Myanmar – formerly known as Burma – is rarely on anyone’s radar. It’s a country many know nothing about and certainly not a place they want to travel to. I made this post in the hopes that our amazing Myanmar photos will inspire you to visit this photogenic country.
Officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, it was a pariah state for many years following the military coup in 1962. The political turmoil under the military regime kept the country largely closed off from the rest of the world. The ruling junta finally relinquished its power in 2011, though they still controlled many aspects of the government. Finally, in 2015, activist Aung San Suu Kyi’s democracy movement took power after 50 years of military domination.
Politics aside, Myanmar is very worthy of your time and attention. The opening up of the country and influx of foreign tourists has no doubt had a positive impact. The people are friendly, the food is delicious, and there are amazing photo opportunities around every corner. Here are 40 amazing Myanmar photos that will put the country on your travel bucket list.
The Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon – the most sacred pagoda in Myanmar.
I truly hope these amazing Myanmar photos has got you planning a trip already. If you need more help with your planning or if you would like to see some of Sasha’s videos from our trip, head over to our Myanmar page where you can find more photos, videos, and stories. If you would like any help planning your adventure, feel free to contact us! We love offering travel advice.
Have you been to Myanmar? What was your favorite place? Let us know in the comments!
Rachel is a digital nomad teacher and music lover who's been living and traveling around the world with her husband, Sasha, since 2010. She is the co-owner and designer of Grateful Gnomads. As a lover of all things Grateful Dead and Phish, she spends her free time boogyin' down to her favorite tunes.
Rachel,
Awesome, awesome pictures. Love the great depiction of the country. It is on the top of my places to go right now. I think opening up the country has done wonders for the economy especially tourism. Do you see an ill affects from the opening while there?
I am also wondering how long it will stay relatively untouched. Is the pace of change crazy or is the country sticking to its routes?
Thanks for the kind words, Joe! I didn’t really notice any ill effects that would come from being more open to travelers. Quite the opposite! The people have been so shut off to the world for such a long time. When we were in Hsipaw, we were in the market for some books. We were told to go see Mr. Book who owns a little street side book shop. When we got there he was so excited about being about to watch Voice of America, he insisted that we come and watch it with him and we became friends! I went with him to deliver clothing to children in ethnic villages in the countryside. They are so eager to meet travelers, hear about the rest of the world, and simply get to know people.
They were rapidly building more accommodation to house the influx of travelers but other than that it didn’t feel like it was too crazy. You will love it!
Lovely photos Rachel – they bring back great memories of my time in Myanmar. I would definitely encourage people to visit. Somewhat like Cuba, it is one of the few places you can experience a culture largely untouched by globalisation.
Thank you, Zoe! It’s a great place for those who really enjoy exploring lesser known areas. However, globalization is starting to take hold there so it’s better to go sooner than later!
I’ve never been to Myanmar, but it has been on my radar for a long time.
In Australia we get a bit of news about what is happening there, at the moment it is unfortunately centred more around the clashes between the Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas.
BUT we also get the news of a blossoming country that is trying to find its way after dictatorial rule, and your photos illustrate the joyous side of the country that has been hidden away for so long.
Am I right in saying there is a reasonable entrepreneurial scene in Yangon? Or am I mixing it up with another country.
Yes, the news about the clashes with Rohingya ethnic minorities seems to never end. That’s why I wanted to do this photo essay to show that, yes, there is, in fact, a very happy side to Myanmar. Tourism and awareness can hopefully help to end and heal the country.
I can’t say for certain if there is an entrepreneurial scene in Yangon, but I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s growing and changing so quickly and there is a lot of opportunity for new business and investments. When we visited they were one of 3 countries that didn’t have Coca-Cola nor a single international fast-food chain. How things have changed! A friend of ours worked in Yangon for about two years with a company that was helping bring these things in.
Wow, we’ve never been to Myanmar, but based on your photos it looks like I might want to go visit! – what does the local traffic look like, is it all motorcycles/scooters or are there cars/taxis too? what are the grocery stores like and I assume no one speaks English right?
