Forget the typical tour bus holiday: lace up your trekking boots, grab a bike and bring a sense of adventure to discover the real beauty of Myanmar. Spend two weeks exploring the country’s main sites and hidden gems, forging a closer connection with the people and culture that make Myanmar so special.
Myanmar is a land of sacred pagodas, deep-rooted traditions, and mile after mile of spectacular landscapes and friendly, hospitable people. Few places in the world offer such a remarkable selection of natural and cultural wonders.
If you don't mind the rain, July is a wonderful time to visit Myanmar. The big tourist crowds disappear. and in Myanmar's "Big Four" destinations (Bagan, Mandalay, Inle Lake, and Yangon), you'll find not only fewer people but also lower prices. The downside, of course, is that aside from August, July is the wettest month of the year. That said, most destinations in the north receive regular breaks of sunshine throughout the day, during which you can wander around comfortably and explore the sites.
January is one of the best times of the year to visit Myanmar. Weather is at its finest—temperatures range from 70 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit, and it's drier than other times of the year. You'll enjoy a warm, pleasant atmosphere that isn't hot and sweltering (like it can be in April or May), nor rainy and wet (like July or August). The only drawback to visiting in January is that crowds are usually thick, and lodging tends to be more expensive.
February is one of the best times to visit Myanmar—especially the first half of the month, before the temperatures start to rise. With warm, dry weather, it's a wonderful time just about everywhere in the country. The downside is that these pleasant conditions also make it fairly crowded—hotels are more expensive, guided tours fill up, and most of the tourist spots have crowds. Still, it's a fantastic time to visit.
June kicks off the rainy season, but temperatures are warm and it can still be an excellent time to visit, depending where you go. The wet weather keeps crowds away, so you'll have the tourist sites virtually to yourself. And since the showers are scattered, you can be outside without getting poured on, a good thing since the scenery is gorgeous this time of year—there's foliage everywhere and Myanmar's botanical gardens come to life.
You don't have to choose between Myanmar and Thailand: this ten-day itinerary takes you to both. View the magnificent temples of Bagan from above, see the floating gardens of Inle Lake, and go for a river cruise in Myanmar before crossing the border to Thailand, where hot springs, beaches, and impressive cultural sights—like Tiger Cave Temple in Krabi—await.
Experience the natural wonders and cultural highlights of two countries—Myanmar and Thailand—on this two-week journey. You'll see magnificent temples in Bagan, the "World's Biggest Book" in Mandalay, and floating gardens on Inle Lake in Myanmar before moving onto Thailand to see the famous floating market of Damnoen Saduak in Bangkok and the ruins of Ayutthaya, a city that was almost entirely destroyed in the late 18th century. Then finish the fast-paced trip with a few days of relaxation on the island paradise of Phuket.