By taking a photography tour to Myanmar, you get to realize your passion but also be fully mindful of what you are shooting, the landscape, the people and their fascinating ways of living. In comparasion to Myanmar trips in general, this time you will not be rushing from attraction to attraction. Instead, you will have a lot of time finding the right angles, the soulful content and the perfect shuttering.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
|
Excellent planned and executed Myanmar excursion
Asia Highlights and their local Myanmar partner "mAsia" did an excellent job in planning and execution of a one week trip to Myanmar.The various tour guides and drivers had good knowledge and good command over English. More
Gerd, Jan 2018
|
Planning our trip
We have spend that last eight months planning a trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Alisa Lia was creative & patient helping us customize our tour to include the sites and adventures we were excited to see. Hard waiting for the trip to start. More
Jamie Danner, Oct 2023
|
My experience in Thai
All of this was well organized by the local office. The holiday was wonderful. Our guide, Mr. Longdy( Siem Reap)were exceptional. He shared his extensive knowledge of the many wonderful places we visited, and were flexible to take us to additional places along the way based on discussions. Thank you so much .shared their extensive knowledge of the many wonderful places we visited, and were flexible to take us to additional places along the way based on discussions. More
kelli, Jul 2023
|
Seamless Planning
From the day I submitted an inquiry request, I instantly received a response from Monica asking my preferences for my trip. She has been attentive and responsive to our every needs and we very much appreciate it. Looking forward to our trip in November but many thanks to Monica for making this experience to seamless thus far. More
Sana Samhouri, Jul 2023
|
Very professional agency for a memorable trip to Asia
A special thanks to Albee who worked with us and helped to tailor the itinerary to our taste, she was amazing and always available for whatever we needed. The trip would not have been the same without her and her team. Thank you! More
Daniela, Jul 2023
|
It was our first time in Cambodia and …
It was our first time in Cambodia and we had a wonderful time. The accommodations, food, and sites were really beautiful. We ended our trip with a relaxing massage. Sam was very accommodating to our needs and knowledgeable. Thank you for the laughter and for being so kind. More
Amy Oakes Moon, Jun 2023
|
Our guide Borin - never boring!
Our guide Borin, in Cambodia, was knowledgeable, understanding and thoughtful in every aspect of the plan he put together for our trip to Siem Reap and in its execution. He can read the room, and knew exactly how to pace the tour, when to pause, when to break, and how to prepare us for the maximum benefit. He is extremely kind and caring, and it showed at every turn. He also is a dab hand with the camera, and we have a lot of great pictures to show for it. Kudos to my Asia Highlights coordinator - Cathy Chen, for picking Borin. Borin works with a driver (007) who was also very kind and caring. Whenever we returned to the car, he would have cold towel rolls and chilled water to refresh us. So amazingly considerate. It was an unforgettable experience More
David Muliyil, Jun 2023
|
Great visit!
Our guide, Anna, was fantastic! She was highly informative and a delight to spend our days with. Would request her again if we were to return! More
Alejandra M Almonte, Jun 2023
|
We've had such a great experience…
We've had such a great experience planning our honeymoon with Alisa at Asia Highlights! We gave her our dream itinerary, thinking that it might be impossible to do all the things we wanted, but Alisa made our dreams a reality! She's gone so far above and beyond to answer ALL of our questions and make little adjustments that will make a huge impact on our experience. More
Lauren, Jun 2023
|
Alisa knows how to work fast and please a customer.
Alisa is very helpful and works very fast. I am a very difficult client because Inknow what I want in therm of hotels and comfort. She had a lot of patience with me, and moved a lot the plan of the trip, always following my requests. It was a pleasure organizing my trip with her. I recommend her a lot! Thanks Alisa. Malala from Argentina. More
maria laura artola, Jun 2023
|
Trip-of-a-lifetime
In addition, I want to specifically mention the guides provided in certain locations. Rum, in Siem Reap, made the most memorable experience possible. His positivity was contagious - even when it felt like 1000 degrees and we were tired. He brought it all to life, and created a couple days of Ankor Wat, etc. that we will never forget! He heard my daughter's request for specific Cambodian food, and changed our itinerary to go to a village and eat at a locally known shop. He brought the dessert she asked about to us in the car! Overall, he and his driver "Lucky" were a reason to go to Siem Reap. In addition, the other guides (minus one which was switched out immediately) were stupendous. Mon in Bangkok was friendly and provided a great day there; Eak in Chiang Mai gave us a world-class food-tour and day touring the city and its surrounding temples with lots of laughs; Tommy in Hanoi kept us from getting killed in the traffic and gave a stupendous food and architecture/history tour - so very friendly and funny; the fishing village tour in Hoi An, as well as the side-car tour in Saigon, were both unforgettable! Thank you Sharon, and Asia Highlights. Would definitely use again for future trips! More
Teri Simpson, Apr 2023
|
Cambodia and Vietnam adventure!
