Experience the enchanting land of Bagan at least once in your lifetime.

Can you imagine waking up one morning surrounded by thousands of ancient temples, reminiscent of fairy tales, interspersed with gold-plated pagodas?

Embark on a journey to Myanmar.

The land of Buddha, Myanmar – Burma, has long been familiar to Vietnamese travelers, but for various reasons, it has not been a top destination.

The first reason could be the high cost, as with the budget for traveling to Myanmar, we could explore several strongly developed tourist destinations in the region. Additionally, Myanmar lacks many vibrant nightlife activities like its neighboring friend Thailand, convenient and modern transportation like Singapore and Malaysia, and its beaches are not as plentiful and beautiful as Vietnam's...

But with careful research and a specific itinerary, you'll find that traveling to Myanmar is quite manageable, and the actual cost is not too high. Picture waking up one morning, opening your eyes to see thousands of ancient temples, resembling fairy tales, interspersed with gold-plated pagodas, climbing the tallest tower to admire hot air balloons and the sunrise. Come to Bagan – Myanmar to experience these wonders!

Explore Myanmar with a 4-day 3-night itinerary

Important Notes:

– Ensure your USD bills are crisp and unwrinkled, as there's a high chance you won't be able to exchange damaged currency.

– Remember to pack sandals and long pants as visitors to temples are required to wear long trousers or skirts, remove shoes outside, and enter barefoot.

– Opt for lightweight clothing as Myanmar's weather can get as hot as Thailand's.

– Carry a money pouch as Myanmar commonly uses small denomination bills for convenient transactions, so exchanging 100 USD could net you some Myanmar currency change.

– Budget approximately 6-7 million dong (excluding shopping expenses)

Exchange Rate: Myanmar uses the kyat (1,000 kyat = 17,000 dong). 100 USD can be exchanged for around 120,000-125,000 kyat.

1. Book Your Flight Tickets

Currently, there are two main airlines flying from Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) to Myanmar (Yangon), namely Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air. The prices are relatively similar (depending on the time of booking). Vietnam Airlines prices range from 2.5-3.5 million dong with 20 kg of checked baggage + meal included. VietJet Air prices are around 1.8-2.5 million dong, including only 7 kg of carry-on luggage.

2. Explore Yangon

Day 1

– Immigration: Descend the stairs and turn left, pick up the immigration form, fill in the details, get it stamped, and you're done.

– Currency Exchange: Look for the currency exchange counter with the best rate, ensure your USD bills are crisp, and consider exchanging $100 bills for the best rate. Present your passport to the counter.

– Purchase SIM Card: Approximately 8,000 kyats = 140,000 dong, providing unlimited 2G internet browsing.

– Transfer to the city center and head to Bagan

Taxi: This is the preferred mode of transportation as the country has limited public transportation options. Taxi fares are reasonable. Upon arrival at the airport, negotiate the fare directly outside. On the first day, spend all your time exploring Yangon, then in the evening, head to the bus station for Bagan to save travel time.

The price for a trip from the airport, visiting Shwegadon Pagoda, lunch, and returning to the bus station for Bagan is around 20,000-30,000 kyats depending on the number of people (this must be negotiated beforehand, so pay in kyats, not USD). However, due to traffic congestion in Yangon, travel time can be quite long during peak hours.

Shwedagon Pagoda is a sacred Buddhist site in Myanmar with over 2,500 years of history. The pagoda is adorned with magnificent gold plating, decorated with diamonds and gemstones. It houses four relics significant to Buddhist believers: the staff of the Buddha, the water filter of Buddha, the robe of Buddha, and the eight hairs of Buddha. Admission fee is 8,000 kyats/person (140,000 dong). Note: Visitors must wear long trousers or skirts and go barefoot when entering the pagoda.

– After visiting the pagoda, you'll be taken by taxi driver to a local restaurant for lunch. The prices are reasonable, the food is easy to eat, and not overly greasy. From here, head to the bus station to catch a ride back to the airport.

You have 2 bus companies to choose from: JJ Express departs at 8:00 PM (boarding at 7:30 PM), Elite Express departs at 9:30 PM (boarding at 9:00 PM). Elite is the preferred choice as it offers the same quality with better time management and lower prices compared to JJ. JJ's price is 20,000 kyats (340,000 dong), while Elite's is 16,000 kyats (270,000 dong). Purchase tickets for the return trip and provide your address here; the bus company will pick you up from Bagan Hotel for your return to Yangon.

3. Journey to the land of Bagan

Days 2-3: Exploring Bagan

Early morning, around 5:00 AM, arrive in Bagan.

– Take a taxi to your hotel: Simply tell the driver the name of your hotel and they will take you directly.

– Entry fee: For foreign tourists, it's 25 USD/person or 25,000 kyats (paying in USD is preferable)

– Accommodation: There are plenty of resorts in the Old Bagan area, priced reasonably at around 700,000-1 million dong for 2 people (including breakfast). I stayed at Yadanarbon Bagan Resort.

– Getting around: To visit the temples, you can use 3 types of transportation: horse cart (25,000 kyats/day for 3-4 people), electric bike (10,000 kyats), bicycle (2,000 kyats/8 hours).

– Sightseeing:

+ Lawkachanthar – Thagyarhit – Thagyarpone Temple Cluster. Under the morning sun, the red brick hues illuminate the timeless charm of this ancient city.

+ Htilo Mininlo, a majestic and intricate temple built by King Zeya Theinkha.

+ Ananda, dubbed as the most beautiful temple in Bagan, boasts four large golden Buddha statues placed in the four cardinal directions.

+ Sulamani, constructed by King Narapatisithu in 1183, is adorned with exquisite murals on the exterior walls, distinguishing itself from other temples with its exceptionally intricate paintings on the interior walls and ceilings.

+ Dhammayangyi Temple, the largest temple in Bagan with a pyramid-like structure. Notably, this temple lacks a spire unlike others.

+ Thatbyinnyu Temple impresses with its moss-covered ancient brickwork.

+ Shwesantaw is famous among tourists not for its architectural masterpiece, but for being the best spot to sit and admire the sunset and sunrise.

+ Nochanthar Temple, near Ananda Temple, showcases Myanmar's distinctive architecture, blending fired bricks, wooden roofs, and moss-covered hues.

– Dining: From the resort, head straight and then turn right to find Aye Mya Thida Food & Drink Center. The food is quite palatable, with flavors resembling Chinese and Vietnamese cuisines. Prices range from 60,000-80,000 dong per person.

Additionally, there are plenty of affordable and delicious eateries around. In Bagan, opt for the most beautiful restaurants as the prices are not high. For example, Queen Restaurant offers a set menu for 19,900 kyats (around 20 USD) for 4 people. Or try Nada Restaurant for a fantastic dinner experience, with elegant ambiance, traditional puppetry performances, ethnic musical instruments, and delicious food (4 people dining for about 25 USD, although there might be a bit of a wait).

If you want to enjoy Myanmar cuisine, you can have a buffet at Myanmar Foods House, a casual eatery. It's a buffet-style service, but they bring the dishes to your table, and you can order more as you go. The price is 3,500 kyats (less than 80,000 dong) per person.

Day 4: Return to Yangon – Back to Vietnam

Board the vehicle to return to Yangon as in the outbound journey.

Later, take a taxi back to the Chinatown market area, rent a hotel for rest after the long journey, spend some time shopping for souvenirs, and wait until the evening to head to the airport for the return flight to Vietnam.

Source: Nguyễn Đức Duy Wings/Zing news

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Reference: Travel guide Mytour