Our backpacking Myanmar trip was one of the most enriching journeys we have ever had. Despite the controversial opinions about this country, it has so much to offer and to learn from. 

We thought twice before giving a visit to Myanmar. But in the end, it was both a cultural and humanitarian journey. So, Before your turn at backpacking Myanmar comes, here is what you must know.

1- The Best Time to Backpack Myanmar

As part of South-East Asia, Myanmar’s weather and seasons are different from the upper-side of the globe. It means that the dry season is from October to early June and the rainy season is between July to September.

As temperatures between April and June are really high and accommodation usually runs out in March-April, we recommend backpacking Myanmar in February or early March.

Our visit was at the beginning of February. The weather was awesome and comfortable.

2- Visa Regulation for Myanmar

Every country in the Americas either needs a traditional or an eVisa before traveling to Myanmar

As Tunisian passport holders, we had to apply for a visa for Myanmar in advance. But it was really simple. We sent our passports to the embassy with a couple of required documents and 40€ visa fees. The whole process took around 10 days.

Here is a nice graphic that lets you know if you need a visa for Myanmar.

3- Dress Code in Myanmar

On our first day in Myanmar, I naively went out in my casual shorts. Then I quickly felt a little awkward because everybody was wearing the Indian longyi. So I bought one 30 minutes later and ever since locals have been smiling at me the whole time. They like it when tourists try their traditional clothes.

Burmese people dress conservatively. Culture has developed in a way that men and women wear long and not-revealing clothes. While backpacking Myanmar, make sure your dress code is from the shoulders to the knees should be covered. You don’t wanna hang out with mini skirts or crop tops as a girl. Or short shorts with a hippy backpacker shirt for men.

This dress code is a must when you enter temples. Don’t also forget to remove your shoes or flip-flops before stepping inside. It is religiously mandatory and it is our duty to respect that as responsible travelers.

4- Top Places to Visit in Myanmar

We spent a total of one week in Myanmar. I think It is the minimum if you want to experience the country extensively. However, one week is a little hectic. Plan 10 days if you want a perfect trip. 

During our week there, here is the Myanmar backpacking itinerary which we took:

Yangon

Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon) is the largest city in Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is a mix of British colonial architecture, modern high-rises and gilded Buddhist pagodas define its skyline.

We spent one day in Yangon. Although there is so much to do and discover in the economic city of the country, we focused only on those two main attractions:

Shwedagon Pagoda

It’s Myanmar’s most important pilgrimage site. Aged about 2500 years, this Pagoda (temple) is one of the most important Buddhist temples in the world.

This respectful 99-meter high gold-plated temple is set on top of a small hill in downtown Yangon. It dominates the area and is visible from almost anywhere in the city. Make sure that you also visit it at night to experience the mystical atmosphere with the pagoda lit up by spotlights.

Yangon Circle Train

One of the fascinating experiences to enjoy while visiting Yangon is to walk in the footsteps of locals. Learn about Burmese culture, customs, and lifestyle. The simplest way to do this is to hop on the commuter rail in Yangon.

The circle train is an excellent thing to do on your first day in Yangon. This is how you become familiar with the local cultural norms and have the chance to mingle with the incredibly kind Burmese people.

In Yangon, we were guests at Hotel 63. Although the hotel is not in a touristy neighborhood. We were overwhelmed by the friendliness of the person and how much they are keen to help us out.

They helped us book the bus to Inle Lake and provided us with everything we needed to enjoy our stay. They are a good choice if you are on a budget and need some local support. The hotel is commonly booked by locals. You will barely see tourists around.

Lake Inle (also known as Nyaungshwe)

From Yangon, we took a public bus to Shwenyaung, a city 20km away from Lake Inle. The lake is in a region called Nyaungshwe. That is why you cross both names on the internet or onsite. The bus journey in itself was an experience.

What you might need: Best options for getting from Yangon to Inle Lake

The one we took is non-touristic and makes you witness the authentic Burmese way of life almost 11 hours long. On the way, you will have several stopovers in local restaurants and break-areas. Make sure you try the local food and enjoy each neighborhood.

