2 Week Travel Itinerary For Myanmar: The Highlights of Burma
Only have two weeks in Myanmar and want to see the highlights? Well, do we have the perfect 2 week travel itinerary for Myanmar waiting for you! From big cities to quiet towns and amazing sunrises, we have the best of Burma’s highlights waiting for you.
The Perfect 2 Week “Highlights” Travel Itinerary to Myanmar
The below route is a popular route amongst travelers and backpackers heading to Myanmar for the first time. You’ll see the the highlights aka the best of what Myanmar has to offer in the 2 weeks you are there.
Day 1: Arrive in Yangon
Catch a flight into Myanmar’s former capital city of Yangon.
Pick up your bags from the belt, get some Kyat (Myanmar currency) from the airport ATM and catch a cab from the airport to your accommodation.
Take it easy and enjoy the rest of your day as you wish. If you’re up for it, consider getting dinner in Yangon’s Chinatown and watching the sunset from the Botahtaung Jetty.
Day 2: Explore The City of Yangon
Yangon is a bustling city that is full of life! The former British occupied city has a beautiful mix of modern buildings with golden, shimmering pagodas and deteriorating British architecture mixed in.
The city will leave you speechless. The vibe, the people, hustle and bustle – all of it. Get our take on the 9 things you must-see and do in Yangon!
Day 3: Make Your Way to Bagan
You can catch a bus, a train or a flight but either way, get your butt up north to Bagan! If you take the bus and train, understand it’s a looooong journey and it will take a full day to get there.
If you plan to take the overnight train from Yangon to Bagan like we did, it’ll take longer and it’s waaaay more of an adventure and an experience you’ll never forget.
But hey, if the late great Anthony Bourdain did it, you can too!
Day 4 – 5: See the Pagoda’s and Famous Balloon Sunrise of Bagan
Two full days will be plenty of time for you to explore the beautiful pagoda scattered plans of Bagan. From sunrise to sunset, you’ll feel like Indiana Jones galavanting about the ancient ruins of Bagan.
If you are not a morning person, make yourself be! It is so worth it to make sunrise on both days in Bagan. Seeing those hot air balloons rise over the pagodas of Bagan will be something you’ll never forget. Straight magic!
Check out our post on “The 10 Must See Temples and Pagodas When In Bagan, Myanmar.”
Day 6: Cruise The Irrawaddy River
A full day of travel but so worth it is the cruise from Bagan to Mandalay on the Irrawaddy River. The journey takes about 10-12 hours but again, it’s worth it if you have the time.
The ride is really peaceful and offers some pretty great views.
If you’re interested in this boat journey, get our full download of it in our post “How To Travel From Bagan to Mandalay by Boat.”
Day 7 – 8: Explore The Northern City of Mandalay
Two days is more than enough time to take in the sights of Mandalay. It’s a big city like Yangon but offers a completely different vibe and new sights for you to see and experience.
Curious what there is to see and do in Mandalay? Check out our post on “6 things to experience and do in Mandalay, Myanmar.”
Day 9: Catch a Ride to Inle Lake
From Mandalay, catch a mini-van / bus to the enchanting fresh water lake of Inle Lake. The ride shouldn’t take you the full day.
If you leave in the morning, you can expect to arrive by late the afternoon.
Nyaungshwe is where you’ll want to stay in Inle Lake. From Nyaungshwe, you can access the lake and the surrounding areas.
Day 10 – 11: Explore The Fresh Waters of Inle Lake
After a nights rest, you’ll be ready to take on the next two days at Inle Lake. Our tip, spend a day on the water and another day exploring by land! Best of both worlds, right?
Be sure to check out our 5 things to not miss at Inle Lake to ensure you are ready to see the best of what the town and lake have to offer!
Day 12: Make Your Way Back to Yangon
Again, up to you on your preferred method of travel, but you can catch a plane from Heho Airport to Yangon International Airport if you can’t bare the thought of an 12+ hour bus ride back to Yangon.
Regardless of what transportation method you choose, you are headed back to Yangon!
Day 13: Soak Up Your Last Day in Yangon
Back in bustling Yangon. This is the perfect day to catch up on any of the items you didn’t get to experience on the first day you arrived. Or, just take it easy.
Sample some street food. Take a stroll around the city. Whatever you do, you can’t go wrong.
Enjoy the city and your last day in Myanmar!
Day 14: Depart Myanmar
A sad day indeed. This is ends your 2 week travel itinerary for Myanmar. It’s time to leave magical Myanmar 🙁 Safe flight home or wherever you are off to next!
Where To Stay in Myanmar
From Yangon to Bagan to Inle Lake and all the other amazing cities, towns and villages there are to experience in Myanmar, check out the latest places and prices below to secure an unforgettable Burmese accommodation.
Booking.comTravel Insurance for Myanmar
You really never know what to expect when heading to a new country. what’s waiting for you. The unplanned can be an exiting adventure or a massive headache.
In order to be prepared for your trip ahead, we suggest doing what we did, and that is buying Travel Insurance through World Nomads.
Be it your trip itself, your travel gear or the most important possession, you, you can rest assured that it’s all covered under World Nomads Travel Insurance 🙂
WANT MORE INFORMATION ON MYANMAR?!
One Epic 3 Week Backpacking Itinerary to Myanmar
9 Things To Know Before You Go To Myanmar
Your Complete Travel Planning Guide To Myanmar
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Happy Travels,
– Lauren & Jesse Stuart (The Stüs)
