In 1890, the British writer Rudyard Kipling wrote longingly about Myanmar, the place where the flying fish play in the bay, palm trees sway in the wind and the temple bells call the wanderlust-sick Englishman back to the tropical idyll.
The Southeast Asian country has also been opening up to Western visitors for years and offers unique treasures away from mass tourism: Whether artistic temples, breathtaking natural wonders or idyllic beaches – there is a lot for holidaymakers to discover and marvel at in Myanmar.
Yangon, the former capital, with its tourist infrastructure and many hotels, is the perfect starting point for trips to the rest of the country, but also offers some sights itself: In addition to the colonial old town and the National Museum of Art and Archaeology, the almost 100-meter-high Shwedagon Pagoda is an important landmark of Myanmar, which is deeply rooted in Buddhism.
Visitors can also visit a wealth of Buddhist sites in the ancient capital Mandalay, including the Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729 white marble temples. The U Min Thonze Temple with its golden Buddha statues is also worth seeing. In the Royal Palace, visitors can marvel at the former splendor of the Kingdom of Myanmar. If you also want to see an important archaeological site with remnants of the powerful Arakan culture, you should travel to Mrauk U.
In addition to ancient cultural assets, Myanmar also offers natural beauties that are second to none: Around Inle Lake, visitors can see an idyllic water landscape with lush vegetation and small rice fields. Here you can visit the floating market in Ywama and marvel at the artistry of the inhabitants in weaving, wood carving and silversmithing. If you want to admire the picturesque landscape and the old pagodas of Myanmar from a bird’s eye view, a balloon ride over the city of Bagan offers an incomparable experience.
Impressive caves and hills with fantastic views can be found in Hpa-an, and on a hike through the dense jungle of Bago Yoma, you can watch elephants cool off in the water. Beach vacationers get their money’s worth at the palm-fringed Ngapali Beach, which is considered by many to be the most beautiful beach in Southeast Asia. It’s also the perfect place to try mohinga, a soup made from fish and rice noodles. In addition, you will find dishes such as spicy curries and rice balls with meat or fish as well as fresh mangoes and bananas.
If you are looking for an exotic destination with warm people, an almost endless number of magnificent temples and untouched nature away from mass tourism, you could find your personal paradise in Myanmar like Rudyard Kipling.
Travel information Myanmar
| Capital | Naypyidaw |
|---|---|
| Form of government | Republic, parliamentary democracy |
| Currency | Kyat (MMK) |
| Area | approx. 675,000 km² |
| Population | approx. 53,370,609 (as of 2017) |
| Languages | Burmese |
| Electricity grid | 120 volts and 60Hz |
| Area code | +95 |
| Time zone | UTC+6:30 |