MYANMAR

Land of golden pagodas; of ancient kingdoms and capitals; of temples and ruins. Land of green forests, plateaux and mountains; of miles and miles of coastline; of the Rivers Ayeyarwady, Salween and Mekong. Land of a people yearning and striving for democracy. The largest country in South East Asia, Myanmar , or Burma, as it was once called and as many people still prefer, is a culturally rich country, one that remains largely unexplored by tourists.

It’s a beautiful country, with picturesque rivers and lush fertile plains, green paddy fields, warm people and a rich cultural heritage. The military junta ruling the nation is deterrent enough for even the most determined of foreign visitors – but things are changing. The government, insular though it may be, recognises the importance of tourism in earning precious foreign exchange. Myanmar is opening up, slowly but surely, and even though the ‘tourist circuit’ is, for all practical purposes, still fairly restricted, the trip is worth the effort.

Capital: Naypyidaw

Best time to visit:

  1. Myanmar is strictly a cold-weather destination; its summers and monsoons are so hot and humid, it makes little sense to go to the country before the winter sets in.
  2. Even winters are so mild- warm, actually – that you’ll hardly feel it’s winter.
  3. November to February is the most pleasant time to visit, although December is usually the time when everybody’s on vacation, and the country tends to get fairly flooded with tourists- be prepared to fight for accommodation and transport facilities.
  4. Northern areas – particularly the state of Shan – are much cooler, so can be visited even during the summers.

Minimum days required:  5 Days

Places of Interest:

  1. The Shwedagon Pagoda
  2. Kyaiktiyo Pagoda
  3. Mount Nuang
  4. The Sule Pagoda
  5. Mount Tahan
  6. Mount Jerai
  7. The Mandalay Palace
  8. Inya Lake
  9. Kandawgyi Lake

Climate:

  1. Myanmar is a tropical country, and it has three distinct seasons- winter, summer and monsoons.
  2. Winter, which is the pleasantest season of all, lasts from November to February, is followed by the summer, which continues till about May.
  3. Summer can be dreadfully hot in Myanmar, and respite comes only when the monsoons hit the country, between May and October.
  4. It cools down marginally while it’s raining, but between showers the weather can be very humid and sticky.

Currency:  Burmese Kyat

Things to carry:

  1. Outside of Yangon and Mandalay, at the most, you’re unlikely to find Western products, even some fairly basic ones such as toiletries and camera film.
  2. If you’re headed for villages of other remote areas, it’s wisest to stock up beforehand. Western medicines, especially less common ones, are also hard to find, so you should bring along an adequate supply if you’re on medication.
  3. As far as clothing is concerned, Myanmar’s climate is such that light summer clothing, preferably cotton, is all you’ll need through most of the year.
  4. However, if you’re planning to go north- particularly to the Shan State- or if you’re visiting the country in the winter, you should carry light woollens – a jacket or a sweater, as it can sometimes get quite cool.
  5. Whatever the time of year – and more so if it’s summer – bring along insect repellent and sunscreen- both the sun and the mosquitoes in Myanmar can be quite fierce.

How to get there:

Air

1) Myanmar has two international airports: one at the capital, Yangon and the other at Mandalay. Most international flights come to Yangon, and these include Myanmar Airways International (the national carrier) and other South Asian airlines with flights connecting Chiang Mai (in Thailand) to Yangon and Mandalay.