From the remarkable beauty of Sam Mountain and Halong Bay to the numerous sacred temples and pagodas, Vietnam has a lot to offer. It is a country that features everything from exotic culinary delights to breathtaking scenery. Seemingly endless, tranquil rice paddies stand in stark contrast to bustling cities such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi which embrace all the technology and conveniences that the modern world has to offer. The well-preserved colonial buildings of Hoi An play host to a slew of charming boutiques and tempting cafes while, further north, the local hill-tribe people of Sapa sell a wide variety of exquisite crafts and handmade trinkets. Beyond the urban areas, this diverse country is characterised by vast, verdant jungles and lush mountainous regions as well as an enticing coastline peppered with golden sand, palm-lined beaches.
With its wide boulevards, ancient pagodas and tree-lined lakes, Vietnam’s capital is also the country’s most atmospheric and beguiling city. There is an energy and charm here arising from the genteel mix of French colonialism and Asian grace and tradition. Enjoy a showcase of synchronised t’ai chi at Hoan Kiem Lake; stroll around the lively Old Quarter with its narrow streets with traders and hoards of scooters weaving in and out, and don’t miss the chance to see a water puppetry show at the Thang Long Puppet Theatre. Other places to visit include the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, the Perfume Pagoda temple complex and the Hanoi Opera House in the heart of the French Quarter.
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Hoi An, on Vietnam’s central coast, is enchanting. This once-bustling port town offers a colourful blend of French, Chinese and Japanese-influenced architecture, canals, bridges and temples, and the lack of noisy traffic (no cars are allowed on the main streets) means you can discover the town in relative peace and quiet. Its waterfront area is alive with boutique hotels, eateries, tailor shops, and art and craft shops. If you have time, try to fit in a visit to the ruins of My Son Sanctuary, an ancient Hindu tower temple complex, get custom-made clothing created by a local tailor and pick up one of the many beautiful locally-made Vietnamese lanterns.
The perfect complement to the more serene Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) has a pulsating energy that is impossible to resist. Attractions include the bustling Ben Thanh Market, where vendors sell everything from food, sweets and spices to tobacco, souvenirs and clothing - including custom-made suits, and Nha Hang Ngon, where you can taste traditional street food served up from food stalls in a leafy garden. Other notable sites and experiences include the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Jade Emperor Pagoda for its statues and woodcarvings, the War Remnants Museum, and the Khanh Van Nam Vien Pagoda, said to be the only pure Taoist temple in Vietnam.
Myanmar remains, as ever, a country shrouded in mystery. The hardest fought and least travelled paths in life, however, yield unforgettable memories. Stories that we pass onto generations. For the uninitiated, the sheer spread of ancient temples in Bagan, or the floating gardens and dancing fisherman of Inle Lake, or the stretches of powdery sand in Ngapali will not fail to astonish. Myanmar is a country that draws repeat visits, charming visitors to explore one more corner, understand one more facet. Today, Myanmar is open to the world after decades of isolation. As Southeast Asia’s second largest country and approximately the size of France and England combined, Myanmar is home a beautiful kaleidoscope of diversity of over 130 different ethnic groups.
Myanmar’s 2000 kilometers of coastline remain pristine and pure. Its terrain stretches from the snowcapped Himalayan peaks in the north, to the coral-fringed islands of the Andaman Sea in the south. It is a landscape of beauty and contrast, studded with pagodas and palaces, forested hills and fertile valleys. Myanmar fascinates with its mix of ancient cultures, ethnic minorities and diverse landscapes. Many tourist destinations offer sea and sun, relaxation and adventure, pleasure and discovery –Myanmar offers all this in an untouched, still-to-be discovered way.
With a population of over 5 million, Yangon, also known as Rangoon, was the capital of Myanmar up until the end of 2005. It remains the largest city, and is still the pivotal commercial hub of the country today. A visit to this magnificent city will allow you to take in the interesting mix of British, Burmese, Chinese and Indian cultures that mingle there. The skyline is an interesting contrast of decaying colonial architecture and modern high-rises, dominated by the golden glow of the Shwedagon Pagoda, an exquisite Buddhist temple that draws pilgrims from across the globe. Your time here would be well spent visiting the impressive array of temples, museums and markets that the city has to offer.
