Myanmar Photography Tour

The best time to photograph the Shwedagon Pagoda is during sunrise when the morning sun’s rays shine upon the golden stupa, giving it a magical glow. No Myanmar expedition can be considered truly amazing if it’s lacking a visit to this legendary temple. Witness the colors change on the 100-meter chedi which is literally enclosed in over 40 tons of gold leaf. The Shwedagon is largely considered to be the most important religious site for the Burmese and most visitors report that the trip is extremely memorable and still etched into their minds. Make use of the great morning light to pay a visit to a monastery and capture the daily life of the monks. Afterwards, register on film other typical Burmese scenarios by visiting, for instance, a tea house, a colorful street market or by observing colonial buildings.
Next, visit to Kalaywa Tawya Monastery with the resident of over 500 Buddhist monks in the monastery compound where you will have a chance to see the daily monastic activities like showering , learning and have lunch (the last meal of the day around 11:00 am). After that we will have a break for welcoming lunch at one of the good local restaurant and then transfer to your hotel for check in and a chance to freshen up and relax till after noon sightseeing.
Today is the flexible time for you to have plenty of time for our pictures, and maybe return to the same place yesterday if you are not happy with the pictures.
As the sun drops, our thoughts inevitably return again to one of the wonders of the religious world: Shwedagon. Photographing Shwedagon is anything you want it to be. There are challenging but still interesting to observe and shoot different religious activities of all Buddhist people. Free shooting around the pagoda platform will be done till sun is completely down.

The best time to photograph the Shwedagon Pagoda is during sunrise when the morning sun’s rays shine upon the golden stupa, giving it a magical glow. No Myanmar expedition can be considered truly amazing if it’s lacking a visit to this legendary temple. Witness the colors change on the 100-meter chedi which is literally enclosed in over 40 tons of gold leaf. The Shwedagon is largely considered to be the most important religious site for the Burmese and most visitors report that the trip is extremely memorable and still etched into their minds. Make use of the great morning light to pay a visit to a monastery and capture the daily life of the monks. Afterwards, register on film other typical Burmese scenarios by visiting, for instance, a tea house, a colorful street market or by observing colonial buildings.
Transfer late morning to the airport and fly to Heho.
From Heho you will experience a picturesque one-hour drive (32km – 1 hour) on your way to Nyaung Shwe, gateway village to the stunning Inle Lake. During the drive, innumerous sceneries offer great opportunities to make a quick stop to take pictures. You’ll have the opportunity to visit workshops in villages that specialize in traditional Shan paper and unique handcrafted umbrellas. Also, be sure to stop in at the teak monastery of Shweyanpyay to witness the intricate wood carving artwork and craftsmanship of the monks there.
Upon reaching the shore of the lake you will board a private motorboat and begin heading out onto Inle Lake where your hotel is located. You will pass several villages that are built on stilts over the lake and are inhabited by the local Intha people. Observe the daily activities of the local leg-rowing fishermen and see their ‘floating gardens’, which are built up from strips of water hyacinth, earth and anchored to the bottom of the lake with bamboo poles.

Awake early this morning and travel in the pre-dawn light out on to Inle Lake. In a scenic spot, the boat driver will turn off the engine and a mug of hot tea or coffee will be served while enjoying the sunrise over the lake. At this time of day you will be privilege to have the lake almost free of tourists, with local fishermen and market vendors being the main people out at this hour. Continue through a local village to see the morning activities of the lake’s residents as they prepare for their day and then return to your hotel for breakfast.
Trip notes:
– Weather: temperatures may be very cold from October – March. A blanket will be provided however we recommend dressing appropriately
After breakfast you’ll pay a visit to the village of Khaung Daing and learn about the local way of life. Take a walk through the small alleyways and observe the morning activities. Khaung Daing is famous for its production of tofu, made from yellow split peas, rice crackers and fried beans. Afterwards, visit the morning market on the lake (open daily, except for new moon and full moon days). The market’s position changes every 5 days to a different village and visitors include the lake’s residents and people from surrounding villages. This stop is the perfect opportunity for amazing shots of the vibrant market.
In the afternoon, we’ll visit the “long neck” tribal women at a local shop. Please note that they are just 02 long-neck women sitting there for tourist taking photo and their village is in Loikaw, not Inle. (There is none of long-neck women tribe village in Inle area)
Take a one-hour boat ride down a small canal brings you to the Pa-Oh village of Indein, located on the lake’s west shore. Take a leisurely stroll around the village before ascending to the top of a hill. Once you’ve arrived at the summit you will be greeted by an iconic Buddha image which sits enshrined among hundreds of stupa ruins and overgrown shrubbery: a scenery that allows for incredible pictures. Here, from the peak, you will also be rewarded with mesmerizing views of the placid surroundings.
Hop back on the boat and return to your hotel.

