very early in the morning when all the buses started rolling. The room was surprisingly nice for the money though.

None of the places in Shwebo are very good. I stayed at the Win GH, that was a bit noisy also, room was ok but overpriced for what it was. I had a similar problem Thursday ok but Friday booked up, other GH looked bad and even more expensive, I went onto Monywa but still had problems there getting a room. I saw that Hotel by the bus station looked ok from the outside.

If I am able to nail down a proposed schedule, I will try to pre-book some places to stay. Still not sure when I will be leaving.

The hotel in Shwebo by the bus station is the Pyi Shwe Theigha. I stayed there earlier this year. It is ^mid range^ really, but was good value for money. The reason I chose it was because I was arriving at the bus station at 3 in the morning and they had promised to keep the reception open until I arrived (which they did). I stayed 3 nights but they insisted on only charging me for 2 because I arrived so late at Night!

re #10 - the likelihood of that happening is quite slim, and unless their itinerary is set in stone and they know exactly where they will be and when then it is not much point. Is not even worth worrying about.
Book accommodation for first nights arrival then simply phone ahead a couple days as you go...is really quite simple.

The hotel in Shwebo by the bus station is the Pyi Shwe Theigha. I stayed there earlier this year. It is ^mid range^ really, but was good value for money.

Yes that is the place and our room was in the mid-range area, but only $21.00/night. I remember it had an oddly spelled name (Theiga). For a clean room with air-con, TV and a good sized room that's quite good in Myanmar. The staff were really nice and they all came out to say goodby when we left. Still, very noisy.

This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you.