For many years,
Myanmar (formerly Burma) was closed to foreign tourists, but now this unique
nation has finally become a democracy and with their doors open to tourists,
you can experience a unique and very colourful culture that cannot be found
anywhere else. Myanmar, much like Thailand and its other neighbours, is an
inherently Buddhist society, and there are thousands of amazing Buddhist
temples to visit while in this unique land, and with former colonial
architecture, Myanmar has a lot to offer the lover of fine architecture.
Local Guides
If you really do
want the very best holiday experience, you should consider hiring a tour guide,
someone who speaks fluent English and knows where all the best attractions are
located. This won’t be as expensive as you might think, and having a guide with
you at all times means you will pay local prices for everything.
Booking your
Accommodation
The best idea is
to book a 5-star hotel in Yangon, where you can enjoy life in a luxurious
setting, and with a very low cost of living, this will not cost anywhere near
as much as it would in the west. A Google search is a great place to start when
looking for suitable holiday accommodation, from where you can plan many day
trips to some of the nicest destinations.
Best Season to
Visit
Myanmar is best
enjoyed during the months from November to March, which is the coolest time of
the year, plus there is no rain during these months. December and January are
without doubt the most popular months for foreign tourists, and you can expect
hotel prices to be at their highest at this time, as it is regarded as the
tourist high season.
Places to See
Yangon, formerly
known as Rangoon, is the capital city and sightseeing is best enjoyed during
early mornings and evenings, due to the excessive heat. There are many free
walking tours that can be found online, which allows you to be escorted to the
best attractions by a local guide, and they can also give you useful
information about evening activities and the best eateries to include in your
trip. Mandalay is another city you simply have to visit and climbing Mandalay
Hill is one everyone’s list of things to do, as this gives you an unprecedented
view of the surrounding countryside. The Sandamuni Pagoda is accessible from
Mandalay Hill and is well-worth a visit, with the biggest iron Buddha in the
world, weighing in at an incredible 41,000 lbs of iron.
Things to Note
Like any other
country, when in Myanmar, you should always keep your valuables close at hand,
and watch out for pickpockets in crowded places. Other than that, Myanmar is a
very safe place for tourists, and a lot of people speak English on a basic
level, which is handy. Don’t change up too much currency into local money, work
out a daily need and only exchange that amount.
Myanmar is
definitely worth a visit and by taking all of the above into account, you
should have an amazing experience discovering the wonders of Myanmar.