9 top things to do in Myanmar
Formerly hidden Burma, Myanmar, has swift become a Southeast Asia holiday hotspot; check out these top things to do.
Once hidden from the world behind a repressive military regime, Myanmar is now one of the greatest travel destinations in Southeast Asia.
While once Myanmar (formerly Burma) was inaccessible to even the most trailblazing adventurer, in the last duo of years it has topped lists of the world’s up-and-coming destinations; in two thousand fourteen the contribution of tourism to its economy was up 14% year-on-year, and in two thousand fifteen the country is set to welcome five million visitors*. So, what’s the attraction? Becki Enright picks nine places to go and things to do to practice Myanmar at its very best.
1. Grab a bike and cycle around Mandalay
Rudyard Kipling wasn’t kidding when he described Mandalay as a ‘cleaner, greener land’ of sunshine and ‘tinkly temple-bells’. The city, which centres around Mandalay Hill, is effortless to navigate due to it’s grid structure, but you’ve got to head out of town into the surrounding countryside to see a quieter, more peaceful side to the last royal capital of Burma. Hire a bike, grab a map and go, or get yourself on a tour. Operators, such as Grasshopper Adventures, will provide you with a local guide to introduce you to the mountainous plains, paddyfields, lil’ villages and residential hideouts, including the bean curd production houses and bamboo weavers who live around the city.
Two. Rail the Yangon Circle Line
Train geek or not, the $1 journey on Yangon’s ‘commuter’ line certainly offers the best value for money practice in town. Speeding through the rural suburbs of Myanmar’s formar capital (before it was relocated to Nypyidaw in 2006) you’ll see exactly what life means to the residents of Yangon, stopping at lil’ villages, sharing your plastic bench with old ladies and livestock. The finish loop takes about three hours, passing through thirty nine stations. If you get peckish you can always hop off at a station and grab a quick street food snack, like a pouch of sweet and creamy_ falooda,_ made with tapioca, milk and rose syrup. Just make sure you don’t dawdle too long or the train will steam off without you.
Trio. Cross Myanmar’s highest bridge
Another rail journey, this time exchanging scenic suburbs for horrifying heights. For $Trio you can take the pretty (scary) rail across the highest railway bridge in Myanmar, the world’s highest back in one thousand eight hundred ninety nine when it was built. The Goteik Viaduct stands at one hundred two metres tall and is one of the most popular railways journeys in the country, taking you from the hilly trekking grounds of Hsipaw, to the northern former colonial hideout of Pyin Oo Lwin. Brace yourself; the entire train carriage stirs and sways; be plucky: lean out of the window and look down to snap that daredevil shot.
Four. Temple hop
If you don’t see any other temples in Myanmar, make sure you visit the plains of Bagan, littered with more than Two,000 spirtiual tiers and towers. Hire a bike and cycle through the desert landscape, but depending on when you visit, it may be too hot to do this. From February to April the warmth and humidity gets so high that most people seek refuge and strong air conditioning from midday until about 3pm. Other options include electrical bikes or a more leisurely pony and cart tour. However you get around, you’ll be amazed at these examples of 9th and 13th century architectural grandeur and innovation. Ask your guesthouse owners or the pony and cart drivers for the best sunrise and sunset catches sight of. The most popular temple is Mingalazedi Paya, but you’ll get a gorgeous view from most of the temples’ terraces, so go off-track and find your own sweet sunset or sunrise spot to avoid the crowds.
Five. Head to the southern peninsula
On your way to Myanmar’s southern states, stop off at the Golden Rock, a dazzling golden pagoda-on-a-boulder that suspends on the edge of a cliff. Further south, visit Mawlamyine and Dawai which, albeit they’re brief on any kind of tourist attractions, are filter-free windows into Burmese life. The south has only indeed flung open its doors to mass tourism over the past duo of years, but it has already attracted scuba divers and snorkellers to the Andaman Sea and the coast off of the Myeik Archipelago. The islands themselves are off-limits except with a government permit.
