Myanmar's highlights are concentrated in a relatively accessible circuit. Getting further afield is difficult and, in many areas, dangerous.
Bagan is the country's crown jewel: a vast archaeological plain dotted with over 3,000 temples and pagodas, most built between the 9th and 13th centuries. Sunrise and sunset from a high vantage point — or from a hot-air balloon — are among the great spectacles of Southeast Asia. Bagan is genuinely unmissable.
Yangon is the largest city and main arrival point. The Shwedagon Pagoda, its golden stupa soaring 98 metres above the hill, is one of the most impressive Buddhist monuments anywhere. The colonial downtown — crumbling but atmospheric — rewards wandering. Yangon has the country's best restaurants, cafes, and guesthouses.
Inle Lake sits in the Shan hills at 900 metres elevation. Fishermen row their boats with one leg wrapped around an oar — a technique unique to the lake. The floating gardens, stilted villages, and morning market are beautiful. It can feel tourist-saturated in peak season, but it earns its reputation.
Mandalay was the last royal capital before the British conquest. The palace is a reconstruction, but Mandalay Hill, the nearby ancient cities of Amarapura and Sagaing, and the extraordinary U Bein Bridge — a 1.2km teak walkway across a lake — make this a worthwhile stop.
Kyaiktiyo (Golden Rock) is a small gilded boulder perched impossibly on the edge of a cliff, a major Buddhist pilgrimage site. The ascent by shared truck and on foot is half the experience.
Mrauk U is the most remote of the main sites — a ruined city in Rakhine State, with temple-covered hills that feel like Bagan with no other tourists. Access has been complicated by the ongoing conflict in Rakhine; check the current situation carefully before attempting it.
Kalaw is a hill town and the starting point for multi-day treks to Inle Lake through Shan State villages. The trekking here was some of the best in Southeast Asia; the situation in Shan State means you should verify current conditions before booking anything.