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U Bein Bridge and the lake at dusk · Destination illustration

Suggested flight: November 4, Kunming–Mandalay MU2029/11:45/11:55 Morning: Fly to Mandalay Afternoon: Drive to U Bein Bridge to photograph sunset

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Life on U Bein Bridge · Destination illustration

Rise early for U Bein Bridge, photographing local life and morning light along the bridge. Then visit Mahagandayon Monastery, Myanmar's largest, home to thousands of monks. Every morning at 10:15, all monks carry their bowls and queue silently for lunch in the dining hall. Photograph this powerful scene of a thousand monks entering in complete silence. Afterwards, drive approximately 4 hours to Bagan, the first dynasty's capital, known as the 'City of Ten Thousand Pagodas,' observing Myanmar life along the way. Across Bagan's 42-square-kilometer plain, tens of thousands of pagodas of different forms were built during more than two centuries from the 11th to the 13th century. After nearly a thousand years of weathering, over 2,000 survive. On arrival, climb a small hill to photograph sunset over Bagan. Check into the hotel after dinner.

Accommodation:Hotel in Bagan; property pending confirmation with the operator.

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Pagodas across the Bagan plain · Destination illustration

Photograph sunrise from the observation tower, capturing thousands of pagodas amid mist and the close-range spectacle of hot-air balloons lifting off. Return to the hotel for breakfast, then photograph famous pagodas and temples. The plain is dotted with structures of different sizes, no two alike: each has a distinctive form, construction, materials, and decoration. Rest at the hotel after lunch. Meet at a suitable time in the afternoon for a staged shoot inside a pagoda, circumstances permitting, capturing the interplay of light and shadow. Then head among the pagodas to focus on shepherds and cattle herders. Return to the hotel to rest after dinner.

Accommodation:Hotel in Bagan; property pending confirmation with the operator.

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Villages on Inle Lake · Destination illustration

After breakfast, photograph local life in Minnanthu Village. After lunch, travel to Bagan Airport for a domestic flight to Inle Lake. On arrival, photograph the customs and traditions of lakeside households. Check into the hotel and rest after dinner. Overnight at Inle Lake. Photography highlights: Minnanthu Village, sunset at Inle Lake, rowing on the water

Accommodation:Inle Lake; hotel pending confirmation with the operator.

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Fisherman on Inle Lake · Destination illustration

Visit the floating market in the morning to photograph ethnic minority communities trading on the water. Then photograph Myanmar's rarely seen long-neck community, documenting customs and daily life on location. Participants can explore their own ideas at hand-weaving and clothing workshops, cheroot workshops, metalworking shops, and in photographs with long-neck families. After lunch, continue photographing Inle Lake scenery: floating homes, floating gardens, and the everyday market trade of minority communities. Before sunset, use the favorable light to photograph one-legged rowing on the lake. Rest at the hotel after dinner.

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Shwedagon Pagoda at night, Yangon · Destination illustration

After breakfast, head to the airport at the designated time and fly to Yangon, Myanmar's largest city and former capital. In the eastern Irrawaddy Delta, it is the country's main gateway for foreign trade and was once Southeast Asia's most prosperous colonial city. Have lunch on arrival, then visit Bogyoke Market, excellent for cultural and still-life photography: abundant handicrafts, bargaining merchants, and vendors making traditional snacks deep inside. Toward evening, visit Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon's landmark, founded 2,500 years ago. Its spire and body are covered with 7 tonnes of gold. Beneath the golden umbrella at the top sits a 27-centimeter-diameter gold-and-diamond orb set with over 7,000 diamonds and colored gems. Sixty-eight smaller golden pagodas surround the main structure, forming a forest of gold, especially magnificent at sunset. First photograph it in the sunset glow; as darkness falls, the illuminated pagoda and candles lit by worshippers create an entirely different atmosphere. A photographer suggests using backlight and a graduated filter to balance sky and ground, even capturing the long shadows of worshippers on the marble floor.

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Light and architecture at Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon · Destination illustration

Suggested flight: November 10, Yangon–Kunming MU2032/14:55/18:35 Rise early, with another possible visit to Shwedagon Pagoda: the first sunlight makes the entire complex glitter spectacularly. Few visitors are present, allowing a peaceful, sacred atmosphere to be photographed. After breakfast, visit The Secretariat, a little-known photographic gem. This red-and-yellow Victorian complex is popular with local young people; vintage attics and weathered corridors suit environmental portraits and architectural details. Participants can also wear longyis for atmospheric photographs. At the meeting time, a dedicated vehicle and escort transfer you to the airport, ending the Myanmar journey.