Myanmar States
Rakhine State
Situated on the western coast, Rakhine State is bordered by Chin State to the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region to the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. Nevertheless, because of the violent intensity, tourists should carefully consider while visiting here
What to see in Rakhine State
One of the significant attractions in Rakhine State is Andaw Thein Temple which is located at the northwest corner of the Shite-thaung Temple. The name means ‘Tooth Shrine’. It contains a tooth relic of the Buddha coming from Sri Lanka. Another place you should not miss is Mrauk U, the famous capital city of Rakhine and its civilization flourished from 1430 to 1785. Mrauk U, an archaeologically important town lies roughly 11 km east of the Kaladan River on the banks of its minor tributaries. The town is located on a small outcrop of the Rakhine Yoma on the eastern side of the Kaladan’s alluvial plain. If you want to “switch off” and recharge your energy, beautiful Ngapali beach is a must-see place for you
When to visit Rakhine State
The best time to travel here is from October to February but if you are a big fan of the beach, you can come here in May or June
Shan State
The former princedom of Shan today constitutes the largest state in Myanmar, situated in the northeast of the country. It borders China to the north, Laos to the east, and Thailand to the south, and five administrative divisions of Myanmar in the west. Most of the Shan State is a hilly plateau; there are higher mountains in the north and south. The gorge of the Thanlwin River cuts across the state
What to see in Shan State
One of the most renowned places in San state is Ine Lake. This huge, serene lake is a highlight of many visits to Myanmar. The unspoiled natural beauty of the area is one the main draws; however, the stilt villages around its shoreline are also charmingly fascinating. Though Inle Lake is on the beaten track, it is not much invaded by travelers. It is best to take a boat trip to know more about the fishermen and farmers who take to the lake to work. Another highlight place in Taunggyi. It’s Chinese influence visible in the architecture and physiognomy of its inhabitants in Myanmar. There are some pleasant walks if you are in the mood, but basically, the town is a growing trade center for the southwestern area of Shan Myanmar state. All that remains of the colonial era is an overgrown graveyard, a stone church, aline of the cherry tree and a handful of timber cottages, all on the fringes of town in Myanmar.
Best Time to visit Shan State
The best time to visit Shan State is in January and February because at this time the weather is relatively warm. However, the temperature at night drops significantly so it is best if tourists bring along appropriate clothes
Mon State
Mon State is an administrative division of Myanmar. It lies between Kayin State to the east, the Andaman Sea to the west, Bago Region to the north and Tanintharyi Region to the south, also having a short border with Thailand’s Kanchanaburi Province at its south-eastern tip
Mon State has a blend of everything that’s wonderful and unique about Myanmar: golden temples, a palpable colonial past, charming villages, a combination of different ethnic groups and even some picturesque coastline. Traveling in this region is generally easy, the people are friendly, while the distances between key destinations are short
What to see in Mon State
Visiting here, you cannot miss the Kyaikthanlan Paya, the city’s tallest stupa. It’s a great spot for views over the city and for watching the sunset. To reach it, approach via the long covered walkway that extends from Kyaik Than Lan Phayar St. The magnificent ‘Golden Rock’ at Kyaikhtio is the most incredibly meditative and popular tourist attraction in Mon State. A small stupa sits on top of a huge boulder covered in gold leaf, which balances on the edge of a cliff at the top of Kyaikhtio Mountain. Legend has it that the boulder balances on the cliff thanks to the hair of the Buddha, which is preserved inside the stupa.
Driving south from Kyaikhto, the next major town in Thaton. Once the capital city of the Mon Kingdom and a thriving port, today it is an attractive town with tree-lined streets and a few colonial mansions. Remnants from the 10th century amount to only the odd piles of brick, and it is difficult to imagine the massive city walls that protected Thaton. Two pagodas are the city’s cultural highlights, but it is more of a pleasant place to idly sit and watch daily life in Myanmar pass by.
