Myanmar, The Golden Land

Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma, is one of the few truly original travel experiences remaining in this much travelled world.» Decades of social and economic isolation have preserved here many of the traditional features, physical and cultural, which have been lost in other Asian countries.

Myanmar is a captivating travel destination - for its diversity of sightseeing, for the wealth of cultural and scenic attractions it can offer and, above all, for the warmth and friendliness of its charming people. English is spoken quite widely, especially in cities and by older people. Early civilisation in Myanmar dates back to the 5th Century and reached its peak of power and creativity in the 11-15th Centuries. The country is blessed by nature with great geophysical diversity, with scenery varying from the vast central agricultural plains, to snow capped mountains in the far north. The Shan States feature cool and verdant hills, while the long coastline offers endless golden beaches still to be opened up for tourism. From north to south flows the majestic Ayeyarwaddy (Irrawaddy), one of the world's greatest rivers and source of agricultural wealth to millions. Potentially, Myanmar is one of the region's richest economies, with every type of natural resource. Tourism is seen as being one of the greatest opportunities for development, but, for now, the numbers of tourist are few.

Much of the country's attraction is in its history and artistic culture. Myanmar lies at the meeting point of two of the world's great civilisations, China and India, but it blends both of these influences with its own very special local characteristics. The people have preserved traditional values, and are deeply devout in their religion, with a close-knit family system and respect for elders still powerfully observed. Myanmar people are fun loving and festivals from the centre of Myanmar social life, with each month having its own festive occasion. Myanmar people are also known for their sense of hospitality and friendliness to visitors.