Myanmar: Unlike Any Land You Know
by Sandra Scott
 To go or not to go? That
was the questions I posed to myself before my first visit to Myanmar in
2008. Many governments discourage travel to Myanmar, formally called
Burma, due to the repressive government. After some research and sole
searching I learned that the government has little to do with tourism and
sanctions tend to hurt the poor people more than the government. Tourists
provide a conduit between the people and the rest of the world. The people
were so welcoming and country so fascinating that I have returned several
times.
 Over a century ago
Rudyard Kipling visited Burma and said it was “quite unlike any land you
know about.” His poem, “The Road to Mandalay” has invoked images of
romance and beauty in the minds of travelers for generations. Myanmar is
still an exotic destination that has changed little in the last 50 years.
The most beguiling aspect of Myanmar is the friendly people who have
retained their culture and are not jaded by the world of commercialism. One
of my guides explained, “We don’t have McDonalds but we do have fast food.
All Myanmar food is fast to prepare.”
 One of my very favorite
accommodations is The Governor’s Residence in Yangon. It is built in the
traditional style with beautiful gardens, with a koi-filled stream, and an
emerald green pool. A gong announces the arrival of each guests and thus
begins unparalleled service.
 I was impressed at
Yangon’s golden Reclining Buddha, which is 229 feet in length but more
surprised when I was invited inside the monk’s living quarters. Quietly,
because most of the monks were resting after having risen at 4 a.m., I
toured the neat but basic building. The most important Buddhist Temple,
Shwedagon Pagoda, it is truly a symphony in gold at sunset, but the most
incredible places are outside of Yangon.
 On one trip I flew to
from Yangon to Bagan where I boarded the luxurious “Road to Mandalay” boat
for a tour along the Ayeyarwady River. The boat is part of the Orient
Express so connections, tours, and service are impeccable. The ancient
capital of Bagan reached its pinnacle between 1057 and 1287. The
impressive ruins spread over acres and give insight to the power that was
once Myanmar. The guided tours, which are included, took me to impressive
pagodas; pottery, lacquer ware, and other handicraft workshops; traditional
farming villages; a Buddhist nunnery; colorful outdoor markets; and to the
top of a pagoda to watch the sun set. The people in the villages stopped to
wave but continued their work as if we were just friends passing by. Riding
the river from Bagan to Mandalay is of National Geographic proportions. The
ship, The Road to Mandalay, has a swimming pool, massage room, staterooms of
unparalleled luxury, with evening entertainment. As one might expect of an
Orient-Express trip no detail from has been overlooked.
 While Bagan is the major
draw for tourists there are many unique destinations. On Lake Inle the
fishermen still practice their unique one-leg rowing style. When I arrived
at Paramount Inle Resort two Padoung women famed for the stack of brass
rings around their neck greeted me. In Myanmar it is still common to see
ethnic groups in their traditional garb. The hotel is built on stilts in the
water in the traditional manner so I had a front porch view of daily life on
the lake. At the local farmer’s market I was bedazzled by the
explosion of color and fascinated by the sights. I wandered past an outdoor
barbershop, watched a vendor prepare betel nut for chewing, a lady pounding
fish into paste, and shopped for handicrafts.
 On another trip I flew
to Sittwee on the Bay of Bengal and boarded a traditional teak boat for the
seven hour ride to Mrauk Oo Princess Resort. Mrauk Oo is an important
archeological site in Rakhine State that reached its glory in the sixteenth
century. Early one morning I climbed to the top of a temple hill where the
staff of the Princess Resort had my breakfast waiting. It was a mystical
experience watching the morning mist dissipate and the sunrise over Mrauk Oo.
It set a contemplative mood for touring the archeological site that included
wandering through the Shrine of 80,000 Images. My favorite day began
in a vintage Willys Jeep to a dock where I boarded a boat for a three-hour
river trip to a traditional Chin State village with rattan and bamboo homes
and women famed for their intricately tattooed faces.
 Each visit to Myanmar
ends at Ngapali Beach at Amazing Resort on the Bay of Bengal. Imagine a long
sweeping pristine beach with no nasty currents, no mosquitoes, no annoying
vendors, first class resorts, and excellent service, and you have Ngapali
Beach. One of the staff told me, “You can probably leave your things on the
beach and they will be there in the morning. Even so, we don’t
recommend it.” Myanmar is a very safe country.
Kipling was correct, Myanmar is “…quite unlike any land you know…”.
If you go:
To book travel check:
www.myanmarwonderstravel.com,
www.governorsresidence.com,
www.orient-express.com,
www.amazing-hotel.com,
www.mraukooprincessresort.com. <
Essentials: A visa is necessary. Air Asia,
www.airasia.com, offers RT tickets
Bangkok-Yangon for about $110. There are no ATMs, and while most hotels
accept credit cards it is best to bring cash. Yahoo, hot mail, and some
other web sites are almost impossible to access.
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