The wonderful landscapes of Myanmar

Bagan seems to have been untouched by centuries. His temples look unchanged, lost among the fresh vegetation. Exploring them in the orange light of sunset, when a soft mist surrounds the bell-shaped structures, you can hear your thoughts. You feel like you are the first person to be there. As if this landscape wasn't nearly a thousand years old.

But the city is not the only destination in Myanmar, in Southeast Asia, where you can feel like the discoverer of a remote paradise. The country, also called Burma, remains unchanged and serene. While Vietnam received about eight million tourists in 2014, Myanmar was visited by one million. If we add the trips to and from the regions that border Thailand, the figure barely reaches three million.

Its culture and traditions have not been influenced by the West, says Omar Servín, general manager of the travel agency Amparo Servicios Turísticos. Although it borders countries like India and China, it remains unknown and isolated from the world.

Buddhism governs the lives of 85% of its inhabitants. It is customary that, in each family, at least one of the sons studies and learns in a monastery for a time. It is not about lonely people or secluded in some remote place. They live in large communities and are not required to be monks permanently; after a few months or years, they can return to their common life.

For a long time the country was known as "the rice warehouse of Asia", as it was the largest producer of the cereal. Today it is the main exporter of teak wood.

According to Omar, you need at least eight days to get to know Myanmar. We present some of its unmissable points.

spiritual charm

In Bagan, a four-hour drive from Naypyidaw, the country's capital, you could spend entire days visiting temples without repeating.

The ancient city has more than two thousand Buddhist monuments, temples, pagodas and stupas. It can only be compared to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Los maravillosos paisajes de Myanmar

The Ananda Temple is one of the most famous monuments in the complex. It is the only one in the world to have four Buddha statues, one on each of its doors.

Eight temples are allowed in Bagan, including Shwesandaw and Shweguyi. Watching the sunset on top of a sanctuary is a unique experience. It is also possible to fly over them in a hot air balloon. To enter them, you must have covered shoulders and legs. Wearing shoes inside is prohibited, and when sitting, your feet should always point forward.

One hour from the capital is Mount Popa, an extinct volcano on the top of which a monastery was built. The nats, spirits of the ancestors who live in the mountains, according to local belief, are worshiped here.

In the Mandalay region, three hours from Bagan, is the Mahagandayon monastery, a Buddhist center. More than a thousand monks live and study inside. It is located very close to the U Bein bridge, which is more than a kilometer long.

life in nature

Inle Lake, in the Shan state, in the center of the country, stands out for its floating villages. Four communities, to which 70 thousand people of different ethnic groups belong, live among mountains, orchid forests, gardens and floating markets. Their houses are situated on the lake, built on stilts. Its fishermen have a unique technique: they row with the help of their leg.

Two hours away is Green Hill Valley (www.ghelephant.com), a nature reserve for elephants that due to their age can no longer be used for work. With the help of a veterinarian, you can participate in the care of animals.

Shan State also encompasses the town of Hsipaw, a six-hour drive from Inle Lake. This region produces the best fruits in the entire country. Its greatest attraction is to walk through its rice fields and fruit plantations. In its mountains live the Palaung tribes, dedicated to the cultivation and preparation of fermented tea, which is marketed throughout the country and is used in some local dishes.

If you prefer beach destinations, include Ngapali Beach in your itinerary. Bathed by the Bay of Bengal, it is located in the state of Rakhine, to the west. It can only be reached by plane from the city of Thandwe. You can snorkel. Its waters are crystal clear, and on its strip of white sand you will find few travelers. There are a few boutique lodges with an intimate atmosphere.

intact culture

The city of Yangon was the capital of Burma until 2006. There is the Shwedagon pagoda, the most important monument in the country, with 2,500 years old. Inside it houses relics of the Buddha, including some strands of his hair. It is decorated with hundreds of gold plates, and on top of the stupa there are more than four thousand diamonds encrusted.

Touring the city by train is a good way to observe daily life in places such as the Hele Dan neighborhood market or the colonial zone. It is worth trying the most famous dish of local cuisine: mohinga. It is a fish soup made with rice noodles. It is customary to eat it for breakfast. With information from Daniel Galilea/ EFE Reports

TRAVEL GUIDE

How to get

Through Kayak.com.mx you find round flight rates from 35 thousand 95 pesos per person, with taxes included, making two stopovers. The outward journey takes approximately 46 hours.

Where to sleep

Aureum Palace is a luxury hotel in Bagan. Rooms from $156 per night, based on double occupancy.

aureumpalacehotel.com

The Belmond Governor's Residence hotel is located in Yangon, in a mansion dating back to the 1920s. It has rates from 330 dollars per night, for two people.

www.belmond.com

Travel packages

Amparo Servicios Turísticos carries out several itineraries that include Myanmar among its destinations. "Myanmar and the Ayeryawady" is one of them. There are 12 days of travel and includes a visit to Bagan, Yangon, Mandalay and Inle Lake. Price: from three thousand 920 dollars for two people, with lodging included. www.amparo.com.mx

Fly over Bagan

Orientalballooning.com conducts balloon tours over Bagan's temples.

Price: $395 per person.

Visa

To visit the country you must have a visa, which you can process online.

evisa.moip.gov.mm

Vaccines

It is recommended to be vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and yellow fever.

Idiom

Burmese is the official language, although much of the population speaks English in urban areas and tourist areas.

Currency

The official currency is the kyat (MMK). One US dollar is equal to approximately 1,177 kyats.

Official tourism page

myanmar.travel