Mawlamyine (formerly Moulmein) is arguably the best-known town in Mon State. It is a busy commercial port exporting rice and wood. Most people arrive on one of the frequent passenger ferries from Mottama, where buses and trains terminate. Mawlamyine was the administrative center of British Burma from 1827 to 1852 and is today the fourth largest city in Myanmar. Many old colonial buildings remain along the quiet streets, with traditional wooden buses still used as the principal form of transportation.
Best Time to Visit Mon State
The best time to visit Mon State is from November to February because at this time the weather in this state is cool with light sunshine
Kayin State
Kayin State is an administrative division of Myanmar and also known as Karen State. It has common borders with Mandalay Division and Shan State on the north, Kayah State and Thailand on the east, Mon State and Bago Division on the west
What to see in Kayin State
Some highlight attractions are Hpa an, the capital of Kayin State, where you can visit the Zwekabin Hill a very unusual shape, which, once seen, is not easily forgotten. The leading town in the northern section is Thandaung. It is a very charmingly beautiful hill station and an important tea, coffee, and fruit-producing region. Kawgun cave is located near Kawgun village, which is two miles distance from Hpa An township. It is a natural limestone cave and measures 200 ft height and 300 ft length. The rock surfaces are profusely decorated with different kinds of clay Buddha images and votive tablets. Another significant place you should not miss is the Myawaddy market where you can witness full of all kinds of clothes, household goods, and vegetables were for sale
Best Time to Visit Kayin State
The best time to visit Kayin State is from October to February when the temperature is just around 25-27 Celcius degrees. However, the temperature at night is dropping around 18 °C so tourist should bring appropriate clothes
Kachin State
Kachin State is the most northernmost state of Myanmar and it is crowned by the country’s highest mountain, Hkakabo Razi, which stands at the edge of the Himalayas and towers to a height of 5,889 meters (19,321 ft). It is bordered by China to the north and east; Shan State to the south; and Sagaing Region and India to the west
What to see in Kachin State
Visiting Kachin, tourists can not miss Indawgyi Lake Wildlife Sanctuary, the home of thousand rare birds species and other wild animals like wild elephants, bantengs and gaurs, rare gibbon species. Another highlight attraction is Putao, the northernmost town of Kachin State, Myanmar. Though it can only be reached by road during summer but is accessible year-round by air if there are sufficient tourist groups to justify a plane. The area around Putao is well-known for the variety of endemic birds and rare orchids, which grow naturally. Many orchid lovers are especially attracted by the so-called “Black Orchid” that can be found in the mountains east and west of Putao. This town attracts also enthusiasts, hiking to Hkakabo Razi base camp, located close to Tahaundam
The Best Time to Visit Kachin State
The best time to travel Kachin state is in the winter from November to February because at this time the weather is mildest. To avoid disappointment, tourists should not visit Kachin from May to October because of heavy rain
Chin State
Located in the wild, mountainous and remote area, Chin State is the poorest and least –developed state in Myanmar. Share the borders with Bangladesh and India, Chin State is sparsely populated and lacking in infrastructure. However, motherland makes up for it with densely forested hills and mountains that soar above 10,000ft and are separated by vast valleys through which rivers rage. Home to traditional villages inhabited by the friendly Chin people, a Tibeto-Burman group which has largely adopted Christianity, this is the perfect place to take the road less traveled Southern China State nowadays attracts more and more visitors intent on hiking up Mt Victoria and trekking to the villages around the hilltop town of Mindat. Nevertheless, do not expect much in the way of comfort here. Instead, try to get used to the land that looks like it is barely been touched by human hands
Best Time to Visit Chin State
January is the coldest month of the year with a mean temperature of around 27 degrees Celsius. April is the hottest month at a mean of 36 degrees. The total rainfall is about 86.22 inches every year. Therefore, it is best if you visit Chin state in February of March
Kayah State
Kayah State is the smallest state in Myanmar which shares the border with Shan State to north and west, Kayin State to the west and south, and Thailand to the east. Although it possesses many potential attractions, even now few foreigners make it down here and visitors are restricted to the capital Loikaw and Deemawsoe Township, to the southeast of Loikaw
What to See in Kayah State
Travelling Kayah State, you can really step off the tourist trail and experience the incredible diversity of a country that has no less than 135 official ethnic groups. Kayah is home to a disproportionate number of Myanmar’s minorities, including the Yinbaw, Bre, Kayin (Karen), the eponymous Kayah (Karenni or Red Karen), and perhaps most famously, the ‘longneck’ Kayan (also known as Padaung)
Some highlights places are Taung Kwe Paya which is raggy limestone and white and gold stupas, Christ the King Cathedral that is the oldest surviving church and features an intriguing combination of traditional European church architecture and local Buddhist styles, including a beautiful bell tower with a bell brought from Italy. Another popular attraction is Rangkhu, the biggest village in this state where you can see women wear long neck rings.
