Home › Myanmar › How many days
How many days in Myanmar? 8 days on the classic Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Inle route
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Read this first: since the 2021 military takeover, Myanmar has been in armed conflict, and many governments, including the UK, US and Australia, advise against all or most travel. Large areas are closed, flights and roads can stop without notice, and travel insurance may be void. Check your government's current advisory before booking anything. If you do go, the classic loop of Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake takes eight days, flying between the four, and every leg should be confirmed locally a few days ahead.
Short answer
Six days covers Yangon, Bagan and Inle Lake with flights between them. Eight days adds Mandalay and the old royal capitals around it, where repairs after the March 2025 earthquake are still ongoing.
The 8-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Yangon: Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset
Morning. Arrive in Yangon and rest, or walk the colonial downtown grid around Sule Pagoda, which stands in the middle of a roundabout. Strand Road and Pansodan Street keep many British-era buildings, some restored, many crumbling.
Afternoon. Visit Bogyoke Aung San Market (Scott Market, closed Mondays) for longyi sarongs, lacquerware and jade; bargain politely. Then rest through the heat, which reaches 35°C before the monsoon.
Evening. Go to Shwedagon Pagoda about 16:30, when the 99-metre gilded stupa turns orange and gold at sunset (foreign visitor ticket about K10,000-20,000, check current fees). Walk clockwise around the marble terrace and find your weekday planetary post.
Remove shoes and socks at every pagoda entrance; knees and shoulders must be covered. Carry a bag for your sandals.
Day 2: Yangon's markets, lake and the Circle Line
Morning. Ride part of the Yangon Circular Railway, a 3-hour loop through suburbs and vegetable markets, for a few hundred kyat (check that it is running). Many visitors ride one hour to Danyingon market and return by taxi.
Afternoon. See the 66-metre reclining Buddha at Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda. Then walk around Kandawgyi Lake to the gilded Karaweik barge, a concrete replica of a royal boat.
Evening. Eat at the barbecue stalls of 19th Street in Chinatown, where skewers cost a few hundred kyat each. A bottle of Myanmar Beer is about K3,000.
Curfews and checkpoints have applied in Yangon at times since 2021. Ask your hotel about current rules before going out at night.
Day 3: Fly to Bagan: the temple plain
Morning. Fly about 1h20 to Nyaung-U for Bagan, or take an overnight VIP bus (roughly 9-10 hours). Pay the Bagan Archaeological Zone fee (about K25,000) and rent an e-bike (about K10,000-15,000 a day).
Afternoon. Start with Shwezigon Pagoda, the gilded model for later stupas. Then ride on to Ananda Temple, whose four standing Buddhas are 9.5 metres high.
Evening. Watch sunset from one of the official viewing mounds; climbing temples has been banned since 2018. Dine in Nyaung-U or New Bagan, about K10,000-15,000 per person.
Bagan has over 2,000 surviving temples and stupas spread across about 100 km². Plan a route rather than riding at random.
Day 4: Bagan by e-bike and the Irrawaddy
Morning. From October to March, a sunrise hot-air balloon flight costs about US$300-400 if operators are running. Otherwise ride at dawn to Dhammayangyi, the largest temple, with its unfinished, mortarless brickwork.
Afternoon. Visit Thatbyinnyu, the tallest temple, and Gubyaukgyi at Myinkaba for its 12th-century murals; carry a torch. Lunch on tea-leaf salad (laphet thoke), about K4,000.
Evening. Take a sunset boat on the Irrawaddy River from the Bagan jetty. A private boat costs about K25,000-40,000 for an hour or so.
Lacquerware workshops in Myinkaba show the 6-month process from bamboo frame to polished bowl.
Day 5: To Mandalay: Mandalay Hill and Kuthodaw
Morning. Take a bus to Mandalay, about 5 hours. The seasonal slow boat on the Irrawaddy takes about 10 hours, if it is running.
Afternoon. Visit Kuthodaw Pagoda, with 729 marble slabs carved with the Buddhist scriptures, called the world's largest book. The teak Shwenandaw Monastery is 5 minutes away.
Evening. Climb or drive up Mandalay Hill, 240 metres, for sunset over the plain. Dine on Shan noodles in the city, about K3,000-5,000.
The March 2025 earthquake damaged many monasteries and the old palace walls around Mandalay and Sagaing; some sites are closed or under repair.
Day 6: Amarapura, U Bein Bridge and Mahamuni
Morning. Visit Mahamuni Pagoda at 4:00 for the face-washing of the gold-covered Buddha, or later in the day. Then watch gold-leaf beaters on 36th Street.
Afternoon. Drive 30 minutes to Amarapura and the Mahagandayon Monastery. Monks file in for their last meal before noon; watch quietly from the side.
Evening. Walk U Bein Bridge, about 1.2 km of teak built around 1850, at sunset. You can also watch from a rowing boat on Taungthaman Lake for about K15,000.
Hire a car and driver for the day (about K60,000-90,000) to combine Amarapura, Sagaing and Inwa, as conditions allow.
