Myanmar

Overview

Myanmar (မြန်မာ myanma ), or Burma is a country in Southeast Asia . The country features awe-inspiring ancient temples, lively local markets, and captivating landscapes, such as unspoiled beaches, picturesque hills, and verdant forests. The genuine warmth of the Burmese people, combined with delectable cuisine, creates an ideal destination for gastronomes and culture aficionados alike.

Like most of Southeast Asia's countries, Myanmar's people and history is a glorious mishmash of settlers and invaders from all fronts. The Mon and the Pyu are thought to have come from India , while the now dominant Bamar (Burmese) migrated through Tibet and, by 849, had founded a powerful kingdom centred on Bagan . The ethnic diversity of the region, and the dominance of the Bamar people in the central plains, set up the geopolitical struggles between them and the multitude of smaller ethnic groups surrounding, which have continued unabated until the present day. From the 9th century to the 19th century, the Burmese empire grew through conquests of Thailand ( Ayutthaya ) and India ( Manipur ), and shrank under attacks from China and internal rebellions.

Sights and landscapes

It's definitely worth it to further explore the Bamar heartland. Unfortunately some outer fringes of the country are off-limits to foreigners, but it's always worth checking the latest situation with people on the ground as things move so fast that the Internet rarely if ever has correct information.

The former city of Bagan is a gem, and gives a glimpse of what life in the 11th and 12th centuries here must have been like. Marco Polo described it as the "gilded city alive with tinkling bells and the swishing sounds of monks' robes". It is the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas and ruins in the world. Mrauk U is a sleepy village today but its crumbling pagodas and temples remind of the early modern period, when it was the capital city of an empire involved in extensive maritime trade with Portuguese, Dutch, French and Arab traders. Within a daytrip from Mandalay is Inwa , another former capital where ruins remain to remind visitors of its former glory. Also don't miss Pyin U Lwin , a former British hill station with somewhat cooler temperatures.

The country has its fair share of natural attractions . Inle Lake is popular with backpackers, and it is one of the few places that is starting to feel like a tourist trap. Still, a trip to Myanmar is not complete without a boat trip on the lake. It has a unique vibe with tribes living in stilt houses and paddling their traditional wooden boats with one leg. The country's long southwestern coastline also has a few beaches , such as Chaung Tha and Ngapali . If you visit outside of the traditional holiday season, you might just have a beautiful white sand beach for yourself.

Myanmar is a country inhabited with dozens of ethnic groups, but sites from the major independent Burmese kingdoms dating from the 9th century can be seen in sections of the country.

Experiences

Myanmar is an excellent country for trekking . Kalaw is a centre for trekking, and has miles and miles of trails through mountains and hill tribe villages. Kengtung is also known for its hiking paths to hill tribe villages, while Hsipaw has some great treks to waterfalls. Birdwatching can be done around Inle Lake .

Myanmar's national sport is chinlone , played with a small rattan ball. The objective of the game is to keep the ball in the air for as long as possible without using one's arms or hands, and to do it as beautifully as possible.

Culture and food

Burmese food is influenced by that of India and China, yet unique. Apart from Burmese food, other ethnic traditional foods such as Shan food, Rakhine food, and Myeik food are also distinct. Rice is at the core of Burmese food, and good vegetarian food is widely available. Burmese food is often extremely pungent. Similar to neighbouring Southeast Asian countries, fish sauce (ငံပြာရည် ngan bya yay ) is a very popular condiment in Myanmar, and is used to flavour many dishes. Food is inexpensive at most restaurants (priced at 500–3,000 kyat per item at most local restaurants, but can go as high as 8,000 kyat at posh restaurants). There are many up-market restaurants in Yangon and Mandalay.

The majority of low-to-mid-priced restaurants use a cheap blend of palm oil for cooking. This oil may be unhealthy, and common roadside restaurants should be avoided if you are at the slightest risk for hypertension, heart disease, or other fat- or cholesterol-related conditions. Higher class restaurants may use peanut oil instead.

Shan food – The Shan are an ethnic group who inhabit Shan State around Inle lake, near the Thai border. Their food is marvelous. It can be found in Yangon easily.

Planning your route

Flag carrier Myanmar National Airlines operates a network of domestic flights to many destinations across Myanmar from its hub in Yangon International Airport. Long known for its poor safety record, it has improved dramatically with the purchase of newer aircraft, and these days compares favourably with many of the private airlines in terms of both service and safety.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.