I made my way by foot to the main hub where all the boats were docked. The daunting task of negotiating began. It was the Thingyan Festival so I already knew prices would be at least double. I managed to … Read More

What stands out while traveling in Myanmar is how many sacred Buddha images and pagodas are gilded in shiny gold leaves  Yes, it’s real gold! The most prominent of these shimmering relics is Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon covered in tiny … Read More

It was already dark when we arrived in Yangon. I was surprised at how quiet the biggest city in Myanmar was. There wasn’t anyone in sight, and it was eerily quiet. We needed to look for a hotel so we … Read More

The ancient city of Bagan dates back to the 9th century, and is the most popular site in Myanmar. Every year, thousands of tourists and Burmese pilgrims visit the Unesco-listed complex. Nearly 10,000 monuments were erected between the 9th and … Read More

Although I usually try to find something good about every place I visit keeping in mind that simply being there is a privilege in itself, there’s the odd time when I’m more likely looking forward to leaving than to exploring. … Read More

The biggest reclining Buddha in the world is a pretty ambitious claim. Measuring nearly 600 feet / 180 meters, this reclining Buddha is truly deserving of its unofficial world-record holding title!   Win Sein Taw Ya is the proper name … Read More

Squeezed in like tiny sardines in a tin can, knees tightly pressed against the bench in front of us, I braced myself for the ride up to Mount Kyaikhtiyo. The driver started the roaring motor and the open-air truck jutted … Read More

With the Thanlwin River flowing like a ribbon through the lush land and towering karst mountains outlining the landscape all around, Hpa-An was like no other place in Myanmar. The only thing I knew about this laidback town was the presence … Read More

I arrived in Yangon with high hopes and a ponytail but the stifling heat made it difficult to enjoy. I was there in April, just before monsoon season. A swell of heat had already engulfed the city, and heavy air … Read More

Anyone who’s been to any ‘developing’ country in Southeast Asia will agree that recycling of any kind isn’t widely, if at all, practiced. The extent of recycling in this part of the world might consist of someone painstakingly carrying bundles … Read More