Bangkok

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Phuket

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Inle Lake

Inle with its cooler temperatures and blurry distinction between earth and water has beckoned travellers since Myanmar opened to tourism. Uncertain shorelines and high hills ring the 22 km shallow lake, which is filled with Intha folks fishing and propelling flat-bottomed boats with their feet. Locals needing to borrow noodles from next door don't walk - they can't! - so they take the canoe out. There is a big population living in different floating villages. The best way to experience the lake is to take a full-day motorboat tour. So I rented a guide and a boat driver and explored the whole area. There are numberous artisans shops, where weaving, blacksmithing, paper-producing, jewellery-making and many others happen. They can all be visited. Floating markets take place weekly, each day at a different village along the lake. A major attraction is the floating gardens where tomato can be harvested three times a year. Farmers also plant zucchini, eggplant and coliflower. On our way back we also visited our boat drivers new house which he completed two months ago. Total cost USD 2'500.--!!

Mandalay

Founded as capital of the Burmese empire in 1861, Mandalay served as the setting for the last kings of Burma, who wore their shiny gems here till the British stormed in and took over in 1885 - a largely uncontested conflict. Mandalay is Myanmar's second city. The town has been booming lately from new chinese-run businesses and it is whispered that the red, green and white trades - rubies, jade and heroin - fuel the economy as well. But alongside these commercial endeavours you are more than likely to encounter a totally different side of life as more than three out of five Myanmar's population of Buddhist monks live here. Therefore early morning time the streets are crowded by monks collecting their daily food portion. Apart from the number of sights the city offers itself, there are the four ancient cities nearby, Amarapura, Inwa, Sagaing and Mingun. They can be visited in a daytrip, which is really worth it. Amarapura is famed for its 1,2 km-long teak U Bein's Bridge leading to Kyauktawagyi temple and small Taungthaman village with tea and toddy shops. Cut off by rivers and canals, Inwa served as the Burmese capital for nearly four centuries. Horse carts lead two-hour loop around Inwa's handful of sights. Aside the road, villagers till soil or bathe in ponds in an area picturesquely dotted with abandoned temples.

Bagan

Bagan is the most important architectural complex in Myanmar. If you put all of Europe's medieval cathedrals on Manhattan Island you would start to get a sense of the ambition of the temple-packed plain of Bagan. Home of 4'400 temples built mostly 800 or more years ago, Bagan rivals Angkor Wat as one of Southeast Asia's most remarkable sites. The temples are smaller than Cambodia's but nearer each other leading to great vistas and sunsets. On any given day, some passageways are stuffed with travellers while others nearby are empty. The massive Bagan Archaeological Zone stretches 42 sq km and is home to the small towns of Nyaung U, Old Bagan, Myinkaba, New Bagan and a few others.
It is here that the Buddhist religion took deep root, strengthening and broadening the outlook of the whole of society.
Unfortunately the city was crushed again in 1975, when an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scal damaged many of Bagan's important structures. Up to now a lot of temples have been repaired.

Yangon

Going to Myanmar is like time-travelling back 50 years or more. Men wear skirt-like longyi, women and kids blot thanaka (powdered bark make-up) on their faces to protect against the sun and insects and spat-out betel juice congeals into blood-like pools on sidewalks. All these these traditions are well maintained.
Yangon is Myanmar's biggest city and it is as modern as Myanmar gets. I also took the chance to visit the country's most famous Buddhist landmark - the gilded multimillennia-old Shwedagon Paya, 2500 years old! I was very lucky as it was the full moon night and for buddhists the lunar festival. Everybody tries to go to the temples. As a ritual they throw water to the holy banyan trees and donate flowers and foods to the buddhas. It was a fantastic experience even though there were thousands of people in the massive temple area. Take a look at the pictures, they speak for themselves.

History of Myanmar

The British took over all of Myanmar in three moves 1824, 1852 and 1885. The Burmese king and queen were exiled to India and their grand palace at Mandalay was looted and used as a barracks to quarter British and Indian troops.
The colonial era wrought great changes in Myanmar's demographics and infrastructure. Large numbers of Indians were brought in to work as civil servants and Chinese were encouraged to immigrate and stimulate trade. The British built railroads and ports and many British companies became wealthy trading in teak and rice. After driving the British out of Myanmar and fighting against Japanese army, Bogoke Aung San emerged from the fog of war as the country's natural leader. He was the man to hold the country together through the transition to independence. He was assassinated before he could take office. Independence came in 1948, but with Aung San's protege U Nu at the helm. Ethnic conflicts raged and chaos ensued. In 1962 General Ne Win led a left-wing army takeover and failed. The country had reached a virtual standstill in 1987 and in early 1988, long-suffering Burmese people packed the streets and there were massive confrontations between pro-democracy demonstrators and the military.
In 1989 Bogoke Aung San's charismatic daughter Aung San Suu Kyi, organised an opposition party NLD. While the Burmese population rallied around the NLD, the government grew nervous and placed Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest. Even though NLD won over 85% of the vote, the government refused to allow the NLD to assume their parliamentary seats. Up to the country is run by the military government and Aung San Suu Kyi is still under house arrest!

