Hi, we are planning a 1st time trip to Myanmar for a week from March 21. We live in SE Asia. I was told by my friends that they used a guide who flew with them from RGN-Heho-Bagan and back to RGN, and recommended doing the same.
We are fairly comfortable traveling independently. At the same time, I realize time is short and its not easy to book things online for Myanmar.
Should we go with this suggestion? Any advice from experienced Fodorites will be very useful. Thanks in advance !

We had a guide in Mandalay for a day and one for 2 days in Bagan. We did have some drivers here and there. I would think its not necessary to have a guide fly with you from place to place which would get pretty expensive. For booking hotels and flights, you can use a local travel agent. They can also supply guides & drivers for you. We used Santa Maria and they provided a couple drivers and one guide (who was just so so.) Guides are readily available wherever we went.

I agree, no need for a guide to escort you around. We met some people who had a guide go with them everywhere - that would drive me crazy. Make your arrangements through a travel agent in Yangon and choose when you might want a guide. You can hire one on the spot anywhere.

A guide sounds like a drag. I found booking flights on Oway easy and the hotels I wanted were available through Agoda. Airport transportation was arranged with my hotels in advance and they arranged in-country travel for me onsite. E-bikes are wonderful for navigating Bagan, in Nyaung Shwe you'd rent a boat or bike for the day, and in Yangon taxis are plentiful.

Thanks. Its clear that no need for full time guide. But have heard other things on this forum about the ability to book flights online. I am based in Singapore - would it be possible to book through a TA here?

Typically, only in-country agents can book flights for you. I expect that will eventually change.