Diethelm Travel Guide to Myanmar

Myanmar

Myanmar “This is Burma and it will be quite unlike any land you know�

Rudyard Kipling

Truly is the most exotic country in Asia and advise to go now before it changes and enters 21st century

INTRODUCTION • Independence from Britain 1948 • Release Aung San Su Kyi Nov 10 • Sudden surge in interest and demand • Clients must be made aware of certain points • Very safe and welcoming people • Offers culture, soft adventure, scenery, beaches, river cruises, boutique hotels • High level of repeat clients • Myanmar or Burma. The Burmese prefer to call their country Myanmar as its the old name and not an invention by the Army

WHERE TO TRAVEL 1st TIME VISITORS

• • • • • •

Yangon Bagan Mandalay Lake Inle Shan Hills Ngapali Beach

WHEN TO TRAVEL Best time: Hot: Monsoon:

Nov – Mar Apr – May June – Sept

Dry zone in centre: Bagan & Mandalay - Good for summer holidays.

Beach: Nov – April Beach hotels mostly closed during May to Oct as v. wet.

Shan Hills cool in Winter

ACCESS / ENTRY Main Airport • Yangon International Airport operates but can be unreliable • Mandalay (Air Bagan from CNX) Overland • Muse/Ruli (China) • Tachilek/Mae Sai (North Thailand) • Kawthaung/Ranong (SW Thailand) • Currently Government rules that visitors must arrive and depart same point if coming in overland.

But this may change.

FAST FACTS • Myanmar Visa - Mandatory prior to travel • Mobile phones do not work & landlines expensive • Only USD cash is accepted so

clients must take more than expect to spend. No way to get more if run out

• No hotmail/yahoo & telephone calls expensive • Be sensitive if discussing the Military regime with guides and local people

YANGON • Capital until 2005 when moved to Naypyidaw

• Shwedagon Pagoda – highlight Colonial architecture in the downtown area • Kandawgyi Lake/Karaweik • Sule Pagoda & the Botathaung

Pagoda • Green city with trees and lakes • Last authentic Asian tropical city

Shwedagon Pagoda

Downtown Yangon

Yangon – Inside Tips • Shop for jade, lacquerware and local handicrafts in Scott Market

• Discover the heart of the city on a downtown walking tour; past Indian, Chinese and Burmese markets and

busy harbour area stopping for tea at local stall • Quiet comptempletion - Sunset at

Shwedagon Pagoda is an unforgettable experience • Cocktail/dinner at colonial hotel or

restaurant • Chaukhatagyi pagoda

Bagan • Over 2000 temples dating from 11th century scattered over plains ( 26 sq mile site) beside Ayeyarwady River; one of Asia’s top cultural sights.

• Start/finish point for river cruises Bagan /Mandalay • Day tour to Mount Popa (extinct volcano and spiritual home of Myanmar’s 37 nats. (spirits) • Repeat visitors head to Salay rooted in 1th century and with 50 monasteries!

Bagan – Inside Tips • Shwezigon Pagoda – Most holy stupa in Bagan • See how lacquerware is made and of course shop for some

• Balloon over Bagan (Oct –Mar) • Cycling • Horse cart or ox cart rides

• Sunset at one of the pagodas • Unspoilt villages • Puppet shows

Balloons over Bagan Use new Premium service as maximum 8 pax per balloon

New or Old Bagan?

New

Old

• Where the locals were relocated from Old Bagan in 1990.

• Best choice for mid- range hotels with nice rooms.

• Atmospheric riverside restaurants • Hotels eg Thazin Garden

• • • • • `

Closest to biggest temples Clustered around riverside Mainly higher end hotels Less life outside of hotels Hotels eg Tharabar Gate, Thiripitysaya Sanctuary

Choice more likely to be determined by hotel standards/rates but for a 2 day visit it really is not so important where clients stay

New - Bagan Walking Tours

Mt Popa

1 hr from Bagan.

Nat shrine on volcanic plug.

Stop on route at Chauk market, toddy palm making and village.

Mandalay • •

Religious heart of country Modern rather scruffy city with

large Chinese population •

Not particularly attractive but is base

for visiting outside ancient sites •

Good for cycling outside of city as

flat and rural.

Half day tour city sights: •

Mandalay Hill

•

Mahamuni Pagoda,

•

Kuthodaw Pagoda,

•

Shwenandaw Teak Monastery

•

Mandalay Palace (from outside)

Kuthodaw

MANDALAY outside city OPTIONS

Day 1 – Half day Mandalay city tour

Day 2 – Full day tour to Sagaing, Awa (Inwa) and Amarapura

Day 3 – Half day cruise to Mingun Bell Day 4 – Day trip or overnight to Pyin

U Lwin or Maymyo (Hill station one hours drive)

OUTSIDE MANDALAY Former capitals, stupas and pretty villages within easy reach

Located south of Mandalay and a full day tour:

•

Sagaing Hills (Monastic centre)

•

Amarapura U Bein teak bridge and craft shops

•

Awa (Inwa) ancient walls and city

OUTSIDE MANDALAY AVA

19thC. capital across river from Saigang. Peaceful, rural setting, excellent for easy cycling or taking horse cart to see scenery, 3 monuments

AVA by horse-cart OR bicycle (easy flat cycling)

Ava Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery 1822 AD

AVA Nanmyin Watchtower and Bagaya Monastery, built in 1834 entirely of teak wood.