Our guide in Cambodia, Meas Darapolaith (Pol), was absolutely amazing. He was knowledgeable, friendly and so helpful. His English was excellent and he shared important insights about history and the magnificent sites we visited. We highly recommend him! More
Jennifer Roth Krieger, Apr 2023
|
My daughter and I wanted to discover SE…
My daughter and I wanted to discover SE Asia. Being the first in that region, we wanted to use a tour service company. We ended up using Asia Highlights. From the beginning we were impressed with their services. We left home with of mind because all the pre-travel arrangements were taking care and communicate to us efficiently. All our questions were answered promptly. Once in the countries, we were welcome by our excellent tour guides. Everything was taking care for us. We did not have one issue. They selected the right tours guides for us, they were highly knowledgeable and so much attentive to our needs. We had Dhat in Vietnam and Borin in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I highly recommend Asia Highlights. I came back home so much rested, and with plenty of wonderful pictures and memories. I will definitely use Asia Highlights again for my next trip to Asia. More
Isabelle Dessaux, Apr 2023
|
Fabulous tour and guide in Cambodia
We have been touring Cambodia, guided by Borin ( and driver 007) for the last 2 days. What a fabulous experience! Borin has been a wonderful guide, the best so far in Southeast Asia, explaining the history and culture of Cambodia through his tours of the temples in and around Angkor, as well as the Landmine museum. He has answered all our questions, made sure we were comfortable, and that we have had great food. 007 made sure we always had enough water and cool towels for our face/neck.We highly recommend Borin as a tour guide for Cambodia!! More
Monica, Mar 2023
|
Best Travel Service for Asia Travel
Alisa Liu was in charge of making the arrangements and she helped us from the start to make all of the arrangements and also helped us when we had questions and requested some adjustments. Her service is of the highest professional level. We are 100% confident that our trip will be perfect. We’re also 100% confident that, if anything comes up during our trip, that Alisa will be there to guide us through and take care of us. We won’t even consider using another agency for travel around Asia and we would like to have Alisa work for us again. More
Leo Pospichal, Mar 2023
|
Tour of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand
The tour guides and drivers were another high point. All were very good, friendly, knowledgeable and spoke English well. There were two that I want to call out for their excellence. Chan Sovannarith in Siem Reap was our guide in Cambodia. He really made the experience special. His knowledge, willingness to answer all my questions, helpfulness and general attitude made him fun to be around. In order to praise the second exceptional guide I have to explain about an unfortunate occurrence that I had. I'm normally a very active senior, but after leaving Cambodia for Laos I was suddenly struck by the most intense back pain I've ever experienced, couldn't even roll over in bed (turned out to be sciatica). The guide, Mr. Sonophet, really went the extra mile. He went with my traveling companion and bought a back brace and medications for me. When that didn't help much he took me to a clinic where I was seen by a doctor, given a shot and pain meds. He hand-made a walking stick for me that I'm still using! He made it possible for me to somewhat participate in the activities, i.e. a bed on the boat down the river. When it was time to move on to Bangkok he got me a wheelchair at the airport. I can't thank him enough for these kindnesses! This problem lasted for the remainder of the trip, through Bangkok and Phuket and these guides were also very helpful getting wheelchairs, etc. It was a terrible disappointment to have this wonderful trip disrupted, but it would have been SO much worse without the great help that I received from the guides and my poor travel companion! More
Deb M, Mar 2023
|
In good hands with Sam
Sam Ol took very good care of us - lots of information, listened to and answered all our questions, was passionate about the places we visited and about his people and country. He was kind, had a great sense of humor, and made sure we felt safe and comfortable at all times. He helped us to fall in love with Cambodia in 3 short days. More
Carol Jones, Feb 2023
|
Best tour guide in Cambodia