6. Trek the tea hills
Whether it’s Lashio to Hsipaw, or on to Kalaw (a excellent base for exploring nearby Inle Lake) multi-day treks through the tea hills, forests and plains brings you to not only to the lush green of the north, but to the fringes of unspoilt Shan State. Treks are usually guided and combined with homestays and an overnight stop at a monastery. Be sure to shop around for tour operators wherever you choose to embark your trek. If you’re travelling solo, it pays to pal up with other travellers you might meet on the road, as some tours will not depart without a minimum number onboard, plus you get to split the costs.
7. Sail across Inle Lake
One of the most photographed glances in Myanmar, Inle Lake’s famous fishermen, rowing their boats with their feet, wielding gigantic conical nets, is a must-see. The lake is best experienced at sunrise, as the morning mist rolls out off the water and across the surrounding mountains. It’s effortless (and cheap) to hire a private driver to take you out on the water in a motor-powered canoe. He’ll take you into the canals and backwaters of floating villages and water gardens, stopping at local handicraft stores selling souvenirs that include silver jewellery and traditional wood carvings.
8. See the Moustache Brothers Demonstrate
There was once a politically outspoken comedic trio of brothers (well, two brothers and a cousin) known for their live spectacles denouncing the military regime, two of which were arrested following a spectacle at the home of democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The conditions of the release? They would remain under house arrest and could only perform for foreigners at the family home in the centre of Mandalay. Now a two-man demonstrate, these local heroes certainly don’t hold back. Slapstick, satirical and ditzy, attending a display here is paying homage to a history of fighting for the freedom of speech.
9. Get in some beach time
Western Myanmar’s beaches are as beautiful as any in Thailand. Ngapali Beach is one of the best; beach huts nestled inbetween palm trees along swathes of golden sand. Albeit popular with locals, you’re likely to be one of only a handful of international tourists throwing down your beach towel here. It’s also a excellent spot to stop for a few days r&r in inbetween all that temple traipsing, city hopping and highland hiking, and those lengthy cross-country bus journeys, that characterise a tour to Myanmar.
If you liked this article, you might like these:
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Legal Nomads: Blog of the Week
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9 top things to do in Myanmar
9 top things to do in Myanmar
Formerly hidden Burma, Myanmar, has prompt become a Southeast Asia holiday hotspot; check out these top things to do.
Once hidden from the world behind a repressive military regime, Myanmar is now one of the greatest travel destinations in Southeast Asia.
While once Myanmar (formerly Burma) was inaccessible to even the most trailblazing adventurer, in the last duo of years it has topped lists of the world’s up-and-coming destinations; in two thousand fourteen the contribution of tourism to its economy was up 14% year-on-year, and in two thousand fifteen the country is set to welcome five million visitors*. So, what’s the attraction? Becki Enright picks nine places to go and things to do to practice Myanmar at its very best.
1. Grab a bike and cycle around Mandalay
Rudyard Kipling wasn’t kidding when he described Mandalay as a ‘cleaner, greener land’ of sunshine and ‘tinkly temple-bells’. The city, which centres around Mandalay Hill, is effortless to navigate due to it’s grid structure, but you’ve got to head out of town into the surrounding countryside to see a quieter, more peaceful side to the last royal capital of Burma. Hire a bike, grab a map and go, or get yourself on a tour. Operators, such as Grasshopper Adventures, will provide you with a local guide to introduce you to the mountainous plains, paddyfields, lil’ villages and residential hideouts, including the bean curd production houses and bamboo weavers who live around the city.
Two. Rail the Yangon Circle Line
Train geek or not, the $1 journey on Yangon’s ‘commuter’ line certainly offers the best value for money practice in town. Speeding through the rural suburbs of Myanmar’s formar capital (before it was relocated to Nypyidaw in 2006) you’ll see exactly what life means to the residents of Yangon, stopping at little villages, sharing your plastic bench with old ladies and livestock. The finish loop takes about three hours, passing through thirty nine stations. If you get peckish you can always hop off at a station and grab a quick street food snack, like a pouch of sweet and creamy_ falooda,_ made with tapioca, milk and rose syrup. Just make sure you don’t dawdle too long or the train will steam off without you.
