Travel Burma's length and breadth, and no doubt you will find that some areas are well-trod by visitors (although with careful management of your itinerary and timing, the big crowds can be avoided). Many others remain almost untouched, offering unique chances to see the lives of the Burmese people and their beautiful land.
Ava (Innwa)
Located on an island between the Ayeyarwady and the Myitnge Rivers, Ava (Innwa) was the capital city of Burma for approximately 400 years, between 1364 and 1841 (during which time, brief dynasties sometimes moved the capital elsewhere). Its formal title is Ratanapura, meaning 'city of gems' in Pali. Its modern name has a more prosaic meaning: 'mouth of the lake'. Easily reached without too much travel, Burma's former capital offers visitors a fascinating glimpse into the country's history.
The major sights within the ruined city include Bagaya Kyaung, a beautiful teak monastery built in 1834 and still adorned with detailed carvings, and the Nanmyin Watch Tower, which leans at an angle following an earthquake. From its top, the views across the island and the river beyond it are excellent. The city's ancient walls also remain in parts, and within them lies the brick and stucco monastery Maha Aungmye Bonzan. When planning to travel Burma, Ava is well worth adding to the itinerary.
Sagar and Thakong
A world apart from Ava and the modern, populated cities of Burma is Sagar and Thakong, a rarely visited area to the south of Inle Lake. Travel Burma with some specialist tour operators and you will have a chance to experience this quiet, little-explored corner of the country. The southern lake area is dotted with villages inhabited by some of Burma's ethnic minorities, including the Pa-O, Shan and Intha people. To this day, the Pa-O women wear the bright red and orange headwear that has earned the Pa-O the nickname of 'dragon people'. Visits to particular villages give you an opportunity to see robes woven from lotus stems and see the fermentation process of the local rice alcohol. From small markets to tranquil, traditional village life, Sagar and Thakong is a quiet gem that helps to make travel in Burma a unique and memorable experience.
The rest of Inle Lake and its environs also rewards its visitors. Highlights include the famous leg-rowers, who propel their small canoes across the water with one of their legs, floating gardens built upon rafts of water hyacinth, villages on stilts above the water, and the shore-side Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda that contains five Buddhas so heavily covered in gold leaf that they look more like eggs than holy figures.
Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who run tours enabling people to travel Burma. Operating in Asia for over 20 years, they now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.
Article Source: Jude_Limburn_Turne
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