The first foreign country I ever heard about as a child was Burma, which was renamed Myanmar in 1989. This was because my dad spent time there during the war. I always wanted to visit. So, in February 2011, my partner, John, and I booked a group tour with Cox & Kings.
Going to Myanmar involved an escorted tour and we knew that certain parts would be off-limits to visitors. Reading the guidebooks beforehand, we were struck by the fact that they included a section on whether or not tourists should visit Myanmar at all. By going, were we supporting the repressive military junta or creating employment opportunities for the locals? We had to decide for ourselves.
Myanmar has an interesting history. It gained independence from Britain in 1948, but a civil war followed before General Ne Win took control, leading the country into total isolation. In 1990, the National League for Democracy won the vote but the military refused to hand over power. It was only in the 1990s that Myanmar began opening its borders to visitors.
It’s one of the less visited countries in Asia, but it has so much to offer – with varied habitats (jungle, mountains, river delta), rich natural resources (teak, jade, emeralds), and delightful people.
It’s impossible to fly directly to Myanmar from the UK, so we travelled via Bangkok to Yangon (formerly Rangoon). From there, we took a short flight to Mandalay, then a very short flight to Bagan, back via Mandalay to Inle Lake, before returning to Yangon.
While there were plenty of memorable experiences along the way, I’ve gathered my 10 highlights from our trip to Myanmar below.
1. The Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon
The Shwedagon. Credit: Sue Ablett
The Shwedagon sweepers. Credit: Sue Ablett
The Shwedagon Pagoda is probably the most sacred Buddhist site in Myanmar, one which residents of the country will aim to visit at least once in their lives.
This ornate temple’s opulence is staggering. It’s said to be plated with nearly 9,000 pieces of gold leaf, which have to be replaced every few years because of the monsoons – plus over 5,000 diamonds and 2,000 rubies. More than 100 additional buildings occupy the 12-acre site – it’s one of those awesome sights that, once seen, is never forgotten.
We were amused to be met by an army of locals, all with sweeping brushes and moving in formation. Apparently, it’s practice for locals to volunteer each week on the day of their birth, something other countries could maybe adopt.
2. Reclining Buddha, Yangon
Reclining Buddha. Credit: Sue Ablett
Throughout Myanmar, you’ll find statues of Buddha in four different positions – reclining, standing, walking, or sitting cross-legged. We were told that this colossal statue in Yangon had originally been standing but, after collapsing 50 years ago, was reshaped in a reclining position. I’m not sure how true this story is, but it’s an incredible sight nonetheless.
This statue in Yangon is regarded as one of Myanmar’s most beautiful reclining Buddhas and, at 70 metres long, it’s certainly the largest. The face is topped by a crown encrusted in diamonds and other precious stones – and the symbols on the soles of the feet represent different aspects of Buddhism.
Since 90% of the population are Buddhists, the importance of this religion in Myanmar cannot be overestimated. Plus, there are over half a million monks and a huge number of temples throughout the country. Interestingly, every Buddhist male is expected to become a monk, albeit briefly, at least once in their lifetime.
3. Mahagandayon Monastery, Mandalay
Monks at Monstery. Credit: Sue Ablett
Mealtime at Monstery. Credit: Sue Ablett
From Yangon, we flew to Mandalay, the home of Mahagandayon Monastery and, yes, we all recited Kipling’s famous poem…
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin’-fishes play,
An’ the dawn comes up like thunder outer China ‘crost the Bay!
Mahagandayon Monastery was founded in 1914 as a centre for monastic study and strict religious discipline – and it’s home to 1,300 monks. We arrived at 11am, just in time to watch the monks filing quietly into the dining room for their last meal of the day, which they eat in complete silence.
You won’t just see the monks in the monastery at Mandalay. Each day, they venture into town to collect food from various sponsors who also have the opportunity to fund a meal (for $1 per monk) and serve it to them.
While in Mandalay, we saw a mix of monks and novices. The novices were usually young boys, often toddlers, who would have their heads shaved and live in the monastery for a short period before returning to their families. The boys take part in initiation ceremonies, riding oxen around the streets, before entering the monastery. We were lucky enough to see one such parade for ourselves.
4. Kuthodaw Paya, Mandalay
Kuthodaw Paya. Credit: Sue Ablett
Also in Mandalay is the Kuthodaw Paya, a Buddhist stupa which houses ‘the world’s biggest book’. It’s an impressive and intriguing sight, though clearly nothing like our Western idea of a book. The Kuthodaw Paya consists of 729 white marble pavilions, inside each of which is a stone tablet, inscribed with the teachings of Buddha.
It’s estimated that, if you read for eight hours a day, it would take you 450 days to complete it. And then, when you get to what you think is the end, you’ll find another pavilion with yet another stone slab inside, this one explaining how the book came to be written.
5. U Bein Bridge, Mandalay
U Bein Bridge. Credit: Sue Ablett
One of Myanmar’s most photographed sights, the U Bein Bridge, is over 200 years old, 1300 yards long, and made up of over 1000 upright teak posts.