Lake Inle is in the middle of the mountains in Myanmar’s inner lands. The way up there with the bus is a little challenging in its last quarter. However, in this untouched region, many of the locals live in a floating village on the lake itself. It was so impressive to see this way of life through a one-day boat tour.

Another impressive scenery was seeing the fishermen fishing on their narrowboats and the fascinating moves they do while paddling around. Pay attention to the fake fishermen, which are just doing this for money and not really fishing.

Fake fishermen will be looking for tourist boats. They will come to you and do some typical moves. Then they will ask you for money. Authentic fishermen will just say high and continue their work.

In Inle, we were very lucky to get accepted as guests at the Spring Lodge Inle. The friendliness of the hotel personal and especially the manager Hnin Hnin was just unique. They made sure we enjoy our stay and paid attention to every single detail to makes us feel at home.

We haven’t seen their hospitality anywhere else in the world. That is why we almost cried when we left. They took good care of us and gave us so many helpful tips to explore Inle Region. We really recommend this hotel if you are in the neighborhood.

Bagan

This is a must in your Myanmar backpacking itinerary. Bagan became really famous around the world after 2010. Actually, it is the biggest Buddhist temple concentration in the world. The landscapes there are just incredible and worth seeing.

If you are wandering about transportation, here is how to get from Yangon to Bagan

We spent in Bagan itself 3 days and we enjoyed every single minute. Don’t miss any sunrise or sunset while staying there. We rented a motorbike for 5000 Kyats (4€) and made the tour of the temples almost all day long in Old Bagan. You will never get enough from it.

Hotels are usually in New Bagan, whereas temples are in Old Bagan. The 2 “cities” are around 5 kilometers away from each other.

In 2016, many temples suffered from the earthquake that hit Bagan. Many of them became unsafe but also the irresponsible and disrespectful behavior of some backpackers forced the government to close most of the temples to keep them in good condition.

You will need local help to find the most beautiful temples in the area. Especially the ones which are still open and don’t have a tourist crowd during sunset and sunrise.

That is the reason why we go in touch with a young local guide on Instagram. His name is Tun Tun and he was really helpful and patient with us. Get in touch with him if you want to enjoy the hidden gems of Bagan.

You will have a mystical feeling when you witness sunrise around 5 am with the Buddhist chanting coming from a neighboring Pagoda as background sound. The birds will add even more charm to this experience which is hard to describe in words.

5- Myanmar Currency tips

The official currency in Myanmar is the Kyat. While 1 USD is around 1500 Kyat, 1 EUR is more or less 1660 Kyat (November 2019 exchange rates). Kyats come only in bills and not in coins.

While staying in Myanmar nowadays, you will find no problem anymore finding ATMs. However, make sure you exchange your budget once to avoid the 3% fees with each cash withdrawal.

Almost all the restaurants and attractions accept only cash. So make sure you have enough money while backpacking Myanmar.

6- Culture in Myanmar

Each one of us who loves to travel knows the importance of learning a few things about the destination beforehand. This helps us get an idea of what the place is like and gives a better insight into their unique customs and culture.

Myanmar has more than 100 ethnic groups. It makes it one of the most culturally rich countries in the world. While backpacking in Myanmar, you will notice this right away. 

For example, it is considered improper to lose your temper or show much emotion in public. Nevertheless, the Burmese is a very friendly and outgoing people. They usually follow the Buddhist custom of not touching a person on the head. Spiritually it is considered the highest part of the body.

That is why patting a child on the head not only is improper but is thought to be dangerous to the child’s well-being. 

Also, one should not point the feet at anyone. Footwear is removed upon entering temple complexes for religious reasons, and it is polite to remove footwear when entering a house. Also, don’t touch the robe of a monk. They will be happy to take a picture with you. But don’t put your arm around them.

Last but not least, you will also see that Burmese people always put the paste on their faces. It is called Thanaka and it is considered as a cosmetic natural face cream.

Thanaka is widely used in Myanmar and it helps keep the skin cold, fresh and protects from sunlight during hot days. This practice has been used for centuries. It has become a way to express traditional national pride.

