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.
Thousands of temples, stupas and monuments in astounding shapes and sizes were built over two and a half centuries by the earliest Myanmar kings in the glorification of their religion. The monuments are packed in 40 km² (16 miles²) of land, rust colored plains flanked by the great Ayeyarwaddy River in heart of the country. Rival in scope and historical significance to the world heritage sites of Angkor Wat in Cambodia or Borobudur in Indonesia, Bagan is not to be missed. A visit here is undoubtedly one of the most memorable travel highlights in Myanmar.
The kings of Bagan
From the 11th to the 14th centuries, Bagan was the earliest unified seat of Buddhism in Myanmar. King Anawratha is credited as the founder in 1044 AD, using Buddhism as a tool to unite the people and sparking the royal building trend. Architects, artists, craftsmen and slaves were brought from nearby countries to create temples with walls as thick as a house, stupas covered in elaborate stone reliefs, and pagodas with intricate murals of the Buddha’s reincarnated lives.
The twelve kings following Anawratha would each try to outdo the last, the result being a spectacular legacy of religious monuments. Despite the tolls of weather and neglect, many structures have survived well to the current day. Mosaic artwork covers some buildings, gold leaf or carvings on others, and vines over crumbling stone facades on still more. Depending on how one defines and counts the structures, numbers range from 2,100 to 4,400 temples in the heart of the archaeological site. Lenient regulations mean visitors can still climb the staircases of the tallest stupas to enjoy views the temple-studded landscape in all its glory. Watching the sun illuminate the outlines of the ancient ruins in the mist of dawn or dusk is yet another breathtaking experience of Myanmar. It’s no surprise that Bagan remains one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in all of Southeast Asia. Bagan was once one of the most glorious Burmese kingdom with trading relations extending to the ancient empires of India, Ceylon and Khmer. Other Myanmar Kingdoms such as at Thaton in today’s southern Myanmar were overrun by Bagan, and their culture and manpower absorbed into the Bagan Kingdom. In the late 14th century, the Bagan Kingdom abruptly scattered to the winds, purportedly with the arrival of the Mongols under Ghengis Khan. Its monuments remain, however, and have defied the ravages of time and nature. The majestic vestiges of the kingdom are ranked by many today as one of the great wonders of the world.
Even the great Marco Polo made reference to Bagan in The Description of the World, the narrative of his two and a half decade long odyssey into the Orient and beyond: “The towers are built of fine stone, and one has been covered with gold a finger thick, so that the tower appears to be of solid gold. Another is covered with silver in a similar manner and appears to be made of solid silver…They make one of the finest sights in the world, being exquisitely finished, splendid and costly. When illuminated by the sun they are especially brilliant and can be seen from the great distance”.
The last royal capital of Myanmar. Mention of the word “Mandalay” conjures up sentiments of romance and tragedy, as immortalized in the literary gifts of George Orwell, Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham. The true saga of the last reigning monarch King Thibaw, however, is imbued with romance and tragedy as much as any literary account. Through a combination of deceit, manipulation and false hopes stirred by court advisors and his wife, the fitful reign of King Thibaw ended when the British took Upper Burma in 1885. His family was exiled to India, where they lived in near poverty for the remainder of their lives. Before him, the struggles of the many ancient kings to gain control of the region were as complex and fantastical as a fairy tale.
With British rule, Mandalay’s streets were laid out on a grid system with the large, square palace compound of the former King Thibaw as its epicenter and surrounded by high, red walls and a moat. The effect is unlike any other city in Southeast Asia. With Myanmar’s highest concentration of monks, hundreds of monasteries, and legions of craftsmen, Mandalay is widely regarded as the religious and cultural heart of Myanmar. Among the most venerable pagodas are the Mahamuni Paya, now home to an ancient Buddha image from Rakhine State in western Myanmar, covered in gold leaf by devout Buddhists over many years; and Kuthodaw Paya, with 729 marble slabs bearing inscriptions of the entire Buddhist Tripitaka canon placed around the central stupa. According to legend, on a visit to Myanmar accompanied by his disciple Ananda, the Buddha climbed the 236 meter high Mandalay Hill overlooking the surrounding plains. Standing at the summit, he pointed with arm outstretched to where the Mandalay Palace stands today, and declared that a great city would be founded there after 2,400 years. That year corresponds to 1857 AD, when King Mindon ordered the move of the royal capital from Amarapura to a new city constructed at the foot of Mandalay Hill and bearing its name. Near the top of the hill, a standing Buddha image represents the prophecy.