What’s fascinating about this structure is that – as well as being the world’s longest teak footbridge – it’s not straight but curves gently.
As we walked part of it and took a boat ride underneath, we were intrigued by local fishermen wading in the shallow waters, catching fish with nets. There was also an interesting moment when our boatman cackled cheerfully, tucked his cigarettes into his shirt pocket, and proceeded to climb out of the boat. He wasn’t abandoning us – we were stuck on a sandbank!
Anyone who’s read A Glass Palace by Amitav Gosh will recognise the bridge as it appears on the front cover.
6. Craft workshops, Mandalay
Embroidery. Credit: Sue Ablett
As Mandalay is Myanmar’s craft centre, we also decided to visit a gold leaf workshop while we were there – which was a fascinating experience. Here, young men worked with huge baseball-like bats, pounding away at lumps of gold. It’s hot, hard, and relentless work – and the noise was deafening.
We also saw stone carvers, who were mainly carving or polishing huge Buddhas. And, as someone who’s done needlework in the past, I enjoyed watching beautiful, intricate embroidery pieces come to life. I was particularly struck by the position in which the girls would sit for hours on end.
7. The Bagan Archaeological Zone
Bagan Archaeological Zone. Credit Sue Ablett
Bagan Temples. Credit Sue Ablett
From Mandalay, we had a 25-minute flight to Bagan – a journey that would’ve taken over eight hours by road through the jungle.
Bagan is one of Myanmar’s most amazing sights. In my opinion, it’s on par with other world greats like Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The Bagan Archaeological Zone (to use its full name) dates back to the 11th century when the Kings of Bagan built 4,446 temples over 230 years.
An earthquake in 1975 sadly destroyed around half the temples, though some have now been restored or rebuilt. Climbing to the top of some of the structures gave us the best view of the 26-square-mile site, but you can also take a hot air balloon ride. While we didn’t do that, I did go for a run. It was baking hot and I had a sense the locals were thinking, “Mad dogs and Englishmen!”
Cane Ball. Credit: Sue Ablett
While in Bagan, we also had a chance to watch some locals playing the traditional national sport of chinlone (also known as caneball). We had no idea of the rules but there was some pretty nifty foot and leg work that reminded us of the film, Bend It Like Beckham!
8. Fishermen of Inle Lake
Inle Lake floating houses and gardens. Credit Sue Ablett
We took another flight from Bagan to HeHo Airport for our visit to Inle Lake, which ranks as one of Myanmar’s top tourist attractions. On paper, the lake is 13.5 miles long and seven miles wide, but close up, it’s hard to tell where the lake ends and the marshes begin.
The locals actually live on the lake in floating villages. As well as floating houses, some also have floating gardens as pictured above! The only way to reach our hotel, or travel from village to village, was by boat.
Fisherman Inle Lake. Credit Sue Ablett
While the villages are undoubtedly a sight to see, it’s the fishermen of Inle Lake (the Intha) who are the real attraction. They use traditional flat-bottomed skiffs propelled by a single wooden paddle and nets, which they drop over the fish.
The Intha’s unique leg-rowing technique, where one leg is wrapped around the paddle to drive the blade through the water in a snake-like motion, is amazing to watch. Their balance is incredible, probably a skill they develop from childhood.
9. Local markets
Market stall (fish). Credit Sue Ablett
Market stall (flowers and vegetables). Credit Sue Ablett
Everywhere we went in Myanmar, there were fantastic markets. In Asia, it’s normal to buy fresh food from the market every day. Buying produce once a week and stashing much of it in a fridge or freezer isn’t as common as it is over here.
The colours and the range of products on offer were fabulous to see. You could buy every sort of fruit and vegetable, as well as rice, fish, parasols, watering cans – you name it. And often, the way locals carry their produce home is to hang it on bamboo poles slung across their shoulders. Or they cram onto buses (which might involve sitting on the roof) or take a local tractor/taxi.
10. Taukkyon War Cemetery
Taukkyan War Cemetery. Credit Sue Ablett
About an hour outside Yangon, and not part of the official Cox & Kings itinerary, is Taukkyon War Cemetery. Although my dad rarely talked about his time in Burma during the war, I was keen to visit, as was the friend we travelled with because her father had also served there.
This cemetery, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, is beautifully kept. It contains the graves of 6,374 Allied soldiers who died in the Burma and Assam campaigns of World War 2. There’s also a huge memorial bearing the names of almost 27,000 soldiers who died with no known grave. I’m always struck by just how young so many of the men were. The visit was a heartfelt and fitting end to an amazing trip.
Final thoughts…
We loved this tour. Myanmar is a beautiful, fascinating country with plenty of unique experiences to be had.
Apart from all the places I’ve listed as highlights, we rode a rickshaw through Yangon, took high tea at the Governor’s Residence Hotel, visited Inwa (the capital of the Burmese kingdom for nearly 400 years) by horse cart, and enjoyed a sunset cruise on the vast Irrawaddy river. We even gatecrashed a village wedding!
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Have you been to Myanmar? Or perhaps it’s on your travel list? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.