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 BAGAN :
Myanmar's greatest
wonder, this ancient deserted city alongside the Irrawaddy River
is home to over 2000 temples and pagodas covering an area of
around 40 square km. This world-heritage site is one of the
most important and remarkable archaeological sites in Asia,
and represents the spiritual heritage of ancient Burma.
SALAY :
is a colorful old religious center in Central Myanmar, 1 ½ hours
south of Bagan. In between visiting the numerous ancient monasteries,
adorned with beautiful woodcarving, you can enjoy the beauty
of this compact city of colonial buildings.
MOUNT POPA :
Otherwise know
as the "flower mountain". 700 steep stairs lead up the 737m
high extinct volcano with pagodas and small temples perching
at the summit. This, the abode of Myanmar's most powerful nats
(sacred spirits) provides an entrancing view across the plains
of upper Myanmar.
MANDALAY :
last capital of the Burmese
kingdom and Myanmar's second largest city. It is considered
the country's cultural heartland and is an important trade center.
It is home to some of Myanmar's most important pagodas as well
as its finest handicraft workshops.
Three ancient capital cities, Ava, Sagaing and Amarapura, are
within easy reach of Mandalay and well worth a sidetrip. Just
across the Irrawaddy River and a short but fascinating boat
ride away is Mingun, home to the worlds' largest bell and the
earthquake-ravaged base of an unfinished pagoda, which would
have been the tallest in the world.
MONYWA :
a lovely town, situated
on the eastern bank of the Chindwin River, and a major trade
center for agricultural produce from the Surrounding Chindwin
Valley. It is the gateway to the magnificent Thahboddhay Pagoda
complex with its 845 stupas, 7.350 statues and almost 600,000
sacred images as well as the quite impressive sandstone Hpo
Win Daung Caves.
LASHIO :
this town is with
over 500,000 inhabitants, most of them Chinese and Shan, is
the biggest city in the Northern Shan State, and located at
the southern end of the infamous Burma Road. Also of interest
is the central market in the morning, where you can see some
ethnic groups. The Hot Springs on the road to Mu-Se are also
worth a visit.
PYIN U LWIN :
Formerly a British
hill station located in the Shan hills east of Mandalay at 1070
m above sea level. It features many examples of colonial architecture,
transport in traditional stagecoaches and a beautiful botanical
garden. It is also called the "city of flowers" as flowers bloom
here all the year around, and its forested country lanes provide
a welcome respite from the heat of the plains.
BAMAW :
a small town which draws a lot
of Lisu, Kachin and Shan participants from the surrounding tribes
to the daily market. Of particular interest are the overgrown
city walls of Sampanago, an old Shan Kingdom, 5km east of the
town.
MYITKYINAR :
situated 5 hours by car
north of Bamaw at the Irrawady River in the Kachin State is
famous for its abundance of fruits. While the town itself
is not very interesting, it offers a good starting point for
visits into the many Kachin Villages.
PUTAO :
Putao is the very northern city in Myanmar at the feet of the Himalayan Mountains. The town is only reachable by flight and serves as starting point for many trekking and hiking tours through the local villages with its different tribal inhabitants and nearby mountain terrain. From this town you can start your trekking to the highest peak of Myanmar the Mt. Hkakaborazi with 5881m above sea level.
INLE LAKE :
A very shallow
lake, only 2 or 3 m deep, surrounded by high plateaus and overlooked
by the misty Shan mountains. The lake is home to the Intha people,
among others, who have adapted to their watery environment by
building whole villages rising in stilts from the shallow waters.
Lake dwellers have become famed for their unique leg rowing
technique, and grow an array of flowers and vegetables in picturesque
floating gardens and fields, tended by workers in canoes. Inle
Lake is 22km long, about 11km wide and lies a comfortable 875m
above sea level.
TAUNGGYI / KAKKU :
Taunggyi
is a bustling Mountain town on one of the major trade routes
to China, its markets a magnet for tribes people from all over.
The famous but little visited site of Kakku with 2478 stupas
surrounding a 2000-year-old Pagoda is a 1½-hour drive through
Pa-O tribal villages to the south of the city.
PINDAYA :
is a peaceful little
town in a beautiful rural setting. It is famous for its caves,
home to a labyrinth of over 8000 Buddha images of varying sizes.
Pindaya is mainly inhabited by Danu people, and the villages
around Pindaya are mostly Pa-O tribe villages, although the
town is a starting point for treks further afield to Palaung,
Taungyo and Danu hill tribe villages.
KALAW :
is a former popular
British hill station on the western edge of the Shan plateau.
It is a quiet town at 1320m above sea level with an atmosphere
reminiscent of the colonial era. It also serves as a very good
starting point for interesting treks and hikes of anything from
one to five days into the surrounding mountains, home to different
hill tribes such as Palaung, Pa-O, Taungthu, Taungyo and Danu,
to mention but a few.
KYAING TONG (Kengtung) :
is the sleepy
but historic capital of the Shan state's Khun culture, strategically
placed on routes between Myanmar, Thailand, China and Laos.
Around Kyaing Tong, Wa, Shan, Akha and Lahu villages, can all
be reached by fascinating treks.
YANGON (Rangoon) :
the capital of
Myanmar since 1885 when Mandalay's short period as the center
of the last Burmese Kingdom ended. The city, today with an population
of over five million, is lined by the Yangon River on the west
and the Bago River on the south. Yangon gives a different impression
from other Asian cities of similar size, seeming green and full
of trees above which the shimmering stupas float. The most famous
and most reverted monument in Yangon is the glittering Shwe
Dagon Pagoda and a must for every visit to Myanmar. The Downtown
area still features a lot of old and large colonial buildings
left over from British times.
PYAY (Prome) :
located on a
sharp bend of the Irrawady River, is known for the nearby ruins
of the ancient Pyu capital of Thayekhittaya, which has been
the center of the most intensive archaeological work in Myanmar
this century.
BAGO :
was reputedly
founded in 573 AD by two Mon princes from Thaton. During the
late Mon dynastic period it became the center of the Mon kingdom.
The city is also famous for its huge reclining Buddha, which
measures 55m in length and was originally built in 994 AD.
KYAIKTIYO :
is one of the
most interesting and sacred Buddhist sites of Myanmar. The sacred
boulder, covered in gold leaf, is balanced precariously on the
very edge of a cliff. The legend says that the rock maintains
its balance due to a precisely placed Buddha hair in the 7.3m
high stupa that caps it.
MRAUK U :
Once the capital
of the powerful Rakhine Kingdom with a 3000-year history. In
the 16th century it was an important free trade port, and is
now and archaeological complex with several very interesting
buildings and temples. The most impressive is the massive Shittaung
temple that enshrines 80,000 images. Its interior walls are
engraved with over 1,000 Buddhist figures.
BEACHES :
There are several beautiful beaches in Myanmar, all good for
a relaxing time, but Ngapali is certainly the most beautiful
and most accessible, via direct flights to Thandwe from Yangon
and Heho. In Ngapali you will find unspoiled white sandy beaches
and crystal clear water for snorkeling, sailing or wind surfing.
MERGUI ARCHIPELAGO :
The Mergui archipelago in the very south of Myanmar is covering an area of over ten thousand square miles and has over eight hundred tropical islands. It has just been lately reopened and rediscovered as one of “the” diving spots in South East Asia, if not the world. It is impossible to put into words the stunning beauty of the Mergui or Myeik Archipelago, which area is still pristine and nearly virtually uninhabited. The area has unlimited potential as a playground for divers, yachties, naturalists, and other pleasure
seekers.
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