6 reasons to visit Bagan, Myanmar

Is Bagan a new destination in your note’s travel guide? Why you should visit Bagan?  One of the world’s greatest religious sites, Bagan offers a vast number of historic temples, magnificent sunrises and sunsets, and a magnitude of scale unimaginable to everyone.

Marvel at the ancient temples and monasteries

Bagan is the perfect place to hop on a bike and explore, flying through the dusty dirt roads to view, climb and walk around endless temples. Now people can rent a horse-drawn carriage or e-bikes to zip along quicker.

Let your curiosity take over and witness most temples without a tourist in sight; gaze at the wild temple dogs that seem to have the wisdom of a thousand years as they guard the ancient edifices with little movement. Admire the crumbling dark stairwells, thousand-year-old peeling paintings, and grand Buddhas greeting you inside each marvelous architectural feat.

People are fantastic

Those temples may not be perfectly authentic, but the people, the people truly are authentic. This goes for all of Myanmar and Bagan is no exception: without fail, the people are polite, pleasant and as helpful as they can be. Unlike in many countries and regions with an established or growing reliance on tourist trade, you will never feel harassed or pressured. Even the hawkers and beggars are relatively polite and quick to leave you alone once you have made it clear you are not interested.

Learn about a preserved culture

After you watch the sunrise at a temple of your choice, bike over to Old Bagan near the Bu Paya where you can watch the hustle and bustle of the locals and monks. At this hour, watch as the procession of monks come to accept alms from the locals. Bike to one of the many villages like Min-nan Thu Village or Thuhtaykan Village to learn their special crafts and how the Burmese survive off the land.

Savor new foods

Unlike fragrant Thai food, Burmese food is Asian cuisine fused from Southeast Asian, Chinese and Indian influences. There are many delicious snacks of pickled tea leaves, sesame seeds, peanuts, and fried garlic chips. You can have tasty candy treats made from coconuts, palm and peanut oil, and sugarcane.

The sunrises are stunning

It is an absolute must, one morning, get up before dawn, climb onto your scooter, and head out for the best vantage point to catch the sunrise over the Bagan Archeological Zone. Your hotel can likely provide you with a map of the Zone and favored sunrise viewing points. Many of these will be atop an actual temple. The other option is to leave extra early and cruise around as aimlessly as possible.

See more: The best places to catch sunset in Bagan, Myanmar

Feel like an explorer

Although tourists are slowly coming to a land that was cut off for so long due to an oppressive military junta, there are still far less tourists than you would expect at other major world attractions like Angkor Wat and Machu Picchu. If you desire to travel to an untouched land with a fascinating culture still intact, you should go now, because this nation is on the cusp of great change.

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Best secret islands and beaches in Malaysia

Imagine white sand, turquoise waters and empty palm tree-fringed beaches. Malaysia has thousands of these islands, with many relatively unknown and off the tourist trail.

A luxurious beach getaway on Tenggol Island (Terengganu)

Tenggol is the southernmost island in Terengganu State’s archipelago chain, stretching over the South China Sea. Unlike its neighbours the Perhentian Islands, this place hardly gets any visitors apart from a handful of locals. Expect ideal snorkelling conditions, daily whale shark tours and jungle trails. To get here, take a five-hour bus from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Dungan followed by a 50-minute ferry to Tenggol Island. It’s worth the long trip.

Romantic getaways on Rawa Island (Johor)

Dazzling white-sand beaches, celebrity-favourite resorts and beachfront villas are three ways to describe Rawa Island. This tiny coral island off Johor State has just two resorts, alluring those looking for a very private retreat. Wake up to the sound of lapping waves and open the curtains to the empty white coastline. This piece of paradise comes with a high price tag and limited rooms that often sell out months in advance. Rawa is perfect for honeymooners or more affluent couples on a romantic getaway.

The mesmerising ‘Blue Tears’ on Tusan Beach (Sarawak)

Sarawak’s Tusan Beach near Miri doesn’t get many visitors apart from local families. Not many outsiders get to see the warm orange sand hugging the cliffs or photograph the unusual rock formation (resembling a horse bending down to drink the sea water). The lack of commercialisation plus the strange geological structures aren’t the only things that make this (somewhat) secret beach in Malaysia so special. When conditions are just right, tiny micro-organisms in the sea release a chemical into the water. This bioluminescence transforms the gentle inky waters into a neon blue oasis, creating the spectacular and very rare ‘Blue Tears’ phenomenon.

Disconnect from the world on Kapas (Terengganu)

Terengganu’s Kapas Island is practically uninhabited compared to its neighbours. Only a handful of guesthouses and hostels line the empty coastlines, catering towards budget-conscious crowds. Forget luxury resorts, mass development and WiFi: Kapas is all about reflection and solitude. Expect vast coastlines, colourful coral reefs and crystal-clear waters.

Read more: Top famous tourist attractions in Malaysia

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6 best Burmese foods to try in Myanmar

Influenced by the overlapping tastes of the 100 ethnic groups that call the country home and the five countries that share its borders, Myanmar’s cuisine is simple but superbly diverse. You don't know what you're missing out in Myanmar until you try these delicious foods, drinks and desserts.

Ngar Hta Min

A brilliant dish from the Shan region, Ngar Hta Min is a delicious fish-tomato rice or fish-rice cake – a comfort food best suited for rainy evenings or cold nights in the hills. It’s a simple dish prepared by making small round balls from a mixture of pre-cooked tomato, fish, rice and potatoes together, and garlic, chilli and fish oil for flavour.

Mont Lin Ma Yar

Within the same category as above but sold independently is a gorgeous looking snack Mont Lin Ma Yar – informally called the ‘husband and wife snack’. While walking in downtown Yangon, you’ll come across many hawkers selling these golden muffins. They are made with rice flour batter in a special iron mould. The batter is divided into two sections – the first half contains only batter and the second half is topped with quail egg and roasted chickpeas. Both the halves, the “Yin and the Yang”, are then joined together to create the Mont Lin Ma Yar.

Shwe Yin Aye

On a hot day in Myanmar, an iced dessert cannot be too far from your thoughts. Shwe Yin Aye is similar to Chendol from Indonesia and is prepared with steamed sticky rice, coconut milk jelly, tapioca seeds, coconut milk, sugar, bread and ice. You can eat this dessert with different combinations of seaweed, agar-agar, palm sugar, etc.

Mohinga

A savoury fish noodle soup which is indisputably the ultimate breakfast dish of the country. A fish flavoured rice noodle soup, it is delicious and available almost everywhere in Myanmar.

A word of caution here, though, it is a fish soup in its true sense – cooked with fish, fish paste and fish sauce. If the smell of fish bothers you, clip your nose and but do have it.

Sanwin Makin

A traditional Burmese sweet which draws its inspiration from Indian semolina desserts, these cakes are common treats available on the street. In addition to semolina, coconut milk/cream, egg, cardamom and sugar also go into preparing these cakes which are then topped off with a sprinkling of poppy seeds.

Shan Noodle Soup/Salad

More popular in the Shan region, it consists of flat rice noodles in a flavoursome broth with shredded chicken or pork, a sprinkling of toasted sesame with garlic oil and pickled vegetables on the side. It is served more in the boat noodles (a popular Thai dish) tradition – serving size is small and probably good for a snack. But it is a snack that is deliciously addictive, so don’t be alarmed if you end up having 3-4 bowls or more. It is also served without soup like a salad.

See more: 7 reasons why you should visit Myanmar

Source: tripzilla