Go To Myanmar before It’s too Late!
“This is Burma and it is unlike any land you know about.”
-Rudyard Kipling, Letters from the east (1898)-
Things are changing anywhere in the world, but maybe this global metamorphosis can be best portrayed in Myanmar, where tourists are flooding in as the travel barriers are being broken down. With every government sanction dropped comes another wave of intrepid travellers that pour in through the Yangon airport. There will come a day when the borders with Thailand open and this pristine, culture rich destination will be drowned by the tsunami of budget backpackers that will force their way up from the neighbouring kingdom.
The beads Of Prayer. Inle Lake, Myanmar.
For now, Myanmar still has it all. sensational beaches, ancient temples, lost villages and places that are so off the map that Lonely planet has yet to mention them. If you are an intrepid traveller that loves to feel like you’ve discovered new lands, then Myanmar is for you. but this once hidden and little checked out treasure is now being discovered on a grand scale, so how long do you have? It will probably be a while before the borders open, but this hasn’t absolutely stopped tourism.
Since you have to book a flight from a neighbouring country, it’s only kept out those who are less adventurous or on a smaller budget. There is still a few years left for the main trail in Myanmar, but if you’re on this web site which is created for those with a soul for the unknown, you won’t be staying on that trail anyway. In which case, Myanmar’s expiration date is still years and years away.
There will always be places here to unearth, where tribes and villages lost in time will be surprised to see a foreign face. In this post we’ll tell you how to get off the path and why you need to do it soon.
A Thoughtful Glance. Inle Lake, Myanmar.
With the easing government guidelines comes the opening of “permit zones”, where the adventurous and travellers with bigger budgets can venture off the beaten path and find themselves in the thick of the Burmese culture. For those who don’t have the budget, or the time to plan for these expensive permits, there are places you can reach that are close to the “permit zones” where you can feel that terrific feeling of discovery.
We would recommend that you make your way to Hsipaw in the north end of the country. here you can neglect the excursions and head out to nearby villages and find yourself in places where few other travellers have gone. From Yangon, you can head south past the gilded rock of Kayaiktiyo and find yourself amongst fishing villages where the locals will be pleased with your efforts in exploring so far south.
Go to the very popular Inle Lake, but don’t just stay in the northern edges of the lake, head as far south as you can. hire a boatman who is ready to take you to the limits of the “no permit zone” and wander around villages where life hasn’t changed for centuries!
Fishing Friends. Inle Lake, Myanmar.
Sure there are lots of places in Myanmar that are “off the beaten path” but you know what?… You’re in Myanmar! You’re already somewhere that few other people go. A place so mystical that a lot of people will be surprised when they hear that you’ve set foot on such an exotic country. Myanmar is by no indicates a major holiday hotspot (although it is changing) so don’t worry about being on the “tourist trail”. There are so lots of remarkable things to see on that trail.
The mind-boggling temples of Bagan are so extraordinary that no number of other tourists could take away from their grandeur. They go on for so lots of kilometers in every direction that even with the hordes of excursion buses that descend on this place every day, you can find a piece of it to yourself.
Ask the locals where there favorite spots are and you’re likely to find yourself enjoying the sunset next to a couple of praying Burmese devotees, rather than other travellers. Bagan is one place that you have to see, and soon! The amount of people who are starting to see these temples is taking its toll on these ancient structures and the Burmese government has a routine of over-restoring their crumbling relics. Bagan will not be like this forever, so this is a major reason you need to go to Myanmar now.
One of the lots of ox & carts in Bagan
As the floodwaters of mass tourism rise in Myanmar, the chances of experiencing its authentic culture diminishes. For now, you can check out its temples, speak to its blissfully sheltered population and experience its time warp atmosphere. Myanmar is one of the last true travel frontiers on our planet and it is going through a major improvement as we speak. You need to pack your bags and book your ticket.If you’ve always wanted to be able to say “I was there before all of those hotels”, now is the time to go. With jewels like Myanmar, there is a small window of time before mass tourism takes over and for this bewitching land, this time upon us.
Get out your backpacks, put on your travel hat and fly out to Myanmar. It was once known as the second a lot of isolated country in the world, but this title will soon shift to Southeast Asia’s second a lot of checked out country. get there before it’s too late!
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