Halong Bay

Magnificent Halong Bay, with more almost 2'000 islands rising from the clar, emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, is a Unesco World Heritage site and one of Vietnam's natural marvels. The vegetations-covered islands are dotted with innumerable grottos and caves created by the wind and the waves. Ha long means 'where the dragon descends into the sea'. To see the islands and grottos, a boat trip is mandatory. Most of the tours include transport, meals, accomodation and boat tours. I took the chance and made a booking for a three day tour. There are a lot tour operators and many different standards of boats. Some of them offer trips for three days for USD 55.- which I find rather difficult believe. Therefore I decided to go on a more exclusive one which was really worth it. Being on the boat I could also see the other boats with and their standard. So I was happy with mine. My package included kayaking which I did on the second day to the most fantastic, unique, untouched and quiet places where the big boats obviously cannot reach.

Hanoi

Sophisticated, modern, and yet coolly romantic, the city is a self-assured blend of French colonial flair and vintage Vietnam. Late-model motorbikes pulse through the intersections of the Old Quarter's labyrinthine streets and foreign tourists slurp soup on the street alongside old men with goatees and Vietnamese fashion plates in silk and denim.
Hoan Kiem Lake is the liquid heart of the Old Quarter, a good orienting landmark. Everybody like to stay in this area as the whole place is filled with nice cafes and bars as well as nice little boutiques. It is also very easy to get around and hangout.
One of the must visit in Hanoi is definitely the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex. It is divided in different buildings. The main one is certainly where Uncle Ho rests in a glass sarcophagus set deep within a monumental edifice. Bringing your camera or taking pictures is strictly prohibited! Other interesting buildings are the museum with lots of photos, manuscripts and documents followed by the stilt house where Ho Chi Minh lived between 1958 and 1969.
Another highlight in the innercity of Hanoi is the Temple of Literature which was dedicated to Confucius in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong and later established as a university for the education of mandarins. A well-preserved jewel of traditional Vietnamese architecture in 11th century style with roofed gateways and low-eaved buildings.

Hue

Traditionally, Hue has been one of Vietnam's cultural, religious and educational centres. Hue served as the political capital from 1802 to 1945 under the 13 emperors of the Nguyen dynasty. Today, Hue's decaying opulent tombs of the Nguyen emperors and grand, crumbling Citadel comprise a Unesco World Heritage site.
The Citadel, the erstwhile city is one of Vietnam's disintegrating treasures and as most of the architectural attractions, it lies along the northern side of the Perfume River. Though heavily bombed by the Americans, and much of it now used for agriculture, its scope and beauty still impress.
The royal tombs are 7 to 16km south of Hue and each of them is unique and very different to the others. Emperor Tu Duc's tomb complex, is a majestic site, laced with frangipani and pine trees and set alongside a small lake. The buildings are beautifully designed. The most amazing one is the Tomb of Min Mang, who ruled from 1820 to 1840. This tomb is renowned for its architecture, which blends into the natural surroundings. The elaborate, hilltop Tomb of Khai Dinh, who ruled from 1916 to 1925, stands out from the other tombs for its unique structure. The buildings and statues reflect a distinct mix of Vietnamese and European features.

Hoi An & My Son

Welcome to Hoi An, a beautiful, charming small town at the coast line of Vietnam. It was an international trading port as far back as the 17th century. Influences from Chinese, Japanese and European culture are well preserved in local architechture and art. Roaming the narrow lanes at night, it is easy to imagine how it might have looked 150 years ago. Despite the number of tourists who come to Hoi An, it is still a pretty conservative town. The courtesy of the residents is most amazing and hopefully they will not loose it over the next couple of years.The old town was named a Unesco World Heritage site. Apart from the interesting sights which the town offers itself, there are the nearby Cham ruins that makes an excellent expedition out of town. The ancient Champa people were raised to be "the masters of art in building brick". So far the technique in building the ancient temple-towers of Champa people remains controversial . The bricks were smoothed and laid closely and securely without mortar. My Son's value is also refected in the art of lively and fine sculpture and carving on brick, stone from the images of deities, priests, dances, plants, animals and sacrifices. The ruins are nestled in a lush valley surrounded by hills. My Son became a religious and is one of the most stunning sights in the area and in 1999 it was listed a Unesco World Heritage site.