I sat in silence, passing through the verdant countryside, Bagan’s revered temples shrouded in the morning mist, burnished gold by the rising sun. Then the driver of my horse-drawn cart waved his hand for me to look. There, between the sacred stupas, a sleepy village was waking up. Roosters crowed as farmers in ox-drawn carts headed to the fields. The dogs lay undisturbed on the dusty earth, soaking up some languid slumber. Women hopped off bikes and set up their wares at the town’s outdoor market: fruits, vegetables, sweets and clothing, some on blankets on the ground, others neatly placed on tabled stalls. Villagers smiled and chatted while enjoying their breakfast soup and tea. Such beauty and simplicity; I felt like I had journeyed back to a land that time forgot.
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been largely sealed off from the outside world, first by a repressive government, then by international economic sanctions. The sanctions have been lifted with the promise of free elections this November and Myanmar is now open for business. However, unlike its neighbors across Southeast Asia, Myanmar has side-stepped modernization. Years of isolation have preserved a veritably untouched culture in this devoutly Buddhist country. Wondrous pagodas, gilded Buddhas and saffron-robed monks are everywhere. And the sweet, gentle people, to whom foreigners are still a novelty are warm and welcoming.
The ’new Myanmar’ has become a hot tourist destination, and is attracting not just backpackers, but sophisticated visitors who want to travel in comfort and style. It’s important to be aware the country lacks basic infrastructure. Internet connections are spotty, good roads are scarce and the supply of upscale hotels outstrips demand. While more are in the pipeline, the few that are open book up well in advance.
One solution is to take to the river aboard one of the increasingly popular cruises. The newest and also the most luxurious, the Sanctuary Ananda riverboat, debuted in November. Ananda sails the Ayeyarwady River between Mandalay, the nation’s spiritual center, and iconic Bagan with its wondrous temple-studded landscape. Exotic itineraries, including excursions and add-on land extensions, are arranged by Abercrombie & Kent, which have been in the country since 1997.
The spacious 21-suite ship, custom built in Yangon by local craftsmen using traditional materials and outfitted in plush regional décor, feels like a floating 5-star hotel. Cabins accented in elegant silks have air conditioning, satellite TV, iPads, monsoon showers and balconies for endless stupa viewing. Our guide, Golden, a lovely young woman from Kachin State and a designer, curated the beautifully crafted hand-woven textiles, decorative pillows, handmade furniture and artifacts onboard, all sourced from Myanmar. The Sanctuary Ananda is an example of how the upswing in tourism can benefit the people of Myanmar outside the hospitality industry.
Guests cocktailed in the chic Kansi Panorama Lounge, before dining amid colorful hand-painted Pathein parasols in Talifoo Restaurant. Chef Sumet Sumpachanyanont, formerly of the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, Thailand, treated us to Thai and other Southeast Asian delights. We stopped at village markets where the chef handpicked the best fruits, produce and freshest ingredients. In addition to luscious papaya and pineapple, standouts were the tasty breakfast mohinga, a rice noodle and fish soup considered the national dish, soft-shell crab and chicken curry. Between land excursions to mystical locales, I indulged in on-board massages at the spa, and freshly squeezed watermelon juice or a “citrus Rangoon star ruby special” cocktail poolside on the deck while gazing at the noble Ayeyarwady.
At Inle Lake, one of the optional land extensions, the sun imparted a translucent shimmer to the water, creating gorgeous hues of aquamarine. Gliding along in a small motorized boat, I passed floating gardens, floating temples, villages on stilts and Intha fishermen known for their one-legged rowing that looks like an aquatic ballet. Once a refuge for separatist rebels, the hundreds of ancient stupa ruins of Indein village now attract tourists. At the nearby five-day market, a sweet lady from the Pa-o tribe wearing a traditional brightly colored head wrap sold me a scarf she made. Unlike the pushy souvenir hawkers I’ve encountered in so many places, she was quiet, timid, perhaps the effect of being cut off from the rest of the world for so long. I wondered if these kind innocent people would be able to emerge from the mists of time and build a better future for themselves.
Boarding the Ananda at Mandalay, we were greeted by staff with scented wet towels and fruit drinks, a ritual that would be repeated every time we returned from one of our land excursions. After a lunch of local fish in tamarind sauce, we set out to explore this former royal capital, home to some of Myanmar’s holiest sites. Myriad monks of all ages from around the country as well as international visitors come to study at Mandalay’s renowned monasteries. Guides led us through majestic temples witnessing sacred rituals and countless resplendent Buddhas of every size, shape and age. On the streets and in the temples, women and men alike wear long sarong-like wrapped garments known as longyis, with tanakha smeared on their faces. This ubiquitous yellow paste is used as sunscreen, moisturizer and decorative makeup.
As the day drew to a close, we headed to Amarapura and the U Bein Bridge, the world’s longest and oldest teak causeway. A long-tailed boat took me beneath the famed span as I sipped champagne and drank in a marvelous magenta sunset.
The next day we steamed north where the contrasts of this land were on full display. First, we stopped at Sin Kyun, a small riverside village similar to countless others on the flat banks of the Ayeyarwaddy. Oxcarts plied the main street, a sandy path flanked by huts of woven bamboo. Children came out to see the novel sight – Westerners! Rather than asking for money or selling trinkets, they simply smiled, giggled and waved goodbye when we left.
From the humble to the spectacular, we headed to Mingun, where two kings left very different but equally spectacular monuments. One monarch sought to build the world’s tallest pagoda. An astrologer predicted he would die when it was completed, so he issued a stop work order, leaving us the world’s tallest unfinished pagoda. Or the tallest pile of bricks. Whatever. The other king left us the remarkable multi-terraced Myatheindan Pagoda, known as the Taj Mahal of Myanmar, built to honor his late wife, and believed to contain a buried emerald.
The highlight of every journey to Myanmar is Bagan, the former royal capital, an officially designated archaeological zone, encyclopedia of sacred Buddhist architecture and a living center of veneration.
Bagan’s spectacular landscape of more than 2,000 temples, pagodas, shrines and stupas seems almost other-wordly, its beauty and sanctity unparalleled. I found the best way to see this is by horse-drawn cart or, for the more athletic, by bike. These humble means of transportation allow you to jump off and get up close to the monuments large and small. Some have exquisite gilded Buddhas enshrined within, others are little more than a mound of bricks crumbling into the red earth. I would stop, sit, meditate, lose track of time and take in the splendor.
The future of Myanmar, this “land that time forgot,” is by no means assured. Even the free elections, the promise of which led to the lifting of sanctions, are somewhat uncertain. What we do know is the people of Myanmar are warm, welcoming, generous and genuinely delighted that we care to visit them. They look forward to a brighter future now that their country is open to the world.
Let us hope the world doesn’t disappoint them.
Sanctuary Ananda itineraries start with an entry level three-night cruise with excursions arranged by Abercrombie & Kent, ranging from the 3-day Bagan-Mandalay route to the 11-day sailing between Mandalay and Yangon.
How To Go: Cathay Pacific offers daily non-stop service to Hong Kong from New York, New Jersey, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago, connecting to Yangon via their intra-Asia ailirline Dragonair.
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