You will board your wooden motorized boat and begin heading out onto Inle Lake, oneof Myanmar’s most spectacular and breathtaking sights. Its calm waters are dotted withfloating vegetation and fishing canoes, to which scenic hills provide the perfectbackdrop. Pay a visit to the 5-day market (the market is open every day apart fromdark moon and full moon calendar days). The market’s location rotates between thelake’s villages in a 5 day schedule and is also visited daily by the lake’s inhabitants aswell as the surrounding natives who also come to sell and trade their wares.
Next, visit the Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery which houses many early Shan Buddha images. In the past this temple was known for its ‘jumping cats’, but these days there are only a few felines roaming around and none are jumping anymore. Proceed to the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main haven containing five sacred images of Buddha decorated in gold leaf. Eternalize these traditional temples in your pictures and allow yourself to be enchanted by the wonderful impressions left by these buildings. There are also many traditional craft shops on Inle Lake and, should you wish, we can stop for a visit to one making incredible woven items from lotus silk, boat builders (depending on the time of year), a cigar making workshop, blacksmiths or even silver smiths.
Shortly before sunset you’ll have the unique chance of observing a leg-rower up close on the lake. Document with your camera the art of rowing with one leg and take fantastic pictures under the light of the setting sun. This day comes to an end with a boat trip returning to your hotel while you absorb the lake’s idyllic atmosphere.

This morning, you’ll be transferred to Heho Airport for your flight to Nyaung U, Bagan.
In the afternoon you’ll see the marvelous temples of Bagan and acquire a unique glimpse of Burmese culture by paying a visit to traditional craftsmen. You’ll start your exploration with a visit to the marvelous Ananda Temple. Built in an early “Mon” style, this temple houses two distinctive Buddha images of which the expressions appear to transform, according to the spot from which the statue is seen. From here you will journey on for an excursion that passes Thatbyinnyu, the tallest temple in Bagan, the gigantic Dhammayangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork, and of course, Sulamani Temple. As the day comes to an end, take further amazing shots of Bagan’s breathtaking scenery while you enjoy an extraordinary sunset from the top of small hill nearby.

With the camera in hand you are now off to the lively Nyaung Oo Market where locals come to trade fresh produce and other goods daily. From here you will have a look around Old Bagan starting with a visit of the renowned Shwezigon Pagoda, constructed by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century as a religious memorial. Travel over dusty lanes and tree shaded roads going past temples and monasteries to a small village. Explore the village on foot, getting a glimpse of the local lifestyle of Bagan’s residents. This is the perfect opportunity to capture the village life of Bagan on film. This afternoon, you will have the opportunity to take beautiful pictures of the numerous temples and to immortalize scenes from rural life. The temples in the background and the oxcarts leaving clouds of dust behind create the perfect shot for unforgettable memories.

Early in the morning, well before dawn; head off for Sunrise shots from one of the most secret corner pagoda like no other or Ballooning over Bagan. Of course this is a grand indulgence! But Bagan is one of the visual wonders of the world, up there alongside Angkor in Cambodia and Borobodur in Indonesia. And Bagan is simply vast, nearly 70 square kilometres in extent, and if the weather smiles on us there is simply no better way of photographing its mind-boggling scale or capturing its dreamlike mood .then back to hotel for breakfast.

