In addition to living life to the fullest, I went to another backpacking trip with babe and friends. This time we visited the beautiful South East Asia countries of Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore. What I love about this trip is I get to see a first world country – Singapore, second world country – Malaysia, and third world country – Myanmar.

Temples and Pagodas in Bagan, Myanmar

This article has been updated April 2024. The cost here is from March of 2016.
Please take note of inflation per country as of March 2024.

Philippines – 3.27%
Myanmar – 7.83%
Singapore – 3.5%
Malaysia – 2.67%

Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore Backpacking Itinerary

Day 1 Cebu, Philippines to Melaka Malaysia

Because there are many hotels, hostel, and lodges in Melaka we have not pre-book our accommodation. But the time we arrive in the City it rained hard so we opted to stay in the nearest available place.

Travel Tips and Things to Know:

1. If you are arriving late in the evening make sure to pre-book your accommodation.
2. Research for a comfortable, affordable and nice view place to stay when in Melaka. They have hundreds of options.

The streets of Melaka Malaysia

Day 2 Melaka Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Melaka Travel Guide: What To Do, Where To Go and What to Eat

Travel Tips and Things to Know:

1. I highly encourage to jog or walk around Melaka early in the morning to avoid flocking tourist and to appreciate more the beauty of the red City.
2. Options Melaka to Kuala Lumpur (KL Sentral)
3. Melaka to Kuala Lumpur through TBS
   • Buy ticket inside Melaka Central. Ticket ranges from 7.00MYR to 13.00MYR.
   • Bus stops at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS).
   • From TBS ride train to KL Sentral. Ticket is 1.00MYR (17 minutes)
4. Melaka to Kuala Lumpur through Kuala Lumpur Time Square
   • Buy ticket inside Melaka Central. Ticket is 13.00MYR “Smart Bus”
   • By Taxi
     • You can ride a taxi directly to your hotel
     • You can ride a taxi to KL Sentral 10.00MYR
       • KL Sentral to your hotel
     • By Train
       • Walk to Imbi KL Monorail Station which is in front of Time Square.
       • Ride KL Monorail train to KL Sentral. Ticket is 1.60 MYR

You are directed towards KL Sentral because it is where most trains are going to various stations near your hotel.

3.Pods Guest house is walking distance to KL Sentral station.

Red Square Melaka Malaysia

Day 3 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Yangon, Myanmar

Travel Tips and Things to Know:

1. Myanmar is 1 hour and 30 minutes late from Malaysia.
2. Kyat is the monetary unit in Myanmar. It is easy to exchange from USD to Kyat.
3. Bring new USD. They are strictly with the money you have to change. Your money must not show signs of fold and no unnecessary markings.
4. Exchange rate during the period is 10usd = 11,700 Kyat (May 2016)
5. Aung Mingalar Bus Station. Bus going to Bagan.
6. 10 hours travel time Yangon to Bagan
7. 30-40 minutes break after 4 hours of bus ride.

Petronas Tower Jump of Joy

Day 4 Bagan, Myanmar

Travel Tips and Things to Know:

1. Saw Nyein San Guest House is a highly recommended place to stay in Bagan, Myanmar. Read my complete review in The Best Place to Stay in Bagan.
2. It is cheaper to pay in the local currency Kyat than in USD.
3. Options to tour around Bagan
   1. Truck – can accommodate up to 8 people – 20,000 Kyat or 16usd
   2. Air conditioned van can accommodate 8 persons and is worth 55,000 Kyat or 45usd.
   3. Motorcycle can accommodate 2 persons, can be rented for 20,000 Kyat or 16usd
   4. E-Bike can accommodate 2 persons, for only 10,000 Kyat or 8USD
4. Wear Slippers. All foot wears is not allowed inside the temples and pagodas.
5. I don’t highly recommend Weather Spoon’s Bagan. It is pricey and it doesn’t feel like authentic Burmese cuisine. They also offer western cuisine for those who miss eating burgers and French fries.

Temples and Pagodas You Should not miss when in Bagan

Pagodas in Bagan Malaysia

Day 5 Bagan, Myanmar to Mandalay, Myanmar

Travel Tip and Things to Know:

1. It is easy and affordable if you have your Guesthouse arranged your transport from Bagan to Mandalay or any destination.
2. Dreamland Guest House is in 38^th  street. They have the coziest and colorful dorms and rooms. Staff/Owners are extremely nice. Did I mention that it is also affordable? Read Dreamland Guest House for the Free Spirited Backpackers on a Budget.
3. With the use of GPS and the Mandalay Map given to us from the Guest House we just walk our way in this part of Mandalay. We even reached the Mandalay Royal Palace.
4. Emperor Café is in the block of 35^th and 69^th  street. It looks like a big open restaurant.
5. Myanmar Marionettes and Cultural Show. A highly recommended activity if you wanted to see the beautiful culture and arts of Myanmar. Read why you should meet the Oldest Puppet Master in Myanmar U Pan Aye and the Dying Art of Burmese Puppetry.
   1. Located at 66^th st. Between 26^th and 27^th St.
   2. Phone them at +95(0)234-446
   3. Email them at mamanaing.mdy1@gmail.com
   4. Visit their website myanmarmarionettes.com

