A trip to Myanmar

Travel to and in Burma.

What makes the country different to other tour destinations is the unique cultural background from about 135 different ethnicity reaching deep into India, China, Malaya and Negritos of the south sea ideal for interesting holidays.

More 2000 km coastline with plenty of tropical beaches along the main coast and on around 1000 islands scattered in the Andaman Sea off the southern coast plus great mountains are also not great tour destinations.The country borders Thailand to the east, Bangladesh and India to the north east plus China to the north. 

• Main attractions is the unique Buddhist oriented atmosphere which culminates in the pagoda and temples at Bagan and exploring some of the 130 ethnicity attending festivals enjoy the climate fishing and boating trips national parks and wildlife reserves islands and trekking adventure read more.

• Here are all possible temperature and climate zones, from the icy glaciers of the north in Kachin State which are an extension of the Tibetan Himalayas to the tempered environment of Shan State with hills Inle Lake and an average of 1000 m height, see the travel pictures for more the tropical climate covers the center and all the way down until the souther tip at Kawthaung read more.

• The dry central region is the destination of most tourists with Bagan as the unique temple and pagoda destination this old city is famous for the Buddhist monuments which are something really new in particular in the quantity read more. 

• The high mountains in the north are rather unusual adventure trips they are snow capped the whole year and covered with with glacier this are the extensions of the Tibetan Himalayas reaching up to almost 6000 m with the Mount Hkakabo Razi the highest peak in South East Asia read more.
  

Countless attractive beaches are along the west-coast and the islands.

• Ngapali Beach is the most popular for foreigner at the west-coast is facing the Bay of Bengal here are the currently most popular beaches all current developed waterfronts are on the west-coast read more.

• South Islands and Beaches are around in the Myeik Archipelago and all the way down to Kawthaung which is the southernmost city in the country bordering Ranong in Thailand a ideal holiday destination for scuba diving and adventure travel read more. 

The start for tours is Phuket using small yachts on live aboard trips. Other beaches with hotels and resorts are Ngwe Saung and Chaungtha west of Yangon reachable via road travel of about 5 hours. Since they improved the street there is no problem to drive there anymore. The most interesting are the island waterfronts but it is difficult to reach them, .

• Kawthaung is the southernmost town this was Victoria Point during the British occupation across the bay is Thailand the city is well known for the visa run means when it expires take a tour and get a visa extension stamp which is very convenient if you are on vacation read more.

• The Myeik Archipelago lies off the south west coast down to Kawthaung with almost thousand islands this has a great tourist potential once the area is opened completely and developed this coast strip is known as Tenasserim or Thanintharyi read more.

It is thinly populated and never played any substantial part in holiday travel or any development of  the country. The hills reach down in a narrowing peninsula to the former Victoria Point the southernmost limit.

• In the center east is Shan State with the great Inle Lake since this part of the country has an average altitude of around thousand meters the climate is just right to raise all flowers fruits and other plants similar to western Europe they supply the whole country with them although there are plenty of logistic problems because of the lousy roads read more.  

• Unfortunately to reach almost any places is not easy because road travel takes long time it is difficult because most surfaces are in real bad condition and quite narrow the network has not much improved since the British left it is a real mess when compared to neighboring Thailand where they have the best network in South East Asia read more.

Best are aircraft, in remote areas this is the only solution anyway. There are several domestic airlines starting every day from Yangon Mingalardon Airport domestic and international.

• Myanmar travel pictures are plenty and informative of a great country enjoy the scenes they will tell you better that most written content read more.

• The main tour destination with hot temperature the dry zone of Burma visiting the country the first time a trip to Bagan is almost mandatory since this monument city which became relevant around 1600 years ago is truly unique read more.

• Maha Muni Temple in Mandalay this temple is the most venerated in the second biggest city of the country visiting is highly recommended otherwise you really miss an important part of your trip read more.

Tour at Mingun

Since the country is predominantly Buddhist oriented there are countless monasteries and Vipassana plus other meditation center at Sagaing and Yangon. They also have a touristic component because if you are somewhere in a remote corner and cant find accommodation ask for at the next monastery they let you stay there.

Information about pagodas

 
Actually there is plenty of information available at many small book shops along Bogyoke Aung San Street opposite the market but most are in the local language only. They also sell various maps, it makes sense to buy one for a better understanding. 

Myanmar information on daily life

Kandawgyi palace hotel

About Hotels, resorts and accommodations, there are mid-range and low cost hotels, budget and family run accommodations all have more or less the same features, some have internet, some don't, most have more than 20 TV channels in the room including CNN and BBC, HBO etc.

Means here you are always up to date if you want to be. The main problem is the electricity, the big houses have their own generator, but at smaller places it can be a bit difficult, especially during the day, read more.

