Philippines or Myanmar?
 

I cant decide on Bagan and Yangon or just island hopping in the Philippines?

I know they are SO different, but what would you do?

any hotel choices - I want to spend about US$100 a night max.

Cheers,

Is boracay really nice or is it tacky like thailand beaches?

Depends what Thailand beach you want to compare Boracay to. There are plenty of awesome Thai beaches. Boracay is not a place to go if you want to escape from people, there are many about. Some times of year are better than others. Boracay constantly rates as one of the best beaches in the world, so you probably should go at some time. There are plenty of other places in the Philippines to go - you just have to decide which ones suit your particular travel style.

No idea on Myanmar - haven't been there.

It's hard to get a nice room in Yangon for $100. Everything has doubled or tripled in the last year. I paid $89 last month. The same room in Thailand would be $30.

There are nice beaches on the west side in myanmar.
Not commercialized yet.

Well it is pretty much an unaswerable question as you have put forward two totally different options.

I like both places so do not think you can go wrong with either. I think there is something to be said for going to Myanmar quite soon before it becomes too westernised.

I think it will also depend on what time of year you are planning to go. Both in terms of cost and also what is suitable do you want to lie on the beach during the rainy season.

If you want an affordable and enjoyable trip go island hopping in the Philippines. There are many nice places/islands in the Philippines of which I'm sure you'll have the best times of your life ... this is only a suggestion =)

There's a pretty detailed and entertaining Boracay trip report here.

If you are going this month I'd say Myanmar, but if you are going March or later I'd say Boracay.

100% agree. I plan on going back to Myanmar soon because I fear it will be "ruined" in the next 10 years.

Personally I did not like Yangon at all. I would suggest Mandalay and Bagan. The only thing worth seeing in Yangon was the Schwedagon Pagoda. You can fly from Bangkok to Mandalay.

Go to Rangoon, way more interesting than anything you'll see in the Philippines.

Rangoon is fascinating place, absolutely packed with interesting things to see and do. I love the Philippines, but given the stark choice you present, I'd go for Yangon and Burma.

Now, Yellowstone or Key West ?

That's because you guys haven't seen McDonalds, KFCs and Starbucks yet. :D

IIWY I'd do Myanmar. They have some great beaches out by Ngapali too. Bagan, Inle Lake, & Schwegadon are epic must sees. Boracay is all built up with the big chains now. All the culture of going to Maui. I like Palawan and Bohol a lot.

I hear Jollibee is planning (or undergoing) quite the expansion...

See Myanmar before it changes. It is a nique opportunity The schwedagon pagoda is awesome and very magical. Inle lake is also nice.

Yellowstone in a heartbeat. Key West is over-rated IMO.

A second on Yellowstone.

Go to the Philippines, there are a lot of virgin islands you can go to if you want to escape from everything. Like anawangin, zambales. Google it. :)

Having been to every ASEAN country BUT Burma, I'd be inclined to second this reasoning. In some ways the degree of deifficulty and adaptation will be greater, but Burma will change greatly (and potentially sometimes negatively) as it opens up and develops, whereas the Philippines (except Boracay) changes but more slowly. I went to Boracay in 1995 and 1996 and it'd probably pain me to go back. Am also glad I got to Angkor and Luang Prabang before those places got crowded.

For the Philippines I have El Nido and that general area on the to-see list, and there are other spots supposedly still relatively unspoiled (though not with easy access).