Myanmar, as it is to visit today
Pagodas, markets, noodles and lakes, with honest notes on what's open, what it costs and where it's safe to go.
Where to go
Grouped by current UK travel advice, checked 5 Oct 2026. Start in Yangon: it's the main international gateway and the easiest place to arrive.
No UK advice against travel Open as usual Yangon is outside the areas covered by UK travel warnings.
UK: essential travel only Check advice first The UK advises essential travel only. Tourists still visit; check your own government's advice and your insurance.
Mandalay မန္တလေး
The last royal capital. U Bein Bridge, Mandalay Hill and the monasteries of Amarapura and Mingun nearby.
Bagan ပုဂံ
Over 2,000 temples across the plain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019.
Inle Lake အင်းလေး
Stilt villages, floating gardens and the one-legged rowing of Intha fishermen.
Mount Popa ပုပ္ပါး
A monastery perched on a volcanic plug, 777 steps up. A day trip from Bagan.
Pyin Oo Lwin ပြင်ဦးလွင်
A colonial hill station at 1,070 m, cool all year, with botanical gardens and old horse carriages.
UK: advises against all travel Not currently advised The UK advises against all travel. These guides stay online for later.
Ngapali ငပလီ
White-sand beach on the Bay of Bengal in Rakhine State.
Golden Rock ကျိုက်ထီးရိုး
The gilded boulder of Kyaiktiyo, balanced on a cliff edge in Mon State.
Mrauk U မြောက်ဦး
Stone temples of the Arakanese kingdom, capital from 1430 to 1785.
Hpa-An ဘားအံ
Limestone karsts and cave pagodas in Kayin State.
What to eat
Four dishes to try in your first 48 hours. All are cheapest and best at tea shops and street stalls.
Rice noodles in catfish broth. The national breakfast.
Wheat noodles in coconut-chicken curry, topped with fritters and egg.
Fermented tea-leaf salad with fried beans, peanuts and garlic.
Pork skewers simmered in soy, dipped in chilli-garlic sauce.
Plan your trip
The practical things that changed most since 2021.