YANGON
The capital of the country. Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, with its five million inhabitants, is a classic Asian metropolis. Colonial quarters of the former British Rangoon side by side here with Chinese temples, and at the foot of modern high-rise buildings there is a brisk trade in something tasty from mobile street stalls.
Men and women here wear longies – long skirts made of a piece of colored linen wrapped around the hips. On the streets where rickshaws ride, TV ads seem anachronistic. Here, no one is in a hurry – you can bargain with a taxi driver for an hour, after which he will offer you to drink coffee and rest.
Here is the Shwe Dagon Pagoda – the largest building in the world, covered with gold, the most revered Buddhist monument in the country. At its top is a 73-carat diamond, which can be seen even with the naked eye in the light of the setting sun. Around the pagoda is a temple complex of several dozen pavilions. Hundreds of Burmese walk around in their best clothes. Prayer sounds come from the loudspeaker. The streams of people around the stupa create a general feeling of celebration and inclusion in the general stream of the universe.
MANDALAY
The last capital of ancient Myanmar. It was founded in 1857 by King Mindon, who decided to move the capital to a new location from Amarapura. Mandalay is a very young city, although it managed to visit the capital of the Burmese kingdom in its short century, the second most important city in the country. In the best Burmese traditions, the palaces and temples of the new capitals were built from old buildings dismantled specifically for this purpose. So Mandalay was erected from the stones of Amarapura, who fell into disfavor. Palaces and monasteries built of teak wood were simply dismantled and transferred to a new location. For the construction of Mandalay, the king gathered craftsmen from all over Myanmar, so the city was built in record time. Satisfied with himself, Mindon immodestly proclaimed Mandalay the center of the universe and convened the Fifth Buddhist Council on this occasion.
A city of markets, traditional arts and crafts, Buddhist monasteries and temples, Mandalay is the economic and religious center of all of Upper Myanmar. The city is famous for its architectural monuments and religious shrines. The main part of the city stretched from its central part in a southerly direction.
BAGAN
It is an underdeveloped, remote and very quiet town where you will find a couple of simple restaurants, cheap gift shops and a shabby airstrip. Here, apart from the magnificent temples, there is actually nothing that could be of interest. It is a field dotted with thousands of stupas of various shapes and sizes. Many come to Myanmar just to see this fantastic landscape. Countless stupas look like giant spaceships. They are reminiscent of the greatest mysteries of ancient civilizations – Egyptian pyramids, Naskh drawings and other mysterious objects. It will take at least a couple of days to inspect the main buildings. Among the main must-sees are the Buddha statues inside the Ananda Temple, Shwesanthau Pagoda and Nan Myint Tower. Despite the popularity of Bagan, you can still find dozens of absolutely deserted pagodas and stupas in it.
Most importantly, enjoy the sunset. Believe me, you have never seen such an amazing sight anywhere in the world.
NGAPALI
Located on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, it gives its guests a first-class vacation away from the hustle and bustle. The beaches of Ngapali stretch for 10 kilometers – this is a great place, a pearl for beach lovers – a strip of dazzling white sandy beaches and untouched nature around.
The flight from Yangon takes 35 minutes. By car, you can get here in 14 hours – a narrow winding road runs through the Arakan mountain range, crossing the Ayeyarwady near the city of Pye.
Arriving in Ngapali, you will be amazed by the kilometers of deserted white beaches, the endless blue of the ocean and great opportunities for a great vacation. And five-star hotels located on the beaches will do everything possible to make your vacation memorable for a long time.
Near the resort there is a golf course (18 holes). On the coast there is a large selection of hotels from the fashionable Aureum Rresort & Spa 5 * to the cozy Ngapali Beach and Silver Beach.
Resting in Ngapali, you will not only have a great rest, but also be able to observe the life of local fishermen who live in neighboring villages and lead their traditional way of life. And in the local markets you will find fresh and inexpensive seafood, fruits, as well as beautiful crafts and jewelry made from natural pearls.
During your vacation, do not miss the opportunity to dine or dine in local restaurants. Here you will be treated to exquisite, exotic dishes from seafood.
They are not like the crowded beaches of many resorts in Southeast Asia – it is quiet and calm here, there are no bars and discos on the coast, and there are few vacationers.
LAKE INLE
Inle Lake is one of those places in Myanmar that you must visit. The shores of the lake are surrounded by high mountains, creating a stunning beauty of the predominance of water, along the edges of which communities of 17 villages are located.
The local population is called the Intha people, everyone professes Buddhism. It is for this reason that more than a hundred Buddhist temples and about a thousand pagodas have been built on the lake. The temples are home to a large number of trained cats, which impress the tourists who come here with jumping through the rings and other acrobatic stunts. Another, no less interesting attraction of these places are local fishermen who operate their boats standing on one leg. An oar is attached to the second leg, with which they deftly control their flat-bottomed boats.
The lake, despite its size, is not very deep – about 4 meters, and the “beds” do not float away thanks to bamboo poles that stick into the bottom and at the same time serve as a support for seedlings. Vegetables (cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, peas, beans, eggplant), greens, flowers are planted around the poles on an earthen platform fastened with vines and aquatic plants.
All this grows here in huge quantities – vegetables from Inle Lake are taken out by whole trucks every day and throughout the year, and they can be bought throughout the country. The vegetables are very tasty, and I also really liked the Shan traditional costumes – black and red lounges with “frock coats” and bright woven bags with a fringe on a long strap, worn obliquely over the shoulder – they are considered the best in the country, and are found throughout Myanmar.
