Top Five Reasons to Visit Myanmar - The Elevated Moments

Top Five Reasons to Visit Myanmar

There are many different reasons to visit Myanmar, but I think it can be boiled down to five main reasons, as I’ve listed below. But it has so much to offer, like being off the beaten path for most or that it is fairly easy to get around the country. I wouldn’t want to discount those reasons too for visiting, but these are the top five that I can think of.

Reason #1: The People

There’s a lot of time when you’re traveling for walking and seeing the beautiful temples around Myanmar, but some days are meant for doing something different – like walking around the open markets or going to the local restaurant to try new dishes. Quickly, you realize the place becomes special due to the people you meet and the memories you share. Like this one when walking around the open market and seeing a banana stall and buying a single bunch, only to get another bunch as a gift. Or when we started talking to the owner of the restaurant and she wanted us to try all the different dishes. Or our friends at the hostel who took us to some street food and helped us order. Or the man on the train who bought us strawberries and gave us a few laughs on the ride.

There’s a lot more examples, but these were the ones I thought about when looking back at Myanmar. Hopefully, you’ll meet some of the same type of people. They are all very generous and giving and makes you want to do the same.

Reason #2: Raw-untouched beauty

Part of visiting Myanmar is that you are stepping back into time. It is like going to Cuba and realizing that everything is still from the pre-embargo days. Myanmar is very similar, except you might jump back thousands of years and then leap back forward to the present. The country has so many different preserved areas like Bagan, or Inle Lake. The hot, dusty winds might make you feel uncomfortable, but it’s part of the experience.

Reason #3: The Sunsets

Chasing the sunset is part of a trip to Myanmar. More likely than not, you’ll spend the whole day inside while it is to hot to explore, but then as the sun starts to dip, it will cool down and that’s when everyone will come out. Sunsets in Bagan or Inle Lake or Loikaw or in Yangon are all stellar. I don’t think I was ever disappointed with one that I saw.

Reason #4: The Cultures

Meeting the true long neck women of Pan Pet was a great cultural experience. They are the people known for using golden rings to lengthen their necks and enhance their beauty. They are also the last in their generation and the practice is slowly dying out. Perhaps no one will be doing it in our generation or in 50 years. I regret not buying one of the scarves that the woman was sewing, but looking at the photo, there were so many of different colors and patterns. They were all unique. So if you have the chance, see some of the cultures around Myanmar. I think you’ll learn and see a lot.

Reason #5: The Pagodas

Myanmar is the land of the Pagodas and you’ll surely get your fill if you visit even just one city in the country. Our favorite were in Mandalay, our first stop when we arrived. You can just drive around on a scooter to get between places. This white pagoda was one of the more beautiful ones I’ve seen – freshly painted for the new season – and surrounded by a stunning landscape that you would not see elsewhere.

So those are the top five reasons for visiting Myanmar. I hope you get to see the country for all that it’s worth. The people, beauty, sunsets, cultures, and pagodas would summarize this visit fairly well. And maybe you’ll have your own reasons for visiting too, especially after seeing it first hand yourself.