AVA views

AVA views AVA VIEWS

SAIGANG a collection of monasteries on a hill and the living centre of Buddhist faith in Myanmar.

Amarapura - U Bein Bridge (Built in 1849 from teak) Very photogenic especially early morning and late afternoon.

Connects 2 villages across Lake Taungthaman for 1.2 km

Mingun cruise – well worth it especially if not doing cruise on Ayeyarwady River

Pyin Oo Lwin Colonial character, cooler hills and half day walks

New - Pyin Oo Lwin Half day walks in Shan Hills

MANDALAY– Inside Tips • Get up early to see the monks morning alms collection followed by teahouse visit

• Stunning view from Mandalay Hill • Walking across U Bein bridge • Buy a local hand stitched puppet or

embroidered tapestry • Burmese food at “A Little Bit of Mandalay Restaurant”

• Take a horse cart around Awa to see ancient sites and village life • Visit and shop at the lively jade market

INLE LAKE and the SHAN HILLS (Accessed Heho Airport)

• • • • • •

Beautiful Lake in Shan Hills at 1000m Intha people inhabit floating villages Floating vegetable gardens 5 day rotational markets Sagar in southern end of Lake (rarely visited) Kalaw Hill station

Transport on the lake

INLE LAKE – Inside Tips

•

Many boat trips

•

Walking and cycling tours

•

Red Mountain vineyard!

•

Day to Sagar in the rarely visited southern part of the Lake

•

Weaving village of Inpawkhon and buying a shawl or top!

•

Simply enjoy one of the most scenic places on Earth

•

Eat delicious Shan Noodles in Nampan restaurant on the Lake

•

Early am bird-watching from Inle Lake Princess

•

Visit a 5 day rotational market

Red Mountain vineyard

Sagar

Sagar

NEW – INLE LAKE TREKS

Walks /treks range from 2 hrs easy to 8 hrs full day

NEW – INLE LAKE TREKS

Range from 2 hrs easy to 8 hrs full day

SHAN HILLS - between KALAW and INLE

KALAW Hill station at 4287 ft with large pop of Nepalese Little in town to see but good for half or full day walks.

Best experience is local train Kalaw to Heho

NEW - KALAW DAY TREKS

NEW - KALAW DAY TREKS

NEW - KALAW DAY TREKS

NEW -TRAIN FROM AUNGBAN/KALAW TO HEHO

NEW -TRAIN FROM AUNGBAN/KALAW TO HEHO

Basic carriage but 90 mins journey – fantastic photo opportunities and lovely scenery

NEW -TRAIN FROM AUNGBAN/KALAW TO HEHO

NGPALI BEACH • Best beach in the country • Accessed by flight only to Thandwe Airport • 18 hours drive to Yangon (bad road) • Quiet beach – no water sports • Nice Fishermans village one end

• A few local simple restaurants behind beach • Avoid May – Oct as wet

• Have leeway between Thandwe /Yangon flight and international dep ( 5 hrs at least)

CRUSING ON THE AYEYARWADY RIVER FROM BAGAN TO MANDALAY OR VICE VERSE

RV Pandaw 1947

RV Paukan

Road to Mandalay

Amara

Amara II

Road to Mandalay on Bhamo cruise upstream from Mandalay

THE LOWDOWN – WHERE TO STAY HOTELS • Mainly small boutique hotels

• Very few chain hotels • In high demand Oct – April • Often simple but have garden

• Staff speak good English and very friendly service.

• Rates are increasing this season due to demand

The Strand Yangon No 1 or 2 choice depending on client

The Strand

Governor’s Residence Yangon

Governor’s Residence Yangon No 1 or 2 choice

Kandawgyi Palace Hotel Yangon No 3 choice

Savoy Hotel Yangon No 4 choice

Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Bagan No 1 choice but only for suites

Aureum Palace Bagan

No 2 choice for clients wanting luxury if T.S suites full

Tharabar Gate, Bagan

No 3 choice – suite or deluxe rooms

Mandalay Hill Resort

No 1 choice

Red Canal Hotel Mandalay.

