Myanmar is one of the Asian countries in which you can be able to easily discern the life of yesteryears. Oxcarts are visible on the road, goatherds are seen tending flock in the field and men still wear lungi which is a traditional wraparound skirt.  Its favorable climate and numerous attraction sites make it a place that is loved by all who visit.

Shwedagon Pagoda at Night. Yangoon, Myanmar. Click image for travel info to this amazing place!

 Interesting Facts/Info About Myanmar

• The most common beverages are green tea and black tea.
• The common accompaniment is ngapi which is a paste made from fermented fish and prawns.
• The livelihood includes agriculture, fishing and forestry.
• The country has a lot of natural resources including rubber, natural gas, jade, teak, oil and rubies.
• Plumpness is seen as a sign of health.

Location and Geography

Myanmar, previously known as Burma, is a country located in the southeast part of Asia. It is surrounded by Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Laos and China. The capital city is Naypyidaw while Yangon is the largest city.

Tourist Spots

Inle Lake is a popular attraction outside of the major cities.  Geographically and culturally incredible area to see the culture of Myanmar.

Inle Lake, Myanmar

Ngapali is a famous tourist town due to its white sandy beaches and its calm blue waters. Luxury hotels and good local restaurants are also found in Ngapali. The best time to visit is between November and March.  It is located north-west of Yangoon.

Ngapali beach – By Stephan Fussan Via Wikimedia

Another area that is just opening their doors to small tourism are the Mergui Archipelago islands located in southern Myanmar.  Beautiful sand and azure waters.

Ayeyarwady, also known as Irrawaddy is the longest river and tourists can go on a cruise on this river. On the cruise, you will be able to see dolphins, river villages and you will also get the chance to travel through the jungle and deep gorges.

Bagan is another must visit! It is known as the land of many temples, 2200 to be exact.  Make sure to explore the temples not only on the ground but by air, that is hot air balloon!!  Click here to read more on Bagan and our travel tips for this area.

Sunrise overlooking Bagan Temples

Climate

If you love warm weather, you will be happy to know that Myanmar is generally warm and rarely is it cold unless you go to the mountainous regions. Since the climate is governed by equatorial monsoons, the climate can be hot, hot with rain or warm. Annual rainfall in the dry areas can amount to less than 1000mm. In the coastal region, it is over 5,000 mm while in the delta region, it amounts to 2,500 mm. Average maximum temperature in the coastal and delta regions is 32 degrees Celsius while in the northern region it is 21 degrees Celsius.

The People

The country is home to around 60 million people, subdivided into at least 135 ethnic groups. A large percentage of the population, more than 60 percent, is from the Barma ethnic group. The other ethnic groups such as Chinese, Mon, Kachin and Karen among many others make up the other minority section of the total population.