Photography trip Myanmar

Myanmar, Buddhist capital and undiscovered pearl of Southeast Asia! Land of monks, pagodas and temples in fabulous landscapes. Probably the best sunrise and sunset in the world, in Bagan. Traditional tribes, in examples the Longnecks. The hospitality and genuine kindness of the people make you feel right at home. This divers tour makes you want to close Myanmar in your heart!

What will you be photographing during this 12-day photography tour in Myanmar?

A small selection of highlights:

• The world famous Ubein bridge. The longest wooden bridge in the world.

• The most friendly people who would love to model in your photos.

• Colorful and spontaneous festivals, where you’re always welcomed as a guest.

• Buddhist culture, monks and the traditional Longnecks.

• Probably the most gorgeous sunrise and sunset in the world, in the magical landscapes of Bagan, filled with temples.

• The beauty of Inle Lake with the traditional fishermen and floating villages.

• The famous hot air balloons, floating above the temples during sunrise.

• Schedules photo shoots with monks and nuns

• The true Myanmar life in pristine villages

During this tour you can enjoy all Myanmar has to offer, there’s no time pressure. There’s enough time for workshops like landscape, culture, portrait or travel photography. This magical photography tour through Myanmar is an unforgettable experience, which you can enjoy back home with your very own photos!

Check out the day to day schedule for this 12-day tour. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate and email your question. Contact 

Get inspired and check out the blog of Myanmar and check out the photos in the gallery.

Travelmarks-photoraphy.. your experience!

Till clicks!

We have a carefully arranged route through Myanmar for you. A variety of fabulous pagodas, the culture of the monks and stunning sunrises and sunsets. We come in places where no tourist will normally come. Be amazed by the magical world only found in Myanmar.

Day 1 Arrival Mandalay
Depending your flight, we welcome you at the Mandalay airport. Afterwards we check in to the hotel. When everyone has arrived we will go over the program together and go out for a first meeting with Mandalay. Time for some night photography.

Day 2 Mandalay
We start early in the morning at Palaik, a site with more than 800 temples. We photograph the daily life and have a photo shoot at the temples with the monks. In the afternoon we photograph the life around the Ayeryaddy river and at sunset we have a shoot with the traditional fishermen who will throw out their nets just for us.

Day 3 Mandalay
Early birds again. We visit the world famous Ubein bridge. The world’s longest wooden bridge is our scene for sunrise photography. There are many different ways this bridge will get captured by your camera. We have breakfast at the local market and take a boat to Mingun where we photograph the Myatheindan Pagoda and the local life. After lunch we have the workshops “Buddha making family” and “Sunset at the Ayeryaddy river”.

Day 4 Mandalay – Bagan
We head out for a cultural event. We visit the monastery that houses 3000 monks who study here. In the morning they go out to collect donations, which we will be photographing. After a rich breakfast we visit the Mahamuni temple where we have a private shoot with the monks. Later in the afternoon we head out by bus to Bagan.

Day 5 Bagan
We visit the watchtower for one of the most beautiful sunrises. Dozens of hot air balloons cross the sky and the magical light of the golden hour. After breakfast we visit the Schwezigon Pagoda, with its line play the perfect décor for photography. We can visit two more photogenic temples where we have a few models at our disposal. We enjoy sunset at a unique location where we’re the only tourists.

Day 6 Bagan
We start our day in between the temples to photograph the balloons from a different angle. At this fabulous site every sunrise is gorgeous. After breakfast we visit Minanthu Village to photograpgh the local life. In the afternoon we go to Taung Pi Nat Taung, a wooden monastery, for a photo shoot with monks. Before sunset we head out with some of the monks to find the best light to end this day.

Day 7 Bagan – Inle lake
The entire morning is reserved for the colourful life around the Ananda temple. Monks and local people are here to bring offers. The morning is only interrupted by breakfast and a visit to the local brewery, before we take our flight later in the afternoon to Inle Lake.

Day 8 Inle lake
Inle Lake is a magical place where the sunrise is gorgeous. We arrange some traditional fishermen who will pose with their acrobatic moves in front of our camera. After breakfast we visit the Phaungdawoo Pagoda and the Indein ruins. In the afternoon we visit the famous longneck women in their weaving mill and umbrella factory. We watch the sunset on the water from Inle Lake.

Day 9 Inle lake – Yangon
In the morning we visit the floating villages and gardens. We photograph the local life and make a stop at a floating wooden monastery. After lunch we go back to catch our plane to Yangon.

Day 10 Yangon
We can spend the morning however we want. You decide if we go out for sunrise, plan a workshop, do a photo review or just have the morning off. In the afternoon we head out to the 2500 years old Schwedagon Pagoda. We stay till after sunset to photograph the burning candles ritual.

