Quick answer (checked 23 October 2026)
Most governments currently advise against travel to Myanmar (Burma). The US State Department rates it Level 4, “Do not travel”, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against all travel to large parts of the country and against all but essential travel to most other areas, including Mandalay Region and southern Shan State. Metta Voyage plans private Myanmar trips again. Routes are adjusted to current travel advisories, focusing on areas currently open to visitors, and we confirm each itinerary before booking. Several governments still advise against travel to all or parts of Myanmar, so please read your own government’s advice first and check that your travel insurance covers the trip. If you were planning temples, river life and hill villages, Laos, Cambodia and northern Vietnam offer similar experiences today.
Myanmar was one of the most rewarding countries in Southeast Asia to visit: the temple plain of Bagan, Inle Lake, the monasteries of Mandalay and the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. We still receive questions about it every month, so this page explains, as plainly as we can, what official travel advice says today, what it means for travel insurance and why we have paused our Myanmar programmes. It is not a booking page.
What official travel advice says
Travel advice changes, and you should always read the current version from your own government before making any decision. As of late October 2026:
- United States: the State Department’s advisory for Burma is Level 4: Do not travel. It cites armed conflict, civil unrest, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, limited health care, landmines and unexploded ordnance, and crime.
- United Kingdom: the FCDO advises against all travel to Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon and Rakhine States, Sagaing and Magway regions, most of Tanintharyi Region, northern Shan State, northern Mandalay Region and part of Bago Region, and against all but essential travel to southern and eastern Shan State, the rest of Mandalay Region, southern Tanintharyi, the rest of Bago and parts of Ayeyarwady.
- Other countries: Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and others publish their own advice. Check the official site for your passport.
What this means in practice
Areas that were once on every itinerary are covered by these warnings. Bagan lies in Mandalay Region and Inle Lake in southern Shan State, both under “all but essential travel” advice from the UK at the time of writing. Travelling against your government’s advice usually means your travel insurance will not cover you, including for medical treatment or evacuation, and consular help can be very limited. Roads, flights and communications can also be disrupted with little notice.
For these reasons we plan Myanmar trips carefully: routes are adjusted to current travel advisories and we confirm each itinerary before booking. We would rather tell you clearly what is and is not advisable than sell a trip we cannot support safely.
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Plan Myanmar with us
Tell us your preferred season, how many travellers and what you would like to see. We will prepare a private itinerary adjusted to current travel advisories, explain plainly which areas are advisable, and confirm each itinerary before booking. If you prefer, we can also suggest a similar trip in Laos, Cambodia or northern Vietnam.
Ask us for a Myanmar itinerary
No payment, no commitment. We do not plan routes into areas where the UK FCDO advises against all travel.
Where to go instead: similar experiences nearby
If Myanmar’s temples, river towns and slow pace were what drew you, three neighbouring places offer much of the same feeling today.
Laos: Luang Prabang and the Mekong
Luang Prabang is the closest match to the spirit of old Mandalay and Bagan: gilded monasteries, monks collecting alms at dawn, a slow river and very little traffic. Add a boat trip to the Pak Ou caves and the Kuang Si waterfall. Our Laos itineraries run from four to ten days.
Cambodia: Angkor
For travellers who dreamed of Bagan’s temple plain, Angkor is the obvious alternative: hundreds of temples spread through forest and rice fields, from the five towers of Angkor Wat to the jungle-covered Ta Prohm. Three days in Siem Reap is enough for a first visit; see our Angkor itinerary.
Northern Vietnam: mountains and hill villages
Inle Lake and the Shan hills were loved for their villages and markets. In northern Vietnam, Sapa, Mai Chau and Pu Luong offer walks between rice terraces and stilt-house villages, with comfortable lodges and short drives from Hanoi. Our 14-day Vietnam itinerary includes Sapa and Ninh Binh.
If you still need to travel to Myanmar
Some people travel for family, work or humanitarian reasons. If that is you, follow your government’s advice closely, register with your embassy where that service exists, confirm in writing that your insurance covers your trip, keep your itinerary flexible and stay informed through official sources. We are not able to arrange travel there at present.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to travel to Myanmar now?
Most governments advise against it. The US rates Myanmar Level 4, “Do not travel”, and the UK advises against all or all but essential travel to most of the country. Check your own government’s current advice before any decision.
Can I visit Bagan or Inle Lake?
Both lie in areas where the UK currently advises against all but essential travel. Travel insurance often does not cover trips against official advice.
Does Metta Voyage run Myanmar tours?
Yes. We plan private trips with routes adjusted to current travel advisories, focusing on areas currently open to visitors, and we confirm each itinerary before booking. Several governments still advise against travel to all or parts of Myanmar, so check your own government’s advice and your insurance cover first.
Written by the Metta Voyage travel team in Hanoi. Last checked 23 October 2026 against the US State Department and UK FCDO websites. This page gives general information, not security advice; always follow your own government’s current travel advice. Photos: Unsplash, credited under each image (taken in Cambodia and Laos).
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