“This is Burma, and it will be quite unlike any land you know” - Rudyard Kipling
A few observations on my latest visit to Myanmar:
1. Air travel within the country has dramatically improved. In the ‘80s the only airline was government run and you were lucky if you had a complete seat belt; often there was only one strap. Safety record was terrible and parts would be cannibalized from one plane to keep another running. Once in Bagan I was stuck (pleasantly) for a few days because there were no parts left to cannibalize for the next leg of the flight to Mandalay. It’s all very different now with new planes and service as good as the other Southeast Asian airlines. And the timetables are no longer guesswork.
2. Hotels are vastly improved since earlier trips and a few now rank with the best in the region. All hotels used to be run by the government and throughout the country the daily rate was $ 29. When you arrived at an airport you would be assigned a hotel so there was no advance booking. The 3 reserved for foreigners in Rangoon (now Yangon) were the Strand, Thamada (across from the train station) and Inya Lake. I stayed at all three and none was better than another. In the years before World War II the Strand was one of Asia’s grand hotels in a class with the Cathay in Shanghai and Raffles in Singapore. Now again beautifully restored the rooms (actually suites) at the Strand are $450 and up. For much less I stayed at the Governor’s Residence, also 5-star with top quality service and food.
3. The temples at Bagan remain awesome and rival Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. However Angkor now has roughly 1.3 million visitors yearly, up almost 30% from my last visit in 2005. For those who enjoy temple ruins go to Bagan before it’s too late. A couple of hundred visitors spread over 3,000 temples means plenty of space to enjoy this magnificent setting. On all my trips I’ve stayed at the Thiripsyitsaya hotel on the banks of the Irrarwady River and it remains a favorite - now run as a joint venture with the Japanese Sakura chain.
4. Along with Bagan no one should miss Inle Lake, a large body of water which at dawn or dusk can seem truly a mirage. There are 17 island villages built on stilts, each specializing in a trade like silk weaving, pottery or silver and also here farmers grow flowers, fruits and vegetables in incredibly fertile lake soil. Inle Lake is also famous for its boatmen who propel their boats by standing on one leg and wrapping the other around the oar. This is a magical place without crowds (yet) and my choice to stay is the Inle Lake Princess hotel built on a series of canals that are part of the lake. This region is also wine country and the reds are surprisingly good.
5. A final reason I return to Myanmar is to visit the awesome Shwedagon Pagoda in the heart of Yangon. This is a great golden dome or stupa rising 300 or so feet built at least 2500 years ago as a religious shrine. It consists of a series of platforms or pavilions filled with statues, temples and smaller stupa. It has been described accurately as “quiet and contemplative, or colorful and raucous”. It is a center of everyday life in the city unlike so many monuments that attract primarily tourists. The only change I noticed in 18 years is laser beams have replaced twinkling lights around the dozens of religious symbols. Anyplace else the Schwedagon would cry out Las Vegas but in Yangon it is pure magic. Be sure to visit in the evening when the lighting against the gold of the stupa is at its best.
With the exception of Vientiane, Laos the capital cities of Southeast Asia are having a building boom. But Yangon still with extensive parks and gardens lags well behind Hanoi and Phnom Penh in development. If the country intrigues you and you are somewhat adventurous this is probably the time to follow in Kipling’s footsteps and be surprised at what you find.
Beginning with my first of 3 trips 25 years ago I have used Diethelm in Bangkok for travel arrangements. I think they are the most experienced agency and know their way around the country and the bureaucracy.
Nov. thru Feb. are probably the best months for travel with little rain and more comfortable temperatures. Mar. thru May are the warmest months. Monsoon rains are likely in summer especially around Yangon and the southern part of the country. Bagan is I think dry most of the year but warmer than Yangon in the spring. Inle Lake in winter can have cold nights but very comfortable days in the 70s.
A good travel book for Myanmar is published by Lonely Planet.
If you are thinking of going to Myanmar don't be discouraged by mention of the suites at the Strand priced at $450 a night. This is strictly for snob appeal. For the best hotels in tourist areas $100 is probably tops. Midrange guest houses might be $20 and I'm told a clean room is available for $5 to $7. Outside of the hotels food is inexpensive, under $10 per meal.
A great advantage in traveling to Myanmar now, as well as Laos and Cambodia, is the US Dollar is still king. As the $ weakens, as it has in recent years, so do the local currencies, very unlike Europe for example. In fact in all 3 countries you can pay for everything in dollars (actually preferred) and need never convert into the local currency.
One day if China becomes financial king of the hill this $ advantage will disappear in Southeast Asia!
Last edited by Administrator; 07/03/2007 02:45 PM.