Those temples are amazing, my favorite by far is the tree growing out of the temple.
Thanks for sharing, these are great photos and show a side of Myanmar I haven’t seen before!
Hey, Paul! Thanks for the kind words! There are lots of cars and taxis as well as plenty of motorbikes. Actually, plenty of people can speak at least a basic level of English. It’s one of the few perks of many years of British rule. We never had a kitchen to use when we were there so we never went to any grocery stores. However, there are numerous fruit stalls around the cities and even the smaller villages. Visiting the temples in Bagan was also my favorite part of our trip there! Let me know if you’re planning a trip. I have lots of advice to offer!
Rachel,
Awesome, awesome pictures. Love the great depiction of the country. It is on the top of my places to go right now. I think opening up the country has done wonders for the economy especially tourism. Do you see an ill affects from the opening while there?
I am also wondering how long it will stay relatively untouched. Is the pace of change crazy or is the country sticking to its routes?
Thanks for the kind words, Joe! I didn’t really notice any ill effects that would come from being more open to travelers. Quite the opposite! The people have been so shut off to the world for such a long time. When we were in Hsipaw, we were in the market for some books. We were told to go see Mr. Book who owns a little street side book shop. When we got there he was so excited about being about to watch Voice of America, he insisted that we come and watch it with him and we became friends! I went with him to deliver clothing to children in ethnic villages in the countryside. They are so eager to meet travelers, hear about the rest of the world, and simply get to know people.
They were rapidly building more accommodation to house the influx of travelers but other than that it didn’t feel like it was too crazy. You will love it!
Lovely photos Rachel – they bring back great memories of my time in Myanmar. I would definitely encourage people to visit. Somewhat like Cuba, it is one of the few places you can experience a culture largely untouched by globalisation.
Thank you, Zoe! It’s a great place for those who really enjoy exploring lesser known areas. However, globalization is starting to take hold there so it’s better to go sooner than later!
I’ve never been to Myanmar, but it has been on my radar for a long time.
In Australia we get a bit of news about what is happening there, at the moment it is unfortunately centred more around the clashes between the Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas.
BUT we also get the news of a blossoming country that is trying to find its way after dictatorial rule, and your photos illustrate the joyous side of the country that has been hidden away for so long.
Am I right in saying there is a reasonable entrepreneurial scene in Yangon? Or am I mixing it up with another country.
Yes, the news about the clashes with Rohingya ethnic minorities seems to never end. That’s why I wanted to do this photo essay to show that, yes, there is, in fact, a very happy side to Myanmar. Tourism and awareness can hopefully help to end and heal the country.
I can’t say for certain if there is an entrepreneurial scene in Yangon, but I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s growing and changing so quickly and there is a lot of opportunity for new business and investments. When we visited they were one of 3 countries that didn’t have Coca-Cola nor a single international fast-food chain. How things have changed! A friend of ours worked in Yangon for about two years with a company that was helping bring these things in.
Fantastic photos! You’ve given me wanderlust again 😛
Good! I have achieved my goal 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Wow, we’ve never been to Myanmar, but based on your photos it looks like I might want to go visit! – what does the local traffic look like, is it all motorcycles/scooters or are there cars/taxis too? what are the grocery stores like and I assume no one speaks English right?
Those temples are amazing, my favorite by far is the tree growing out of the temple.
Thanks for sharing, these are great photos and show a side of Myanmar I haven’t seen before!
Hey, Paul! Thanks for the kind words! There are lots of cars and taxis as well as plenty of motorbikes. Actually, plenty of people can speak at least a basic level of English. It’s one of the few perks of many years of British rule. We never had a kitchen to use when we were there so we never went to any grocery stores. However, there are numerous fruit stalls around the cities and even the smaller villages. Visiting the temples in Bagan was also my favorite part of our trip there! Let me know if you’re planning a trip. I have lots of advice to offer!