Myanmar Holidays
Myanmar, or Burma as it was formerly known, is a land of golden pagodas, lush vegetation, white sand beaches, remote hill tribes and a gentle, kind and smiling people. Each year more and more of the country opens up to visitors and the undiscovered gems are revealed.
By virtue of the limited infrastructure, travel around Myanmar is somewhat unpredictable. However, better roads and shallow draft river boats now allow excursions deeper into tribal areas. Frequently far too little time is devoted to Myanmar and it is rushed instead of savoured. In the north there are interesting gem mining areas, in the south elephants still work in the logging camps while in the east travellers can visit old colonial towns and stroll through the villages of minority tribes.
Temples are everywhere although none quite so strange as the Golden Rock pagoda, whose centre piece is a huge circular boulder which balances precariously threatening to roll away as each piece of gold foil is stuck to it by devoted followers. There is a weekly buffalo market in Kyaintong while on the Bay of Bengal is the wonderful hidden city of Mrauk-U reached after travelling for several hours on a private boat and along the coast a few small private beach hotels.
Once the richest country in south East Asia, economically Myanmar is a shadow of its former self, nevertheless, the culture and pride of the people lives on and it remains a fascinating and remarkable country to visit.
Journey Ideas for Myanmar