MY 5 FAVOURITE DESTINATIONS IN MYANMAR TO VISIT (ONCE IT’S SAFE AGAIN TO TRAVEL…) TEXT: EDWIN BRIELS
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s we avoid crowds and promote physical distancing to help combat the looming pandemic, we can’t help but daydream of adventures to come. The hashtags #stayhome so we can #traveltomorrow are trending reminders to follow government instructions, and to save the next trips for another day. I have picked my 5 favourite destinations in Myanmar to visit once it’s OK again to travel. Enjoy them individually, or combine them for a fuller discovery of rural Myanmar.
1– Northern Shan state Daily direct flights to Lashio make the area easy to reach, and overnight buses help save a few pennies. The food is healthy and tasty and the mountainous region is always a bit cooler than Yangon. What else to do in Hsipaw apart from tasting delicious Shan food? Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Hsipaw town and visit the old place where Inge Sargent, the famous the princess and author of the book “My life as a Shan princess” lived. Go for guided day walks to Shan and Palaung villages around Hsipaw or Kyaukme or stay overnight
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in a traditional village. Peddle your way around on a bicycle to, ride a boat on the Dokthawaddy River or hop on the train for a fun rickety ride over the Gokteik Viaduct. There are plenty of charming lodges and guesthouses in Hsipaw like Mr Charles Riverside bungalows or Tai House. And yes, the area is safe to visit, as long as you hire a professional local guide and keep within permitted trekking zones in the countryside.
2– The dry zone (Bagan combined with Yandabo, Salay or Yenangyaung) After more than 20 visits to Bagan, I still discover “new” places (though some are over 1000 years old). Easy to reach by plane, bus or even train, Bagan offers fantastic hotels with pools to hide from the heat, all at great value. Build in some extra days to swim and relax! Rent an e-bike to discover some of the temples on your own or support a local tourist guide to really go deeper into the history, cultural significance and the reason this area is the newest Unesco World Heritage Site. Combine the trip with a night or two on the riverside in nearby towns with a lot of rural charm like Yenanyaung (stay
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at Lei Thar Gone guest house for a pool and fantastic views over the Ayeyarwaddy), Yandabo (pamper yourself at Yandabo Home) or Salay (the friendly Salay Riverview Inn). Discovering one of these towns is great fun and shows you a very different Myanmar.
3– Mon & Kayin state An easy 6h drive on a smooth road, the Mon state offers a lot of culture, diverse landscapes and tasty homecooked Mon food. Certainly visit the stunning Seindon monastery; built by a former Mandalay Palace princess
Mon State - Mawlamyine Seindon Mibaya monastery.
who became a nun in Mawlamyine. About 1.5 hour by boat from Mawlamyine you find the stunning monasteries and temples constructed over 100 years ago by the famous trader U Na Auk; possibly the most beautiful temple complex I have ever seen in Myanmar. Kayin state offers staggering landscapes with limestone mountains and mysterious caves. Don’t forget to visit the newly discovered water cave by boat and go for a beautiful sunset from the nearby cave. Hpa An town now offers a lot of good food including some of the best Thai food in Myanmar, try it at the lively night
