Tailor made holidays to Myanmar

Holidays in Myanmar

The Golden Land is a quite extraordinary place to visit, rich in wondrous sites and populated by a proud, friendly people.

Highlights of the country include the unforgettable splendour of Shwedagon Pagoda, the astounding plain of temples at Bagan, and the tranquillity of Inle Lake with its vibrant tribal life. Equally memorable are the unpredictable delights that seem to grace everyone's visit here...

Shared tea with a group of laughing monks; an invitation for lunch under a Bodhi tree; marvelling at an intricate carving in an empty temple; bargaining for cloth in a Shan market. Myanmar is certainly a country that rewards an eye for detail and an open mind.

Despite its abundant attractions, Myanmar receives about two per cent of the visitor numbers that neighbouring Thailand gets. Undoubtedly the main reason for this is the military dictatorship that has run the country since 1965, driving it into poverty and international isolation. In recent years tourism has been encouraged, and foreign visitors are beginning to experience the many treasures of Southeast Asia's most intriguing destination.

Strangely enough, most visitors to Myanmar see little evidence of the oppressive regime that runs the country. The majority of abuses take place in areas off-limits to tourists, and the main sightseeing circuit is carefully stage-managed to avoid any confirmation of the military junta that keeps an iron grip on things. There is a lively debate as to whether tourism helps or hinders the restoration of democracy, and there is no clear answer either way.

Visit the Golden Land soon - before everyone realises what they've been missing.