Myanmar

Myanmar Holiday Guide

Don’t forget to book your holiday insurance with us for a carefree holiday to Myanmar.

Located in Southeast Asia, the large and diverse country of Myanmar is full of history and culture. Sharing borders with India, China, Laos and Thailand, Myanmar stretches from beautiful islands of the Andaman Sea in the south to the north where the eastern Himalayan Mountains can be seen. The country, previously known as Burma, is one of the most undiscovered and mysterious places to visit on the globe today. Many visitors now opt to take a guided tour of Myanmar so as not to miss any of the beautiful history and culture on offer.

With a long history in Buddhism dating back to the 6^th century, it is not surprising that Myanmar has many temples and pagodas. One of the country’s oldest and most renowned is situated in the former capital of Yangon, the Shrewdagon Pagoda. This pagoda dominates the city’s skyline, towering above the rest of Yangon’s landscape.

The second largest city is Mandalay, located in the north of Myanmar. The city was the capital before the British colonized the country in 1852. The city is more akin to a large village, with no tall buildings and some dirt roads. Mandalay is an important river port that facilitates trade with China. The city is home to a centre for arts, music and dance that offers tourists an interesting look into old Burmese culture.

Situated in the middle of Myanmar is the beautiful and captivating Inle Lake. The village here is built on stilts above the lake and the only means of transport is by boat. There is much to see here, with boat tours taking you through the labyrinth of the village; you will see many children curiously interested in looking and giggling at the foreigners. There are hotels nearby and restaurants with Western cuisine.

The spectacular city of Bagan is an impressive display of pagodas that are spread across the plains next to the sprawling Ayeyarwaddy River. There are over 5,000 pagodas still standing, the remains of Myanmar’s golden age of architecture. With so much here to see it’s a highly recommended destination.

Travelling to Myanmar is relatively easy, with daily flights from neighbouring cities such as Bangkok, Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong. Alternatively, there are land border crossing points from China and in the north and south of Thailand. There is a rail network and also buses that connect much of the country.

It is strongly advisable to take out travel insurance for you and your family before travelling to Myanmar to safeguard against any unforeseen problems.