We design all our itineraries from scratch tailored to clients’ individual tastes and budget, but occasionally we work on an itinerary that we think is a bit of a classic and that others would also be interested in. If we have one or more of these for this destination, you’ll find them below.

We do not have any itineraries at this time.

Accommodation and costs
Although not long open to international tourism, the accommodation options in the key destinations within Myanmar now include a handful of top-notch hotels run to five star international standards. Whilst previously many of the better hotels were owned by the country’s military junta, we have been careful to recommend only non-government-related or independently owned properties.  There are several boutique hotels and resorts in Yangon, Inle Lake and Ngapali, and the cruise options on the Irawaddy range from the opulent Belmond ‘Road to Mandalay’,  Strand Cruise and Sanctuary ‘Ananda’ taking from 42-85 passengers each, to the excellent colonial-style Pandaw ships, the smallest of which takes just 12.   Outside of main tourist areas, the best available accommodation is more local in style and akin to a 3 star by international standards, and in more remote locations generally only home-stays are available.  A new luxury private island lodge in the remote Mergui Archipelago has opened up this previously unexplored region and offers a rare combination of beach, wildlife and totally unspoiled local culture.

Myanmar usually has more demand than supply at the luxury end of the market, so it’s always important to book in advance – 6 months or more for travel in January or February is usually essential.

Prices are generally pretty reasonable even at the most luxurious end of the market, akin to their equivalent in Thailand, for example.

How long to stay
Given the time taken to get to Myanmar from the UK, around 7-10 nights would be the minimum time we’d recommend in Myanmar. The exception would be if you’re combining a quick side trip to Yangon or Mandalay with a stay in Thailand, in which case you could pop in for just a couple of nights as a city stay, or perhaps do a quick cruise from Bagan to Mandalay (allow around 5 nights).  It’s possible to add a 3-5 night beach stay at Wa Ale Resort in southern Myanmar to a Phuket holiday as Wa Ale is actually closer to Phuket than it is to Yangon, with access is via a 2 hour car journey from Phuket to the Myanmar border followed by a speedboat trip to the island.  As all flights to Myanmar go via a transit point you may also want to turn that transit into a city stopover – the best options for this are Bangkok, Singapore and Dubai.

In 10 nights, you can discover Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake. You may need to add another night or two if you plan to cruise between Bagan and Mandalay.  Add another 3-5 nights if you’d like to include the beach at Ngapali or the Mergui Archipelago, or if you’d like to head off the beaten track to do some exploring in Shan State or the Chin mountains.  Some parts of Myanmar are still closed off to tourists so it’s not yet possible to explore every nook and cranny of the country, with this in mind most of the accessible areas can be seen comfortably in around 21-25 days – allow extra days if you’d like more time in each place.

Weather and when to go
Myanmar can technically be visited all year round as although there are rainy months from July to September, there are no dangerous seasonal weather events such as cyclones.

The best time to go is generally November to February, as temperatures are in the mid to high 20’s throughout most of the country, and rainfall is at its lowest.  However, availability can be poor if booking late, and tourist numbers are at their peak, so travelling slightly outside these months can prove beneficial on many fronts.  Although it remains dry in March and April, temperatures rise as high as 40C in the Bagan area in these months, which can restrict sightseeing a little.  The Thingyan festival in April is great fun and a fascinating cultural event – but can hinder sightseeing especially in Yangon – and you will need to be prepared to get soaked, even when sitting inside a private vehicle.  The end of May and throughout June are good ‘shoulder’ months with reasonable temperatures and low visitor numbers – there are a few showers but these clear up quickly and won’t impact your sightseeing unduly.  July, August and September are very rainy and the beaches at Ngapali close for the season, but by October the rains are more or less over, Ngapali re-opens and the landscape is lovely and lush.