Matt Munro

Myanmar (Burma)

It's a new era for this extraordinary and complex land, where the landscape is scattered with gilded pagodas and the traditional ways of Asia endure.

Attractions

Shwedagon Paya
Yangon
One of Buddhism's most sacred sites, the 326ft zedi (stupa) here is adorned with 27 metric tons of gold leaf, along with thousands of diamonds and other…
Mandalay Hill
Mandalay
To get a sense of Mandalay’s pancake-flat sprawl, climb the 760ft hill that breaks it. The walk up covered stairways on the hill's southern slope is a…
Mt Victoria
Chin State
The highest peak in Chin State – 10,016ft – and the third-highest in Myanmar, stunning Mt Victoria is one of the principal attractions of southern Chin…
Mahamuni Paya
Mandalay
Every day, thousands of colourfully dressed faithful venerate Mahamuni's 13ft-tall seated buddha, a nationally celebrated image that’s popularly believed…
Shwethalyaung Buddha
Myanmar (Burma)
Following the destruction of Bago in 1757, this huge reclining buddha was overgrown by jungle and not rediscovered until 1881, when a contractor unearthed…
Kandawgyi Lake
Yangon
Also known as Royal Lake, this artificial lake built by the British as a reservoir is most attractive at sunset, when the glittering Shwedagon Paya is…
National Museum (Yangon)
Yangon
Even though the museum's collection is poorly labelled and often badly lit, the treasures that lie within this cavernous building deserve a viewing. The…
Rih Lake
Chin State
This small, heart-shaped lake has huge spiritual significance for the Mizo people, who inhabit both sides of the nearby Myanmar–India border. Rih Lake…

targeting:

{
  "destination": "Myanmar-(Burma)",
  "country": "Myanmar-(Burma)",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "region": "Southeast-Asia"
}

Filter by interest:

History

Feb 23, 2021 • 3 min read

The answer is a complicated one in which history, politics and the quirks of transliterating a word from one language to another all play a role.

in partnership with getyourguide

targeting:

{
  "destination": "Myanmar-(Burma)",
  "country": "Myanmar-(Burma)",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "region": "Southeast-Asia"
}