itinerary for week-and-a-half stay

I plan on visiting Myanmar/Burma this May by myself. I have planned the following backpacking itinerary and would welcome feedback from other intrepid travelers and knowledgable locals!

Day 1: fly from Chiang Mai to Mandalay (Thursday)

Day 2: 9 hour boat from Mandalay to Bagan

Day 3: sightseeing in Bagan

Day 4: sightseeing in Bagan

Day 5: fly Bagan to Heho, taxi to Kalaw

Day 6: trek from Kalaw (what is the likelihood of me being able to hire a guide for just myself? Or are there many backpackers in Kalaw to hook up with?)

Day 7: continue trek

Day 8: finish trek from Kalaw, overnight at Inle Lake (is two nights enough time to get from Kalaw to Inle?)

Day 9: fly from Heho to Yangon

Day 10: sightseeing in Yangon

Day 11: fly from Yangon to Bangkok

I know it%26#39;s a lot in a short amount of time, but I really want to go to all three places! I%26#39;m in my twenties and in good shape.

Thanks so much all. I really appreciate any advice.

itinerary for week-and-a-half stay

No experience of back packing but as no one else has posted I would make the following comments.

If you havn%26#39;t been to Mandalay before you need two days at least to see the sights-both sides of the river.

Same for Yangon-two days to see all the sights , however if you have a morning arrival and evening departure the next day you might be able to fit most things in.

Enjoy

itinerary for week-and-a-half stay

a few thoughts on your itinerary:

If you have only 1 night in Mandalay, you can choose between the Moustache Brothers show (3 famous Burmese comedians, also lots of dancing and bad jokes) or the Mandalay Marionettes puppet show. Both are good entertainment and help to support local performers. If you go to the Moustache Brothers show, eat dinner at Aye Myit Tar, a fun and friendly restaurant about 2 blocks away.

I enjoy river boat trips, but the one from Mandalay to Bagan is overpriced and not very scenic. Plus, it wastes an entire day (10-12 hours). If its in your budget, it%26#39;s better to fly between the two cities. Actually, the way the airline schedules run this time of year, it%26#39;s best to go: Yangon to Mandalay and then to Bagan. But if you are flying Bangkok Airways from Chiangmai to Mandalay, you may not have that option. You will save lots of time by flying from Bagan (or Mandalay) to Heho. But then again, riding the bus is a great way to meet local people and see more scenery. But it%26#39;s VERY slow going, so be patient!

The Inle Lake area is very beautiful. Try to spend at least a half-day on the lake and go to Indein. The orphanages in Maing Thauk are also worth visiting, but go around noon or after 4:00 when the kids are around (they attend classes in the village during the day). You can also ride a bike from Nyaungshwe to Maing Thauk; it%26#39;s a leisurely and very scenic one hour ride with almost no traffic (or big hills) to get in your way.

I think you can rent a guide by yourself, but the price will be much higher than if you share the guide with a couple other travelers. But May is the slow season, and nowadays Myanmar is getting very few visitors whatsoever, so things could be VERY slow almost everywhere you go.

As far as Bagan, 2 full days is enough to get a good overview of all the ancient pagoadas in the area.

you have the short time in Burma and your plan is real right plan,

but as for me I do not chose trip on river to Bagan from mandalay that wil get bore ,

and trek in kalaw to inle that is also depend n the person,who love the nature( just only nature) you will like to trek, but for me just only 1 day trek around in kalw is enough.

yes, you are right that you have the short time for trip, so should be skip Mandalay,

happy your trip in May in Burma

Hi,

I spent myself 12 days backpacing Myanmar last August and here are some advises:

Yangon: 2 full days at least. The sunrise @ the Shwedagon pagoda is a must. Then after, have breakfast in the surounding of the pagoda with the locals.. I also really enjoyed the Bogyoke market. Couple of very nice restaurants to try.

Inle Lake area: why don%26#39;t you stay instead in Nyaungshwe instead. This village is provided with all the amenities required yet keeping a very laid back atmosphere. This is the hub for a lot of trecking expeditions (you will find there many agencies). A full day journey on the lake is a must: you cant rent a boat and the services of a guide for $20. I was planning 2 full days but ended up staying 4 days.

The Mandalay - Bagan ferry trip was very enjoyable. However, check for the dry season: not sure if the frequency of the service is the same than the during the ';wet season';.

Bagan: 4 days minimum. An Indiana Jones playground. Rent a bicycle and enjoy yourself discovering the area.