Where to go?

With a land mass of over 650,000 square kilometres, Myanmar is the largest country in South East Asia. Despite this, it remains relatively undiscovered, with the tourist industry still being very much in its infancy which means that now is the ideal time to visit this magnificent place. With its stunning topography and rich biodiversity, Myanmar – formerly Burma – has something to offer for every taste. Soaring snow capped mountain ranges vie with sprawling lowlands, lush dense forest and fabulous beaches of white sand and crystal clear water for the attention of the expectant visitor. Steeped in an extraordinary cultural and religious history, Myanmar is littered with thousands of Buddhist temples, pagodas, shrines and monasteries giving rise to the sobriquet ‘The Land of Pagodas’. Perhaps the only problem facing visitors is where to go first! To help the first time visitor get as complete an overview of what this fascinating country has to offer as possible, allow us to summarize the main attractions.

It would be wrong to attempt to list Myanmar’s highlights in order of importance, significance or interest. While to label any specific place or pastime as ‘Must see or Do’ is impossible, there are several outstanding places of interest that will give any visitor a feel for this beautiful country and its delightful people.

Most visitors will not want to leave Myanmar without visiting the dramatic ruins of Bagan. Nestled into the eastern bank of the Irrawaddy River, Bagan and its surrounding plains are home to over five thousand temples and stupas give testament to the significance of the Buddhist faith over the centuries. Contrasting with Bagan is the shimmering waters of the Inle Lake in the south of Shan State - a blissful haven of tranquillity. The former capital of Yangon is the usual starting point for most visitors to Myanmar. Home to everything from the golden Shwedagon Pagoda to colourful and bustling markets, Yangon is the perfect place to begin a voyage of discovery. From here you can travel by car, truck, jeep, boat, bicycle, plane or on foot to explore Myanmar. From Mandalay with its magnificent ruins, to Mingun and its ninety tonne bell and to the old colonial British hill stations of Kalaw and Pyin Oo Lwin, new experiences are to be found round every corner!

We have compiled an extensive list of travel diaries entires to give you an even better idea of travel experiences through the tourist's eye. However, we know that no two visitors are the same and so pride ourselves on being to fulfil everybody’s desires. We are therefore only too happy to build a bespoke itinerary for you based on your personal preferences. Browse through our travel diaries, get a feel for what Myanmar has to offer for visitors and what you would like to see and do and leave the rest to us!