Mandalay Hill

Day 6 Mandalay, Myanmar

Travel Tips and Things to Know:

1. We arranged our tour but it is the Guest house who called for our taxi. The driver speaks little English but he is very kind and polite.
2. Options for the tour
   1. Taxi
   2. Rent a bicycle from your guest house
   3. Rent a motorcycle from your guest house
   4. Prearranged tour from guest house
3. The taxi tour include 3 major locations:
   1. Mandalay City Tour
   2. Inn Wa
   3. U Bien’s Bridge
4. The 10,000 Kyat fee in Royal Palace is the Mandalay Archeological Zone fee for Mandalay Archeological Zone including Amarapura, Innwa, Pinya, Paleik, Shwe nan Taw Kyaung, Mya Nan San Kyaw Royal Palace, sanda Muni Pagoda, Kuthodaw Pagoda, Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda and Mandalay Hill. The ticket is valid for 5 day from date of issue.
5. The tour in Inn Wa is actually 10,000 Kyat for 1 horse cart that can accommodate 2-3 persons and visits 7 tourist attractions. Due to time constraint, we only visited 1 Pagoda and 1 Monastery, but it is still worth it.
6. Babe and I rented a bike to go to the Royal Palace for a jog. Actually babe jog and I followed him with the bike I rented. We left his bike at the Myanmar Marrionettes.

Ruins in Inn Wa

Day 7 Mandalay to Gokteik Viaduct and Yangon

Travel Tips and Things to Know:

1. Gokteik Viaduct – A 335 ft. or 102 metres in height bridge that connects Pyin Oo Lwin, the summer capital of the former British colonial administrators of Burma, and Lashio, the principal town of northern Shan State. The bridge is located approximately 100 km northeast of Mandalay.
2. In Mandalay train station ask for the ticket going to Hispaw. You can choose between upper class and ordinary.
   1. Upper class – Cushioned seats with white seat covers. I find it comfortable especially with the long travel hour.
   2. Ordinary class – Wooden seats where most local ride.
3. Drop off at Nawnpeng Train station. It is the first train station after the Gokteik Viaduct.
4. Give Pyin Oo Lwin a day in your itinerary. Visit National Kandawgyi Park (Maymyo Botanical Garden, Anisakan Falls, Maha Ant Htoo Kan Thar Pagoda and many more.
5. The bus from Pyin Oo Lwin to Mandalay is not the big express bus but the pick-up style truck.
6. Elite express bus has 2 options – Executive or Business Class. The difference of the 2 is that the seating capacity. Executive has 36 while Business Class has 26. Both offers confectionary and blankets. One stop during the entire trip.

Gokteik Viaduct

Day 8 Yangon, Myanmar

Shwedagon Pagoda “The Golden Pagoda”

Travel Tips and Things to Know:

1. Drop off in Yangon from Mandalay is at Aung Mengalar intl. Road bus Station.
2. Talk your way to the many taxi drivers to either your guest house or a day tour.
3. Our main destination in Yangon is the Shwedagon Pagoda but decided to visit other nearby destinations.
4. Shwedagon Pagoda is the most famous pagoda in the world and the most sacred Buddhist pagoda so expect many tourist and pilgrims. 2 hours is enough to roam around the great pagoda and learning the life of Buddha.
5. Ocean Super Center is like a mall where you can just chill for a while after a day or half of visiting temples and pagodas.
6. Bagyoke market is famous for cheap souvenirs in Myanmar. If you are a jewelry or jade lover then this place is for you too.

Tooth Relic Temple in Yangon, Myanmar

Day 9 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Singapore

Travel Tips and Things to Know:

1. TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan) is a huge Bus station and you can look for a space to sleep while waiting for your bus schedule.
2. From Singapore beach Road you can walk to Bugis Junction and you can pass by China town and other landmarks.
3. The best way to see Singapore is by foot. So walk your way around Singapore. Everything is walking distance from one another.
4. Funan Digital Life is a life saver for backpackers or 1 day visitors in Singapore. Just leave an I.D and show your passport then you can have this all for FREE:
   1. Leave your bag
   2. Borrow a powerbank
   3. Charge your phone and powerbank
5. Garden Rhapsody is highly recommended at night when in Singapore.

The famous Merlion and Marina Bay Sands

Total Cost in Pesos Excluding Airfare

Note:

It is always cheaper to travel in GROUPS. There are 3 of us in Malaysia and Singapore. There are 4 of us in Myanmar.

Garden Rhapsody – Garden by the Bay at Night

Other Personal Expenses

I consider most of my travels as baby steps in seeing the world. I may not cover all of it but I promise myself to experience the most of this world has to offer.

Photo Credits
Andrukoy
Jiji
Geemiz

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Meet geemiz

Geezelle Maningo - A Cebu based travel blogger and the other half of GeeMiz Travel blog. She has been traveling around the Philippines and Asia since 2010 with her husband. A casual trekker/hiker since 2017 and has been blogging since 2008. A digital marketer during workdays and a bookworm on lazy days - she co-founded Cebu Book Club.

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