This blog was in no way intended to spark controversy or be a platform for political or ethical agendas. It is intended to open the mind and give the visitor a glimpse of some amazing places around the world. Some posts will be new unexplored venues and others, old familiar haunts. If you Google travel to Myanmar (Burma), you are likely to find warnings on human rights issues and travel advisories. What I’ve learned while traveling the globe is that if you set aside issues of government, politics, religion, crime and conflict, and get to know the PEOPLE, explore the history and the landscape, treat your sense of taste and smell to new exotic flavors, you will grow from the experience and have a memory that will supersede anything you imagined. Travel with an open mind, meet and really get to know the locals and a wonderful world awaits you! A big thanks to my new friends in Myanmar.
Travel to Myanmar isn’t for the traveler who doesn’t want to
stray off the beaten track. The country is unlike any other and getting there
isn’t easy. You will need a VISA to enter Myanmar. Despite what I read on the
internet, I trusted a local colleague and was able to get a VISA on arrival at
the airport in Yangon, although I was still required to come with printed
copies of excessive documentation, including lodging reservations, letters of
invitation, letters of financial responsibility and a new set of passport
photos. Also despite what I had read, I was easily able to access ATMs in both
the Yangon and Mandalay airports. Cash is the generally accepted form of
payment and in very few places will credit cards be accepted so be prepared
with an adequate amount of cash for your stay. US dollars and the European Euro
will easily be exchanged for Myanmar Kyat. International cell phones do not
work in Myanmar. And as in many countries, negotiate your cab fare BEFORE
accepting the ride.
Yangon is the old capital of Myanmar and your port of entry
to the country. It’s a blend of old colonial and Asian architectures.
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| Sule Pagoda |
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| Court House |
All over Myanmar you will find women and children with a
special paint of their face. It's called thanaka and is considered cosmetic as
well as protective, acting as a sunscreen and used to promote good skin health.
The paste is yellowish in color and comes from a specific tree bark common in
Myanmar.
If you’re looking for a great hotel in Yangon, try the
Trader’s Hotel. It’s part of the luxury
Shangri-La hotel chain with locations worldwide. The hotel does accept
credit cards and has reliable internet service available, though a stay here
does come at a cost, especially when compared to the bargain of prices you will
pay for other services. A stay at Trader’s will set you back $200-300/night but
worth every penny!
http://www.shangri-la.com/yangon/traders/
For a fantastic traditional Myanmar meal, head to Padonmar.
You can dine inside or outside in the beautiful gardens. Food and service are
both fantastic and they will accept credit cards.
http://www.myanmar-restaurantpadonmar.com/
Not to be missed on your stay in Yangon is the Shwedagon
Pagoda. The pagoda sits atop the city and is covered in gold and gems,
including jade, emeralds, rubies and diamonds that glisten in the sun. Myanmar
is a Buddhist country. Any visit to a pagoda will require that you wear long
pants or a skirt falling well below the knee line and covered shoulders (no
tank tops). You will also need to remove your shoes frequently so wearing
sandals or flip slops will make your day much easier.
The view of Shwedagon at night is likewise stunning!
For shopping, try the Bogyoke Aung San market, where you can
get deals on anything from souvenirs to jewelry.
But the real magic in Myanmar lies outside Yangon. 400 miles
north of Yangon is the city of Mandalay. Flights from Yangon to Mandalay are
cheap by air travel standards and you can get a ticket o Mandalay for about
$100 USD. Alternatively there is a train to Mandalay but it’s a 6 hour overnight
ride and I’m told far from comfortable.
Once in Mandalay, consider a stay at the Sedona Hotel. It is
also a first class hotel that accepts credit cards, although Wi-Fi is still far
less consistent than you will find in Yangon.
http://www.sedonahotels.com.sg/Where/SedonaHotelMandalay/tabid/109/Default.aspx
Ahhh, Mandalay. Magical really. With so much to see. In the
center of the city is the Mandalay Royal Palace. Royalty no longer rule Myanmar
but the palace remains and is now a military training site.
Looking north from the Royal Palace you see Mandalay Hill. The
Hill is home to pagodas and monasteries.
There are monasteries all over Mandalay and monks can be seen all over the
city. It is normal for males in Myanmar to enter the monastery for temporary periods and sometimes twice in a lifetime. Young males, approximately between the age of 10 and 20, enter the monastery as a novice. The temporary novice monk may stay at the monastery for a few weeks to a few months. Later in life, males can re-enter the monastery, fully ordained for life. Monks hold the highest level in Buddhist society. I am far from an expert of Buddhism but my understanding of monks and their traditions comes down to this. Buddhism is about obtaining a sense of enlightenment or Nirvana. Desire and craving leads to suffering, so renouncing worldly things and the practice of humility, aids in eliminating suffering and leads to a state of enlightenment. Breaking it down in simple examples, if I want something and I don't get it, I am disappointed. I want more. I'm never satisfied. And this constant desire for more is causing me to suffer. Monks shave their head as a matter of humility. Monks can be quite social and are happy to discuss their beliefs. Women, however, should not touch a monk. Monks receive only 2 meals a day and are not allowed to eat after 12 noon. The monk's only possessions are his maroon colored robe and his bowl for receiving alms, a donation of food. They sleep in large dormitories on hard wooden boards, wash with cold water and spend most of the day in meditation, study, chant and discipline. Visiting a monastery is very interesting.
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| Golden Palace Monastery |
At the top of Mandalay Hill is the Sutaungpyai Pagoda. It’s
a beautiful place to watch the sunrise. Leave your hotel while it’s dark. It’s
a one way road of hairpins turns to the top but the sunrise is amazing, you’ll
beat the crowds, and have a spectacular view.
At the base of Mandalay Hill sit the Kyauktawgyi Pagoda and
the Kuthodaw Pagoda. The Kuthodaw pagoda is sometimes called the “world’s
largest book” as the marble is inscribed with the cannons of Buddhism. If you catch the sunrise at the Sutaungpyai
Pagoda, don’t miss the sunset at Kuthodaw Pagoda.
Another Pagoda worth seeing in Mandalay is Mahamuni Buddha
Temple. It’s a pilgrimage site. I love the colors and fabrics worn in the
traditional Myanmar dress.
But for a real treat at the end of the day, head south of
Mandalay to the U Pein Bridge. It can easily be reached by taxi and it just 7km
outside the city limits.
It’s a teak bridge built in the 1800’s and said to be in
good condition. That fact may be more a matter of opinion. Watch your step, as
there are many loose boards. People flock to the bridge at sunset. The bridge
is about ¾ mile long over a small lake. You can hire a boat and observe the
sunset from the water or from the bridge but it is perhaps the most beautiful
sunset I have ever seen.
The sky starts out shades of yellow and orange and once the
sun is gone, a pinkish purple hue fills the sky.
Vendors sell fabrics, artwork and local wood crafts. Halfway across the bridge, descend the stairs, order a Mandalay strong beer or a coconut water and some local dishes and sit and take in the view. It’s an amazing end to the day!
I hope you have found this quick glimpse of Myanmar as
enchanting as I did. If you get the opportunity to go, go and go soon. The
country is emerging but with growth and tourism, this place may just lose a
little of what makes it so special!
Hope you’re enjoying the ride!
Robin