When we first arrived at the airport in Siem Riep it was so nice to be greeted by Mr Sam Ol. We instantly fell at home when we saw his friendly smile. We were impressed by his great English and knowledge of the temples. On the tour to the temples Sam took care of us every step of the way. He took awesome pictures of us. It felt like we were on a tour given by our brother who is also a professional photographer. Also, we appreciate his humor as well as the fact he had an answer for every question we had. I give Sam 5 stars, best tour guide ever :) More
Len S, Feb 2023
|
Mr. Sam
Mr. Sam our guide in Cambodia, he and the driver out standing service they went above and beyond touring, my wife so amazed beautiful country, we're planning back here near the futures. Thank Mr. Sam,We'll feedback the whole trip next week when we be home in US More
Pho Lover, Feb 2023
|
Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand
We are still in the middle of our trip, but we are just finishing up our time in Cambodia and our guide, Borin, has been AMAZING!!! He has truly made our time here unforgettable and I plan on referring all of my friends and family to come visit this beautiful country! Thank you, Borin, for everything you did to make our trip so fantastic! More
Danielle Blount, Feb 2023
|
Highlights
- Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset and you can also take return trip however you like
- Side trip to the Golden Rock in Kyaiktiyo and stay in a room with view of the rock
- Ideal spots for portrait photos at Mahagadanyo Monastery in Mandalay
- Two full days and one morning, enough time for great works of Bagan
- Local fishermen posing for your photos in Inle Lake with their unique fishing skills
- Through-out escort guide who has certain experiences of leading photography tours or being a photographer himself
- Totally flexible and you can call all the shots and set the pace as you see fits
Journey Route
Itinerary in Detail
Upon arrival in Yangon, meet with your private photography tour guide and transfer. Go to lunch on the way to downtown Yangon. After check-in, you will have the afternoon to recover from jetlag.
However, if you feel active enough, your tour guide will take you around the city.
Your hotel in Yangon, Sedona Hotel Yangon, has a great location: only 10 minutes of walking to the Inya Lake which will make for a relaxing evening walk. Sunset is always a good time for photos at Shwedagon Pagoda, why not go for a warm-up tonight?
Begin the day with a precious chance to engage with local daily life. It is made possible by a 1-hour Yangon Circular Train Ride, starting from the Main Station at 0900am.
Train is the most economic transportation means and you will see a lot of commuters in their daily fashion, carrying goods to the market, kids on the way to school and local businessmen talking on phones. Set your camera at quick shoot and capture the liveliness. We will stop at a local market, walk through lines of stalls and get back to your private transfer.
You will need to bring a wide-angle lens for the next stop at Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda. A gigantic reclining buddha image stretches more than 200 feet and truly jaw-drawing. Go to lunch at a local restaurant.
Take an evening walk along the busiest streets of Chinatown, another great opportunity to capture local people in their natural status.
This morning, you will take a car ride to Kyaiktiyo, where the sublime Golden Rock is located. Driving will take about 4 hours with a few stops en route.
Legend has it that it is by magic power of the Lord Buddha that the giant rock is perfectly perched at its summit. Your private tour guide will help you find an ideal spot for photo shooting. After you get enough thrills, return to your hotel at the top of the mountain with an amazing view of the rock at night.
Local monks and believers across the country take the Golden Rock as a primary location for their pursue of peacefulness and endowments. That's why you may encounter a lot of locals meditating in early morning even before the sunrise. Don't miss out this chance for photos!
After an early morning, you will return to hotel for breakfast before getting back to Yangon.
Enjoy a free afternoon roaming the city.
Get on an early flight to Mandalay. Go to lunch upon arrival.
Once you are settled, your tour guide will take you to the fascinating site of Kuthodaw Pagoda and the Largest Book in the World. With the best shooting hours between 0500pm - 0700pm, this massive site introduces you to perfect sense of symmetry and contrast of colors. Get onto the top of Mandalay Hill by elevator before sunset. Set your camera at the ready for a breath-taking sunset view.
