Burma / Myanmar Luxury Travel Guide

Myanmar is developing quickly to a luxury travel hot spot of Southeast Asia and is in high demand and in fashion now. All travel magazines and guides are now featuring Myanmar and new cool boutique hotels and services have sprung up to cater to the discerning travelers.

Here is our latest cheat sheet for your lux trip to Myanmar – compiled by Discovery DMC travel designers.

Le Planteur is the best place for fine dining in Yangon

Where to stay in Myanmar

We have handpicked the best boutique hotels, resorts and cruises with charm to help you making decisions.

Best restaurants and bars in Yangon

Yangon is the unrivaled capital for great food and drinks and plenty of places to explore.

Fine dining: Le Planteur Restaurant – a real gem of a place. Tastefully decorated restaurant with best selection of wines in Myanmar (they import own wines). Food is French cuisine with occasional Indochinese touch. Le Planteur has been featured in most gourmet magazines.

Governor’s Residence Myanmar curries buffet is perfect place to try all local dishes.
Stop at Rangoon Tea House for some Myanmar food and sweet Burmese tea.

Cocktails at Gekko – great sake based cocktails in Japanese fusion restaurant/ bar in old colonial building
Blind Tiger – hidden bar

Afternoon tea: why not? The classic place is the Strand Hotel and another good place if you happen to be in the area is the Acacia Tea room.

Other places to seek out for while travelling

Mandalay: Bistro 82, owned by Swiss chef offers best food in town.

For the culturally curios

Myanmar art scene still quite unaffected by global trends is a great way to experience the country and its people trough colourful and interesting art. Myanmar was long under strict military junta and skilful artist did their work in quiet avoiding political issues. The political atmosphere has changed and artists are more free to express themselves and today Yangon is home for some really interesting art galleries that are full of great art from local and foreign artists.

Pansodan Gallery has frequently changing exhibitions of country’s rising artist. Here you can also find an impressive collection of old photos, propaganda posters and postcards. Every Tuesday evening at 7.30 pm Pansodan Gallery invites all artists and art freaks for conversation and refreshments.

Lokanat Gallery in Sofaer building is non-profit organisation established in 1971. With its great motto “Truth, Beauty, Love” Lokanat might be Myanmar’s longest-running art gallery. Now home for works of 21 local artist Lokanat is a must place to visit for all art enthusiasts

River Art Gallery next to Strand Hotel is showcasing the jewels of Burmese contemporary art. Here you can find astonishing works from traditional to more modern style. Beautifully set in the colonial Strand Hotel its among Yangon’s most interesting galleries

Other cultural points of interest in Yangon

Pomelo store offers ethically-sourced high quality handicrafts produced by locals from local materials.
Yangon Heritage Walk – journey back in time and learn about the colonial history and architecture of this bustling city.
Antiques Augustines souvenir store offers quality antique products with experience of almost 40 years.
Have a “Let Pwe” Myanmar boxing class with a champ

Experiences not to be missed

Hot air balloon flights in Bagan & Inle Lake
Take a ride with elephant coach
Bathe with elephants near Kalaw
Lux river cruises on Irrawaddy and Chindwin
Mergui Archipelagosailing & yacht charters, diving and island hopping
Explore the wilderness and nature of Myanmar Himalayan region

Hot Air Balloon Flight — Hot air balloon flight over plains of Bagan

What you need to know before you go to Myanmar ?

Visa to Myanmar

Visa is necessary for travelling to Myanmar. Business travellers of certain nationalities can fly in with invitation letter from their business associate in the country and get visa on arrival at Yangon, Naypyitaw or Mandalay airport.

Tourist visas need to applied online http://evisa.moip.gov.mm/ from ministry if immigration website. The 28days single entry tourist visa cost is 50usd. The processing time is in general 5 days and you will get confirmation by email and visa will be stamped to your passport on arrival to Yangon , Naypyitaw or Mandalay international airport.

Should you arrive overland you will need to have visa stamped in your passport. You can apply for visa in Myanmar embassies and consulates abroad.

How to get to Myanmar

There are many choices when it comes to flights to Myanmar and new airline connections are added constantly.
For the time being there are flights to Myanmar from China, India, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Qatar. There are also plans to open direct flight connections from Istanbul, Manila and Jakarta to Yangon soon. For flight deals check www.skyscanner.net

Travelling with private jet – you can now fly with own aircraft to Myanmar. This is obviously most convenient and fastest way to get in and out. Ground handling and immigration can be arranged to your desired destination. There is private jets terminal in Yangon where fast track immigration is provided.
Note that your local ground handling agent needs to apply for landing permits at least one week ahead.
For more information on private jet landings in Yangon and aircraft charter hire.
Contact: [email protected]

Travelling in Myanmar

The road network is still to somewhat undeveloped. For example, driving time from Inle Lake to Bagan can take upto 10 hrs and only 30min by flight. Thanks to Brits there are dozens of airports around the country.
10 local airlines are operating flights in the country. Most aircrafts are ATR72 propeller aircrafts with 60-70seats.

We recommend using the following airlines as they have latest fleet: Mann Yadanarpon, Air KBZ, Apex Airline, FMI Air, Asian Wings, Air Bagan.

Private flights in Myanmar – want to try something special and exclusive
Hire a helicopter for bird’s eye view explorations and travel directly where you want to go at your desired time. With private Myanmar helicopter flights you can explore some of the most remote corners of the country where very few travelers have ever visited before. Read more about touring with helicopter in Burma.