Myanmar travel guide

This amazing gold covered stupa stands 98 meters high and has become the iconic national symbol of Myanmar. It enshrines, among other things, eight hairs of the Buddha, and contains more than 1100 diamonds, where the top one is of 76-carat, and more than 1300 other stones. So it's no surprise that this is the most sacred Buddhist site in the country. At the base there are many smaller stupas, temples, and statues and you can easily spend hours just watching the local pilgrims doing rituals like the symbolic broom sweeping.

The Hmwe Paya pagoda near the ancient cities (Amarapura, Inwa, and Sagaing) could be just one among many in temple-packed Myanmar if it wasn't for the unusual hosts. In 1974 three pythons zigzagged into the temple and curled up around the Buddha statue. Ever since they have been considered holy and are treated as sacred snakes with all that involves of bathing, feeding, and the occasional photo session with locals pilgrims. You hardly notice them when you first arrive to the temple, but after a while you figure out that the curled up things next to the statue are the snakes.

The train ride from Pyin U Lwin to charming Hsipaw is considered one of the great train journeys by train buffs, not just in Myanmar but in the world. The line was constructed by the British in the beginning of the nineteenth century and is cutting its way through jungle, climbing up steep hills and crossing the deep gorge of Gokteik on what was at the time an engineering masterpiece. It's an amazing journey and quite an anxiety-inducing experience to slowly crawl over the stick construction knowing that it's more than a hundred years old and probably has not received the best maintenance.

The U Bein Bridge spans 1.2 kilometers across the Taungthaman Lake. It is the longest teak bridge in the world. Mayor U Bein used teak columns that were being left behind in an old palace during a move. Locals use the bridge as a vein for commuting, and it is usually bustling with activity. Spend an afternoon sitting on the bridge, watching people fish and tend to ducks below in the lake. Many buddhists walk the bridge around sunset which makes the setting picture perfect. Watching a sunset from the teak bridge is the best way to experience the true beauty of Mandalay!

Yangon is rundown. It looks like it was built centuries ago (it was, during mid 1800s by the British) and then left to decay (it was). The once pastel-coloured houses are covered in mold, streets are riddled in potholes, and there are loose hanging wires everywhere. Yangon is soaked in grit and feels very exotic - even for Asia-harden travellers. The traffic is another... hmm, interesting thing in Yangon. You can either take a ride with a tricycle rickshaws, a slow and uncomfortable, but cheap, way to get around, or join the dense crowds on the public buses. Some of these buses are pre WWII and in shocking condition, but nevertheless a miracle since they still run. Newer second-hand buses have been imported from Japan, meaning passengers have to get in and out from the traffic side, since driving in Myanmar is on right side (and left in Japan). Beside getting use to the odd things in Myanmar, Yangon has several interesting sights where the impressive Shwedagon pagoda, of course, tops the list.