Tailor Made Holidays to Burma

More than any other country, Myanmar, formerly known as Burma has preserved its cultures and traditions. Myanmar is a deeply religious Buddhist country and is well known by travellers for its abundance of sights and sounds, interesting cultures, diversity of nature and most of all for its charming and friendly people. A kind of magic shrouds the whole land with its tropical plains, the Himalayan highlands, teak filled jungle and the Irrawaddy River.

Yangon formerly Rangoon - was the capital of Myanmar until 2006, but still remains the most multiethnic, cosmopolitan and interesting city in the country. Located in the fertile delta region of central Myanmar on the wide Yangon River, it is the city where the main entrepreneurial spirit and commerce occurs. Filled with tree shaded boulevards, gleaming stupas, and faded colonial architecture, Yangon seems to be still a city of the past. The skyline remains relatively untouched by modern skyscrapers, but the city bustles with Burmese men and women wearing traditional longyi conducting their business in the ubiquitous tea shops and markets. Some of the country’s main sights are found here and no visitor should stop without a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda, the Bogyoke Aung San market (Scott’s Market) and a trip around the colonial lined streets and buildings. Around the city there are various attractions to discover and experiences of the local life and cultural heritage.

While Yangon is the economic capital of the country, Mandalay is considered the cultural and religious capital of Myanmar, with a long history stretching back to religious times. The greater Mandalay area is actually composed of five different towns: Mandalay, Amarapura, Sagaing, Mingun and Inwa. Each of these has its own special atmosphere and highlights.

Bagan is a spectacular plain nestled in the curve of the Irrawaddy River and dotted with thousands of temple ruins dating back 800-1000 years. The golden age of Bagan, as capital of the first Burmese empire, lasted from the early 11th century until it was conquered by Kublai Khan in 1287. Today the temples amaze visitors and can rival the temples of Angkor in their magnificence and remoteness. Bagan can be reached by boat along the Irrawaddy River or by land and is a must stop on any tour into Myanmar. The area is very laid back and quiet, with many visitors opting to see the temples by horse and carriage. Nearby Mount Popa is another interesting day trip from Bagan and it is the most important ‘nat’ worship centre in the country as it is believed to be the home of the gods.

Nestled among the Shan Mountains, are the glassy blue waters of Inle Lake with a magical atmosphere, making visitors feel calm and relaxed. The major highlight here is taking a boat trip along the lake to see local life including a floating market, handicraft workshops, monasteries and the Phaung Daw Oo Pagdoa. Every October, both local and foreign pilgrims flock to the pagoda for its annual three week long festival for well-known boat racing and other ceremony. The most unique thing about this area is the way that fisherman row their boats while standing on one leg, and rowing with the other, as they use their hands to cast the fishing nets.

We have a selection of Tailor Made Burma Holidays for those who seek to visit this amazing country.

Map of Burma