Some places you visit. Some places stay with you. Myanmar is the second kind. I spent seven days moving from the noise of Yangon to the quiet of Inle Lake, with one camera, a small bag and no real plan except to chase good light. This is the route I took, what I filmed, and what I'd tell a friend before they go.
Travel far enough, you meet yourself.
The route at a glance
- Day 1: Yangon – tea shops and golden stupas
- Day 2–3: Mandalay – white stupas and old capitals
- Day 3–5: Bagan – sunrise, temples and hot-air balloons
- Day 6–7: Inle Lake – fishermen, floating villages and slow mornings
Day 1 – Yangon
Yangon is the best kind of chaos. Start the day the local way: in a tea shop, with sweet milk tea and a plate of fried snacks, watching the city wake up. Street life here is a gift for filmmakers – faces, colours and movement everywhere you point the lens.
In the late afternoon, head to a pagoda. The gold glows when the sun gets low, and the crowd of locals coming to pray is calm and welcoming. Remember: shoes off, shoulders and knees covered.
Day 2–3 – Mandalay
Take the night bus or a short flight north. Mandalay feels slower and more traditional. The rows of white stupas here are pure geometry – come early in the morning when the light is soft and the paths are almost empty.
Don't miss sunset at U Bein Bridge, the long teak bridge outside the city. Silhouettes of monks and cyclists crossing against an orange sky – it's one of those shots that frames itself.
Day 3–5 – Bagan
This is the reason most people come to Myanmar, and it lives up to it. More than two thousand temples spread across a dusty plain. Rent an e-bike, get lost on the sandy tracks, and you'll find temples with no one else around.
The magic hour is sunrise. Mist sits low over the plain, the temples appear one by one, and dozens of hot-air balloons drift up into a pink sky.
During the day, explore the bigger temples – their white and red brick walls are stunning in hard midday sun. Inside, small doorways lead to quiet, cool corridors that make perfect frames.
Filming tip: climbing on temples is now restricted to protect them, so use the official viewing mounds for sunrise, or bring a longer lens and shoot from the ground. Always check local rules before flying a drone.
Day 6–7 – Inle Lake
After the heat of Bagan, Inle Lake is a deep breath. Book a long-tail boat for a full day and leave before sunrise. The famous leg-rowing fishermen balance on one foot at the front of their boats – it's even more beautiful in person than in photos.
The boat will take you past floating gardens, stilt-house villages and workshops for silk, silver and cheroot cigars. Ask your boatman to stop at the forest of old stupas near the lake – hundreds of weathered spires, some leaning, some covered in moss.
On my last evening, I sat in the boat as the sun went down over the water. No plan, no rush, just the sound of the engine and the light fading. That's the feeling I wanted to bring home.
Watch the film
Part of this trip ended up in my year-in-review film:
Tips before you go
- Best time: November to February – dry, clear and cooler. Perfect for sunrise shoots.
- Getting around: night buses between cities are cheap and comfortable; short domestic flights save time.
- Dress code: cover shoulders and knees at temples, and be ready to go barefoot.
- Respect people: always ask before taking someone's portrait – a smile goes a long way.
- Gear: a wide lens for temples, a 70–200mm for balloons and fishermen, and spare batteries for long days.
- Safety: this trip was filmed before 2020. The situation in Myanmar has changed a lot since then, so check your government's latest travel advice before planning a trip.
Have questions about this route or want to work together on a travel film? Send me a message.