Fondly known as 'the land of smiles', Thailand is commonly associated with gorgeous golden sand, palm-lined beaches, warm aquamarine waters, glorious temples and verdant jungle-clad mountains. With sixteen million foreigners flying into the country each year, Thailand is the primary travel hub of Southeast Asia, offering a diverse range attractions and activities to suit all tastes and budgets. Whether exploring the teeming metropolis of Bangkok, relaxing on the tropical beaches of the southern islands, scuba diving in the underwater wonderland off the coast of Koh Tao, jungle trekking in the North, or discovering the ancient cities of Chiang Mai, Thailand is filled with attractions to satisfy any interest.
Dubbed 'The Rose of the North', Thailand’s northern capital is far smaller and more serene than Bangkok. Despite this, the city has seen extensive development in the last decade that has transformed it from a low-key, old-world city into a modern hub, complete with top-notch restaurants and five-star hotels. A walk around the inner-city moat will take you past the array of glittering temples, aromatic food markets and eclectic shops of Chiang Mai’s downtown, while just five minutes away is the popular Night Bazaar – a shopping Mecca for tourists. Other highlight attractions include a visit to the trendy Nimmanhemin district, with its upmarket bars and shopping outlets, and a trip up Suthep Mountain, to see the hilltop temple and take in panoramic views of the city below.
Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park, formerly known as Mar Fang National Park, is the northernmost national park in Thailand. Aside from boasting over five hundred kilometres of beautifully rugged mountainous terrain, covered in pine forests and deciduous plants, Doi Pha Hom Pok is famed for its spectacular geographical features; Pha Hom Pok mountain, which at over two thousand metres is the second tallest peak in Thailand; and the geyser, which at over thirty metres is the highest in the country. The park’s lush terrain offers famous trekking, climbing and four-wheel driving trails, as well as remarkable bird watching opportunities and a plethora of enchanting hot springs. After a day of exploring, travellers can meander through the souvenir store, or relax with a drink and a pond-side snack at the visitor centre.
As previously described
One of Thailand’s most sacred historical sites, Sukhothai was once the capital of the wider Sukhothai Kingdom, which flourished in the 13th and 14th centuries. Although the old city fell to ruins after it was deserted in the 16th century, it has since been restored and is considered one of the most important examples of ancient Siamese religious art and architecture. A designated World Heritage Site, it is located 12kms from the town of New Sukothai and is the area’s highlight attraction, featuring a series of impressive decorative Buddha statues, towers, chedis, and temples. Other points of interest nearby include two beautiful national parks and the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum.
The capital of Kanchanaburi province, Kanchanaburi town’s temperate climate, proximity to Bangkok and many natural and cultural attractions have made it a popular holiday destination. Highlights of the area include Wat Tham Phu Wa – a Buddhist temple complex that consists of a series of cave shrines – and The Bridge Over the River Kwai, which was built by forced Asian labourers and Allied POWs as part of the Thai-Burma Railway during the Japanese occupation of Kanchanaburi in WWII. Scores of men lost their lives while building it and two museums in town document this tragic event and commemorate those who died in the process. The two-hour ride along the infamous ‘Death Railway’ of which the bridge formed part takes in incredible views of sheer mountain cliffs, lush jungle and winding waterways.
Steamy, frenetic, and exhilarating, Thailand’s capital city, located in the Chao Phraya River Delta, is a legendary travel destination. This metropolis is equally famous for its rich cultural offerings, effervescent nightlife, superb shopping, and diverse dining options. Bucket list items include a visit to the mind-boggling Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, a morning boat trip down the canals to immerse oneself in the floating markets, and a walk around the opulent Grand Palace. The tourist hub of Khaosan Road, the MBK Centre, Siam Square, or on weekends, the vast Chatuchak market, offer further excellent shopping opportunities, while restaurants span every style, from incredible street food to five-star haute cuisine. The SkyWalk at King Power Mahanakhon is a great spot for couples and photographers, while the Siam Society and Kamthieng House provide an in-depth introduction into Thai culture and folklore.
