Myanmar Cultural
Myanmar’s culture is a mixture of influences of Chin, Shan, Karen, and Kachin peoples — to name just a few. There are pockets of traditional culture all over the country. Guides can translate and help you navigate local customs and introduce you to a distinctly Burmese way of life.
How can we help?
Click and read long-form guides
Bagan Temple Tour
Bagan has thousands of temples, but they’re only a fraction of the site’s original sprawl. Much of the site was built from the 11th to the 13th century, with lots of Buddha statues and other embellishments added from the 14 to the 16th century. You’ll follow your knowledgeable guide to see the most noteworthy temples, as well as a nearby village. This tour takes place around sunset, so you can appreciate the majesty of Bagan’s temples during the cooler part of the day.
Explore TourMandalay and Amarapura City Tour
This tour takes you to see Mandalay, Burma’s last royal capital. This is where the Burmese surrendered to the British at the end of the 19th century, ushering in a difficult colonial era. Today, Mandalay’s artisans work hard to preserve Myanmar’s traditional crafts. You’ll also visit the nearby royal city of Amarapura and then continue to see Mandalay’s most iconic landmarks.
Explore TourInle Lake and Inn Dein Pagoda Tour
Experience firsthand the culture of the Intha people on a visit to Inle Lake. You’ll get to see the fishermen practicing their skillful leg rowing as well as the lake’s famous 5-Day Market.
Explore TourGolden Rock, Bago & Kyaiktiyo
This is a 2-day tour that takes you to see the historic temples of Bago and Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. The Kyaiktiyo Pagoda is one of Myanmar’s top pilgrimage sites. You’ll spend the night in a mountaintop hotel in Kinpun and wake up to an incredible view of the mountains.
Explore TourTrekking Shan Culture
This three-day, two-night tour takes you on a popular trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake. Along the way, you’ll get to see traditional villages and learn about rural life in Myanmar. Before you set out on your trek, you’ll explore some of Kalaw’s most interesting Buddhist sites.
Explore TourMulti-Day Riverside Tour
This two-day tour brings you to some of the area’s scenic riverside destinations. You’ll get to travel by boat part of the way, which is a lovely opportunity to take in the countryside. You’ll stop at some beautiful pagodas and monasteries and explore a richly decorated cave.
Explore TourHot Air Balloon Flight Over Bagan
Hot air balloon tours are one of the most iconic ways to see Bagan. You’ll leave early in the morning and have the chance to see the surrounding villages waking up.
Explore TourSale and Popa Tour
This all-day tour takes you to see the fascinating culture and history of the central river valley. You’ll see one of the oldest monasteries in the country and experience traditional shopping experiences that you can only find in Myanmar.
Explore TourMingun, Ava, Sagaing
This full-day tour takes you to explore a few of Myanmar’s former capitals. Myanmar has seen many power shifts in its history, and this tour covers just a few of these previous kingdom’s highlights, including Sagaing, Ava, and Mingun.
Explore TourYangon City Tour
Yangon is Myanmar’s largest city and has a noteworthy mix of the country’s old an new. You’ll see some of the most interesting colonial architecture as well as one of Myanmar’s most famous Buddhist sites, the Shwedagon Pagoda. This tour has several optional stops, allowing you to customize your experience of the city.
Explore TourKakku Ancient Pagodas Tour
This tour departs from Nyaungshwe and brings visitors to Kakku, a collection of approximately 2,500 pagodas. Kakku preserves the architecture of the Shan people.
Explore TourBago Tour
This tour takes you on a 50-mile (80-km) journey to Bago. Bago became the capital under the 16th-century King Bayintnaung. It continued as the capital under the Hanthawadi Kingdom and continued for many centuries under the Mon kingdom.
Explore TourGreen Hill Valley Elephant Camp
Green Hill Valley Sustainable Elephant Tourism Camp provides a home for elephants who are no longer physically fit for labor. Many of them have spent their lives working in labor camps. This tour starts with a 45-minute drive from Kalaw to the elephant camp in Magway.
Explore TourMingun Tour
Take a half-day tour to see the town of Mingun’s temples. You’ll travel an hour upstream the Ayeyarwaddy River to see the Mingun Pagoda and the Myatheindan Pagoda. As you travel along the river, you’ll also see scenes from rural life in Myanmar, including women washing laundry among buffalo on the riverbank.
Explore TourShwedagon Pagoda Night Market Tour
Set out at dusk on a tour of the enormous Shwedagon Pagoda. This is the most famous Buddhist site in Myanmar, and many consider it central to Burmese culture. On the way, you’ll experience some parts of the city that you shouldn’t miss on a visit to Yangon.
Explore TourTemple Tour by E-Scooter
Take an electric Scooter ride through Bagan to see the temples and local villages. Many tours to Bagan focus solely on the incredible temple ruins. This tour takes you to experience some local culture as well, with a visit to a pleasant local tea shop.
Explore TourKyauk Gu Umin and Sunset Boat Tour
This tour takes you to see the famous ruins of Bagan as the sunset draws near. After you see some of the site’s most famous temples, you’ll embark on a sunset boat tour to the Kyauk Gu Umin temple.
Explore TourAmarapura Tour
This half-day tour takes you from Mandalay to see the famous sites of the nearby city of Amarapura. Amarapura was Myanmar’s royal capital from 1783 until 1857 when King Mingdon had many of its buildings dismantled and moved to Mandalay. This tour takes you to Amarapura’s most famous landmarks: U Bein Bridge and the Mahagandayone Monastery.
Explore Tour4-Day Mawlamyine Tour
This is a 4-day tour that takes you to the port town of Mawlamyine and its surrounding cultural and religious attractions. It served as the British capital during the 19th century, and today serves as an essential trading hub for the Mon state. Today, visitors come to Mawlamyine to see its picturesque colonial architecture.
Explore TourGreen Hill Valley Elephant Camp
Green Hill Valley Sustainable Elephant Tourism Camp provides a home for elephants who are no longer physically fit for labor. Many of them have spent their lives working in labor camps. This tour starts with a 45-minute drive from Kalaw to the elephant camp in Magway.
Explore TourCultural
Guided Tours
Temple
Bagan has thousands of temples, but they’re only a fraction of the site’s original sprawl. Much of the site was built from the 11th to the 13th century, with lots of Buddha statues and other embellishments added from the 14 to the 16th century. You’ll follow your knowledgeable guide to see the most noteworthy temples, as well as a nearby village. This tour takes place around sunset, so you can appreciate the majesty of Bagan’s temples during the cooler part of the day.
