Grand Escapades’ Budget Guide To Myanmar

Expensive For Asia

Hot Air Balloon Flight with Balloons Over Bagan, Bagan, Myanmar

Type Of Travel

I am basically a Flashpacker and this is how I traveled in Myanmar in February 2015. I prefer to stay in hostels or local guesthouses, but (almost) always stay in private rooms with ensuite bathrooms. Longer distance I covered by plane, like Bagan to Inle Lake and Inle Lake to Yangon. Good food is important to me, this can be a food stall, small local restaurants and maybe a cocktail sipped on the roof terrace of an international hotel. And I do not hesitate to “do something special” when justified: in Myanmar it was a tour in a Hot Air Balloon in Bagan, an experience of a lifetime!

Itinerary & Time Of The Visit

I used every single one of the 28 days the eVisa was allowing me to stay in Myanmar in February 2015 and visited first the Southeast of the country (Golden Rock, Hpa An & Mawlamyine), before heading to the Northeast (Pyin Oo Lwin, train via the Gokteik Viaduct, Hsipaw) and finally discovered during the last two weeks the more popular and touristic part of the country (Mandalay, Bagan, Inle Lake & last but not least Yangon).

Global Budget

Yes, Myanmar is expensive for Asia, significantly more than its neighboring countries. Especially hotels offer a price / quality ratio far below what I experienced in India, Vietnam, Laos, you name it…

But probably two aspects pushed the budget up during this trip: first, I traveled with a friend on a “regular vacation” the last two weeks in Myanmar and hence decided to fly twice, which added to the Transport Budget. Moreover, in Bagan I decided to do a Tour in a Hot Air Balloon, for a hefty 350 USD, which is what you find below under “Activities”…

Hostels & Hotels

Accommodation is expensive in Myanmar, especially considering the price / quality ratio! Do not expect something special while traveling there, at least at a reasonable price…

Restaurants & Food

On the other hand, food is extremely cheap in Myanmar, at least if you avoid the touristy upscale restaurants, which are overpriced considering the food on offer. In many places, you find great, diverse and cheap street food…

Drinks & Going Out

Drinks are really cheap in Myanmar, especially if you stick to beer in bars that cater for locals. In several places, you can marvel at great views while enjoying a good cocktail: Mandalay, Yangon, …

Tours & Activities

Entrance fees are very reasonable in Myanmar. No tour is needed except if you go trekking, which I haven’t done. If your budget allows it, consider a Hot Air Balloon ride in Bagan, an experience of a lifetime! Yes, it costs 350 USD…

Splurge At Reasonable Costs?

Somehow, Myanmar doesn’t seem to be the best place for an expensive yet amazing hotel or restaurant. This might be explained by the fact that tourism is extremely new and that capacities reach their limit in the peak season…

Reduce Costs?

Of course you can significantly reduce cost, especially on accommodation and on transport. You find hostels in every major hub in Myanmar, there are buses crisscrossing the country, …