MYANMAR
19-25 January 2017
Highlights:
- Tasty and cheap Myanmar food
- Friendly people and service staffs
- Visiting the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon
- Hot Air Balloon in Bagan, an interesting and wonderful experience to see hundreds of Pagodas and sunrise
- Climbing up in one of the Pagodas to enjoy free sunset
- Chill and relax in Bagan; cheap food and drinks
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Day 1
We flew Jetstar Asia from Singapore to Yangon. Our flight took off at 910am, and arrived Yangon International Airport at around 1015am local time (Myanmar is 1.5 hours behind Singapore time). Total flight time was around 2hr 30mins. Upon clearing custom and taking our luggages, we proceed to buy a 7-day SIM card with 1.5GB for 4,000 Kyats. Taxi from airport to hotel was 9,000 (because 4 pax, 3 pax will be 8k). 1135am boarded taxi, arrived apartment 1225pm. (Tips: the exchange rate outside the luggage claim offers better rate for USD). After check in, we headed to Shan 999 noodle shop for lunch. Prices are quite reasonable costing 4-5k kyats per bowl in general. The taxi ride was 3k (taxi in Yangon has no meter and hence you need to negotiate the price before boarding). After lunch, we walked to City Hall, Sule Pagoda, Mahamandoola Garden, Sunset cruise, Chinatown St 19 for dinner (25k). Ends with foot massage at Health Blessing Massage and Spa in Chinatown street 19 (10k for an hr). Taxi back to hotel from Chinatown was 3k. |
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Day 2
We started the day at 830am with the free breakfast at the roof top of our apartment. We hired a driver cum guide for USD80 for the day. The driver picked us at 950am and our first stop was the Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple (sleeping Buddha). Next was the Bogyoke Aung San Market (for shopping) and then we had lunch at Feel Restaurant (30k), which serve authentic local Burmese food. After lunch, the driver drove us to the fruit and vegetable wholesale market, followed by drinks at the top floor of Sakura Tower for a birds eye view of the downturn. Our last stop was St Mary Catholic Church and Myanmar Plaza (near Inya lake), before we had our dinner at Onxy (45k), which is about 15 mins walk from our apartment. |
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Day 3
After breakfast, we walked 20mins to Shwedagon Pagoda from our apartment, and entered through the East Gate (original gate). The entrance fee is 8k each, and the ticket is valid for multiple entries (but must keep the ticket and sticker for re-entry). Around 1230pm, we took a cab to Le Planteur (3k) and had lunch there (USD126). From there, we took a cab to Junction Square (3k) for shopping, and took a cab back to Shwedagon (3.2k) for evening and night view of the Pagoda. We entered via West gate in the evening, and is much easier to reach the Pagoda because there's escalator here. After enjoying the night view of the Pagoda, we took cab (2.5k) to Minn Lan Seafood Restaurant for dinner. Then, we took a cab (2k) to 19 Street Chinatown for foot massage (10k each an hour). Took cab back around 1120pm (2k) |
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Day 4
We took a cab to have local breakfast (Mohinga) at Feel Restaurant. After that, we send Janis and Pat to market and we headed to airport (about 40-45 mins drive). Taxi fare to airport was 8k kyats. Took the 1130am Air KBZ flight to Bagan. The return air tickets cost us USD199 each and the flight time was 1hr 20mins. Upon arriving, we have to pay USD20 each at the airport for the entrance fee to the archeological sites. We took a taxi to our hotel that cost us 5k kyats (only 10-15 mins away). Checked into hotel around 1pm. After settling down, we decided to take a horse carriage for USD20 and visited 5 sites (Kyan Sit Thar Umin where we need to use torch to see the painting on the wall inside the temple; Shwe Leila Too, where we are allowed to climb up the Pagoda to have panoramic view of the surroundings; Htilominlo, 2nd largest temple in Bagan, the roof top is under repair now due to damages by earthquake; Alodaw Pyi Pagoda (wish fulfilling Pagoda); Bulethi for sunset view. After that we headed to restaurant street for dinner. We had our dinner at Bibo Restaurant, and the total bill was only 11800 kyats. Food is tasty and drinks are cheap. |
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Day 5
Hired a guide cum driver for USD85 full day. The guide picked us up at 9am from hotel to Mt Popa. Along the way, stop at palm juice sap production demonstrations and break. Arrived base around 11am+ and walked up to the top. Had lunch at Popa Mountain Resort and headed back to Nyuang U, arriving at around 415pm. Had tea break and visited a precious stone stall before seeing sunset at Khay Min Ga (flat roof top) |
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Day 6
We signed up for the hot air balloon excursion with Oriental Ballooning through a travel agent, which costs us about USD603 for two person (if booked direct through Oriental Ballooning, will cost us more than USD800 for 2). The picked up at our hotel was 550am and the ride took about an hour. We were back to hotel at 915am. Breakfast in hotel and took the horse carriage at 1030am. First stop, Shwezigon Pagoda. Next in old Bagan area, Ananda Pagoda, followed by drinks at Be Kind to Animals - The Moon; Thatbyinnyu Phaya; 1 hr river cruise; Bu Paya; Gaw Daw Palin Phaya; Dhammayan Gyi Temple; Sulamani Temple; and sunset at Bulethi again. Dinner at Weather Spoon's. |
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Day 7
Breakfast in hotel and headed to airport around 1030am. Taxi fare costs us 5k kyats. Drive is only 10-15mins away. Took Air KBZ back to Yangon. The flight was delayed by about 20 mins. We arrived Yangon around 120pm. Spend the rest of our days in Yangon airport to catch 740pm flight back to Singapore. We had our lunch at Yat Koon. The flight time back to Singapore was 2hr 40mins. We arrived Singapore around 1210am. |
TRIP PHOTOS - MYANMAR