Best Time to Visit Kayah State
The weather in Kayah is relatively high throughout the year. However, it drops significantly when the dark comes; Thus, tourists should bring enough clothes to avoid the cold. The best time to visit Kayah is in January and February
Myanmar Territories
Naypyidaw Union Territory
Naypyidaw, located near Pyinmana, officially replaced Yangon as the capital of Myanmar in November 2005. Naypyidaw is a unique city in the region which is a fully constructed large city but with very few inhabitants compared to its size, so you can experience the amazing and unprecedented experience of never ever being stuck in traffic.
What to see in Naypyidaw
Some highlight places you should not miss are the huge and impressive parliament building with an 11-lane highway, three enormous sculptures depicting the Burmese kings Anawrahta, Bayinnaung, and Alaungpaya U Aung Zeya, considered the three most important kings in Burmese history and National Herbal Park that exhibits of plants having medicinal applications from all of the major regions of Myanmar.
When to visit What to see in Naypyidaw
The best time to visit Naypyidaw is in November and December when the temperature is just around 27-28 Celcius degree
Myanmar Region
Yangon Region
Yangon (formerly often known as Rangoon) is no longer be the country’s capital city but it is still considered by many to be its commercial and spiritual heart. The city located at the confluence of Yangon and Bago River, away 30 km from the Gulf of Martaban.
What to see in Yangon Region
Wandering in the downtown area, in the grid of streets around Sule Paya, a golden pagoda that is one of the city’s significant landmarks. The colonial-era charm has been faded away in this area where you can feel the weight of history through the crumbling buildings
Travelers will usually make only one jaunt out of this area, to see the major attraction of the glorious Shwedagon Paya pagoda, but as well as seeing this, you should also make a journey a little to the north to visit some attractions on the banks of Kandawgyi Lake. There, you will find the crowded (but largely tourist-free) Hledan Market and the enormous marble Buddha, Kyauk Taw Gyi.
Best Time to Visit Yangon
The best time to travel Yangoon is from October to February with the mild weather and light sunshine
Mandalay Region
Located 716 km to the north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, Mandalay is a surprisingly young city that dates from the middle of the 19th century. Despite Naypyidaw’s recent rise, Mandalay still remains Upper Burma’s main commercial, educational and health center. Here you can see many traditional performing art shows and purchase traditional Burmese crafts. However, the rush and traffic can be somewhat off-putting initially for a lot of foreign visitors
What to see in Mandalay
Some highlight attractions are Shwe In Bin Monastery, one of the most ancient monasteries in Myanmar with unique architecture and Kyauktawgyi Pagoda, one of the charmingly gorgeous pagodas in Southeast Asia. The structure housing the Buddha is reached through a covered corridor leading through the garden of the arhats. On each of the four sides features twenty shrines with figures symbolizing for the arhats, the eighty Great Disciples of the Buddha. Another significant place is Maha Myat Muni Pagoda, the most revered Pagoda in Mandalay
You should take your time to drop in on the old palace and the concentration of mosques and temples or venture in some of the serene neighborhoods further west which is ideal for exploration by bike. Climbing Mandalay Hill for incredible views. Around the hill are many must-see historic religious sites
Best Time to Visit Mandalay
Mandalay has a semi-tropical climate. Winter (which is dry and cold) lasts from November to February, and summer lasts from March to May. Because Mandalay is in the central dry zone, it receives far less rain than the more tropical south
Ayeyarwady Region
Ayeyarwady is occupying the delta region of the Ayeyarwady River (Irrawaddy River). It is surrounded by Bago Region to the north, Bago Region and Yangon Region to the east, and the Bay of Bengal to the south and west. It is contiguous with the Rakhine State in the northwest.