Three. Cross Myanmar’s highest bridge
Another rail journey, this time exchanging scenic suburbs for appalling heights. For $Trio you can take the pretty (scary) rail across the highest railway bridge in Myanmar, the world’s highest back in one thousand eight hundred ninety nine when it was built. The Goteik Viaduct stands at one hundred two metres tall and is one of the most popular railways journeys in the country, taking you from the hilly trekking grounds of Hsipaw, to the northern former colonial hideout of Pyin Oo Lwin. Brace yourself; the entire train carriage stirs and sways; be plucky: lean out of the window and look down to snap that daredevil shot.
Four. Temple hop
If you don’t see any other temples in Myanmar, make sure you visit the plains of Bagan, littered with more than Two,000 spirtiual tiers and towers. Hire a bike and cycle through the desert landscape, but depending on when you visit, it may be too hot to do this. From February to April the warmth and humidity gets so high that most people seek refuge and strong air conditioning from midday until about 3pm. Other options include electrical bikes or a more leisurely pony and cart tour. However you get around, you’ll be amazed at these examples of 9th and 13th century architectural grandeur and innovation. Ask your guesthouse owners or the pony and cart drivers for the best sunrise and sunset catches sight of. The most popular temple is Mingalazedi Paya, but you’ll get a gorgeous view from most of the temples’ terraces, so go off-track and find your own sweet sunset or sunrise spot to avoid the crowds.
Five. Head to the southern peninsula
On your way to Myanmar’s southern states, stop off at the Golden Rock, a dazzling golden pagoda-on-a-boulder that strings up on the edge of a cliff. Further south, visit Mawlamyine and Dawai which, albeit they’re brief on any kind of tourist attractions, are filter-free windows into Burmese life. The south has only truly flung open its doors to mass tourism over the past duo of years, but it has already attracted scuba divers and snorkellers to the Andaman Sea and the coast off of the Myeik Archipelago. The islands themselves are off-limits except with a government permit.
6. Trek the tea hills
Whether it’s Lashio to Hsipaw, or on to Kalaw (a excellent base for exploring nearby Inle Lake) multi-day treks through the tea hills, forests and plains brings you to not only to the lush green of the north, but to the fringes of unspoilt Shan State. Treks are usually guided and combined with homestays and an overnight stop at a monastery. Be sure to shop around for tour operators wherever you choose to commence your trek. If you’re travelling solo, it pays to pal up with other travellers you might meet on the road, as some tours will not depart without a minimum number onboard, plus you get to split the costs.
7. Sail across Inle Lake
One of the most photographed glances in Myanmar, Inle Lake’s famous fishermen, rowing their boats with their feet, wielding massive conical nets, is a must-see. The lake is best experienced at sunrise, as the morning mist rolls out off the water and across the surrounding mountains. It’s effortless (and cheap) to hire a private driver to take you out on the water in a motor-powered canoe. He’ll take you into the canals and backwaters of floating villages and water gardens, stopping at local handicraft stores selling souvenirs that include silver jewellery and traditional wood carvings.
8. See the Moustache Brothers Display
There was once a politically outspoken comedic trio of brothers (well, two brothers and a cousin) known for their live spectacles denouncing the military regime, two of which were arrested following a spectacle at the home of democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The conditions of the release? They would remain under house arrest and could only perform for foreigners at the family home in the centre of Mandalay. Now a two-man demonstrate, these local heroes certainly don’t hold back. Slapstick, satirical and foolish, attending a showcase here is paying homage to a history of fighting for the freedom of speech.
9. Get in some beach time
Western Myanmar’s beaches are as beautiful as any in Thailand. Ngapali Beach is one of the best; beach huts nestled inbetween palm trees along swathes of golden sand. Albeit popular with locals, you’re likely to be one of only a handful of international tourists throwing down your beach towel here. It’s also a good spot to stop for a few days r&r in inbetween all that temple traipsing, city hopping and highland hiking, and those lengthy cross-country bus journeys, that characterise a tour to Myanmar.
If you loved this article, you might like these:
Skyscanner is the world’s travel search engine, helping your money go further on flights, hotels and car hire.
Legal Nomads: Blog of the Week
Legal Nomads is Skyscanner’s blog of the week