Day 11 Yangon
Early morning today. Life at the fish market starts before sunrise. The first sunrays are the starting signal for some interesting compositions at this busy market. After breakfast we get the opportunity to photograph the nuns in there soft pink clothing. For sunset we head out to the marina where the small boats leave the harbor.

Day 12 Return flight back home 
All good comes to an end. And so does this photography tour across Myanmar. It’s not a goodbye, it’s a see you soon! Chances are that you’ve enclosed Myanmar into your heart and made new friends. Myanmar, till we meet again!

Date 12 day tour: January 7th, 2025 until January 18th, 2025

Minimum 4 participants, maximum 8 participants

Price per person: 3285 euro
Extra cost for single room: €490 p.p.

Heavyness of the trip

• ***** this trip is suitable for everyone with normal health

Extra costs incurred:

• Depending on your spending pattern, you can count on 20 euros a day
• It is customary to tip with an average of 5 euros a day

Included:

• All hotels as mentioned, with A/C
• Breakfast in all hotels
• All lunches during the trip
• Transportation with driver and all included costs
• All entrance fees for Pagodas, temples and archeological sites
• Sunrise and sunset at the tower in Bagan
• Experienced local guide during the entire tour
• Boat trips on Inle Lake
• Scheduled photo shoots with the monks, traditional fishermen and longneck women
• Toll and other taxes
• Domestic flight to Yangon

Excluded:                                                      

• Dinners and drinks other than mentioned above
• Personal expenses
• Photo shoots not mentioned in the day-to-day schedule
• Tips
• (international) flights
• Travel insurances
• Visa

Mark Brands owner and founder of Travelmarks-photography

As an experienced world traveler and professional photographer, you may expect passion, professionalism, fun and enthusiasm from me during this “magical” photography tour across Myanmar in Southeast Asia. The combination travel and photography makes me happy. And I even get happier when I can share this ‘virus’ with you and have you go home with spectacular photos and an experience to remember! The variety of scenes and activities, make this tour an unique experience you won’t forget! Myanmar is pristine and authentic. The monk culture and the friendly people make you want to stay even longer. I’ll take you to the best Myanmar has to offer. Let’s go out and capture this forever! Let’s click!

Win is a native Burmese from Yangon. Director of Asia Photo Travels and a professional photographer since 1998. He has become an award winning photographer and publisher of several photo books. He additionally leads photo workshops throughout Asia, giving participants the benefits of his accomplished career in photography. 

Practical

• We ontmoeten elkaar in Mandalay, op nader te bepalen tijdstip.
• If you have any food allergies or diets, please inform me about this.
• Non-photographing partners are more than welcome to join. We visit a lot of authentic, non-touristic sites that are worth a visit.
• During this diverse program, you’ll also have a lot of free time.
• Together we decide which workshops to do.
• You can pay with the Myanmar Kyat. You can also get money with your credit or debit card at an ATM.
• You need to apply online for a visa. Please let us know if you need help with this procedure.
• You need vaccinations. Please check carefully and on time which ones you need.
• This is a country program, you have to book the flight separately. If requested, we can help you with your booking.

Climate

We travel during dry season. The weather is to our advantage with pleasant temperatures.  
On https://www.klimaatinfo.nl/myanmar/ for more information about the climate in Myanmar.

Accommodations
Day 1 till 4 The hotel Emperor Mandalay
http://thehotelemperormandalay.com-myanmar.com/

Day 4 till 7 Bagan Boutique Hotel
Check tripadvisor

Day 7 till 9 Shwe Inn Tha Floating Resort
https://www.inlefloatingresort.com/

Day 9 till 12 The Rangoon City Lodge
http://the-rgn-city-lodge.hotelinyangon.net/nl/

• STO Garant

This booking is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme at www.sto-garant.nl/en/downloads. You will receive an email from STO Garant (info@sto-garant.nl) containing information about how you can pay for this booking. You will receive a confirmation email from STO Garant for each payment received. You can find all information relating to STO Garant at www.sto-garant.nl/en.

• VvKR

I am a member of the association of small-scale travel organizations (VvKR). VvKR defends the interests of small, often specialist, travel organizations. Via VvKR we combine our strengths and share our expertise in order to achieve the reatest possible certainty and satisfaction for both consumers and the travel organization. 

• Travelife

Travelmarks Photography covers more than 100 criteria, related to a travel company's office management, product offerings, international business partners and customer information. The Travelife standard covers ISO 26000 corporate social responsibility topics, including environment, biodiversity, human rights and industrial relations; and is formally recognized as fully compliant with the UN supported Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.

• Trees for all

We invest in sustainable forest projects in the Netherlands and abroad. In this way we not only contribute to a better climate and more biodiversity, but also to better living conditions and a future perspective. Especially for the people most affected by the effects of climate change.