Some photos from Myanmar

This post will close the Myanmar series. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm moving to tell you more about Laos.
Here you will see some of my favorite photos from the country, along with some stories, anecdotes and more information.

I have been to Myanmar and this is what I know!

Remember this post? It made quite a stir and lots of people got back to me, saying that a few things were not correct. I spent 17 days in the country and lots of things surprised me in a positive way. Because there are not much information on the net about the situation in Myanmar and how it is to travel around there, I decided to publish yet another post with some tips. This time everything is checked and tried by me and you can fully rely on the information you are going to read.

Monkeys, 777 steps and a taxi driver called Jelly Fish - a day on Mount Popa

Mount Popa is one of the holiest places in the whole of Myanmar. It is a volcano, which peak reaches 1518 meters above the sea level. Located 50 km from Bagan it can be reached by road in around 1 hour. The monastery, located on the top of the mountain hides one of the most fascinating places in Burma. 

How I met Thiri and found a perfect spot for a sunset in Bagan

I arrived in Bagan thinking that there won't be many tourists around and I will be able to enjoy the culture and surroundings without worries. It was a surprise when I found out that not only I decided to visit the place, but there are crowds of people who had the same idea. 

Useful advice for the first time visitors to the temples of Bagan

Bagan is a must-visit place in the whole of Burma. If you visit the country, no matter how long you stay for, I guarantee that you will come here. The area still doesn't have that touristy vibe about it and you can feel like the new Christopher Columbus, discovering new lands. 

Two best places to see a sunset and a sunrise around Mandalay

There's something magical about sunsets and sunrises in Asia. Myanmar has a few good places to observe them. Of course, I could mention the temples of Bagan, but I will write a separate post just about that. This time, I would like to share with you two places, which made a great impression on me and they are both in, or around Mandalay. 

Morning alms in Nyaungshwe, Inle Lake

I decided not to watch the morning alms in Luang Prabang. Many people I met on my way said it is not as genuine as it used to be. So, instead I decided to go and see it somewhere else. I didn't plan it to see it in Inle Lake, but one morning I got up very early for one of my trips and saw this amazing procession of monks.

Visiting Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung monastery in Nyaungshwe (Inle Lake, Myanmar)

Myanmar is full of temples, stupas and monasteries. Sometimes it can be a bit too much, and you might feel as you are tired and fed up with seeing yet another one. However, there are a couple of holy places that are worth visiting. One of them is Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung monastery in Nyaungshwe (Inle Lake).

How to make a cigar Burmese style

When you go on a boat trip around Inle Lake you will be taken to the cigar factory, where 8 or 9 ladies sit on the floor and you and other tourists will be watching the whole process. It is interesting and (for some) quite exciting. However, it is so much better when the whole tutorial is on one to one basis, with a cup of tea and good company.

A cruise on the Inle Lake

Mr Aung Wyn is 62 years old. For the last 40 years he’s been a boat driver on the famous Inle Lake.

-20 years I worked for the government – he says – but didn’t like it. They didn’t pay enough. For the last 22 years I have been working for myself – he adds with pride.

He now employs his young nephew to help him out, so he can also enjoy the cruise around the Lake and focus more on the tourists he takes onboard.

He promised me that today we will go to a less known place on the Lake.

Schwedagon Pagoda - the jewel of Yangon

It seems that pagodas are everywhere in Myanmar. Burmese are very religious and each town and village has its own shrine, local monastery or golden stupa. No wonder that when you travel around the country you might feel a bit overdosed on temples. However, Schwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is the one not to be missed and one of the must-see places in Myanmar. 

A first time visit in Yangon

A taxi ride from the airport to the city centre takes two hours. First the road is surrounded by palm trees and flowery bushes. ‘I think I’m going to like it here’ – I think when we pass through it. It doesn’t take too long before some women wearing longhyi, holding baskets of flowers and fruit on their heads, appear on the road. It starts to get really colourful and exotic. And then there is just chaos: people trying to cross congested roads, car drivers honking at them and at each other, people selling flowers in the middle of the street, overcrowded busses with people literally spilling out of the windows, and ever present dust and heat. This is Yangon!

What you can expect from the accommodation in Yangon

When you arrive in Yangon it might be a little difficult to find your bearings. It is a big city, it is hot and noisy. If you don't have a booking, then it might be a challenge to find a free room. This post is to help you a little in choosing a room.

6 reasons why Burma is a little different from your usual backpacking destination

As backpacker you are used to certain things: showing up at a place, and not having too much trouble with finding accommodation; you know that everything's cheap and if you speak English you are able to communicate with everyone.
Burma is a country of lovely people, exotic culture and sights, still raw and undiscovered, but you need to prepare yourself for some differences from your usual backpacker destination.

Where the hell is my passport?! - my adventure with the Burmese visa application

Sometimes when things go wrong, it seems like it will never end. Perhaps, I was just unlucky, or maybe it happens to everyone, but you don't really hear about it.

My application for the Burmese visa was a stressful experience. I actually couldn't sleep at night and my tummy hurt all the time. Maybe I overreacted a little bit, but for goodness sake, it was my precious passport!!

How to get a visa to Burma (without unnecessary stress)?

I haven't written anything in a long time. Mostly because I have been busy with buying presents, and meeting my friends for Christmas drinks, and also because I was a bit stressed about my visa to Burma (according to Aung San Suu Kyi it's Burma, not Myanmar, so I'll stick to that name).
The whole thing with the visa processing stressed me out so much that my tummy started hurting, and my good, old IBS reminded me that it still exists..
Before I tell you all about my story, I thought I'd put some points together, to help you with your application. Hopefully, you will be lucky enough to avoid the drama.

I haven't been to Burma yet, and this is what I know already!

The highlight of my 2013 Trip is Burma, also known as Myanmar. Some say that it's the last country, where the real Asia can be found, a country with amazing culture, smiling people and where word 'kindness' still has a meaning.
I've done an extensive research on Burma. I really want to find out as much a I can about the country, so I can travel responsibly.