7- Transportation in Myanmar

Here is what you should keep in mind regarding transportation in Myanmar:

Motorbikes are officially prohibited in Yangon. However locals, still use it. To be on the safe side, don’t take motor rides in Yangon. Instead, you can use Grab, a cheap taxi service that is very famous in South-East Asia. (See the paragraph Apps to download below for the link)

When it comes to inter-city transportation. You have the choice between trains and buses. While trains surprisingly take longer a journey-time, buses are a little faster. But you wanna try both because they both offer unique experiences.

The trains are usually between Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, and other big cities. They offer breath-taking scenery on the way. Make sure you try at least one train journey in Myanmar in order not to miss that experience.

Buses are divided into tourist and local buses. While tourist ones are more comfortable and pricey, we opted for local buses for a better authentic experience and it was worth it. Our journey from Yangon to Lake Inle was on a bus and we really enjoyed it.

Here is where you can look for bus connections to plan your Myanmar backpacking itinerary.

8- Burmese Food and Kitchen

As an exotic destination, Myanmar has a lot to offer in terms of food experience. With the Chinese and Thai influences, here are the most famous dishes in Myanmar:

Laphet Thohk (Tea-Leaf Salad)

This is the most popular Myanmar food. the sour, slightly bitter leaves are mixed by hand with shredded cabbage, sliced tomatoes, nuts, and peas. You can eat it as a snack or appetizer, or also with rice.

Mohinga

It is a bowl of rice noodles covered in a fish-based soup and sprinkled with deep-fried fritters. Served usually as a breakfast, you should try this delicious dish at least once!

Deep-fried stuff

Myanmar has actually many popular fried food options. You can find many kinds of snacks on the street or in tea shops. The favorite food is deep-fried samosas, spring rolls, savory fritters, sweets, bread, noodles topped with deep-fried crispy garnishes.

I was lucky to witness the holy monk lunch in Shwedagon Pagoda. Monks in Myanmar have high respect from locals and their lunch is well prepared.

9- What Budget to Plan for Myanmar

As a travel-couple, we had this cost-breakdown during our Myanmar backpacking week. If you are a solo-traveler, just split the costs.

Accommodation: We paid around 30€ for each double room with breakfast included. Depending on the city, you could find cheaper prices (Yangon as an example) or slightly higher ones (like Bagan)

Visa fees for Myanmar cost 40€ per person. We sent our passports per post and had to pay around 10€ for the registered letter option (safer for passports)

Food in Myanmar is cheap if you eat in local and non-tourist oriented restaurants. This is the best way to enjoy authentic dishes. Plan around 4000 Kayts (2€) per dish with a drink.

Bagan has an entrance fee of 15€ per person (25000 Kyats)

Motorcycle rental costs around 5000 Kyat (3€) per day. It can be used by 2 people.

Bus prices highly depend on the time and day. Avoid weekends and public holidays. Tourist buses cost between 10€ and 15€ (around 22.000 Kyats). Of course, local ones are a lot cheaper. We paid around 8000 Kyat (5€) for our Inle trip from Yangon.

Shwedagon Pagoda is the most expensive temple in terms of entrance fees. But it was worth it. It cost us 7€ (10.000 Kyats)

Grab taxis usually cost 3-4€ (7000 Kyats) for a 40-60 minute journey. Grab prices depend on time and traffic.

10- Top Burmese phrases you need to know

Language in Myanmar can be a barrier while communicating with locals. As the country has not yet developed a sustainable relationship with tourists, most of the locals can’t speak English. Especially if you go to remote regions.

That is why you will want to learn some of the common Burmese expressions. They will help you a lot every single day.

Good day – Min-ga-la-ba

How are you? – Shin ne-kaùn-yéh-là?

I don’t understand – Nà-m?leh-ba-bù 

How Much – Blau leh?

Stop here – Dima seh meh

Where Is The Toilet? – Ein tha beh meh lay?

Sorry – Wùn-nèh-ba-deh

Help! – Keh-ba!

11- Handy Apps to download before backpacking Myanmar

Here is the list of the apps I mainly was using during our stay in Myanmar.

Grab: This will be your main transportation app. Grab is very known across South-East Asia and it provides reasonable prices for driving around. It is like Uber, just a little cheaper.

