Myanmar-Burma sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

The rich cultural and historic heritage, absence of crowds of ever-busy tourists, an actively developing tourist infrastructure, and a rich choice of entertainments – this is what modern Myanmar can offer to its guests. In this country, there are many modern and urban cities with various landmarks and entertainment centers, as well as authentic villages that still follow the traditional lifestyle of the past centuries. Myanmar has managed to retain its harmonious nature that will certainly amaze and please guests of this country.

Mon people, the followers of the Indo-Buddhist civilization, were the first settlers in the territory of modern Myanmar. Later, Burmese people also started settling here, and so the large territory of the country divided into Burmese and Mon kingdoms. They remained independent formations with their own unique lifestyle and culture until the 13th century. Later, Myanmar suffered from the Mongol invasions. The colonization epoch started 500 years later, and soon the whole territory of the country was under the British reign. During the World War II period, Myanmar suffered a difficult period of the Japanese occupation. In 1948, the country finally became independent from the United Kingdom.

Among the most crowded tourist cities of the country, it is important to mention Yangon. This city definitely deserves a visit at least in order to admire the Shwedagon Pagoda, a unique historic landmark. It was built approximately 2,500 years ago. The spire of this pagoda is almost 100 meters tall. As the pagoda is decorated with countless precious stones, it is particularly interesting to visit it on a sunny day. This fabulous temple keeps a precious artifact – one of the biggest statues of lying Buddha in the world, the length of which is 55 meters. It is still a mystery how local masters managed to build such a giant temple and decorate it so skillfully 2,500 years ago. Many call Yangon a park city because there are many not only historic landmarks but also picturesque areas for strolling. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Do you want to visit a long forgotten and abandoned city? Then simply head to Old Bagan that is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting archaeological sites in Asia. Here, tourists can see thousands of fragments of ancient monasteries and pagodas. The territory of the abandoned city is roughly 42 square kilometers. It is possible to explore Bagan together with a guide who will show the most interesting parts of the ancient city and its most important antique landmarks.

Some landmarks of Myanmar can amaze even experienced tourists. Inle Lake is a great example. This is a beautiful lake with crystal clear water that has a very interesting landmark on its western side. This is the Nga Hpe Kyaung Monastery also known as the Jumping Cat Monastery. Everyone is welcome to visit the shrine. Nowadays, there are six monks who live in the monastery, and the number of cats is several times more. Local monks started training cats several centuries ago, and these cute animals are trained to perform various jumps. If you visit this wondrous ancient monastery, you will be able not only to see specially trained cats but also to buy interesting souvenirs.

Ngapali is recognized as the most luxurious beach resort in Myanmar. In this town, there is an incredibly beautiful beach with white sand and a row of upscale hotels built along it. This town has a well-developed tourist infrastructure including numerous interesting bars and restaurants, different entertainment venues, shops, and souvenir workshops.

Mandalay is famous as the cultural center of the country. If you like exploring historic landmarks, you should definitely include a visit to this city in your plan. In this city, there are more than 700 beautiful pagodas built in different periods of time. The ancient royal city of Amarapura in the township of Mandalay has been transformed into a monastery. The Mahamuni Buddha Temple is located nearby. This is an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists from all over the world. In this temple, there is a unique statue of Buddha. According to one legend, Shakyamuni Buddha himself was present in the temple when the statue was built.

The most comfortable way to reach Myanmar is by airplane. Vietnamese city Hanoi has regular flights to the country. Large cities of Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore also have air connection with Myanmar. Every day, there are 6-7 flights to Yangon from Bangkok. Daily flights connect the city with Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Tourists usually recommend Vietnam Airlines as the fastest and most comfortable way to reach Myanmar from Vietnam. Many tourists use Bangkok for transfer purposes because this city has the biggest number of daily flights to Myanmar.