What to see in Ayeyarwady Region
Sharing a border with the Bay of Bengal, Ayeyarwady arguably is most renowned for charmingly beautiful beaches such as Chuang Tha beach, Ngwe Saung beach. If you aspire to visit an attraction full of local people, Chuang Tha beach should not be missed in your itinerary. In addition, Ngwe Saung beach is one of the most laid-back places you will find in the country, the real joy here is to sit back and take in the sun’s rays and striking beach views or try the catch of the day in a local restaurant.
If you are a big fan of snorkeling, Bird Island is definitely appropriate for you. One- hour trip to the island, you can have a chance to see flying fish, surface-feeding tuna, colorful fishes and a variety of live shell species, corals, and other creatures. Additionally, revered Pagoda Maw Tin Son is another must-see spot while visiting Ayeyarwady. It is very surprising to know that this pagoda is waterlogged all the year except in the days of the annual festival (Pagoda Festival during the month of Tabodwe (February, March)). The seawater is out well beyond the pagoda during the festival and lots of stalls dealing with all sorts of local products, seafood, ornaments, made of seashells, and lodging houses, built of bamboo for the revelers mushroom on the beach. Once the festival is over, the water is up and covered the beach. It seems that the pagoda is located on the sea.
Best Time to Visit Ayeyarwady Region
February and March are the best time to travel Ayeyarwady because, at this time, the beaches will be considerably exposed to sunshine. Besides, visiting here in February and March, you can take part in the Maw Tin Son pagoda festival
Bago Region
Bago Region is an administrative region of Myanmar, located in the southern central part of the country. It is bordered by Magway Region and Mandalay Region to the north; Kayin State, Mon State and the Gulf of Martaban to the east; Yangon Region to the south and Ayeyarwady Region and Rakhine State to the west
What to See in Bago Region
Arguably, Bago is the land of pagoda and stupa and the spiritual address that any pilgrims should not miss. One of the significant pagodas that embody the particular Myanmar architecture is Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda. The Shwemawdaw or ‘Great Golden God Pagoda’ of Bago has had a long history of more than 1000 years. Legends say that enshrined beneath the towering pagoda are the hairs and teeth of the Buddha. Because of these relics. Shwemawdaw is visited by throngs of Buddhist pilgrims during all hours of the day and night.
Another outstanding pagoda is Kyaik Pun Pagoda the form of four gigantic Buddha images all in sitting posture facing the four cardinal points of the compass. They are seated back to back against a massive brick pillar. There are many other significant pagodas in Bago like the Mahazedi (the Great Stupa) built by King Bayinnaung in 1560 A.D and Hinthakone Pagoda which you should see. Legend has it that the pagoda enshrines a tooth-relic brought from Sri Lanka
In addition, if you are interested in archeology, Kanbawza Thadi the famous palace of King Bayinnaung (1551-1581 A.D.) is absolutely appropriate for you. It is being extensively excavated and some buildings are being rebuilt. The Archaeological Department has up to now excavated six mounds which revealed the brick foundations and plinths of the old palace
Best Time to Visit Bago Region
You can travel to Bago all year round but you suggest that you should visit Bago from November to February. At this time, temperatures are relatively manageable and your outdoor activities will not be affected by the fierce heat