History Yangon in brief
European countries in a race to control trade routes had established trading posts in across South East Asia. East India Trading company controlled by the British had extended its operations to the Burmese coast and where trading with the Burmese kings. Three Anglo-Burmese wars flared up and in the second Anglo-Burmese war 1852 the British took over Southern Burma and made Rangoon its capital. The old name of Rangoon was Dagon. After third war in 1885 and ousting king Thibaw in Mandalay where the capital was located Rangoon became the capital for the whole country of Burma. Dr William Montgomerie sketched the new plan for the city and Lt Alexander Fraser from the Bengal Engineers implemented. Many architects were employed to fill in the city plan with schools, hospitals, parks, banks, shops and administrative buildings.
Fast forward… the colonial times are long gone, but in Yangon they have left behind a rich architectural heritage, of a type which many other capital cities of the region has been lost to “progress”. Yangon has the largest number of colonial buildings in the whole of Southeast Asia. Many colonial-era buildings that today host state institutions and authorities, such as government banks and the Port Authority, as well as the High Court and City Hall, are clustered in the downtown area. The Strand Hotel is there, too, built by the famous Sarkies Brothers in 1901, and today a sumptuous reminder of a bygone era.
Unlike many of its regional counterparts Yangon is also still first and foremost a green city, despite the battering it received from a cyclone in 2008. In the tranquil settings of Kandawgyi Lake and Inya Lake, and along its wide avenues, Yangon can still boast countless old trees and vegetation. A panoramic view of the city reveals its beauty – with the awe-inspiring Shwedagon Pagoda in its golden hue on one side, on a low hill, and on the other side the ancient Sule Pagoda and its encircling shops in the downtown area.
Resting on the banks of the mighty Irrawaddy River, Old Bagan is both a wondrous UNESCO World Heritage Site and the core of the Bagan Archeological Zone. This charming destination is home to lovely museums, several magnificent temples, enticing shops, and mouth-watering cuisine. Must-see attractions include the famous Shwesandaw Pagoda; the exquisite red-brick facade of the Htilominlo Temple; the interesting exhibitions at the Bagan Archaeological Museum; and the panoramic views from the Atwin Zigon Pagoda. Enjoy a leisurely round of golf at the spectacular 18-hole Bagan Nyaung Oo Golf Club, or wander down to the waterfront and admire the spectacular views and bustling riverside trade.
Hautingly picturesque, Inle Lake is one of Myanmar’s most iconic destinations in the mountains of Shan State, where floating gardens made of woven water hyacinth reeds, silt and bamboo provide a backdrop for graceful, one-legged boat rowers. Inle Lake is perfect for leisurely boat excursions, walking explorations or longer trekking trips through the villages of the Shan, Pa-O, Intha and Danu ethnic minority groups.
Inle Lake lies at an altitude of nearly 3,000 feet, fringed by tall grasses and reed beds, ringed by well-forested hills and, according to the season, may often be wreathed in mist. The main body of the lake is some 13 miles in length with calm, crystal clear waters. Its shores and floating islands are home to villages built on stilts, whose inhabitants are the hardworking and resourceful Intha people. These are the famous leg rowers, skillfully navigating the lake by rowing in a standing position – one leg wrapped around an oar pivoted on their hip, another leg balancing on the prow of their boat, and body poised to plunge a fish trap into the waters beneath. In addition to their fishing skills, the Intha are traditional market gardeners, cultivating flowers and vegetables on a floating tangle of water hyacinth and silt anchored to the lake bed by bamboo.
Moreover, Inle Lake is an official bird sanctuary, rich in wildlife. Its main body is reached along a narrow waterway from the northernmost lakeside town of Nyaungshwe. The boat ride passes waterside temples and villages, and in the less populated stretches, herons stand in solitary contemplation at the water’s edge while cormorants dive for their prey. In the principal part of the lake, there are many islands to visit. Away from these developed areas, a leisurely canoe paddle through channels branching from the lake brings a closer view of the local life, with fascinating encounters and friendly villagers. Heading south from the main body of the lake the traveller passes through another long and narrow waterway to reach the 17th century ruins of Samkar, where Shan and Pa-O villagers now live side by side, and the ancient Tharkong Pagoda, which legend tells was founded by an early Burmese king. The region offers ample trekking opportunities and extended walks to keep the active traveller busy. Trekking out into the Shan hills east of Nyaungshwe, at the lake’s northern end will lead to Pa-O villages and beautiful views of the lake along the way. Extended walks through rice paddies pass many Shan stupa ruins that lie dotted around the countryside.
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