This morning, a short air-taxi hop whisks us from Bagan to Mandalay. What’s here? Myanmar’s second-largest city, a population of one million souls, and the busy economic hub of the top half of Burma. Mandalay has its share of famous sights, but we will focus on the most photogenic, the ones likely to give us the most interesting insights and images. Upon arrival at Mandalay, we will start with a visit to Mandalay’sstreet of stone-sculptors, where men attack blocks of white marble with drills and angle-grinders. From the clouds of marble-dust emerge Buddha likenesses in all shapes and sizes to address Burma’s seemingly insatiable appetite for these religious icons. After that we are going to visit THE VILLAGE OF SHAN KA LAY ISLAND located by Ayeyarwaddy River which is the little village nearby to be explored through your lens.
In the afternoon we will start afternoon indoor shots at Shwe Inn Bin Wooden Monastery with organized photo secession. then you are to bring to river bank of Mandalay where you have more photography opportunities for the photographs of lives on the riverside and Mandalay’ wholesale fish market nearby then your optional sunset shots from river side.

Today we are to challenge our enthusiasm by ourselves for the whole day sightseeing without a little break at hotel before the sun come up till the sun is completely down.
Around 05:15 am, we’re off to nearby U Bein Bridge, at 1.2km the world’s longest teak footbridge. It’s a hugely photogenic structure. It stretches across Thaungthaman Lake it comes alive in every sense as dawn approaches. Monks in crimson cross from one end to the other; fishermen cast their nets in the still waters, and the occasional cyclist adds more movement and backlit geometry to the scene. You’ll have captured dozens of great images: after making the classic shots near by the wooden bridge. We are to head off to one of the impressive nunnery in Sagaing where we are making the most iconic photos of young Buddhist nuns praying, meditating with special arrangement (Remarks: this nunnery is one of the secret place for professional photographers and no other photographers and normal clients go there, only one of the hidden photogenic spot for our clients).
After that, we are directly driving straight to jetty in Mandalay where we are to take a boat ride to Mingun. Approximately one hour boat ride for upstream rive to Mingun and forty five minutes drive for downstream river back to Mandalay. Upon arrival to Mingun, afternoon shooting start from Massive Mingun Pagoda (Pa Htoe Daw Gyi) with some Buddhist nuns or young novices. Then walk down to Myatheindan stupa (one of the impressive stupa with unique architectural design). One more photos secession will be arranged at Myatheindan stupa with Buddhist nuns. Then visit to Home for old aged in Mingun where making meaningful portrait of elderly men and women is compulsory.

Get up very early this morning (4 am) and transfer to the Mahamuni Pagoda to witness the ritualistic washing of the Buddha’s face. This ritual commences every morning at 4 or 4:30 am when monks wash the face and brush the teeth of the Buddha image. It’s performed for over an hour by a senior monk dressed in monastic attire, assisted by several lay helpers dressed in white and wearing formal headdresses. Take this unique opportunity to capture these fantastic moments on film.
After breakfast at hotel, we are to visit the Kuthodaw Pagoda, frequently dubbed as “The World’s Biggest Book” for its collection of 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings. This is a unique chance to capture shots that reflect the Buddhist doctrine.
Then take a visit to Amarapura, Myanmar’s penultimate royal capital. Amarapura means “City of Immortality”, though its period as capital was relatively brief. First you’ll stop at a silk weaving workshop known for their exquisite merchandise. Continue to Mahagandayon monastery, home to more than a thousand young monks and renowned as a centre for monastic study and strict religious discipline.
Afternoon is your flexible time to get to the place where it was still not okay for your photos in recent days.
Once the sun starts to set you’ll want to stroll along the legendary U Bein Bridge, which was built in 1782 when Amarapura was the Royal center of attention. It spans 1.2 km across the shallow Taungthaman Lake and is said to be the longest teakwood bridge worldwide. Enjoy this very special atmosphere as the late afternoon sun casts long shadows and illuminates the local people heading home. Here you can take amazing pictures and eternalize this breathtaking atmosphere. As a stunning day comes to an end, head back to Mandalay for the night.

Take a leisure until to transfer to the airport to take flight back to Yangon. And then, wait for connecting flight from Yangon to your next destination.