35 Incredible Photos of Myanmar (Burma)

a view from the top of a wooden fence

Myanmar (Burma) is one of my all-time favorite travel destinations.

Until recently it was mostly closed off to the outside world, but with political changes Myanmar is now an emerging backpacking destination. It is just as gorgeous as its neighbors in Southeast Asia, but far less explored (and exploited) by tourists than other popular travel spots like Thailand.

It also happens to be one of the most photogenic countries I’ve ever visited. The country explodes with color, culture, nature, and history. This all makes for some incredible Myanmar photos.

So here are 35 pictures of Myanmar to inspire you to visit Burma:

a person on a surfboard in the water

Myanmar Photos: Bagan’s Dramatic Sunrises

Myanmar is most famous for the thousands of stunning temples at Bagan, which each morning bask in the glow of the sunrise while hot air balloons hover overhead:

an aerial view of a sunset with a sky background

a large building with a bunch of trees around ita stone building with a clock on top of it

Visitors to Bagan can rent small electronic bikes or bicycles to explore the many temples that dot the archaeological zone. There are thousands of temples and, though visitors are starting to head to Bagan, it is still possible to find plenty of entirely empty one to have to yourself. For more information on the temples of Bagan, check out this post at The Planet D.

Myanmar Photos: Inle Lake’s Relaxed Vibes and Friendly People

One of my favorite memories from Myanmar was exploring the massive but shallow Inle Lake. This giant lake is surrounded by villages, some of them literally built on stilts over the water.

a man standing on top of a paddle boat in the watera small boat sitting in the middle of a lakea man sitting on a bench near a body of water

And while Bagan is famous for its sunrises, the sunsets at Inle Lake are equally impressive. Burmese fishermen pose with their nets for photographs, making for some incredible Myanmar pictures.

two people standing on top of a body of water

two people standing next to each other on a beach

The fishermen on Inle Lake row their boats with one leg so that they can have their hands free to work their nets. Some of them also pose for photographs at sunset. The results pictures are stunning, but bear in mind that they will expect a tip!

a man and a woman on a paddle board in the waterthree people in a canoe on a body of water

Exploring Inle with a camera was one of my favorite memories from South East Asia. There are so many great pictures to be had — and so many way to get around and away from anyone else (it’s a big lake after all). You can take a bicycle for a ride through the villages and, if you get tired, just hire a boatman to take you across the lake.

a man sitting on a wooden bench next to a rivera man riding a boat on top of a lakea man sitting on a bench in the water

Inle Lake is dotted with floating gardens where to locals grow all sorts of crops directly over the water. There is also a town that is famous for making tofu and a popular market where you can buy food directly from the farmers.

a lush green field filled with lots of green plantsa boat floating on top of a body of watera brick building that has a bunch of bricks on ita row of wooden crates filled with lots of different types of objectsa woman standing in front of a bunch of bananas

Though Inle Lake is still a secondary attraction to Bagan, I actually thought my time there was the highlight of my visit to Myanmar. I loved the relaxed vibes, the incredible culture, the friendly locals, the nature, and of course the gorgeous photo opportunities everywhere.

Myanmar Photos: Mandalay’s Incredible Bustling Culture

While many people associate Mandalay with Rudyard Kipling’s iconic poem, the city’s vibe is decidedly different than what you might guess from the poem (indeed, Kipling never actually went to Mandalay). Most of Mandalay is a bustling, crowded city with little of the romance conveyed by Kipling. But you can still find some amazing culture in Mandalay.

a fence that has some lights on it

The U Bein teak bridge in Mandalay is over a kilometer long. In places the bridge is so rickety that it feels like it might just snap at any moment! But, despite the increasing number of tourists, it’s still a great place to interact with locals.

a woman in a red dress standing on a docka green plant growing on top of a green field

You’ll find monks hanging out and vendors selling ice cream on the bridge, while underneath fishermen and duck shepherds — you heard that right, duck shepherds! — tend to their trades.

a person standing in the water with an umbrellaa small boat floating on top of a lush green field

Mandalay also boasts some stunning temples, as well as a monastery high on a hill offering incredible opportunities to take stunning photos of the city.

a woman standing on a balcony looking at the oceana row of tall buildings with statues on top of them

While Mandalay is often skipped by visitors, its culture, temples, and general vibe is unique and well worth a stop in my opinion.

Myanmar Photos: Yangon’s Rapidly Changing Character

 Myanmar still feels a bit like a country a trapped in time. But with the recent political changes, it is starting to modernize quickly. Nowhere is that more apparent than Yangon, the country’s capital and the main entry point for most visitors.

a large building with a clock on top of it

The highlight of any visit to Yangon is the Shwedagon Pagoda. Constructed over a thousand years ago, the pagoda stands almost 100 meters tall (for more on visiting it check out this blog).

a large clock tower towering over a city at night

And despite the development in Yangon, it’s still easy to get away from it all. My favorite activity there was taking a ride on the Circle Train, an incredibly slow train that, as the name suggests, circles the city. The best part about the ride are the amazing interactions with curious locals, who were very eager to meet me and my friends.

a boy looking out the window of a train

a man and a woman are sitting on a train

Along the way, the train fills with farmers ferrying livestock and crops of every sort and vendors selling all kinds of foods — I even watched a man cook corn in the train!

Myanmar Photos: the Incredible People of Burma

Many things about Myanmar are enrapturing — its stunning temples, its gorgeous nature, its unique cuisine. But, more than anything, what captured my heart was the warmth of the country’s people.

a man riding on the back of an elephant

Perhaps more than anywhere else I’ve visited, the people were extremely eager to interact with me (even though most can’t speak English).

young girls dressed up in costumesa little girl standing in the middle of a crowd of people

Foreign visitors are still new to Myanmar (especially outside of Bagan), and so at times I felt a bit like a celebrity and was frequently asked to pose for photos. I think they were especially interested in someone as tall as me — I looked a bit like a giant standing next to many of the Burmese people I met! In fact, one of my top experiences while traveling the world took place during one of these photo shoots.

Want to go to Burma to take your own Myanmar photos?

[Edit: In light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State, some travelers may feel ethical issues with travel to Myanmar. I encourage you to consider these issues, which are discussed in further detail in my post: Should Travelers Boycott Myanmar?]

a sunset on a beach with a body of water

And for more cool Myanmar photos, stories, and guides from other travelers, see here,here, and  here.

a grassy field with trees and mountains

What do you think? Have you been to Myanmar? Is it on your bucket list? Let me know in the comments!

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about me

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Welcome to my travel website! I’m Mary Howard, an American who has been exploring the world full-time for 8 years.

Together with my husband, Intan, we often find ourselves in our second home, Bali, but our adventures take us to exciting destinations all over the globe.

Join us on our journey!

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