We will have a late start today yet you will be just in time for lunch event at Mahagandayon Monastery. Lunch is the last meal of the day for monks and they will gather for food dispatching in the yard of the monastery and eat in the dining hall. Although travelers have no access to the dining hall, your tour guide will find you a nice spot for photos.
Go for lunch before proceeding to Hsinbyume Pagoda, we arrange some novices to pose for you with a white background o the pagoda if time allows. Later, go for shooting of the famous U Bein Bridge. You will firstly shoot onland at the foot of the bridge or on a small islet and then enjoy a relaxing boat ride with drinks.
Rise up early today and you are going to a sacred ceremony commencing at 0400am in Mahamuni Pagoda. The famous face-washing ritual is held by a senior abbot who cleanses the face of the Buddha image with fresh towel, applies sandalwood paste and then washing it up again. The whole ritual takes about an hour, providing a great outlook at local practice of their religion.
Return to hotel for breakfast and fly to Bagan. Check in and have some leisure time in Bagan.
You will have a brief visit at Bagan Archeaological Museum, which offers you a rough understanding of Bagan's history and some famous pagodas.
Have two full days taking photos of the famous World Heritage Site, Bagan Archaeological Zone is simply astonishing with its over 2,200 ruins scattering on the vast plain of Bagan. There used to be more than 10,000 in its day of prime and most are of 10 centuries old. Some are large and tall while others are hidden among the grass and hard to spot out.
During the hot day, we will hire some young novices and villagers to be your models. You may go inside a cave or a temple for photo-taking.
Get up early for a photo opportunity of hot air balloons flying up the plain of Bagan. Your guide will take you to an observation location for good photos. Simple snacks will be packed for the trip and you will return to hotel for breakfast before flying to Inle Lake.
Check in your resort and have the rest of today free at leisure.
Take a short boat ride to Nyuangshwe before we drive to Kakku (approximately 1 hour overland) with an interesting stop at Nampan Village.
Kakku used to be off the tourist map due to restriction and only a mere trickle of travelers made their way ardously for the stunning scene at Kakku Pagoda Complex.
Thousands of pagodas sprawl over the vast land. The origin of the complex is said to be from the 3rd century BC when the Indian emperor Ashoka brought in Buddhist missionaries to ancient Burma. The build of these stupas is written in record as the prevailing architectural style of that very period. Make your time worthy here with plenty photo opportunities. On the way back to Inle Lake, you will also visit Indein Pagoda Complex. In comparsion to Kakku, Indein outmatches in size and would also be great for sunset photos.
Ever wonder how the villagers living in the floating houses get their daily suppliers? Today you will check out the 5-Day Market of the lake.
A 5-day rotation of hosting market is kept for ages by the major villages around Inle Lake, namely Nyaung Shwe, Heho, Indein, Taunggyi, Mine Thauk and Shwe Nyaung. Flat-bottomed boats squash the canel at the dork and vendors yell to sell their home-grew products and beautiful handicrafts.
Your journey goes on after a lunch in a floating restaurant, next stop is Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda, the most worshipped shrine of the lake. During festivals, four Buddha images will be carried by boat on a river parade over the lake.
As your boat gets into some smaller waterways, you will have a chance to spot those legendary fishermen who row their flat-bottomed boats with only one leg. Learn about how the locals grow tomoatoes, lentils and other vegetables in the floating gardens. We will arrange some local fishermen to pose before your camera.
Enjoy a free day in Inle Lake. You will have a boat at disposal in case you want to get more photos.
Hand-Picked Hotels
We have selected hotels with different styles and for different budgets. Let us know your preferences and we will help you find the right one.
Our Service Includes:
- Private transfers and English-speaking tour guide
- All guided sightseeing as detailed in the itinerary
- Hotel accommodation mentioned in the itinerary
- Breakfasts at hotels and lunches for every guided day
- Governmental taxes
Tour code: ah-12
Inquire now! Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.
Why Asia Highlights (10,000+ reviews & 98.8% 5-star rating)
- Save Your Time:
- Less research, more enjoyment!
