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To escape the cold, gray weather at home in December then look no further than Myanmar. The quiet season means the pick of some top hotels, the temperature is pleasantly balmy, but best of all you'll get to experience one of Southeast Asia's cultural jewels.

The Mergui Archipelago is a beautiful cluster of islands located off the southernmost tip of Myanmar
The Mergui Archipelago is a beautiful cluster of islands located off the southernmost tip of Myanmar

If you’re looking for a destination to escape to from the cold and pre-Christmas frenzy, December is one of the best times of year to travel to Myanmar. Our Myanmar specialist Tim explains why it’s at its best during the winter and the best ways to experience it on a tailor-made trip with us.

Reasons to visit Myanmar in December

Great weather

Not only is December one of the driest times to visit Myanmar it is also a little cooler at this time of year making the heat slightly more bearable and there is often a pleasant breeze in the air.

Great availability at our favorite hotels

Myanmar is notorious for availability issues especially from late October to March. However the first two to three weeks of December are a lot quieter meaning you have a much better choice of hotels and have access to the very best guides.

Five ideas to build into your trip

Sellers at market, Kalaw

1. Stay in the former hill station of Kalaw

Set in the heart of the beautiful Shan countryside the former colonial hill station of Kalaw is a less visited town where you can enjoy great trekking and even visit an elephant rehabilitation camp.

Sunset on the Ayeyarwady, Bagan, Myanmar

2. Take a cruise on the Ayeyarwady River

One of the major highlights of any trip to Myanmar is peacefully meandering down the Ayeyarwady River, taking in life on the river and visiting some of the harder to reach areas along the banks.

View of Ngapali beach from Sandoway Resort

3. Enjoy some relaxation time on the beautiful Ngapali Beach

Still a peaceful working beach but beautiful nonetheless, Ngapali is the ideal location to relax after a busy itinerary with its good selection of accommodation and local restaurants.

Inle Lake, Burma (Myanmar)

4. Experience breath-taking scenery and life on the water at Inle Lake

Many visitors favorite location in Myanmar is the magical Inle Lake. It's perfect for relaxing and experiencing local life and the stunning scenery of stilted villages rising up above the water.

Dawn balloon flight over the temples of Bagan

5. Take in Myanmar’s spectacular temple landscape of Bagan from the air

To give you a true sense of the magnificence of this ancient landscape, a balloon trip over Bagan is highly recommended and will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your visit to Myanmar.

Did you know?

Excluding the United Kingdom, Myanmar is one of only three countries in the world which do not use the metric system of measures. The other two are the United States and Liberia.

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