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After a relatively early (to our ordinary days in Myanmar) wake up call, we checked out of Inle Resort and began the trek to the airport. We asked the concierge to help us arrange transportation ahead of time but the resort car was unavailable, so they booked us a taxi that actually came out to be a bit cheaper ($30) than the hotel provided ride ($35).
The best part of rising early in Myanmar is that the weather is just about always perfect, even feeling crisp and refreshing at times.
The ride took us back through Nyanungshwe, winding around a few of the small mountains to Heho Airport. The journey lasted about an hour, putting us to Heho by around 8:05 a.m [...]
If one word describes Inle Lake as a whole – and, more specifically, Inle Resort & Spa, it’s peaceful. Time stands still as you find yourself captivated by the Inle fisherman on the lake and the morning fog slowly giving way to the mountains. We spent most of our time at Inle Lake relaxing and enjoying the beautiful views. The slower speed was welcome after spending time in the “big city” of Yangon with honking cars and busy people.
Inle Resort & Spa
After about an hour’s drive from the airport, we arrived at Inle Resort & Spa, which is right on the lake’s [...]
On a recent trip to Nashville, we booked a night at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown. The location was fantastic for walking around and exploring and its proximity to Broadway – the place to be at nighttime – was one of its selling points. Although we were only there for a night, we had no complaints about our stay and thoroughly enjoyed our time at the hotel.
The hotel recently went through a $25 million renovation, completed in April 2014. Along with updates to the guest rooms, the lobby looks brand new and the wine bar was looking pretty fancy, too. The lobby was large and open, very spacious with many sitting areas. The bones of the hotel looked to be an Embassy [...]
The old town of Bagan is fascinating and maybe one of the top places in the world to see the sunset over the thousands of pagodas.
Front row seat for the sunset on top of Shwe San Daw Pagoda
Although there are 2,000+ pagodas still standing, the crumbling temples are each unique with different shapes, sizes and designs (some are filled with ancient paintings while others have multiple tiers to keep climbing til you reach the very tip top). Some of our friends said they’d spend a few days less in Bagan because, by this [...]
Bagan is mystical, magical + inexplicable, all in one. There is a well-known saying of the Burmese people: “If you are a real Myanmar, you must have been to Bagan.”
It’s one of those places that you just have to go to understand its beauty because, as beautiful as it is in photos, no photo can do justice to the serenity when you’re at the tip-top of a deserted pagoda or the minute detail in every inch of a pagoda built literally thousands of years ago. I don’t mean to say “just go,” but… really, JUST GO!
The old, dusty town is also (would you believe it?) an old royal capital from the 9th to the 13th centuries. Beginning in the middle of the 9th [...]
All Nippon Airways Flight NH 913 Tokyo-NRT to Yangon-RGN Dept 11:45am –> Arrv: 5:15pm Boeing 767-300
Getting to the airport from the Radisson Narita (thanks for the free stay, Orbitz Orbucks!) was easy although it took a bit longer than expected. Nothing too outrageous, we just needed to plan for a bit more time than the 16 mins that Google Maps driving directions quoted. The Radisson only runs shuttles every 45-60 mins, so you might find yourself spending a lot more time at the airport than you wanted OR cutting it too close. Once we arrived at the airport, airport security boarded the shuttle bus to confirm that we had our passports and to do a general security [...]
Mandalay is Myanmar’s second largest city, home to roughly 1.5 million people and steeped in Burmese history. Boasting a reputation of being Burma’s cultural + educational hub, the city is often overlooked by tourists who are more interested in relaxing at Inle Lake. This bustling city offers a look into Burma’s past – before the tourists + even before the Brits’ arrival.
View of Mandalay Palace from the Watch Tower
One of the city’s main attractions is Mandalay Palace, a walled and moated “city” that now hosts military officials and families. When you’re walking [...]
