Myanmar – Beyond the Pagodas, Mountains, & Lakes

Myanmar, often considered a risky place to explore has actually caught the fancy of travellers who love adventure and I am one of them. The country, once mighty kingdom of the early civilization in South East Asia is always known for its political and geological conflict but it’s a country that has to be seen to the beauty – the mountains, the sunrise or the sunset, pagodas, and the lakes are taken straight out of a postcard.

I travelled to Bagan in Myanmar & many of my friends asked me where this place is. So let me introduce you to this amazing place.

Bagan, Myanmar

Bagan is central Burma’s major attraction with world’s greatest archeological sites and a sublime setting. Spread across 26 square-mile, Bagan is caught in a bend of the lazy-flowing Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) river and beautifully framed by the amusing silver-grey of mountains.

My Trip to Myanmar – Bagan was the First Stop

I travel alone 70% of the time anyway. The style of work I do when I travel is not particularly easy for someone else who might just want to see the popular sites or relax at a destination, etc. I travel to risky areas a lot without the knowledge of my family, and when I arrive I never really know how long it will take me to connect with the people I am researching. Sometimes I can be there for 1 day, other times it might be a trip of 3-4 days. But the sole reason why I decided to go to Myanmar was because I have always wanted to see Bagan in person.

One of the most photogenic plain in the world where over 2000 temples and pagodas stood mightily for hundreds of years. The temples and pagodas stretches out as far as the eye can see. I was expecting to see a place like no others, and I was not disappointed.

Myanmar Trip Details

Instead of planning every specific detail on where to go, this time I decided to wing it and go with the flow. The result was a memorable trip that I will keep for the rest of my life. I certainly had no idea if Myanmar was really safe, what I had at that time was a strong desire to be in this country. The internal conflict in Myanmar didn’t affect my travel. I still felt safer.

Must Visit Things in Myanmar

Words of Advice for Myanmar Trip

Please be a responsible tourist; there are areas that might have a civil war with the new government. Be in the loop when you are in the country or do not travel to those few areas. Overall, I still say it’s safe to travel to Myanmar.

As with anywhere else, you can be unlucky or in the wrong place at the wrong time. But that could also happen in your hometown, or in a “safe” destination in all your travel goals. Taking luck out of the equation, there’s lots you can do to help yourself stay safe. Visit the Golden Kingdom now and its Marvelous Pagodas while it’s still open.