- Real-time 1V1 expert planning
- Maximize Your Flexibility:
- Personal local guide and ride
- Explore at your own pace
- Celebrate Your Journeys:
- Specially-crafted family adventures
- Celebrate milestones with style!
- Myanmar Essence Tour
- 14-Day Myanmar Photography Tour
- 16-Day Myanmar In-Depth Tour with Irrawaddy Cruise
- Myanmar Essence Tour
- 17-Day Private tour to Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos
- 17-Day Private tour to Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos
- 17-Day Private tour to Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos
- 14-Day Myanmar and Thailand Essence Tour
- Southeast Asia Itinerary for 3 Weeks: Best 5 Ideas in 2024
- Southeast Asia Itineraries:How Long to Spend in 2024/2025
- How to Plan a 2024 Trip to Southeast Asia With Itinerary & Cost
- Southeast Asia Itineraries:How Long to Spend in 2024/2025
- 2 Weeks in Southeast Asia: Top 6 Itineraries for 2024/2025
- 2 Weeks in Southeast Asia: Top 6 Itineraries for 2024/2025
- 10 Days in Southeast Asia: Top 5 Itineraries (with Maps & Prices)
- 10 Days in Southeast Asia: Top 5 Itineraries (with Maps & Prices)
- 4 Weeks in Southeast Asia: Itinerary & Planning Tips 2024
- Southeast Asia Itinerary for 3 Weeks: Best 5 Ideas in 2024
- 5-Week Southeast Asia Itinerary: 3 Options (2024/2025)
- Myanmar Weather in January - What to Wear and Bring
- Myanmar Weather in February - Lots of Sunny Days
- Myanmar Weather in March - From the Cool to the Hot
- Myanmar Weather in April - the Hottest Month
- Myanmar Weather in May - Beginning of the rainy season
- Myanmar Weather in June - the Rainy Season
- Myanmar Weather in July - Rainfall Reaches its Peak
- Myanmar Weather in August - Heavy Downpours
- Myanmar Weather in September - Monsoon Rains Let up
- Myanmar Weather in October - Rainfall Decreases
- Myanmar Weather in November - Dry and Cool
- December Weather in Bagan - The Peak Travel Time
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
It was a whirlwind across a number of cities, but a very comprehensive experience across the many sides and cultures of China. Most days had sufficient activities, but weren’t overwhelming, which was great.Across cities, we had excellent tour guides, like Kitty (Beijing), Jenny (Xian), William (Guilin/Yangshuo), Kris (Shanghai), and Tony (Yellow Mountains.)
moreFrom the time we landed in Beijing until we left, we were well taken care of. My wife and I had Lily Liu as our guide and she was amazing. From arranging visits to all the different sights, to teaching us the history, it was fantastic.
moreThe tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history
moreWe made a private tour through South China in January 2024. Altogether Chengdu was the highlight. We had an incredible day at Emeishan. In Chengdu our guidewas Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreOther highlights are too many to mention but here are a few Ken taking us to the Terracotta Warriors and our food tour in Xian was amazing,
moreOur day volunteering at the Panda Base was truly unforgettable. Helen, our guide, provided us with invaluable insights about Chengdu and the pandas, enriching our tour with her knowledge and expertise. We're grateful to Helen for accompanying us throughout the day and showcasing the highlights of China.
moreWe had a booking with China Highlights through Silvia Ye who guarenteed a perfect organisation. In Chengdu our guide was Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreWe traveled to China during the Chinese new year and we had Kris as our guide and he is simply knowledgeable,helpful and great.
moreWe visited Guilin for 2 days and stayed in the Guilin Waterfall hotel. Guilin was absolutely beautiful! Our guide, William, was very knowledgeable and kind! He taught us so much about Guilin and the surrounding area! We really enjoyed trying the specialty rice noodles of Guilin. Our highlight was the Li river cruise.
moreAmazing tour and the guide Mr. 贺霄 was very accommodating with our needs and request as we have bought our 2 years old with us. Well explained for all the place we visited. Any additional cost were informed well ahead and didn't felt any pressure if we opt not to go for additional detour. The trip was relaxing/ laid back/no rushing with zero shopping!
moreGet Inspired with Some Popular Itineraries
At Asia Highlights, we create your kind of journey — your dates, your destinations, at your pace. You can have any trip tailor made for your travel.