The Road Less Traveled

Myanmar makes the cut for a popular list of the top 10 destinations ‘off the beaten path’

By THE irrAWADDY and rEuTErS

As Myanmar opens up to the world, its appeal among foreign tourists also seems to be rising. With visitor restrictions lifted and the country firmly in the international spotlight, tourism is taking off. One million people visited Myanmar last year, and a 15 percent increase in visits is expected in 2013.

In a further sign of the country’s growing tourist appeal, a popular travel website recently chose Myanmar as one of its “Top 10 Places Off the Beaten Path” for 2013.

The travel website, VirtualTourist.com (www.virtualtourist.com), features free user-contributed travel guides. Of Myanmar, it wrote:

“Myanmar has been added to many travelers’ wish lists in the last year after the nation held elections and U.S. political leaders visited the Southeast Asian country.

“While the destination just recently appeared on the general public’s radar, VirtualTourist members have been traveling and enjoying the country for years.

“In Yangon, visitors will find the Shwedagon Paya, known to be the most sacred of all Burmese temples with a golden stupa that can be seen from miles away.

“Members did note that the complex is filled with things to do and see, and it can be a bit overwhelming so make sure to allow at least half a day to explore the site.

“Farther north, the Mandalay division showcases some of the country’s other types of structures such as the teak temple and also hosts great views from atop Mandalay Hill.

“Members frequently visited the temples and pagodas of Bagan, noting that the Shwesandaw Paya is the best viewpoint of the temples and sunsets in Bagan.”

The Irrawaddy’s photographers recently visited Bagan, an ancient city that flourished between the 9th and 13th centuries. Some 2,000 temples remain scattered among the arid hills of central Myanmar today.

The other nine destinations selected for VirtualTourist’s list were Chile, Norway, Romania, and Ecuador’s Galapagos Island, along with the Chinese city of Shanghai, Sri Lanka, Iceland, Zambia’s Victoria Falls and Antarctica.