Myanmar
Asia · Naypyidaw · MM
Myanmar is the large country of the south-east Asian mainland, a land of the golden pagodas, the teak monasteries and the ancient cities of the Irrawaddy valley that opened to the wider tourism in the 2010s after decades of isolation. The plain of the Bagan spreads the greatest concentration of the temples and the stupas in the world, the capital of the Yangon holds the enormous golden stupa of the Shwedagon, and the lake of the Inle carries the floating gardens and the leg-rowing fishermen of the Shan state. The highlands of the country, from the colonial mountain resorts to the far north, hold the diverse world of the peoples of the country, and the coast of the Bay of Bengal, with its long white beaches, rounds out the natural variety. Historic, deeply spiritual and full of the everyday gold, Myanmar remains one of the most extraordinary and the most challenging journeys of the region.
Overview
Myanmar is a country in Asia. Its capital is Naypyidaw and the international dialling code is +95. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Burmese. Local currency is the Myanmar Kyat (MMK). We also list 1 city in Myanmar: Naypyidaw.
The Temples of the Bagan and the Plain of the Golden Era
The plain of the Bagan, above the curve of the river of the Ayeyarwady, holds the remains of the first great kingdom of the country, and the two thousand temples, stupas and monasteries that the medieval kings raised across the dry plain form the largest archaeological ensemble of the Buddhist world and one of the great sights of south-east Asia. The temples of the plain, from the great Ananda to the elegant Sulamani and the mysterious Dhammayangyi, their brick and their stucco across the grasses of the plain, and the cycling routes and the hot-air balloons of the dawn give the enormous panorama of the spires against the dust of the valley. The great temples of the plain can be explored again and again with the changing of the light, and the sunsets over the monuments are among the classic moments of the region.
The Shwedagon of the Yangon and the Shining of the Dawn
The great stupa of the Shwedagon, the enormous golden drum on its hill above the city, is the holiest and the most beautiful building of the country, its solid gold surface, its crown of the diamonds and its surrounding ring of the smaller stupas making it the most staggering of the Buddhist monuments of the world. The visit of the temple, best made at the dawn or the dusk when the light turns the whole hill to gold, follows the circuit of the shrine among the offerings, the monks and the families of the devoted, and the platform of the pagoda, with its bells, its statues and its marvellous tiled walkways, rewards hours of the wandering. The city around the hill, the old colonial capital with its grand buildings, its markets and its lake of the Royal, completes the essential day of the country's largest city.
The Lake of the Inle and the Leg-Rowing Life
The lake of the Inle, the long, shallow lagoon of the Shan highlands framed by the surrounding hills, holds one of the most distinctive ways of life in Asia, the villages of the stilt houses, the floating gardens and the fishermen who row with the single leg coiled around the oar. The villages of the lake, from the weaving workshops of the Inpawkhon to the market towns of the Ywama, run the craft and the trade of the lake on the boats and the long canoes of the water, and the temples of the lake, the five-buddha shrine of the centre, draw the pilgrims of the festival season. The boats of the lake run the circuits of the villages, the monasteries and the gardens, and the stilted hotels of the shore give the base of the region. It is the most beautiful of the country's natural scenes.
The Mandalay of the Kings and the Roads of the Monasteries
The city of the Mandalay, the last royal capital of the country, spreads along the river beneath the hill of the same name, and its monasteries, from the enormous teak of the Shwenandaw with its carving to the mausoleum of the royal family, hold the arts of the last kingdom. The shining plateau of the country, the great stupas and the pagoda-covered hill that rises at the edge of the city, gives the whole region its spiritual landmarks along the length of the Ayeyarwady. The road towns of the region, the old capitals of the Amarapura with its famous teak bridge, the Ava and the Sagaing across the river, are the classic day trips of the Mandalay, and the crafts of the region, the marble carving, the weaving and the gold beating, continue in the workshops of the old quarters. The valley is the heart of the country.
The Beaches of the Ngapali and the Coast of the Bay
The west coast of the country, along the Bay of Bengal, holds the country's finest beaches, and the bay of the Ngapali, the long curve of the white sand between the coconut palms and the setting sun, is the classic resort world of the modern country. The coast of the bay, with its fishing villages, its seafood shacks and its quiet, warm water, gives the traveller the easy end of the Myanmar journey, and the roads and the light aircraft of the region connect the coast to the cities of the interior. The islands and the reefs of the southern coast, in the archipelago of the Mergui, hold the diving and the empty white sands of the region. The beaches are the restful, beautiful final act of the trip that the rest of the country rarely offers.
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- Capital
- Naypyidaw
- Currency
- Myanmar Kyat (MMK)
- Languages
- Burmese
- Calling code
- +95
- Internet TLD
- mm
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Myanmar.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Myanmar?
Naypyidaw is the capital of Myanmar, and the country sits in Asia.
What currency is used in Myanmar?
You pay with Myanmar Kyat (MMK) in Myanmar. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Myanmar?
The languages we list for Myanmar are Burmese. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Myanmar?
The dialling code for Myanmar is +95 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Myanmar do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Myanmar: Naypyidaw (capital).