Maps.me: This app is like google maps but works offline. It is a great alternative for Google Maps offline areas when you need walking directions. (Google Maps does not offer walking directions offline). However, you sometimes have to pay attention as not all roads are up-to-date.

PIA (VPN App): I personally have been using PIA as a VPN network for several years to protect my data and privacy. I would recommend using it before connecting to the hotel or other private wifi networks in Myanmar.

Revolut: it is a very reliable and developed online banking system. To be able to use the app, you should create an account and top it up with an amount of money. Revolut provides you with the possibility to open several accounts with a different currency to escape the currency exchange fees of other banks. It also gives you a great overview of your expenses in real-time. Use this link to open a Revolut account and get your bank card for free.

12- Safety and Tourist Scams in Myanmar:

Myanmar people are very kind and attentive. During our stay in different cities, we really felt extremely safe and didn’t worry about hanging out around late at night or early in the morning.

In Myanmar, we haven’t seen any tourist traps or scams. Locals are usually kind, honest, and always keen to help travelers out. Out of all the countries I’ve visited in Asia, I think we’ve felt the safest in Myanmar.

Locals might stare at you and smile from time to time and might even come and ask you to pose with them for a photo but this is only because they are curious. After all, there are not many tourists in Myanmar.

13- Ethical Question: Should I Visit Myanmar?

While planning our third trip to South-East Asia, we had long discussions, whether we should visit Myanmar this time. With all that happened in late 2016. We had to think twice.

As you might already know, there is a Muslim minority living in the state of Rakhina close to the Bangladeshi borders, they are called the Rohingya people. Myanmar’s army and police forces began to persecute them, although they have roots in Myanmar dating back to the 18th century. 

The government has taken away their education and the right to vote, forcing many of them to flee into neighboring Bangladesh. The government in Myanmar has since been accused of committing some horrific human rights offenses, including genocides, infanticides, gang rapes, and arson.

We were worried about whether our visit to the country would suggest that we were condoning or ignoring the ethnic cleansing campaigns. Even worse, we were concerned that our tourist money would end up directly into the pocket of the government, hence funding the genocide of the Rohingya people.

Although we are convinced that violence towards the Rohingya people is tragic and disgusting, boycotting the whole country with its different ethnic groups is supporting the idea of segregation. Which was actually the cause of the problem. That’s why we believe tourism to Myanmar should not be boycotted, BUT travelers must be responsible and think about where their money is going.

14- How to be a responsible tourist in Myanmar

The fact is: it is ignorant and irresponsible to pay for package tours and famous chain hotels in Myanmar. Actually, these large businesses are highly likely to be affiliated with the government.

If you wish to travel ethically in Myanmar you’ll need to spend your money on family-run accommodation, street market food and freelance tour guides is a good way to limit the amount of money that is likely going to the government, and is instead supporting the local economy.

15- Responsible travel tips for Myanmar

Do not take a government tour. If you feel more comfortable taking a tour than traveling independently, make sure your tour company is a private company. Lonely Planet and several other publications provide lists of tour agencies in Burma that indicate which are government-owned and which are private. Apply the same principle to restaurants and hotels.

Travel independently. Although some areas of the country require a special permit for travel, the government has yet to ban independent travel in most parts of the country. Travel independently and you’ll likely enjoy greater access to and more interaction with local people.

Spread your money around: Stay at private guesthouses, eat street food, patronize private restaurants, buy water and snacks from street stalls, and collect your souvenirs from different vendors. In other words, buy from ordinary citizens and don’t spend your money all in one place.

Try to avoid government transport: The government of Myanmar makes it difficult to avoid this completely. However, if you can bear long, uncomfortable trips, buses are the least government-affiliated type of transport. Otherwise, consider the train or a private airline. Myanmar Airways, the government airline, is relatively easy to avoid when booking flights.

In the end, here is a nice video about the main things you are going to see in this special and rich country

That’s it, guys! We hope you enjoyed our Myanmar itinerary and found this article helpful. If you have any further questions, drop us a comment below and we will respond right away!

If you are planning your SE-Asia trip, have a look at our Vietnam travel guide to learn from our experience there and the couple of surprises we had in that country 😉

Happy traveling! Ash & Rym