Itinerary
This is what I did in 3 weeks. If you want the cost, please reach out to me!
Hotel Reviews
Mandalay: Rich Queen Guesthouse
Very nice staff, super helpful! The place it's perfect for the 20 USD that it costed, good bed and shower though the water was only cold. Wifi.
Location is a bit far out of the main center but it's ok as you will do everything by motorbike.
Bagan-Nyaun U: Thante Hotel
Nice hotel, beautiful swimming pool and rooms are big and provide towels, shampoo, etc.
Location is not good as it's far from the ''restaurant street'' in the ''city'' and to go out alone in the dark streets it's ab it scary/dangerous as there are no lights, just the ones from the cars :)
I'd not recommend this place if you are travelling alone, but it can work very nice for groups and couples as the swimming pool are it's really beautiful!
For solo travelers either stay at the places that are walking distance from the city or in Old/New Bagan that is closer to the temples and felt there were more restaurants.
Best place to eat is the vegetarian Moon Cafe: Be Good to Animals in Old Bagan.
Pindaya: Inle Inn Pindaya
Great place!! Amazing hot water shower! Amazing bed with a bed heater that is really needed during the cold nights :) The staff is extremely helpful and speak perfect English! The breakfast was delicious. The only downside is that at night (9PM) and early morning, there are some noises and music coming from outside, from local/religious celebrations but this is normal across all places. I'd stay here again.
Kalaw: Eastern Paradise Motel
Location is a bit out of the main market area and the time I was there I was the only person. Rooms are a bit basic and have a green carpet which is a bit shocking :), the two girls at reception didn't speak English. It was too expensive for the 30 USD that it costed.
Inle/Nyaung Shwe: May Guest House
This is a nice value for money guesthouse, with nice rooms, a beautiful place to have breakfast in the garden, great staff. The only issue is that the walls are really thin, as the LP said... and so you hear everything going on next door...
Inle/Nyaung Shwe: Golden Empress Hotel
This is a beautiful place to stay :) location, breakfast and the room itself were perfect. The staff its very nice and helpful. This was one of my favorite hotels of the whole trip and would definitely recommend and come back.
Kinpun: Sea Sar Guest House
Very good place for a base camp type of accommodation. The 20 USD room I got had a nice bed and hot shower. Good basic accommodation good breakfast and perfect location, just next to the start of the hike or the ''roller coaster'' trucks.
The downside was that the buses and cars with locals arrived as of 4 AM, so expect an early wake up! :)
Hpa-An: Parami Hotel
Very expensive for what they offer but the other options in town are really, really bad... still, the room was huge, had a good AC and hot shower was also good. The breakfast was nice and you get a nice view from the terrace. They should clean it up and make it there the breakfast room :)
Mawlamyine: Sandalwood Hotel
Super good choice! Excellent value for money (20 USD) Great room and absolutely great service. They helped me to sort out the bus to Yangon and arrange early check-in with no problem. Also super helpful while I was sick. The breakfast here was not good but I'd recommend this place.
Yangon: The Loft
Very, very nice place. The style and decoration is of a real loft. The rooms are big, bed was the best of the whole trip, the shower is amazing and you have all you need, including nice L'occitane creams and shampoo :) The breakfast was also very good and location is perfect, behind the mess of the old Yangon. There was a little garden which was a bit unused, would be nice to have breakfast there.
I did most of the bookings online before going to avoid having too much cash. All my reservations were taken and had no problems.
In some places it was empty so it would have been easy to get accommodation on the spot, other places and after Christmas it gets busier.
When to go
The best months are Dec-Feb as it's winter (gets to 30/32 degrees!) and its easy to travel and there is no rain! Avoid going during the monsoon rains: end May/beg June and can go till September/October. It can get super hot between Feb and May.
You need a visa, tourist Visa is for 28 days and you can get it online. You will need to upload a passport style picture. Have it ready. Cost: 50 USD.
http://evisa.moip.gov.mm/
What to pack
- Pristine dollar or euro bills as they don't change the ones that are used. You can change at Mandalay and Yangon airports, good rates, no need to do it in the city. There are some ATMs in the cities but you need to have cash with you all the time.
- Flip flops and sandals. Most of the time you will be barefoot so if you bring shoes with laces it is a bit of pain to do them and undo them and you lose a lot of time!
- Trousers that cover your knees, this is mandatory for every temple/pagoda but also in general to be polite. For women I would say just buy the cotton ''hippy/clown'' pants they sell there for 2/3 USD... they are comfy, fresh and you feel good with that..only there, but it fits with the environment :)
- T-shirts that cover your shoulders, no strapless or t-shirts with no shoulder cover. In some places they won;t let you in even if you cover with a pareo, you need to cover!
- A hat! it can get very hot and the sun very strong!
- A flash light or two. Useful to have one for your head and one for your hand, remember in many places there is no electricity so you will l need this.
- As in any Asian country you probably get food poisoning, so bring some mineral/sugar salts, ibuprofen or paracetamol and something for vomit and diarrhea.
- In December in some places its really cold during the early morning and evening, can get to 3/4 degrees, so bring a jacket and sweater.
- For hiking: normal shoes would do but you would feel better with hiking shoes. If you are not a freak of dust you don't even need a sleeping bag... but maybe a silk blanket or something to put between the sheets you will get could be nice. Bring a towel, soap, flip flops
- Ear plugs, I wish I had them... in many places you will get the typical religious noises of late night and early morning, even in villages or more there, so these will be very helpful :)
- Anti mosquito spray, eveni f in winter there are no mosquitos is good to have.
I bought two of them with oway.com.mm and all worked well. The last one I bought in an agency in Inle, this is more expensive as they take a commission.
The best airlines to use are Air Bagan and KBZ.
Enjoy :) and let me know if I can help! :)
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