Yangon

November 2014

Day 1: Yangon – Bo Gyoke market

I was told that I could not leave Yangon without joining the locals for a morning coffee, so I chose a popular tea shop nearby my hostel, called Lucky Flower (on Bo Gyoke road crossroad of Pansodan Street, in front of the Ruby Mart). They sell the famous Mohinga (rice noodle fish soup, 500 kyats) a typical Burmese breakfast. People watching from the terrace is highly recommended as you’ll probably spot a procession of monks or nuns during the morning alms.

While the sun is still lazy, train your negotiation skills by heading off to the Bo Gyoke market. Get lost in the alleys of this shopping temple, you’ll find a broad selection of lacquerware, gems, longyi, antiques (fake or real), and all sorts of souvenirs.

For lunch, I tried the Shan noodle (Chickpea flour noodles prepared in a chilly sauce with fresh chives, sesame or peanut, 1,000 kyats) with ice coffee.

Yangon

November 2014

Day 2: Chinatown, city walk, Shwedagon, night bus to Mandalay

Make sure you start the day early before the weather gets too hot. Walk from Sule Pagoda all the way to Chinatown following the big Maha Bandula Road, the crowded street markets offer an incredible diversity of colors and smells.

After lunch, wander around the colonial buildings nearby Sule pagoda: Yangon City Hall, The Strand Hotel, Custom House, General Post Office, Railways Headquarters, High Court Building, Rowe & Co Building, Maha Bandula Garden.

Around 4 PM, in order to avoid the rush hour, hop on a taxi to Shwedagon, the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar. Frankly speaking, I’m not a big fan of the multicolor LED lights used to light up the buddhas, but there is a genuine spirituality beneath the bling. You could feel it all over the place at dawn, and soon you’ll join the pilgrims contemplating the big golden stupa surrounded by candles.

Mandalay

November 2014

Day 3: Mahamuni Pagoda, U being bridge

After the 10 hours night bus from Yangon to Mandalay, I arrived around 6 AM at the hotel and felt too tired to do the travel planning, so I booked a 2 days motorbike tour with the taxi driver.

After catching up some sleep, we left in the afternoon for Mahamuni pagoda. Another pagoda! I told my guide I was bored of pagodas but he assured me that this temple was worthy and he was right! The Mahamuni temple is one of the sacred pilgrimage site.

The entrance hall was surprisingly calm when I got there, few craftsmen were selling Buddhist statues and figurines while working in their atelier.

Mandalay

November 2014

Day 4: Mahagandayon monastery monk feeding ceremony, Inwa, Sagaing hill

Around 9.30AM we arrive at the Mahagandayon monastery famous for serving lunch to around 2,000 monks. The area is expanding with new schools and dormitory. This place is quite popular and one of the highlight of many travelers, but I can’t help fighting mixed feelings when you see hordes of tourists in the middle of the streets trying to catch the best shot… To better manage the daily intrusion, one head monk will try to contain excited tourists and sometimes gently scold those who are still walking on the main procession street.

Mandalay - Hsipaw

November 2014

Day 5-6: train to Hsipaw, Gokteik viaduct

The Gokteik viaduct or the “monster of silver geometry in all the ragged rock and jungle” that Paul Theroux mentioned in his travelogue The Great Railway Bazaar is a British colonial heritage. This 689 meters length viaduct was considered a masterpiece when completed in 1900.

4 tips to make your 12 hours train journey comfy:

• Don’t fall asleep too close to the windows or you’ll get a leaf slap!

• Don’t laugh if you see your trip companions carrying blankets and wearing fleece, it’s freezing on board before the sunset.

• Carry some hot tea and snacks.

• A more comfortable option would be to take a shared taxi from Mandalay to Pyin U Lwin and then catch the train. (most backpackers prefer this way)

Enjoy the ride!

Hsipaw - Bagan

November 2014

Day 7 - 8 - 9 : Bagan temples

The beauty of Bagan lies in the impressive panorama of 2,000 temples scattered across a vast dusty plain. “From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that would later constitute Myanmar.”

8 famous pagodas with distinctive characters:

• Ananda

• Dhammayangyi

• Gawdawpalin

• Htilominlo

• Shwesandaw (go there very early to avoid the crowd and get a spot for the sunrise.)

• Shwezigon

• Sulamani

• Thatbyinnyu

Bagan - Kalaw - Inle

November 2014

Day 10 - 11 - 12: Kalaw to Inle 3 days 2 nights trek

The bus left Bagan around 7 AM and arrive around noon at Kalaw. Make sure you ask the bus driver to call your name because there is no indication and if you miss the stop, well you’ll arrive straight to Inle, so don’t fall asleep!

Kalaw is a slow-paced little town where most travelers gather for the popular trek to Inle lake. There are several travel agencies operating the trek, I went with Sam’s Family. They offer English lessons training and decent wages to their employees.

We hiked through the Palaung villages. Their main source of income is chili farming. Side businesses include growing flowers and avocado.

Inle

November 2014

Day 13: Inle lake (Nyaung Shwe town)

Book a full-day boat trip for 45,000 kyats per boat. You can share the fees with up to 6 people.

• Nam Pan Market: This bustling local market is fascinating to watch in the morning.

• Silk /Lotus fiber weaving: Very surprising technique to collect lotus fiber by cutting the stems.

• In Dein pagoda: It’s actually the stunning boat ride to the In Dein pagoda that makes the trip worthy.

• Floating Gardens. An ingenious technique to farm using bamboo poles. Floating tomatoes, squash, cauliflower, fruits…my dream!

Tips:

• Jump on the boat early, around 5 AM, to see the morning mist and leg-rowing fishermen.

  • You could feed the seagulls from the boat by throwing bread in the air. The birds will then stay above your head!