Looking for an exotic escape for your honeymoon? Myanmar − formerly known as Burma − offers the chance to see a country where the 21st-century world has barely intruded. The sights and sounds of this ancient nation glisten with enchantment. This country has enough incredible sights and scenery to fill a thousand romantic journeys. Transport yourself back in time with a honeymoon in Myanmar.
U-Bein Bridge, Mandalay
Known as the home of monks, Myanmar’s second city of Mandalay has plenty to offer, especially for adventurous honeymooners. Spend a few nights in the city before heading out to other Myanmar honeymoon destinations. Begin your journey by visiting the Hsinbyume Pagoda and take some great honeymoon photos of its picturesque white architecture.
One of the most romantic sights in Mandalay is the colorful sunrises and sunsets at the U-Bein bridge. This bridge is the longest teakwood bridge in the world and it’s a stunning place. Here, you can stroll with your loved one around a sunflower garden.
Watch the sun sink into the horizon from high on the hill above Mandalay.
Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon
Yangon may have been stripped of its capital city status in 2005 but this colorful, vibrant colonial city on the fertile delta of southern Burma’s Yangon River, home to the extraordinary Shwedagon Pagoda, has lost none of its charisma and should not be overlooked.
One of the top sights in the city is the giant golden Shwedagon Pagoda. It’s beautiful both during the day and it’s also lit up at night making for a romantic sight.
The Governor’s Residence is a romantic, colonial-style, teakwood mansion from the 1920s turned into a 5-star Orient-Express hotel. Set within lotus gardens, it is located in the city’s quiet Embassy Quarter, and has been beautifully restored. The stylish bedrooms of this hotel are arranged in low-rise buildings in the garden. Life revolves around the parasol-fringed, fan-shaped swimming-pool, the ground-floor Kipling Bar and the excellent Burmese-French Mandalay Restaurant, with candlelit tables in the lotus garden.
Founded by the British in 1896, the historic town of Pyin Oo Lwin was originally called Maymyo, and was designed as a place to escape the Mandalay heat. Today, it is famous for its fruit, jams and fruit wines.
Pyin Oo Lwin is a delightful colonial hill town. Head to the quiet gardens of Kandawgyi Park, which is a lovely place to spend a relaxing afternoon on your honeymoon. Take a picnic in the Botanical Garden and enjoy it like you’re the only two people in the world. For the best experience, take a tour to explore the strawberry fields, coffee bean plantations, and the vineyard. A hiking trail to the jaw-dropping Dat Taw Gyaint Waterfall is another not-to-be-missed experience, offering a taste of adventure during your Myanmar honeymoon.
Bagan
The ancient city of Bagan is the cultural capital of the country and a favorite for honeymooners. Plan to spend more time here than you think you’ll need because you’re going to fall in love with Bagan.
Peacefully floating over ancient temples aboard a hot air balloon at sunrise is definitely a honeymoon bucket list item. The sunrises in Bagan are amazing, the generally hazy skies illuminate in soft pastel colors over the plain. This will be a moment you remember as a couple forever, probably the most romantic thing you can do together on a Myanmar honeymoon, and maybe in a lifetime.
For yet more views of Bagan, head to the very top of the 200-foot-tall Bagan Viewing Tower in the north-east of the main area of temples.
For a slice of quintessential Burma, you can’t beat the Hotel@Tharabar Gate, a temple to understated elegance located right in front of the city gates of Old Bagan. The hotel is within walking distance of the Ananda Temple (built in 1091) and is surrounded by mature bamboo gardens. Its teak-floored rooms are full of Burmese antiques and textiles. A large pool is set among brightly-colored bougainvillea bushes and rather charmingly framed by little stone elephant sculptures. There’s also a spa specializing in south-east Asian treatments, and two restaurants − one in the French garden, and the more formal, semi-open Ananda Restaurant. There is so much to see here − you’ll even find the remains of a 12th-century palace within the grounds of the hotel complex.
Inle Lake
High up in western Shan State, Kalaw is an old hill station with a laid back atmosphere, refreshing climate and scenic views.
Are you an adventure-loving couple? If so, you should definitely add Kalaw to your list. Kalaw offers some exciting hiking trails for you to discover, the most remarkable of which is a three-day trail, which takes you through the dense forest, tea and coffee plantations, and tribal villages, from Kalaw to Inle Lake.
The tranquil Inle Lake is a wonderful place to relax during your Myanmar honeymoon, surrounded by rural beauty with a laid-back atmosphere and plenty of things to do. It’s a great place to get a glimpse of the authentic culture of Myanmar. Visit the floating gardens to see how locals find an alternative to take benefit of the rich-nutrient water of Inle Lake. Don’t miss the floating villages and the floating market. Make the most of your romantic journey by kayaking together on the lake.
Mergui Archipelago
One of the most romantic places in Myanmar is the Mergui Archipelago in the Tanintharyi Region in the south of the country. Offering a vast panoramic area in which to spend some quality time with your partner, this place is filled with serene beaches and several spots for snorkeling and scuba diving. To enjoy even more honeymoon experiences with your loved one, consider taking an island cruise.
Ngapali Beach, with its breathtaking sunsets, and pristine palm-tree-fringed white sand, lapped by the clear waters of the Bay of Bengal, is the perfect romantic destination for honeymooners looking to enjoy private time together. The friendly locals, delicious fresh seafood, and rustic villages are just some more reasons to visit and stay longer.
Perched beside a quiet sugar-white-sand beach, this conservation-minded hotel provides Robinson Crusoe levels of seclusion, while being less than 10 minutes from the airport. The accommodation is in heavenly rooms in stilted, thatched glass and sustainable-timber cabanas with enormous four-poster beds. It also has a spa, a large swimming-pool and a restaurant serving the most delicious seafood. Other cool touches include bicycles that you can borrow for a cycle up the beach, and a shop with souvenirs, such as hand-painted puppets. You will also notice the excellent standard of English spoken by the staff, who are sent to Yangon for language lessons during the monsoon season.
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