Urban Diaries

Let’s Plan a Trip to Myanmar: Land of Spirit and Golden Spires

Tanya Dhar

Let’s Plan a Trip to Myanmar: Land of Spirit and Golden Spires

Few things are as full of wonderment and more awe-inspiring, both in the closed fist of language and the open palm of experience, than travelling to an ancient land rife with gilded pagodas and altruistic traditions.

 

We visited Myanmar {Burma} on: 06 November, 2017
We stayed for: 2 Weeks

When my husband, Vikram, and I were invited by the Ministry of Tourism, Myanmar to visit their gorgeous country ~ like an explorer who thoroughly believes in uncertainties being the salt of life ~ I felt excited about our visit to a land largely unknown to me. I was aware of its rough geography. I knew very little else.

So here are some Myanmar {Burma} factoids to get us all up to speed:

 

More than a century and a half after Lewis Carroll embarked his Alice on a journey of self-discovery through the magical rabbit hole, I found myself on a route of self-contemplation in a country that was nothing short of the wonderland Lewis Carroll described in his book. The simplicity of lives, the magnanimity of the temples, and the exquisiteness of nature in Myanmar opened my heart and soul coercing me to explore more of the country ~ to know more of its culture.

Ancient history is intricately woven into the tapestry of its landscapes and every corner of this spell-binding country is worth being explored. If you want to get off the beaten track, then plan a trip to Myanmar. There are treasures in the form of experiences hidden in undeveloped villages just waiting to be discovered.

 

Getting to Myanmar

There are six points of entry in Myanmar that you can choose from:

By Air:

By Land:

 

Helpful tips to help you plan your trip

 

Places to visit

Bagan

The mesmerism of 2,200 pagodas gracefully create a sweet and subtle reminder of the magnanimity of its ancient and historic past when the temples were the centre of religious and social grandeur. Today, brick red, gold, and white spires and stupas reach out for the sky with its foundations deeply rooted, creating a beautiful mirage where travellers gasp at wonderment.

You are allowed to climb up the stupas and spires to watch the rising and setting sun creating an aura with its playful rays. The main attraction here is the hot air balloon ride in the early hours of dawn when the place is immersed in quiet, and the blushing sky captivates all your senses allowing you to enjoy the most exquisite views of the region!

To note: A tourist fee of MMK 25,000 has to be paid to enter the archaeological site. Remember to keep this ticket with you because the security guards may check it at any time.

The best way to explore the place is to hire an E-bike and grab a free map before you set off to explore. The adventurous soul in me hinges on the Pagodas that remain unnamed ~ the ones that you will need to discover for yourself. 🙂 As for the named ones, here’s a list of my favourites:

Sunrise

Sunset

 

Inle Lake

Nowhere does the enchantment of nature or the magic of picturesque villages come more vibrantly alive in the country than in the remarkable sceneries of Inle Lake. Everything from the stilt houses to the floating gardens drowned me in a sea of schmaltz as I experienced the remarkable splendour of nature and the simplistic lives of the locals in the region.

To note: You will have to pay another tourist ticket of MMK 12,000 to enter Inle Lake.

 

Yangon

The commercial capital of Myanmar is remarkable and unique in its own way. The influx of modernism in an inherently historic city has created a magnetic landscape where golden pagodas augment the skyline and colonial architecture feed tourists a glimpse of their historic past.

 

Food That You Must Try

Tea Leaf Salad ~ For a refreshing snack, the tea leaf salad is a perfect dish where tea leaves are mixed with sliced tomatoes, shredded cabbage, nuts, and peas. You can even pair it with a plate of rice.

Shan Style Rice ~ Among the most typical food here; the rice is cooked with turmeric which turns it into a lovely shade of yellow. The dish is topped with deliciously cooked flakes of freshwater fish and garlic oil. It is usually served with raw garlic, leek roots, and pork rinds.

Shan Style Tofu Noodles ~ The name of this dish is somewhat misleading because there is no tofu used in it. The locals replace tofu with something similar which is made from chickpea flour. The rice noodles come with a serving of marinated chicken and pork. It gets even more delicious with some chilli oil and pickled veggies added on the top.

Nangyi Thoke ~ This dry noodle dish was different from the noodles I usually eat. The thick and round rice noodles looked particularly interesting with chicken, slices of fish cake, bean sprouts, and hardboiled egg creating a visual treat.

Mohinga Soup ~ With the Irrawaddy tracing the entire country from north to south, fish is common in most dishes. This is why the Mohinga {fish} is so popular in Myanmar. Round rice noodles are served in a delicious herbal broth which consists of a long list of ingredients. It is preferably eaten for breakfast but you will find many locals enjoying it as a snack.

Buthi Kyaw {gourd fritters} ~ Each finger-size gourd is coated in a batter made of rice flour, chilli, garlic, ginger, and water, and deep-fried. Onions and potatoes are also used instead of gourds to make onion and potato fritters from the same batter.

Mandalay Mee Shay {rice noodles with pork} ~ This dish was terrific. The rice noodles were served with delicious meat sauce which made it irresistible. It is popular among the locals and a must-try when you are there.

Curry meal ~ You can order a curry meal at any of the local restaurants; curry meals come in variations of pork, fish, shrimp, and beef. The meal generally includes rice, salad, a small dish of fried vegetables, a large bowl of soup, and a delightful tray of fresh vegetables. This may cost you around MMK 5,000 to 6,000.

Snacks ~ Deep-fried food is a crowd favourite in Myanmar. When you are travelling the country, you would never have to go hungry because most streets are laced with stalls serving quick snacks such as savoury fritters, spring rolls, and breads & noodles with crispy garnishes.

Sweets ~ I enjoyed the sweets here because they didn’t use a lot of sugar. Grated coconuts, coconut milk, cooked sticky rice, rice flour, tapioca, and fruits were used in a more pronounced way replacing the need for sugar.

Beer ~ Vikram had the chance to taste two beers and found both to be very tasty. With all the deep frying that the Burmese indulge in, foods here can be very oily, so a cold glass of Mandalay or Dragon beer would seem perfect to wash down your meals.

 

A Few Words and Phrases to Help During Your Trip

The main language in Myanmar is Burmese:

 

Reasons to Love Myanmar

 

Feeling Inspired?

There’s more to my trip! I couldn’t just collect all my thoughts for one post 🙂 you may access the other travel guides here:  Bagan Travel Guide / Yangon Travel Guide; and the reviews of stunning properties I stayed at here: Popa Mountain Resort / Shwe Inn Tha Floating Resort. The rest have been linked in the post above.

 

Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from the Ministry of Tourism, Myanmar. Due judgment and care have been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review.