Travel to Myanmar – Episode 354

Hear about travel to Myanmar as the Amateur Traveler talks to Dustin Main from SkinnyBackpacker.com about Myanmar (Burma).

Dustin says, “Myanmar is very very quickly becoming a hot destination. For years, because the military government had been and still is sort running the show there, a lot of western countries didn’t recommend that people travel there. And the democratic opposition in the country had even put a tourism boycott out there a few years ago. So over the last few years very very few people have been to the country.”

“But as some recent things have happened, particularly in the last 18 months, most prominently was when president Obama actually came to visit, just about a month ago, in November. It is quickly going on the map as a tourism destination in Asia that is fairly untouched. And where you can avoid the crowds of an Angkor Wat or the Beaches in Thailand and get a more real experience.”

Dustin describes valleys filled with fog with spires of Buddhist temples appearing from the mist, but he also describes a country where the roads are still so bad you might fly from place to place instead and where getting money might not be as simple as a visit to the local ATM.

The big 4 places to visit in Myanmar are Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, and Inle Lake. Dustin takes us a bit more off the beaten path based on the 3 months he spent this last year traveling around the country. He takes us hiking among some of the hill tribes near Kalaw and Pindaya. He takes us south of the temple of the Golden Rock to the village of Mawlamyine. He takes us to the limestone caves of Hpa-an and hiking up to the top of Mount Zwegabin where you can stay in a monastery.

right click here to download (mp3)
right click here to download (iTunes version with pictures)

Show Notes

Travel to Burma / Myanmar – Episode 85
Skinny Backpacker
President Obama Visits Burma
The Big-Four Frenzy
The Golden Rock
Mawlamyine
Myanmar Information
Burma Superstar!
Myanmar Currency
Betel Chewing in Myanmar
Myanmar and MasterCard

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Community

Thanks for the iTunes reviews!
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