Day 7: Fly to Heho for Inle Lake
Morning. Fly from Mandalay to Heho (about 30 minutes), then take a taxi 1 hour to Nyaungshwe, the lake town. Pay the Inle zone fee, about K15,000-25,000 (check current rate).
Afternoon. Cycle 30 minutes to the Red Mountain Estate winery. A tasting on the hillside costs about K5,000-10,000.
Evening. Dine in Nyaungshwe on Shan curries and fried tofu, about K8,000. The night market near the canal is cheaper.
Shan State has active fighting in places; confirm with your hotel which routes are open before booking Heho.
Day 8: Inle Lake by long-tail boat
Morning. Hire a long-tail boat at 6:00, about K35,000-45,000 for the day for up to 4 people. The first sight is the Intha leg-rowing fishermen, who row with one leg.
Afternoon. Visit the floating gardens of tomatoes, the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, and the stupa forest at Indein. On the way back, stop at the lotus-silk weavers in Inpawkhone.
Evening. Return to Nyaungshwe before dark, as boats have no lights. Fly back to Yangon the next morning, about 1h15.
Ask the boatman to skip the shops if you prefer; most tours include several workshops.
Only have 6 days?
With 6 days, skip Mandalay and fly Bagan to Heho for Inle Lake. You lose Kuthodaw, U Bein Bridge and the old royal capitals.
Got extra days?
The beach of Ngapali on the Bay of Bengal has been hit by fighting in Rakhine State and is largely inaccessible. Golden Rock (Kyaiktiyo) near Yangon, a gilded boulder on a cliff, is the usual extra day if roads are open.
Where to stay in Myanmar
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Guesthouses in Nyaung-U and Nyaungshwe | Family-run and close to restaurants and transport. | K40,000-80,000 |
| Mid-range | Downtown Yangon hotels | Walk to Sule Pagoda and markets; with backup generators for power cuts. | K100,000-180,000 |
| Mid-range | New Bagan hotels | Pools and gardens, close to the southern temples. | K100,000-200,000 |
| Comfort | Lakeside resorts on Inle; heritage hotels in Yangon | Stilt-house resorts on the water, or colonial Strand-style hotels. | K300,000-700,000 |
Getting around
Domestic flights link Yangon, Nyaung-U (Bagan), Mandalay and Heho (Inle), mostly 30-80 minutes. Express buses (JJ Express, Elite) are slower but cheaper, often overnight. Roads and flights can be suspended at short notice, so book through a local agency that tracks closures. In cities, use the Grab app in Yangon or taxis; agree prices first elsewhere. Electricity cuts are frequent; carry a power bank.
What to eat in Myanmar
Burmese food is rich and oily, with curries served with many side dishes. Try mohinga (fish and rice-noodle soup, the national breakfast, about K1,500-2,500), laphet thoke (fermented tea-leaf salad), Shan noodles and ohn no khao swè (coconut chicken noodles). Teahouses serve sweet milky tea and samosas for a few thousand kyat. Drink bottled water.
Best time to visit
November to February is cool and dry, around 25-30°C. March to May is very hot, up to 40°C in Bagan and Mandalay. The monsoon runs June to October, with heavy rain in Yangon.
Month-by-month weather for Myanmar →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | K60,000 | K130,000 | K300,000 |
| Food & drink | K25,000 | K50,000 | K110,000 |
| Sights & tickets | K20,000 | K35,000 | K60,000 |
| Local transport | K20,000 | K45,000 | K90,000 |
| Total per person, per day | about K125,000 | about K260,000 | about K560,000 |
Very approximate 2026 prices in kyat; the currency has lost much of its value since 2021 and the market rate differs from the official one, so prices change fast, and hotels often quote in US dollars.
Before you go
Common questions
Is it safe to travel to Myanmar now?
Many governments advise against all or most travel because of the armed conflict since 2021. Fighting, air strikes and road closures affect large areas, including parts of Shan, Mandalay and Rakhine regions. Consular help is limited and insurance may not cover you. Read your government's advisory, check recent reports from the places you plan to visit, and do not travel against official advice.
Do I need a visa for Myanmar?
Most nationalities need a visa, usually through the official eVisa website for tourist entry by air at Yangon or Mandalay. Rules and eligible entry points have changed several times since 2021. Use only the official government site, as copycat sites charge extra, and check entry requirements before booking flights.
Can I use cards and ATMs in Myanmar?
Do not count on them. Sanctions and banking problems mean foreign cards often fail at ATMs and in shops. Bring clean, new US dollar notes (2017 series or newer, no folds or marks) and change them at banks or licensed money changers. Larger hotels may accept cards, but with surcharges.
Can I still climb the temples in Bagan?
No. Climbing temples has been banned since 2018 to protect the structures, which were damaged by earthquakes in 2016 and later. Use the official viewing mounds or the balloons. Shoes must be removed in all temples, including the ones without monks.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan may earn a commission; the price you pay is the same. How we make money.