They have often not a good standard, but in bigger cities such as Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and at the sea-fronts of Ngapali, Ngwe Saung and Chaungtha are even some luxury hotels. There are also plenty of guesthouses and family run places with up to around 15 rooms which are quite Ok and not expensive. When on a adventure trip in remote areas and no accommodation available check for the next monastery, they are usually positive to have you stay for some days, when you leave don't forget some donations. When in the wilderness the tour operator will take some tents, food and a cook with, means no starving.

The Myeik archipelago lies off the south west coast down to Kawthaung with almost thousand islands, this has a great tourist potential once the area is opened completely and developed. This coast strip is known as Tenasserim or Thanintharyi. It is thinly populated and it has never played any substantial part in holiday and travel or any development of  the country. The hills reach down in a narrowing peninsula to Victoria Point - or Kawthaung , the southernmost limit, read more.

Now travel to Burma and touch down in the "Golden Land". 

First thing, don't change money at the airport, the rate is not good at all, for the start take some small dollar bills with, change downtown at the Bogyoke Market inside. Don't use the banks at the front, since the employees there either sleeping or do strange tricks. They only take totally clean and undamaged dollar bills, if there is even the slightest problem such as something written at the note or the paper is broken at the fold, which is rather natural they wont take it. This effects many people very seriously who simply don't know about, read more.

Beside of this little things there are no bigger problems anymore. 

Arriving at Yangon airport

Myanmar information at Yangon airport

To make orientation easy for you we included the map at the right, just open it up and type in any destination, you will find it immediately, here are highlights of Yangon city.

Visit a local agent for lazy holiday or travel adventure.  Visit Myanmar countryside in the north this way you could save a good amount of money on your holiday in comparison when you book a package in your country.  They have a usual itinerary which is called Burma classic, the well known travel triangle Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, Inle Lake and back. But it also has something to do with classical dancing and music which is very special. But the best for sure is click at banner from Asian Trails which is on top and let them work it out, they are travel expert and will keep away all trouble from you. At least when you visit the first you should take a package otherwise you miss a lot.

Make 

Myanmar holiday insurance

Here are some insurance information,  be aware that most tour operators have none at all, means if you have an accident you are in real trouble. That means one of the most important you must do is to get a good insurance. I am not a insurance broker but I have some experience. Don't underestimate this, because the country is quite rotten, this is not a negative evaluation it simply is the fact, here are more information.

Before you travel buy a travel insurance and you are a bit on the safe side for the journey. But in any case talk with your local insurance what to do, this makes some sense because they are locally available, their connection to handle this is a Thai company.

About nightlife in Yangon and elsewhere, most people don't know that there is a vibrant nightlife scene with great bars, shows, restaurants, nightclubs, karaoke, sexy local made fashion shows shows plus native dancing, marionettes and puppet  shows. 

There is a substantial nightlife, it's not like Bangkok but not so bad. For something special try Chinatown which is in the center, read more

Several big hotels and at other places downtown are good clubs and all variants of crossover.

Myanmar nightlife show

Nightlife in Yangon

Nightlife is quite interesting, it's not on a scale such as Bangkok but there is an amazing amount of bars, nightclubs, pubs, shows, discos, karaoke and more. As it is in every excellent oriental city the "butterflies" are around in all mentioned places above, read more.

Pretty Myanmar girls who help they men drinking, singing and find other pleasure afterwards are plenty. This are mainly local run businesses the bars and pubs in the hotels are just the same as everywhere without a local flavor.

The biggest city is Yangon visually dominated by the great Shwedagon Pagoda. It is said that the pagoda is around 2000 years old. This is an old fashioned metropolis with an oriental colonial style and the best bazaar in the country  with is the Bogyoke Market named after the father of Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi, read more.

Pure country side at Mount Popa near Bagan >

 

Myanmar holiday travel will be the experience of a lifetime.

Journeys could be very divers since the climate zone is from icy peaks in the Kachin State to the tropical beaches of the Andaman Sea in the rest of the country. That is holiday travel at it's best since it also includes a temperate part which is in Shan State with around thousand meters elevation including the great Inle Lake district with leg lower and floating gardens, read more.

Geography, the country is in a remote corner of South-East Asia.

It is hidden away in the folds of mountains which reach down like the fingers of a hand from the heights of the Himalayas to the sea, it has had leisure to develop a character and a personality of its own. 

Its best friends in this sense have been these mountains, which have protected it on the one hand from the aggression of Indian invaders, on the other from the enormous absorbing power of China, read more.

High end Myanmar jewelry

Buddhist Art Painting

About Myanmar jewelry of jade, ruby, sapphire, pearls, semi precious stones and ethnic jewelry.

About Buddhist art in Myanmar as statues, wood carvings, paintings, sculptures, images and wall murals.