No 2 choice or 1 for clients wanting boutique but small rooms

Inle Lake Princess No 1 choice

Inle Lake View Resort

No 2 choice or can be 1 for some clients

Sandoway

No 1 choice – rec beachfront villas

Amata Ngapali 2nd choice

Amara Ngapali Not yet open or recommended due to price but worth keeping in mind for future

Amara Ngapali

Mrauk U Princess No 1 choice in Mrauk U

OTHER REGIONS FOR REPEAT VISITS •

Golden Rock of Kyaiktiyo

•

Putao – Himalayas

•

Mrauk U, Sittwe and Chin region

•

Kyaing Tong Shan Hills

•

Mawlamyine (Moulemein)

•

Pyay

•

Pathein and Delta

•

Shan Hills – Lashio, Hsipaw

•

Mount Victoria trekking

•

Ngwe Saung Beach

•

Pindaya soft trekking

Golden Rock.

2 day/1 night tour and not rec during monsoon

Hpa’an en route to Moulemein

PUTAO

Putao Lisu village

Top Rec. For repeat clients or those wanting remote

MRAUK U

Journey from Sittwe to Mrauk up the Kaladan River by Mrauk U Princess boat

Mrauk U

Mrauk U

Mrauk U Chin villages

Kyiang Tong

Ngwe Saung Beach Accessed via Pathein in Ayeyarwady Delta. Famous monks umbrellas made here. 5 hour drive but roads bumpy. Hence beach unspoilt and not overdeveloped. Flights unreliable

RELIGION •

89% Buddhist population

•

Buddhism plays a huge part in Burmese daily life

•

Holidays spent at pagodas with family

•

Great family event when a boy joins a monastery for few days.

-

Novitiation ceremony

•

Daily alms giving to monks

•

Poor families yet still give to

•

monastery for merit.

•

Visit to any pagoda great way to observe true life

Go

TRANSPORT • Sanctions effect – imported cars either not allowed or prohibitively expensive. Only for Army/Gov • Use best available but need to warn clients as cars are old.

• Roads and infrastructure basic • Barely any public transport • Flights quickest way to get around to see most in short time

• Nice to include 1 road or boat journey for variety and slow pace • Include other transport ie horse or ox cart, bicycle

•

Ferry in Ayeyarwady Delta

Elephant coach – great for upmarket small groups

•

Shopping Good buys are: • Jade (not necessarily top quality but nice • Precious stones (but no guarantee of standard!

• Lacquer-ware • Any craft/postcard from stall sellers to circulate money

• Modern art • Batik sarongs • Puppets • Silk in Inle • Monks red umbrellas

What is Myanmar •

Known s the Golden Land

•

Longyi (Sarong style garment)

•

A million Pagodas

•

Ayeyarwady River

•

Thanakha

•

Teastalls

•

Cyclone Nargis

•

Velvet flip flops

•

Bamboo

•

Jade and rubies

•

Teak and elephants

Ethnic Diversity • 11% of 47 mi. Pop in Yangon.

• Broad central plain/Ayeyarwady River mostly Bamar (Burmese) who make up 68% of population

• • • •

Ethnic groups live in mountains East are Shan, Kayah and Karen North are Kachin West are Chin and Rakhaing South are Mon

• Within these 8 groups are 67 subgroups and this excludes the Chinese, Nepalese and Indian pop

FOOD • Mixture of Indian, Chinese and Thai cuisine • Mohinga - Yangon Fish soup • Shan Noodle Soup • Curries; meat, fish, seafood • Fish sauce (ngapi) • Tealeaf salad • Chai at a teastall • Rice and rice noodles • Lime leaves and chilli

Festivals • Jan – Bagan - Ananda Festival • Feb/Mar Yangon Shwedagon Festival • Mar/Apr Popular for Novitation ceremonies • April Water Festival/New Year • May/June Mt Popa - Nat Festival • Aug Amarapura - Nat Festival • Sep/Oct Phaung Daw Oo - Inle Lake • Oct – Feb popular for Golden Rock pilgrimages • Oct/Nov Taunggyi Ballon Festival • Dec Christmas in Kachin, Chin and Kayin states

Group specials

Inle Lake boat race

Walking and monastery overnight programmes • For those willing to sleep a little rough, we have some innovative walking tours near the main circuits.

• 2 days Shan Hills around Kalaw • 3 days Shan Hills around Pindaya • Further afield: • 4 days Kyiang Tong hilltribe villages

• 4 days Mt Victoria and Chin Hills • 4 days and 5 days trekking in Putao

• Chance to meet local people for a fantastic experience

Interaction with local people is our emphasis on all tours

WHY DIETHELM MYANMAR?

• Office in Myanmar since 95 & operated tours as early as 1980’s.

• Excellent guides

• Head office in Yangon • 3 Local offices upcountry • Highly experienced sales staff; knowledgeable over entire country • Competitive rates • Creative programmes • See the real Myanmar and interaction

with local people

Its PEOPLE are what make Myanmar so special

DIETHELM TRAVEL MYANMAR WELCOMES YOU TO MYANMAR